Thick As Thieves Page #2

Oh.

- The so-called mystery eggs?

- Mm-hm.

Yeah, I've heard rumours,

but I thought it was just a myth.

Last year, they turned up...

at Romanov's.

So how do you know this?

I was partners with a man named

Victor Korolenko... Alex's father.

He was in tight with the Russians.

What they knew, he knew.

So, why aren't you

pulling this job with him?

Let's just say

he's no longer around.

Leave it at that.

He's gone.

You're here.

Now we just have to deliver.

- Ripley...

- Hmm?

Why?

Why risk your freedom at all?

This will not be

anything close to easy.

You are not in jail in the present.

- Are you not comfortable?

- I'm never comfortable.

Some people

were born to compose music.

Others to split the atom.

I was born to steal sh*t.

Hold out your hand.

Hand?

That coin was given to me by Victor

when we became partners.

The coin represents

a Russian phrase.

"Vorovoslky mlr".

Loosely translated, thieves' world.

Victor belonged to it.

Now...

you belong to it.

Psst... Hey!

You misunderstand.

Ripley's just... huh, business.

This is... huh...

Stalking?

Well... if you had given me

your number, I would have called first.

Those are two

very flawed assumptions.

Do you have a vase?

I just took these

from a roadside shrine...

and I think they need some, huh...

water.

Huh...

- May I use that... huh, thing over there?

- Sure...

I... I've noticed this... huh,

Russian nightclub, down the block, huh...

Riga Rose

or something like that.

Why don't we meet there

after work?

I'm busy.

- I'll wait.

- I won't show.

I'll take my chances.

Do svldanja, Alexandra.

Research. Keith Ripley.

'93, the Brooklyn Museum.

'94, the Diamond District Warehouse

and then in '95...

I'm very familiar

with Ripley's life story, Michaels.

In fact, I busted him twice.

Both times he walked

because of good lawyering.

Exactly, so I thought

why not swing for the fences?

Murder one, Victor Korolenko.

Thinkin ' of the Brighton Beach steam bath?

Forget it. There was no...

- No body. But we've got a ton of forensics.

- And no witnesses.

Nobody there admitted

to seeing a thing.

I was this close to convincing

Korolenko to take witness protection,

in exchange for giving up Ripley.

But Ripley got to him first.

I can't prove it.

Right, okay. I see, I see... okay.

No...

what you don't see, Michaels,

is why Ripley got involved

in a small-time caper,

like grabbin ' a few diamonds

off of some couriers on a subway.

And neither did I.

Until I read

the Dutch guy's statement.

Those diamonds

came from Romanov's.

You mean Ripley and his new partner

are planning to take down Romanov's?

Ah... come on.

Like that could ever happen.

Not even Ripley

could take down a place like that.

Wanna bet?

- Hi.

- Hi.

- You know this place very well.

- I never said I didn't.

Let's face it,

you didn't see the nightclub.

You saw the flyer in the fax

and then you made an assumption.

Yeah. Guilty. So I did.

Never assume anything,

especially down here.

- How mysterious.

- What?

How mysterious.

- Can I buy you a drink?

- I don't drink.

Another assumption.

You wanna dance?

Yeah.

I'm willing to make a fool of myself.

Why not?

Here.

- And for him.

- Thank you.

Thanks.

I thought all Russians drank.

Translation,

we're a race of suicidal alcoholics.

No... I didn't mean that. No.

Actually, we are.

Cheers.

- Nastravila?

- Nastravise

Nastravise?

Mm'mm

So... how is it...

working for the lawyer?

- Huh... I'm a lawyer, too, you know.

- Oh.

Maybe I won't say another word,

because everthing I say is wrong.

- Well, you don't know until you try.

- True.

Besides, my father warned me

about being a lawyer.

He told me I should try and do

something honest with my life.

As if he would know.

Your father and Ripley,

they were close, right?

Once upon a time.

I'm sure Ripley told you.

My father's dead.

Now Ripley likes

to try to take care of me.

Pay for stuff. That kind of thing.

Of course, it's the least he can do.

Sorry. I don't mean to pry.

Yes, you do.

Now who is making assumptions?

No, Gaby. I'm not assuming a thing.

You wanna know about Ripley?

Stay away.

You son of a b*tch!

Well... you dropped these...

and I am a gentleman

bringing them back to you.

Uh-huh.

No, no, no, no, no!

No!

Sh*t, man! What do you want?

I told you to leave her alone.

I'm not gonna tell you again.

Get dressed. I'll be downstairs.

Son of a b*tch.

Fascinating.

You could start a whole new trend

in interior design.

- What are these?

- What do they look like?

Police IDs?

There's a reception at Romanov's

tonight, honouring the NYPD.

And our invitation's just arrived.

A cop for the night.

And all the doughnuts you can eat.

Meanwhile, however,

Ineed you to go to the dry-cleaners.

Why don't you go and pick up

your dry-cleaning yourself, sir?

Who said anything about picking up?

You're dropping off.

Cellphone, please.

- Commissioner Rawls.

- Gentlemen.

Deputy Commissioner Morelli.

Such a pleasure having you here.

May we give you gentlemen

the grand tour?

- The secrets of Romanov?

- You might say so.

- Thank you. We're honored.

- Please.

The guards,

all FSB secret police.

Every door, every inch of glass

wired and alarmed.

So even if a bird flies in here,

you know about it.

Topkapi.

Rififi.

No, the bird flew into the museum,

landed on the wire...

and set off the alarm in Topkapi.

You're a cineaste.

Actually, I only see heist movies.

Well, the lesson to take away from

the bird flying into the museum...

is no matter how well you planned,

always be ready to improvise...

because, I guarantee you,

something's gonna go wrong.

- I'd prefer to avoid that.

- Uh-huh.

How comprehensive

is the surveillance system?

Let's take a look.

- Smart card for the elevator.

- And all the doors.

This way. After you.

We're on.

Good to see you, old friend.

Let me introduce you.

Lieutenant Weber, I presume.

You know, Ripley,

identity theft is a serious crime.

- And quite an embarrassing one in this case.

- Really?

Do you realise

how ashamed I felt...

telling that nice lady at the door

that I was still a lieutenant?

I mean at my age?

Or should I say at your age?

I'm not amused.

What are you doing here?

And why did you appropriate

my invitation? As if I didn't know.

I apologise for the subterfuge.

I just wanted to show my friend here

some of the finer things in life.

If you want to arrest us for impersonating

police officers, go right ahead.

I'm sure my lawyer

will have us out in two hours.

It'd be a delightful two hours.

Get your hands down.

Then there's all that explaining

you'd have to do to your superiors.

Now that would be

an embarrassment.

Notorious thief gaining admittance

pretending to be you.

Great police work, Weber.

We should discuss my police work

when this is all over.

Hmm.

- Who's your sidekick?

- Jules Dassin.

Good to meet you, Jules.

I love your movies.

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