Slav. Tatyana sends you her regards.
Fyodor. And who are you, postie?
Slav punches Fyodor, the latter falls off his chair. Moray walks up to Fyodor and presses his foot against Fyodors neck.
Moray. Im gonna break your neck, scumbag.
Slav.[He draws out a hunting knife and holds it to Fyodors face.] Be reasonable, chump. If you dont tell us the alarm password, we will just pass your bitch around. And then I will personally choke the life out of her.
Moray takes his foot off Fyodors neck. Fyodor clears his throat and spits blood. Slav takes the knife away and helps Moray get Fyodor on the chair.
Chopper. Last suit has no pockets, Fyodor. Give us the icons. You will save your wench and your friends.
Fyodor. You are pieces of shit. Blast you.
Pause.
Chopper. Is it settled then, Kolosov? Their lives are in your hands.
Pause.
Fyodor. How can I be sure that you wont kill us after I tell you the password?
Chopper. We are not savages. You will have to take my word for it.
Pause.
Fyodor. Ill give you the icons. If you lay a finger on Tatyana, Ill make mincemeat out of you.
Chopper. Thats a bargain. We are men of business. [He takes his mobile phone out and presses the call button.] Karen, he is good to go. Write down the password. [He holds the phone to Fyodors mouth.]
Fyodor. Front door. One. Six. Oh. Six. One. Nine. The door to the study. Oh. Three. Oh. Five. Eight. Oh.
Chopper.[To Fyodor.] You made your choice. [He stuffs his phone into his pocket.] Now we wait.
Fyodor. Blessed are You O Christ Our God / You have revealed the fishermen as most wise / by sending down upon them the Holy Spirit / through them You drew the world into Your net / O Lover of Man, Glory to You.
Scene 8
Night. Morays house.
Natalia and Khlora are sitting at the table opposite to each other. There are an open bottle of vodka and two glasses on the table. Artyom is lying unconscious on the floor, he is tied hand and foot.
Khlora. What next?
Natalia. Go.
Khlora. I wont leave without Ivan.
Natalia. Think of your baby, you idiot.
Khlora. I wont leave without Ivan!
Natalia. They will kill you both. You and Moray. You are his weak spot.
Khlora. If you let me go, Chopper wont take it lying down.
Natalia. I will deal with it. Tie me up. And go while Jacket is still out cold.
Khlora. They will kill us all.
Natalia. Yes. Maybe.
Khlora. Do you know what my father used to say? The best defense is a good offense.
Scene 9
Night. Fyodor Kolosovs summer cottage.
Fyodor is tied to a chair, his mouth is taped shut. Slav and Moray are standing by. Chopper is talking on the phone.
Chopper. Karen, stick to the plan. Out. [He stops the call and puts the phone back into his pocket.] All good, Slav. Weve got the icons.
Slav approaches Moray from behind and knocks him out with a truncheon. Fyodor is trying to free himself, squirming on his chair.
Chopper. Dont move, Kolosov. You have lived a disgraceful life but you will die the death of a righteous man.
Slav. Dont take it personally, old man. We are just tying up loose ends.
Slav puts the truncheon on the table, ties Morays hands and legs with plastic cable ties, and drags him along the path towards the banya.
Slav. The bastard is heavy.
Slav and Moray whip out of sight. Tatyana, with the rifle in her hands, comes out of the dark and points the rifle at Chopper.
Tatyana. Just a twitch and Ill shoot you, scumbag.
Chopper. Hello, Tatyana.
Tatyana. Who are you?
Chopper. You are just like a guardian angel coming down from heaven.
Tatyana. Untie him. Now!
Chopper. I have respect for bold people, Tatyana. Give me the rifle.
Tatyana. Untie him.
Chopper. Give me the rifle. Dont mess with me.
Tatyana. Dont put your fingers in the fire, sweetheart. [She flips the rifle bolt.]
Chopper approaches Fyodor, takes the knife from the table, and cuts Fyodors hands free.
Chopper. Now thats a woman. [He puts the knife towards himself and gives it to Fyodor.] Lucky you, Kolosov. [Aside.] Frost, you son of a bitch, where are you?
Tatyana. Put your hands behind your head!
Chopper slowly puts his hands behind his head. Fyodor quickly frees himself, removes the tape from his mouth, spits blood, takes the truncheon from the table, approaches Chopper from behind, and strikes his legs. Chopper drops down on his knees.
Fyodor. You are dead, you piece of shit. Put your hands behind your back.
Chopper is on his knees. He puts his hands behind his back, Fyodor ties them. He takes off Choppers balaclava.
Fyodor. I recognized Morays voice at once. But you Ive never seen you before.
Chopper spits on the ground.
Fyodor. Face down.
Chopper. Do you know what I am doing now? I am speaking to a dead man.
Fyodor. What are you talking about?
Chopper. You are toast, Kolosov. You will all die tonight.
Fyodor kicks Chopper to the grass, approaches Tatyana. At this point Slav reappears out of the dark and lashes out at Tatyana with the knife, trying to take the rifle from her. Tatyana dodges his attack nimbly. Fyodor sends Slav sprawling with a heavy blow, takes the rifle out of Tatyanas hands. Then he knocks Slav out by hitting him over the head with the rifle stock.
Scene 10
Late night. Fyodor Kolosovs summer cottage.
Slav is handcuffed to the handrail core, he is unconscious. Chopper is tied to a chair in the gazebo, his hands tied behind his back, his mouth taped.
Fyodor. Thank you, Tanya.
Tatyana. Fyodor I feared for you so much.
Fyodor. Its gonna be alright.
Tatyana. It was Artyom who brought the bandits here.
Fyodor. Artyom? Where is he?
Tatyana. Artyom is in Rybins old house. Do you remember Ivan Moray?
Fyodor. Ive seen him today. Hes lying dead in my banya.
Tatyana. Good Lord! I might have smashed Artyoms head with a poker.
Fyodor. You are a doctor, not a killer.
Tatyana. I was frightened.
Fyodor. Who else has seen you?
Tatyana. There were two women in the house with Artyom. One of them was taped to a chair.
Fyodor. What a beauty. Must be Khlora and Natasha.
Fyodor enters the gazebo, sits down at the table, and puts the rifle next to him. Slav regains consciousness but closes his eyes again, pretending he is still unconscious.
Tatyana. We should call the police. My phone is broken. Where is Alexey? And Venya?
Fyodor. I dont know. Go inside, have a look there. Meanwhile, Ill deal with this piece of shit. [He takes out the hunting knife he took from Slav.]
Tatyana. Yes, sure.
Tatyana goes up to the house. Fyodor gets up, walks up to Chopper with the knife, cuts the cable ties serving as handcuffs, and gets Choppers hands free. Chopper silently rubs his numb wrists, removes the tape from his mouth. Fyodor sits on his chair, takes the bottle of vodka, and fills two glasses. He takes one glass himself and offers another one to Chopper.
Fyodor.[Swallowing his vodka in one gulp.] Did you really think I would give you the collection?
Chopper remains speechless
Fyodor. Its not the money. The icons hold a sentimental value. They remind me of Lyudmila.
Chopper.[He removes the tape from his legs, now he is free.] Karen the cracksman told me he had already got the icons.
Fyodor. These are copies. Knockoff.
Chopper.[Takes his glass with vodka and drinks it off.] Why didnt you say so?
Fyodor. You never asked. You kept harping on the same thing: Password, password.
Pause.
Fyodor. I want to offer you a deal.
Chopper. Go ahead.
Fyodor. You and I are men of business.
Chopper. We both have something to lose.
Fyodor gets up from the table, approaches the porch, and opens a hiding place on the side. He produces a bundle of money wrapped in plastic, steps up to Chopper, places the bundle on the table in front of him, and takes his seat again.
Fyodor. Theres a million and 200K in there. You will get another million and 800K in three days.
Pause.
Chopper. What will I have to do?
Fyodor. I want you to kill Artyom today. He is in Morays house now.
Chopper. How can I be sure that you wont turn me in?
Fyodor. We are not savages. You will have to take my word for it.
The front door opens. Venya goes out on the porch, wearing his jacket. He looks rough. A rope is wrapped around his arm, he grasps his head every now and then and writhes in pain.
Venya. Fyodor. Ouch Where is everybody? My head is splitting. Ah, it hurts.
Fyodor.[Aside.] Thats all we need now. Out of the blue! [To Venya.] Venya! You are alive. Thank goodness.
Venya totters to the gazebo.
Venya. Fyodor. What happened here? Why were my hands tied?
Fyodor. You should drink less, mate. Here, Ill help you.
Venya.[Pointing at Slav.] And this one? Blind drunk too? You could at least bring him inside, hes gonna freeze to death.
Venya heavily walks up to Fyodor who is sitting on his chair. Fyodor unwraps the rope on Venyas arm.
Fyodor. Where is Alexey?
Venya. Inside, with Tatyana.
At this moment, Venya moves around Fyodors back, nimbly puts the rope around Fyodors neck, and starts choking him. Chopper quickly gets on his feet and runs up to Fyodor. Slav opens his eyes, watches them, and tries to get free of the handcuffs.
Venya. Chopper, hold him tight!
Chopper holds Fyodor tight with one hand and hits him several times in the stomach with another. Fyodor cannot fight back any longer. He loses consciousness from strangulation and slumps in the chair.
Venya. Ive heard everything.
Chopper. Frost! What the hell took you so long?
Venya and Chopper tie Fyodors hands and legs with the cable ties.
Venya. Be grateful that he didnt wipe you out at once. You couldnt even cope with a skirt! Give me the money!
Chopper gives the bundle of money to Venya, the latter puts it into the pocket of his jacket. Venya approaches Slav and removes the gag.
Slav. Frost, you son of a bitch! Did you want to blow us off? The icons are fake!
Venya kicks Slav, Slav falls quiet. Venya takes the rifle, makes sure it is loaded, flips the bolt, and points the rifle at Slav. Slav flattens himself against the ground cowardly.
Venya. Chopper, clean it up here. And bring the petrol can to the banya. I will go and get Artyom.
Venya leaves, holding the rifle.
Scene 11
Dawn. Banya of Fyodor Kolosovs summer cottage.
Slav and Chopper take Alexey inside, holding him by his arms. Alexeys hands are tied, his mouth is taped. Alexey fights his way free, gives Slav a blow with his tied hands. Chopper hits Alexey. Alexey crumples to the floor and stops fighting back. Chopper and Slav dump him into the corner.