The Debt Page #5

48 INT. SAFEHOUSE - MORNING 48

David, holding a kitchen knife, MOVES TO STAB Stephan.

Stephan uses a krav magah move to disarm him. The knife

clatters to the floor as he twists David’s arm behind his

back.

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There’s an element of showing off and Stephan uses a

little more force than is necessary. David winces but

doesn’t say anything.

Stephan turns to Rachel who has been watching.

STEPHAN:

Yes?

Rachel nods and they change places. David picks up the

knife and repeats the “attack” move on her. She disarms him

easily.

STEPHAN (CONT’D)

Now an attack from behind.

David takes his position, grabbing Rachel from behind, but

he’s so awkward with her the attack seems a little

tentative.

Stephan talks as Rachel practises breaking free from the

hold.

STEPHAN (CONT’D)

Where have you come from?

RACHEL:

Argentina.

STEPHAN:

Really? Whereabouts?

RACHEL:

Cordoba.

STEPHAN:

What were you doing there?

RACHEL:

My husband is an Industrial

Chemist.

Stephan glances at David, amused.

STEPHAN:

He does look like a chemist.

David grabs Rachel again, once more holding back a little.

STEPHAN (CONT’D)

She’s not going to f***ing break,

David. Move.

He takes David’s place.

STEPHAN (CONT’D)

What were you doing before this?

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RACHEL:

Before Argentina we lived in

Hungary where my husband

studied...

Stephan is smiling. She realizes he’s talking about Mossad.

RACHEL (CONT’D)

Oh...Liaison.

STEPHAN:

And what did you do in Liaison?

RACHEL:

(Beat)

Translator.

Stephan looks even more amused.

STEPHAN:

So, first time in the field.

Rachel feels herself blush a little angrily. Stephan grabs

her from behind and Rachel executes a perfect break,

twisting Stephen’s arm. Stephan winces, surprised.

STEPHAN (CONT’D)

Good. That’s...good.

David gives the slightest of smiles.

DAVID:

Welcome to Metsada.

49 OMITTED 49

50 INT. BERLIN SAFE HOUSE - RACHEL’S BEDROOM. NIGHT. 50

Rachel lies in bed, restlessly playing with a locket around

her neck.

Giving up on trying to sleep, Rachel rises from the bed,

throws on a robe and pads out of the room...

51 INT. BERLIN SAFE HOUSE - LIVING ROOM. CONTINUOUS. 51

...and into the living room. She sits down at the table,

stares at a FILE before her. She hesitates then opens it,

forces herself to look at the terrible PHOTOGRAPHS inside -

a pile of severed legs, bodies covered in mustard gas

wounds, phosphorus burns, a naked woman, barely a skeleton,

held up by two Nazi nurses, a row of DEAD BABIES, rulers

laid beside them to indicate dimensions...

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Rachel stares at this last image, overwhelmed.

52 HALLWAY 52

David stands watching her through the half open door. He

makes a small move - perhaps to go to her - then stops

himself and slips back into the darkness.

53 EXT. STREET - MORNING 53

A tram trundles down the wide Berlin street.

Rachel and David are walking to Vogel’s surgery, holding

hands. She’s pale, very frightened. David walks, trying,

and failing, to think of anything to say to her.

He suddenly notices an odd sound. It’s Rachel, humming

tunelessly to herself, very low. Something about this

pierces him. He gives her hand a squeeze.

54 EXT. CLINIC - DAY 54

The two stand in the doorway, at the foot of the stairs

leading into the clinic, their husband and wife routine.

DAVID:

(In German)

I’ll be waiting for you.

She nods, trying to smile.

RACHEL:

(her throat is tight)

I won’t...be long.

They kiss. She turns to go, looking so young and lost...

David hesitates, staring after her, then walks quickly

away. Rachel walks up the steps towards the entrance.

55 INT. WAITING ROOM. DAY. 55

A large NOTICE BOARD covered with photographs of grateful

smiling MOTHERS holding their NEWBORN BABIES - row upon row

of new life.

Rachel sits staring at the board. She turns her attention

to the frosted glass door to the doctor’s surgery.

Indistinct shadows move on the other side.

She turns to look at the other two women sitting looking

through magazines, then back to the door. A shadow darkens

as it approaches the glass, then the door opens and a NURSE

leans out.

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(All dialogue at the clinic is in German, subtitled.)

NURSE:

Frau Roget?

With a smile, the Nurse gestures for Rachel to enter.

56 INT. EXAMINATION ROOM. DAY. 56

Rachel stands behind a SCREEN, trying to control her

nerves. All we can hear is the sound of RUNNING WATER and

Rachel’s tense breathing. Finally she takes off her skirt

and unbuttons her blouse with trembling fingers. She puts

on the gown, and slips out of her underpants, stumbling as

she steps out of them.

We TRACK with her as she walks out from behind the screen

into the large brightly lit room. She walks towards the

GYNAECOLOGICAL CHAIR at the centre of the room. On the far

wall, behind a screen, someone stands washing their hands

at a basin.

As she walks, Rachel passes a tray of MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS,

her glance lingering on it.

She reaches the chair and climbs onto it. A pause and then,

tentatively, she lifts her feet into the stirrups, tugging

the gown to cover herself as best she can.

She tries to steady her breathing, focussing on the

ceiling. A bright LIGHT shines down on her.

We hear footsteps approach.

Rachel closes her eyes.

VOGEL:

Good morning, Frau Roget. I’m

Doctor Bernhardt.

Rachel opens her eyes. Vogel is sitting on a small stool,

taking a speculum from the tray of instruments, his back to

us.

RACHEL:

Good morning, doctor.

He turns and smiles at us - and he has a wonderful, warm

smile, the air of a gruff but kindly Uncle.

VOGEL:

Alright now, just relax. We’re

going to do a little examination.

If you feel at all uncomfortable,

you just say. Alright?

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She manages to nod.

VOGEL (CONT’D)

Alright, this is my hand... and

this is the speculum. It’s going

to feel cold.

Rachel reacts as Vogel pushes the speculum into place,

opens it and begins the examination. She stares up into the

light.

VOGEL (CONT’D)

Can I ask how old you are?

RACHEL:

Twenty five.

VOGEL:

And how long have you and your

husband been trying for a baby?

RACHEL:

Nearly two years.

VOGEL:

Uhuh. Well, the ovaries look

fine. Alright, let’s see... your

cervix is slightly retroverted.

Tilted backwards?

Rachel raises her hand to her LOCKET NECKLACE and begins to

fiddle with it.

RACHEL:

Really?

The angle from which we next see VOGEL, and the way the

image of his face freezes in black and white, tells us

clearly that this locket conceals a CAMERA DEVICE.

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