35     EXT. SOVIET EMBASSY, WASHINGTON – NIGHT                                              35

 

A stone mansion, wrought-iron gate.  U.S.S.R. seal.  Russian soldiers, stocky, square-faced, standing guard.

 

35A   INT. SOVIET EMBASSY CORRIDOR – MOVING SHOT – NIGHT                     35A

 

High ceilings.  Marble floors.  Tapestries on walls.  Paintings of generals on horseback, warships at sea. 

CAMERA MOVES UP at a staircase to the second floor, down a corridor.  Through half-closed door we

HEAR voices.

 

PREVLOV (V.O.)

Are these the photographs you told

me about?

 

MARGANIN (V.O.)

Yes, sir.  These enlargements just

came in half an hour ago.

 

CAMERA ENTERS.

 

36      INT. OFFICE                                                                                                               36

 

CAPT. ANDRE PREVLOV is behind his desk.  His assistant, PAVEL MARGANIN, stands beside him. 

Maps and blow-up photographs are spread on a desk.  Prevlov is smooth and well-groomed, the antithesis of everything we associate with the Kremlin.  He seems cultured and civilized.  Marganin is neat, rigid and proper,

a solid career civil servant, total patience and a talent for detail.  Marganin puts a large photo in front of Prevlov.

 

MARGANIN

These are the most recent satellite

photos of the area.  Here’s Novaya

Zemlya and there’s the ship our trawler

sighted.

 

PREVLOV

(he studies the photos then points)

You see that?  That configuration,

it’s an American Ship.  Looks like a

whaler.  About sixty miles off shore,

I’d guess . . .

(beat and still looking)

How about this, Marganin?  Did you

notice this?

 

He points.

 

MARGANIN

Yes.  But I can’t make it out.

 

PREVLOV

Look right here . . .

(beat, beat)

The silhouette.  It’s a helicopter.

I’d say returning to the ship from

the island.  Flying low to avoid radar

detection.

(after a beat)

So we have an American ship and

helicopter.  Perhaps that explains

who killed our soldier.  Would you

like some brandy?

 

MARGANIN

No.  Thank you.

 

PREVLOV

No bad habits.  Right, Marganin?

 

MARGANIN

(he’s embarrassed)

It’s not that.  Brandy gives me a headache.

 

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