FADE IN:
EXT. FRENCH VILLA - DAY
Large, well-kept, near the Mediterranean. An SUV waits in the driveway, another SUV behind it. A stocky man in a sharp suit, LEGRIS, waits with heavily-armed POLICEMEN.
A solid brick of a POLICE CHAUFFEUR exits the house, followed by GEORGES BASSIR, 50, well-dressed.
BASSIR
(in French)
Irina, come! We’re late.
A stylish woman -- IRINA, 50 -- strides out, smiling.
IRINA
(in French)
Jean-Pay is already a day late, and when is the train ever on time?
A lovely young woman follows her -- LANA. She toys with a wedding ring on her finger.
LANA
(in French)
It will be, today. But Jean won’t care.
BASSIR
(in French)
Still loves his bride, eh? Wait till he’s married as long as me.
IRINA
Georges!
He kisses her, gets in the front passenger seat; the women are in the back. Legris and his cops get in their vehicle.
CHAUFFEUR
(to cops, in French)
Try to keep up.
IRINA
(in French)
No need to rush.
They drive off, Legris and his cops leading.
EXT. FRENCH HILLSIDE - DAY
A powerful, SCARRED MAN lies under a bush. Watches the villa through binoculars. He sends a text on his mobile.
The text shows on a mobile phone -- “he in back car.”
Just down the hill, LEGION, a trim Russian in his 30s, puts the phone away, turns on a small gray drone. Sends it flying.
EXT. FRENCH VILLA - DAY
The SUVs whip through an electronic gate onto a winding road.
Another POLICEMAN waves them past.
IN BASSIR’S SUV
He motions back to the guard.
BASSIR
(in French)
This is what you get for butting your nose into other people’s business.
CHAUFFEUR
(in French)
You were right to do it, Mr. Bassir. Mr. Legris would agree.
BASSIR
(in French)
I’m glad he thinks so. What about you, Lana? Do you think I’m a fool?
LANA
(in French)
I know you’re revered by your son, and his wife.
BASSIR
(in French)
Even though we must now live in a cage?
LANA
(in French)
It will not be forever.
BASSIR
(in French)
One hopes.
ON THE ROAD
They speed on.
The drone approaches behind Bassir’s SUV...gets closer and closer...
The Chauffeur notices it.
CHAUFFEUR
(in French)
What the -- !
He hits the horn -- BEEP -- BEEP --
IN THE LEAD SUV
Legris looks around and BOOM!
EXT. RURAL TRAIN DEPOT, FRANCE - DAY
Empty. The sound of the explosion echoes. A strong, goodlooking young man turns -- JEAN-PIERRE BASSIR -- JP. You can see his father in him. A duffel bag beside him. He sees smoke rise in the distance.
INT. MARSEILLE BAR - NIGHT
JP collapses on a table, drunk, wedding ring on his finger. SASHA -- big, blond, Russian, same age as him -- is almost as drunk.
SASHA
(Russian accent)
JP, come. Must -- home.
EXT. MARSEILLE BAR - NIGHT
Deserted. Dark. Sasha and Jean-Pierre half-carry each other to a nearby car. Both sing.
SASHA & JP
Ochi chyonye, ochi zhguchie,
ochi strastnye i prekrasnye,
kak lyublyu ya vas, kak boyus’ ya vas,
znat uvidel vas ya ne v dobryi chas.
JP stumbles on the words. Sasha laughs.
JP
(French accent)
Merde...fucking Russian...
SASHA
Careful. Is my mother language.
JP
(in French)
I have to pee.
(in English)
That’s French. Means I have to pee. That’s my language.
He stumbles into an alley. Sasha unlocks his car, continues to sing “Ochi chyornye.”
IN THE ALLEY
JP pees.
SCARRED MAN (O.S.)
Bassir.
JP
Oui?
SCARRED MAN
Pied Noir.
JP looks around, angry.
THE SCARRED MAN APPEARS FROM THE SHADOWS -- STABS HIM!
EXT. FRENCH VILLA - DAY
Large, well-kept, near the Mediterranean. An SUV waits in the driveway, another SUV behind it. A stocky man in a sharp suit, LEGRIS, waits with heavily-armed POLICEMEN.
A solid brick of a POLICE CHAUFFEUR exits the house, followed by GEORGES BASSIR, 50, well-dressed.
BASSIR
(in French)
Irina, come! We’re late.
A stylish woman -- IRINA, 50 -- strides out, smiling.
IRINA
(in French)
Jean-Pay is already a day late, and when is the train ever on time?
A lovely young woman follows her -- LANA. She toys with a wedding ring on her finger.
LANA
(in French)
It will be, today. But Jean won’t care.
BASSIR
(in French)
Still loves his bride, eh? Wait till he’s married as long as me.
IRINA
Georges!
He kisses her, gets in the front passenger seat; the women are in the back. Legris and his cops get in their vehicle.
CHAUFFEUR
(to cops, in French)
Try to keep up.
IRINA
(in French)
No need to rush.
They drive off, Legris and his cops leading.
EXT. FRENCH HILLSIDE - DAY
A powerful, SCARRED MAN lies under a bush. Watches the villa through binoculars. He sends a text on his mobile.
The text shows on a mobile phone -- “he in back car.”
Just down the hill, LEGION, a trim Russian in his 30s, puts the phone away, turns on a small gray drone. Sends it flying.
EXT. FRENCH VILLA - DAY
The SUVs whip through an electronic gate onto a winding road.
Another POLICEMAN waves them past.
IN BASSIR’S SUV
He motions back to the guard.
BASSIR
(in French)
This is what you get for butting your nose into other people’s business.
CHAUFFEUR
(in French)
You were right to do it, Mr. Bassir. Mr. Legris would agree.
BASSIR
(in French)
I’m glad he thinks so. What about you, Lana? Do you think I’m a fool?
LANA
(in French)
I know you’re revered by your son, and his wife.
BASSIR
(in French)
Even though we must now live in a cage?
LANA
(in French)
It will not be forever.
BASSIR
(in French)
One hopes.
ON THE ROAD
They speed on.
The drone approaches behind Bassir’s SUV...gets closer and closer...
The Chauffeur notices it.
CHAUFFEUR
(in French)
What the -- !
He hits the horn -- BEEP -- BEEP --
IN THE LEAD SUV
Legris looks around and BOOM!
EXT. RURAL TRAIN DEPOT, FRANCE - DAY
Empty. The sound of the explosion echoes. A strong, goodlooking young man turns -- JEAN-PIERRE BASSIR -- JP. You can see his father in him. A duffel bag beside him. He sees smoke rise in the distance.
INT. MARSEILLE BAR - NIGHT
JP collapses on a table, drunk, wedding ring on his finger. SASHA -- big, blond, Russian, same age as him -- is almost as drunk.
SASHA
(Russian accent)
JP, come. Must -- home.
EXT. MARSEILLE BAR - NIGHT
Deserted. Dark. Sasha and Jean-Pierre half-carry each other to a nearby car. Both sing.
SASHA & JP
Ochi chyonye, ochi zhguchie,
ochi strastnye i prekrasnye,
kak lyublyu ya vas, kak boyus’ ya vas,
znat uvidel vas ya ne v dobryi chas.
JP stumbles on the words. Sasha laughs.
JP
(French accent)
Merde...fucking Russian...
SASHA
Careful. Is my mother language.
JP
(in French)
I have to pee.
(in English)
That’s French. Means I have to pee. That’s my language.
He stumbles into an alley. Sasha unlocks his car, continues to sing “Ochi chyornye.”
IN THE ALLEY
JP pees.
SCARRED MAN (O.S.)
Bassir.
JP
Oui?
SCARRED MAN
Pied Noir.
JP looks around, angry.
THE SCARRED MAN APPEARS FROM THE SHADOWS -- STABS HIM!
JP cries out -- jolts back -- falls.
SASHA (O.S.)
JP? Jean-Pierre?
JP sees blood on his hands. Smiles.
JP
(in French)
Finish it...asshole...
The Scarred Man starts for JP. Sasha runs over.
SASHA
JP!
JP
Sasha, non!
He tries to get up.
The Scarred Man slices his knife through Sasha’s throat!
JP kicks the man down -- fights him -- guts him with his own knife. Blood flies. JP pushes his body away, bleeding.
JP (CONT’D)
SASHA! ...Sasha...
He sees Sasha’s lifeless body. He passes out.
DISSOLVE TO
EXT. ASHRAQAT TECHNOLOGIES - DAY
A long low flat warehouse surrounded by open desert and two or three trees, near Casablanca. An expensive sedan parks by the entrance. YOUSEFF -- a youth-obsessed middle-aged man -- hops out. He strides to a door.
JP (O.S.)
Uncle Youseff.
JP leans against a new convertible. His hair is almost blond.
YOUSEFF
...Jean-Pierre!?
SASHA (O.S.)
JP? Jean-Pierre?
JP sees blood on his hands. Smiles.
JP
(in French)
Finish it...asshole...
The Scarred Man starts for JP. Sasha runs over.
SASHA
JP!
JP
Sasha, non!
He tries to get up.
The Scarred Man slices his knife through Sasha’s throat!
JP kicks the man down -- fights him -- guts him with his own knife. Blood flies. JP pushes his body away, bleeding.
JP (CONT’D)
SASHA! ...Sasha...
He sees Sasha’s lifeless body. He passes out.
DISSOLVE TO
EXT. ASHRAQAT TECHNOLOGIES - DAY
A long low flat warehouse surrounded by open desert and two or three trees, near Casablanca. An expensive sedan parks by the entrance. YOUSEFF -- a youth-obsessed middle-aged man -- hops out. He strides to a door.
JP (O.S.)
Uncle Youseff.
JP leans against a new convertible. His hair is almost blond.
YOUSEFF
...Jean-Pierre!?
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