The Scavengers Page #3

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orchestral music)

- Oh Mr. Allison, I forgot.

Mr. O'Hara is waiting

for you upstairs.

(bouncy exotic music)

(slow jazz music)

- How's the head?

- Fine.

Headache's all gone.

Have you found her?

She's staying at the Astor Hotel

under her maiden name.

She lives alone.

She's had no contact

worth investigating

ever since her arrival.

The curios she bought from Macao

are now in the Manzi's

Storage Company

in Gilman Street.

- Do you think the

bonds might be there?

- Yours is as good

a guess as any.

- And this Chinese General

you said disappeared,

do you think he might be dead?

- If he is dead,

someone has killed him.

And that someone

has dealt himself

into our little game.

In any case, I refuse to believe

that she's playing a lone hand.

- Well now, what do you propose

we do about it?

Just sit and wait.

- We can't afford to do that.

We have to stir

things up a little.

And see what happens.

I want you to telephone her.

Insist on seeing her.

Make an appointment with her.

Tomorrow.

Away from her hotel.

- What's the idea?

- A shot in the dark.

She might panic.

And try to get to her people.

Or if not.

I could go over her room

while she's out

meeting with you.

Call her up.

It's only a five minute

walk to her hotel.

- Just one thing O'Hara.

I won't set her up

to be patsy for you

or anybody else.

Now you understand that?

- There's no need for

petty speeches, Allison.

We are going to work as a team

as long as it both suits us.

You know what I am.

I am a skip,

a lonely scavenger if you wish

like your wife and her friends.

You are an idealist.

The world that I

know, believe me,

that word is just as dirty.

My country has survived

for 4,000 years

until it was strangled

by idealists.

- Is he there?

- Yes.

Thank you very much

for the use of your--

- Hello?

I'd like to speak to Ms.

Marion Kramer, please.

Hello Marion, this is Stu.

I didn't think you knew

what happened to me.

- I just heard about

it from a friend.

No Stu, No.

It wouldn't do either

one of us any good.

I can't meet you.

It's out of the question.

(finger snapping)

All right, three o'clock.

I'll be there.

- So, you found her.

Now I know why

you sold the boat.

- No, I didn't

know about it then.

- What are you

going to do, Stuart?

- I don't know.

I really don't know.

She's sick, she's

in big trouble.

- And you're still in

love with her after all?

At least you're not apologizing.

I think I'd kill you

if you apologized.

(birds chirping)

(engine roaring)

- What do you want with me, Stu?

- That's a funny question

to ask, isn't it?

- Oh for heaven's sakes.

Let's not start that faithful

husband routine again.

It's the wrong

time of day for it.

- All right, let's

talk about Macao.

You knew I was gonna

get worked over there

the other night, didn't you?

- What difference does it make?

I only came here

for one reason, Stu.

For your own good,

leave me alone.

I can't mean that much to you.

You know what I am.

Is it worth getting killed for?

- I don't plan on

getting killed.

I know what you are.

I want you back.

I don't know if we can

still work things out,

but we can try.

- I don't want to

come back to you.

Don't you think I

would've a long time ago

if I'd wanted to?

That night in Macao...

I didn't know what I was saying.

- That night in Macao,

you were yourself.

You just stopped

being frightened for

a while, that's all.

Now listen to me, Marion,

I know what you're mixed up in.

You're playing with dynamite.

In the shape you're in, it's

liable to blow up in your face.

Now I could help you

out of it if you let me.

- So that's it.

I might have known.

- I don't want the bonds.

I just want to get

you out of this mess.

Now look, I got a job in Manila.

We can be there tonight.

There's a plane leaving.

- Stay away from me, Stu.

I won't tell you again.

(car engine buzzing)

(bouncy jazz music)

- You dance very

well, Ms. Marissa.

- Thank you.

Thank you very much.

- [Stuart] Are you

sure he couldn't have

come in while I was out?

- I couldn't be

sure, Mr. Allison.

All I know is, he

hasn't come to the bar

at any time tonight.

- Then I'm gonna

go look for him.

If he shows up, tell

him to wait, will you?

(car engine buzzing)

(daunting orchestral music)

(knocking)

Hello?

O'Hara?

(dramatic, bouncy

orchestral music)

What are you doing here?

- O'Hara gave me his address

too and they told me--

- Look come on, let's get going.

- What's wrong, Stuart?

(dramatic, suspenseful

orchestral music)

(gunshots firing)

(thudding, banging)

(dramatic orchestral music)

- Hello?

Oh hello Mr. Allison.

I've been trying and

trying to reach you.

Your friend has

been in an accident.

He is in a municipal hospital.

He's asking for you.

(footsteps)

- You're a little late.

He is still in there

if you want to see him.

(dramatic orchestral music)

Hit and run.

He wasn't killed instantly.

Did you know him well?

- Met him a few days ago.

- That's odd.

He seemed to wanted to

talk to you very badly.

- Had a business proposition.

We were gonna meet tonight.

- [Man in Turban] What kind

of a business proposition?

- Were gonna talk

about it tonight.

- I see.

And there is nothing

you can tell me

that might be of some help?

- No.

- You couldn't have known then

that he was an agent of the

Chinese Nationalist Government?

You don't really believe

it was an accident,

do you Allison?

- Look, if you want a statement

on where I've been

since I got her--

- They've already

looked into that.

- What about funeral

arrangements?

- The Chinese community's

going to take care of it.

He had a family in Singapore.

A wife and three sons.

I thought you were

leaving Hong Kong.

- I am.

- Soon?

Very wise of you, I think.

He was a highly trained

person's line of work.

An expert you might say.

And yet...

(dramatic orchestral music)

- It could've been an accident.

You don't really know that she

had anything to do with it.

- I'm sorry I got

you in with this.

- It wasn't your fault, Stuart.

- It never is.

It's the kind of guy I am.

O'Hara had me pegged

from the start.

Get back in quick.

- [Marissa] Why,

what's the mat--

- Turn around, we're going back.

(dramatic orchestral music)

- What's wrong?

- We can't go back to the club.

Not after what happened tonight.

They're probably waiting for us.

- But what am I

going to tell them?

I promised I'd be back.

- Baby, can't you understand

they'd try to kill us?

They're not through trying.

- What are we going

to do, Stuart?

Hong Kong isn't big

enough to hide us forever.

- You're right.

Maybe we can do

more than just hide.

(car engine running)

(footsteps)

- Hello Mr. Allison.

Help you?

- I have a friend of

mine staying here,

Ms. Marion Kramer.

- Oh yes, she's in 518.

I'll give her a call and--

- Don't bother Jimmy.

I'm sure Ms. Kramer won't mind.

- OK.

(footsteps)

(knocking)

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