PAYBACK - DARRICK EVENSON

An old ugly gypsy woman gazes at a crystal ball. It distorts her face further. She makes hideous whispering sounds, speaking in Hungarian.

Guardian spirits show me, show me, show me the future of this young girl. I call upon you all, to show me her future.  O Guardian spirits show me…show me….show me…. 

Andrea Schiff, the mother of Taylor Schiff, looks at her daughter, who is looking at the Gypsy Woman.

Miss Bagulagia, I’m just scared. You know, with all the kidnappings of young girls one sees on television and in the newspapers these days. I just, well, I just want to know if my daughter Taylor is going to be safe.  I want to know, if she is going to make it to adulthood. Please, tell me what you see. 

The guardian spirits are showing me. They are whispering to me (sound of whispers in the background), they are showing me things, which are almost unbelievable.  Oh my……they are telling me…that one day, the entire world shall know the name of Taylor Schiff. 

Oh my God! You’re telling me she’s going to be kidnapped, and that, it will be on the news everywhere? Is that what you’re seeing? Please God no! 

No, no. But wait…kidnapped, yes, but, she escapes.

Oh my God!!! 

I see blood everywhere. I see gold, and money. Mountains of money. A mountain of gold. I see Taylor singing. Yes, singing before great multitudes of people, and they are throwing their gold at her, and the gold becomes like a mountain.

When is she going to be kidnapped? Will she be harmed? 

The spirits are showing me, much blood, much violence, much, much, oh dear, oh dear, I see a cloud, a bright cloud, and much destruction, and fire, and twisted metal OH MY….OH MY…NO…..NO….NO! It is too much. NO MORE. NO MORE!

The crystal ball begins to brightly flash, and the gypsy sees a nuclear explosion inside the ball. She quickly grabs it, and it burns her hands, and she tosses the ball into her fireplace, where it shatters, and the whispering (which has been getting louder) stops. The Gypsy turns around and looks at Andrea.

I am sorry Madam, but you and your daughter must leave, now. I will not charge you any money this time. I must rest now.

Can I come back tomorrow? I need to know more! 

No, sorry, I have seen too much already. The spirits have shown me too much. But do not worry, your daughter will not be harmed. She will live a long and successful life. The spirits told me, that she must go to Nashville, and become a singer and writer of songs, and, if she does this, she will change the world, for the good of all. The entire world, will one day know the name Taylor Schiff. Now, please go, go, I must rest.

Andrea takes Taylor by the hand, and they leave. The gypsy woman mumbles something in Hungarian, and passes through a doorway of beads into a room.

Taylor’s limo, with a car in front and in back, drives up to her condo building in NYC. Her body guards get out and hold back the screaming fans and Paparazzi.
The car door opens. A white cat is tossed out. A body guard picks up the cat. Another body guard assists Taylor out of the car and guides her toward the door.

"Taylor, Taylor...look over here! Taylor look over here!" 

Taylor takes her cat and gives it to her maid.

"Feed Mister Cuddles the usual. Caviar". 

Treema, Taylor’s publicist, motions to Elena, leader of the Russian film crew.

Taylor, this is Miss Borchko, and her crew, from that Russian TV channel I told you about over the phone. They are here to interview you this morning. 

"Nice to meet you Miss Borchko. I'm Tayler Schiff." 

They shake hands.

Of course you are. Everyone in the entire world knows the name of Taylor Schiff. You're sold more CDs and worn more music awards than any other woman in history, and you're only 30 years old.

Well, I was hoping to achieve that goal by age 25, but, you know, with the pandemic and all, the war in Ukraine, things slowed me down a lot.

Yes, of course, Could we start the interview now, or should we wait?

Well, Miss Taylor probably needs some rest first and something to eat. 

Nonsense Treema. These folks all the way from Russia to interview me. I don't want to keep them waiting anymore. 

Taylor goes and sits down in a big leather chair, and Borchko sits in a smaller chair facing her. A make-up lady (Russian) touches up Taylor’s makeup a bit, and then does the same for Borchko. The sound man puts microphones on Taylor and Elena, and the light man adjusts the lighting.

I never knew I was so popular in Russia. How can they understand my songs? 

All Russians have to study English for five years in school. Some even study further, like I did. English is quickly becoming Russia's second language, like Spanish is in America. 

Si, claro. I studied French in high school, but I should have studied Spanish. I hear it every day from my maids chatting with each other. Sometimes I wonder what they are chatting about. 

Tayler looks at her maids with a grin. Taylor’s two Mexican maids smile at her and nod.

We are ready

Well, Tayler, I think we're ready to begin. Are you ready? 

Always 

Tayler, I will ask you questions in English, and you can respond in English, and we shall put Russian subtitles in later before we air this interview. 

Okay 

Good evening viewers this is Elena Borchko with channel 24 television. I am here with the famous American singer and song-writer Taylor Schiff, who really needs no more introduction. Taylor, how are doing today? 

I am very good, Elena, and happy to hear that I have so many fans in Russia. You know, my fans mean everything to me. 

Taylor, I read that you were born in Pennsylvania, but when you were 10 years old, an old gypsy woman told your mother to take you to Nashville Tennessee, and, if she did, that you would become the most famous singer of all time. Is that story just a myth? 

Nope! That's a true story. My mother met that gypsy woman, a psychic Tarot (“ter-roe”) card reader, when I was 10. At that moment, my mother and I both decided I had to go to Nashville and become a star. First in country music, and then in pop music, and the rest is history.     

Taylor, let me ask a few questions about your love life. You’ve had about a dozen boyfriends since you were 18. Is that common in America to have that many boyfriends before the age of 30? 

Well, Elena, I really don’t know. Some girls had a lot more boyfriends before they were my age. I guess I had to look around a lot until I found the love of my life, my fiancee’ Joe Irwyn.     

Joseph Irwyn, the British movie star. You and Joe have been dating for years now. This looks pretty serious to me. There are rumors of marriage in the air. 

Well, we have our plans for the future, but we like to keep them as secret as we can. I think couples should be left alone, to find themselves. We’re not the king and queen of English you know, we enjoy our privacy. All I can tell you is that Joe and I have been together for years, faithfully, and I love him with all my heart, and he tells me he loves me the same. That’s all I can really tell you at this point. 

Alright Taylor. But can you tell us where Joe is right now? Why isn’t he sitting beside you in this beautiful New York City apartment? 

Well, Joe is a working actor, and has been for years. He’s currently on location in Mumbai, India, working on a romantic film about a British soldier who falls in love with and Indian princess. Something like that. It is set back in the late 1800s. 

Aren’t you a little concerned, Taylor, that the handsome Joe Irwyn is working with a beautiful East Indian actress every day, away from you, in a foreign land? 

Oh, not at all! I trust Joe with my life. I have no concern at all when he has beautiful leading ladies. I know the man, and I love the man. And I trust him 100%, and he trusts me, while he is away working. We have an eternal bond which cannot be broken, ot by death, not by anything.     

Fascinating! Wonderful. So, tell us Tayler, how many CDs have you sold thus far? 

Oh, wow, you'd have to ask my business managers about that. I'm sure it is in the hundreds of millions at least.     

Amazing. And, tell us, how much money have you accumulated since you started selling CDs and doing concerts, and product promotions? 

Taylor looks down, then looks at Treema, who looks back at Taylor with a WTF? look, as the question is not quite appropriate.

Well....aw...Elena...that's hard to say. I don't think that asking a person how much money they make per year, or have, is quite proper here in America. Let’s just say that I’ve done very well for myself, because of my 800 million fans, who continue to use their hard-earned money to purchase my CDs, to stream my songs online, to watch my music videos online, and to buy my merchandize which I sell on my website. I’ve truly been blessed in so many ways, and I owe it all to my fans. They love me, but not as much as I love them! 

Would you say, Taylor, that you'll accumulated at least a billion dollars, from your CD sales, commercials, merchandize sales, Spotify uploads, Vevo views, and product endorsements? 

Taylor looks more confused. She looks at Treema, who has a shocked look on her face.

Elena, maybe we should stick to some other questions, like Taylor’s new CD: LOVE NEVER LIES? 

That’s okay Treema, I’ll answer the question. Well, sure, I have a lot of money. But I do a lot of good with it. I support two children's hospitals, one here in the U.S. and another in Africa. I plan to build some free schools for poor children in Latin America, Africa, and India. I give millions to charities every year but, but, look Elena, can't we talk about something else than my money? I mean, sure, I have a lot of it, but it was fans who gave me all my money, and I love my fans. My fans want to hear about my new CD I’m working on called LOVE NEVER LIES, can we talk about that now? I like to talk about LOVE NEVER LIES...ok? 

Taylor smiles big at Elena.

Taylor, I have some good news and some bad news. Which do you want to hear first? 

Taylor and Treema looking confused at each other.

Aw...well...tell me the good news first. 

Well, the GOOD news is, Taylor, is that (bumb) We're not going to hurt you! 

Camera zooms into Taylor’s face which gets a horrified confused look on it.

Camera zooms onto Treema’s face, with another terrified and confused look.

Elena then snaps her finger, and her camera guy takes out a pistol, and her sound guy takes out a pistol, and the Russian make-up girl takes out a pistol, and they all shoot the bodyguards, the two Mexican maids, and Treema (the Publicist).

TREEMA, TREEMA!     

The white cat scurries under the couch.

Another bodyguard comes in from another room, and shoots the cameraman, but is shot by the Russian make-up lady. Two more bodyguards come in the front door, but are shot by the make-up lady and sound man. Taylor is lying by Treem, who is on the floor, shot in the head, eyes open, bleeding out the ears and mouth, and holding her hand.

Treema, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry! 

The two men (sound man and light man) grab Taylor, put tape around her mouth and tie her up. They take her to a window. Outside the window men dressed like firemen, hold a “life catcher” (which is used to save suicide jumpers). They toss Taylor out the window into the catcher, and they take her and spirit her away. Then out comes Elena, then the make up lady, then the sound man, then the light man. They all jump into three large dark vans marked “NYPD” and speed away down the alley.

The wounded camera man, wounded by a bodyguard’s bullet, gets up and jumps out the window, to his death two stories down. They didn’t wait for him.

Taylor is being held down in the back of a van by Elena and the Russian men.

Why didn't we wait for Erik. We could have saved him?

Erik is history. Don't worry about him. He's gone. 

Tayler is frightend on the floor of the van. The van speeds dangerously toward the Russian mafia building in East New York

Taylor. I think you've figured out by now I'm not a television reporter. We are going to hold you for ransom, for $300,000,000 dollars. We know your parents have access to your accounts. If they pay the ransom you will not be harmed. You'll be fed and given good Russian food. You will allowed to use the shower and the toilet. When we receive the money, you'll be taken to a park and let go unharmed. If you give us trouble we will beat you. If you try to escape, we will shoot you. If you cooperate and so as we say, you will see your parents and Mister Cuddles again. Do you understand?

Taylor nods her head up and down. Elena removes the tape from Taylor’s mouth.

Why did you have to kill everyone? Those were my friends. I've known them all for years. Teema was not only my publicist, but my best friend. Why did you have to kill them?

Taylor, you are NOT to speak unless spoken to, do you understand? If you do that again, we will have to keep you chained, with tape on your mouth, and we won't let you use the toilet or the shower. Do you understand? 

Yes, I understand

The Russian’s take Taylor out of the van. They lead her to a large room. Beautiful naked and semi-naked young women are being auctioned to very wealthy men.

All the men have black bags over their faces, but expensive clothing and jewelry. Some of them are dressed in traditional Saudi prince attire.

Taylor is taken to an elevator. On each floor, one person gets out and others get in. They all work for the Russian mob, so seeing Taylor Schiff bound with handcuffs does not even phase them. It’s a regular day in that building. On each floor, Taylor can see out and notices an illegal sports gambling room, an illegal boiler room (i.e. calling old women to invest), an illegal drugs storage room, a money counting room, a “porn” room (porn not shown), a room filled with massive piles of money and men counting the money on counting machines, a room where Russian mobsters are learning English, a room filled with all sorts of arms such as Sidewinder missiles, and men working on them (with Arab terrorists among the Russian), a classroom where Russian mobsters are learning martial arts, the next floor a brothel (for the mosters) of beautiful young women, which includes a dancing pole, on the next floor, is a “lab” (making illegal drugs), on the next floor the door opens and three men appear, all dressed like Russian mobsters.

The older man is the “PaKHan” (Boss), the head of the Russian mob in America. The two young mobsters are associates. One of them is strikingly handsome, Sergei Chumachenko, who would be assigned as Taylor’s “caregiver” during her abduction. Sergie is a deputy boss, called a Avtoritet. This particular gang is the largest Russian mafia gang in North America. They call themselves the Maw-skof-skeh Bratsva” (“Moscow Brotherhood”). The “Maskovskoe Bratsva” is fictional. Moscow actually has three major Brotherhoods and many minor ones: named after neighborhoods. There is no such gang as the “Moscow Brotherhood”. This group is fictional, and was created for this fictional film.

“PakHan” is the Boss, the God-Father. Below him are the Avtoritets (Captains of crews). The soldiers or “wise guys” are called “Boyevik” (singular) or “Boyevikee” (plural). Each Boyevik (warrior) begins as a “Vor” (thief), and all Bratsva (brotherhood) members are Voree (thieves). Each Boyevik (warrior) is part of a crew called a “Brigade” (bree-gaw-dei). Each “Brigade” is headed by a Avtoritet (English: “Authority”).

The PakHan of the Moscow Brotherhood in America is named Vladimir Marat Ivankov (known simply as “Vlad”). His daughter is Elena Ivankova. Vlad had a son named Alexei who died in the Soviet war in Afghanistan in the 1980s. He was a helicopter pilot, who was downed by an American “Stinger” anti-aircraft missile: fired by a member of the Taliban (a U.S. ally in the early 1980s). Since that, Marat has hated America, and had vowed to take revenge upon America, by stealing its wealth and transferring it to the Brotherhood: with the help of his daughter Elena, who nobody likes.

Elena goes up to the oldest man. She kisses him passionately on the lips, very sexually.

Father, we lost Alek. He's dead. But this is the famous Taylor Schiff. She points to Taylor still in the elevator, being held by the sound man and make-up woman. 

Bring her out and put her in front of me. (beat)

The famous Taylor Schiff. The most famous female singer-song-writer of all time. The wealthiest female singer-song-writer of all time. Such a pleasure to meet you.

I'm sorry I can't say the same. When are you going to let me go? 

Elena SLAPS Taylor across the face.

Don't speak unless spoken to. I won't warn you again! 

Elena, Elena, that's okay. I don't mind answering a question from the famous and beautiful Taylor Schiff. The answer is simply my dear. We know that your parents have full access to your accounts. All of them. Not just the ones in American banks. But also your accounts in Switzerland, and also those tax-dodging secret accounts in Panama and the Cayman Islands, that you don't want the IRS to know about.

How, how did you know about those?

We are the Russian Mafia, we know EVERYTHING!" We are like that fat man behind the curtain, what is his name again? 

The Wizard of OZ. I am the Wizard of OZ. And this is my Emerald City. 

Why did you have to kill my friends. People I loved the most? I cared about my friends, not about my money!     

Did you have to kill them all?

Of course, the bodyguards were armed and the women there all looked us over good. They could have given the police sketch artists our likenesses. 

Yes, an unfortunate necessity in our line of work. Very unfortunate. But, again, the important thing now is to make sure you get back to your parents safely and unharmed. 

Vlad looks at Sergie, and Sergie looks at him and nods.

This is Sergie. He is like a son to me: the son I never had. I took him under my wing when he was just a teen–begging on the streets of Moscow. I trust him more than anyone else in this building, including my daughter Elena.... 

Elena gives him a dirty look.

I've assigned Sergie to be your, your… 

Caretaker     

Ah yes, your Care-Taker. He will feed you, and make sure you are in comfort, and may use the bathroom any time you need to use it. You can even take showers here. We have good Russian soap and shampoo. 

Elena did you remember to bring towels? 

Yes, of course, father 

Good, good. Your room has a bed, toilet, sink, shower, soap and shampoo, feminine napkins, even Russian make-up and perfume! You'll be fed good Russian food three times a day. We want you to be comfortable during this troubling time. 

How could you expect me to be comfortable when you killed the best friends I had in the entire world?     

Taylor, this is your last warning. One more outburst like that, and we are hog-tying you for the duration.     

Taylor, I've been in America now for almost ten years. I learned a phrase a long ago, which I will now quote: SHIT....HAPPENS. It is unavoidable. Give Sergie trouble, and he will tie you up and tape your mouth, and not let you use the bathroom, and we won't feed you. But if you remain quiet and gentile, and don't speak up, we will treat you very well and release you to your parents as soon as they pay the 300 million. Those are your only two choices. Do you understand?     

Taylor nods her head yes.

Very good! Very good! I can assure you that Sergie is a gentleman. He is not interested in rape, so he won't harm you. Like I said, he is like a son to me. I trust him with my own life. He will care for you while we all wait. Now, let's take you to your room.     

All of them take Taylor, still handcuffed. They pass an open door. In the corner of Vlad’s huge fancy office there strange machine (the atom bomb).

Behind the large fancy desk is a huge stained glass window. The glass illustration is a caricature of St. George slaying a dragon (the symbol of Moscow).

Sergie opens the door. There is a large fancy room, with a fancy bed, chairs, and a sofa. Through the open door to the bathroom is a tub. They all walk in. A Russian mobsters tosses Taylor onto the bed. One of the men uncuffs her.

Taylor, this used to be my room. Now it is your room, for a while. Don't mess it up. I'm taking it back when you leave. Remember, if you give us trouble, we'll hog tie you and tape your mouth, and let you piss shit in your own panties. If you piss on my bed, I'm personally going to beat you blind! 

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, will be brought to the door. Sergie will receive it, and watch you eat, with a plastic spoon. We don't want you to die of malnutrition in our care. We know that you have an eating disorder. You almost died twice in those secret clinics didn't you, from not eating. 

Taylor looks at him in shock.

Yes, we know all about that. We know as much about you as you know about yourself. Huh, perhaps more! So eat our good Russian cuisine, the best in New York City. If you refuse to eat, we'll force feed you with a hose. They had to do that in the last clinic you were in. Painful wasn't it? Do you want US to do that to you? 

Taylor shakes her head.

Vlad goes over to the sofa. He picks up a pillow.

Elena! Look at this pillow? It looks like a pillow from a cheap Moscow whorehouse. Didn’t I tell you to change all the pillows in the building? 

Yes father. I called them yesterday. They said they were bringing the new pillows today, for the entire building. Hundreds of them. 

What good is it to bring in 10 million a dollars a day, and have hundreds of pillows that look like they belong to some dirty gypsies? 

Vlad throws the pillow on the sofa.

Very well. We're asking your parents for $300 million. We know you probably have at least three times that much. But we are not being greedy here. Are we?  We will leave you with plenty of money for your hospitals for dying children. So, don't worry! 

Make sure she eats all her food. Don't let her out. Watch her always, even she is taking a bath or showering or taking a shit. Every moment. Do you understand. And don't talk to her! If she screams or tries to get out, gag her and tie her up. Understand? 

Understood 

Vlad turns on the television. A female reporter is standing in front of Taylor’s condo, with the police, the FBI, and the large crowd.

I’m here in front of Taylor Schiff’s apartment building in SoHo, Manhattan. She owns the entire block. Police have told me that it appears that Taylor was kidnapped by a a television crew that was supposed to interview her today. Witnesses said they were speaking Russian or some other Slavic language. Police found six people dead inside Schiff’s condo, and one man dead in the alley way behind the condo. Their identities are being kept a secret until police have time to notify their next of kin. Police says that one of the men killed was found in the alley behind the building, who died either from a gunshot or from a fall. They suspect he was one of the kidnappers. Witnesses said they saw firemen and NYPD vans in the area, but a spokesman for the Fire Department said they had no fires nor any drills or training in this area today. The NYPD said that officers working crowd control in front of the building heard the shots inside, but by the time they entered the condo, Taylor and the alleged kidnappers were already gone. They told me they checked the entire block, all the buildings, basements, rooms, and rooftops and found nothing. On a positive note, Taylor’s prised white Persian cat, Mister Cuddles, was found hiding under a sofa in her living room, unharmed, with his $500,000 diamond studded color still around his neck. 

Vlad turns off the TV and puts down the remote.

Taylor grabs her mouth and starts to cry. Elena picks up the remote and puts it in her pocket.

Sergie will eat the same things you eat, and make sure you finish each meal. Sorry, but when he shits you have to go with him, and….. 

Vice versa. 

Thank you. And vice versa. Don’t worry, Sergie is a good boy. He is the Avtoretet over my best Bree-gaw-dei. He always does as he is told. He won’t harm you.     

Don’t piss on my bed!     

Everyone leaves except for Sergei.

Do you need to use the bathroom? Are you hungry?  

Hungry? Are you kidding me? Is that a sick joke? I just saw my best friends murdered, and you’re asking me if I’m hungry? 

I am sorry about that. Our business is a very brutal business. My boss, Vlad, we call him the PakHan, used to be a major in the Soviet Army. He lost many comrades in Afghanistan. Many of his friends were killed by weapons that the American CIA gave to the Afghani rebels. His only son, Alexei, was killed by an American stinger missile fired at his helicopter, one week before he was supposed to be sent home. Vlad does not have much sympathy now for Americans. American weapons killed too many of his friends and comrades, and his son Alexei too. 

What about my housekeepers? They were from Mexico. They didn’t have anything to do with Afghanistan! They were completely innocent! I knew them for years. I went to their children’s birthday parties. Now, I have to tell them that their mothers are dead, because of me. 

Not your fault. In all wars, there are innocents killed. My boss thinks that Russian and America are still at war. For him. The Cold War never ended. That’s all. That is why we do what we do. We take from the Americans, and give to ourselves, and our families back in Russia. We take the American wealth, and, with it, we make our families wealthy. It is called the spoils of war. In every war there are winners and losers, and in every war both the combatants and the innocent are killed. And, in every war, there are the spoils. That’s why we are here, to collect the spoils. 

You speak English very well. Where did you learn it? In school? 

All Russians are required to take five years of English in school, before university. Most learn to read it okay, but not really speak it. I’ve lived in the States for seven years now, so, I learned how to speak it well enough. 

Are you the one that ordered my friends to be killed? 

No, of course ot. The plan was to hold guns on your bodyguards, to get them to drop their weapons. And, if they didn’t, to shoot them. I don’t know why your maids were killed, that was completely unnecessary. 

What about Teema, my publicist. I’ve known her since I was 14. Why was she killed? 

Why does anything bad happen to anyone? My father died in Afghanistan. He was a tank crewman. The Bosses only son, Alexei, was killed in Afghanistan. He was a helicopter pilot, killed by an American stinger missile. 

My mother died of cancer, because we had no money to get her treatments, because Russian was in its Great Depression, thanks largely to the American President Reagan, at that time. My sister died when a Moscow bus driver fell asleep and ran over her at a crosswalk. She was two months pregnant with her second child. Things go bad in life. As the American's say: “Shit happens" 

I'm sorry to hear that. 

Why does anything bad happen to anyone? That is the great mystery of the Cosmos? 

But, over time, eventually, is one becomes philosophical enough, one discovers that, as Americans love to say: Shit Happens. . Bad things happen. Hitler invades Russia, after making a peace treaty with Stalin

And, in four years of fighting, 20 million Russian and Ukrainians die, but they kick out the Nazis. Think about that. 20 million Russians and Ukrainians, half or more of them civilians, died in the Great Patriotic War: what you would call World War Two. Why? What did they do? Where not THEY also innocent victims? Like the people with you today?

Yes, I suppose so. But they were my friends. I loved them. 

Look, I”m sorry Taylor. Really, I’ve lost loved ones too. I lost my entire family. My father to war. My mother to disease, because we had no money to get her treatment. My brother was also a Vor, a thief. He was stabbed to death in prison by a rival gang member. My sister was lost to a foolish accident. We have both lost people we have loved. I lost all of them. Do you still have people you love who are still alive? 

My parents. My brother Austin.. My fiancee Joe. My cat, Mister Cuddles. I could name many others I love, but those are the five I love the most. 

And you’ll see them again! All of them. And you’ll be safe again. Once my boss, Vlad, the PakHan, has that 300 million, he will not bother you or your family again. I can promise you that. 

Why do you help these men? They are evil men. What they did today was evil. Very evil. 

Taylor. This world is full of evil, and evil men. It was evil for Russia to attack Afghanistan. It was evil for America to send weapons to Afghanistan that killed so many Russian soldiers. Those men were husbands and fathers, and wanted to get back to their wives and children. They never got to do that. Is that not also evil? 

I had nothing to do with that. My friends had nothing to do with that. 

Of course not! During World War Two, 20 million Russians and Ukrainians who died fighting the Nazis, had nothing to do with Hitler or Stalin either. Evil exists. It always has. It always will. Half of them were not even combatants, but innocent civilians. They just wanted to live happy lives with their families, milking cows, growing wheat. Yet, evil happens. There is no way to avoid it. 

But you didn’t have to choose to be a part of this evil! Couldn’t you avoid it? 

Sergie sits down next to Taylor on the foot of the bed.

Taylor, I will tell you a story. When I was a very young boy, my father went to Afghanistan to fight the Taliban. The leaders of Russia installed a Communist ruler in Afghanistan, who wanted to educated girls through college, and give women rights, but the Taligan didn’t want that. So, they fought the government. The government called upon the Soviet Union to help, so, they sent in troops from all over the Soviet Union. My father was one of them. He served in Afghanistan for five years. He became a tank commander. The Taliban could not stop Soviet tanks. Then the American CIA gave the Taliban anti-tank weapons. They used one of my father’s tank. He and he crew burned to death inside that tank, screaming. They all died horrible deaths. 

My mother had three young children, and there were many widows where I lived, because of the war. She could not find a man willing to raise the children of another man. So, she worked in laundries, and doing many things, cleaning, washing, working in a factory, all the time, to make money, to keep us alive, and let us go to school. My older sister raised me like her own child.

The same one later run over by a bus? 

Yes, that is correct. She raised me like a mother, because my mother was always working. Finally, after I was about 16, my mother got cancer. At that time, Russia was doing very poorly, like a Great Depression. There was no treatment unless you could pay for it. I had no way to pay for it. Then, a cousin told me that some people were hiring teen boys as smugglers. I had no job, no way to help my mother, so, I took the job. I dropped out of school, and became a smuggler. I made good money, but it was not enough for the treatments. I asked for more work, and, eventually, I was given harder things to do, and I made more money. Finally, I had enough to get my mother cancer treatments in Russia. But, it was too late by then, he cancer had already spread all throughout her body. 

My other got cancer too. She almost died. I almost died. But, of course, we got her the best treatments on the planet. One of the great things about being super-rich I guess. She survived…for now. 

And, unfortunately, my mother did not survive. But I tried. It was, how you say, too little too late. She passed away. My sister passed away. My father passed away. Finally my brother passed away too, and I was alone in the world. 

How did you brother die? 

He become a vor, a thief, like me. But he was caught, and he went to prison. He got into a fight without another thief, and the other thief had a knife, and my brother did not, and that was the end of that. 

You’ve had a rough life. 

Yes, in some ways, I suppose. However, my life, compared to the life of my grandparents, during World War II, when they were children, my life was not so bad. My grandparents were from Leningrad, what is now called St. Petersburg, and during World War II the Nazis surrounded the city, and did not let in any food, for a year. First, the birds started to disappear. Then, the horses and mules all disappeared. Then, the dogs and cats all disappeared. Finally, the bodies of the dead, which were pilled up in certain areas, started to disappear too. 

That sounds like hell. 

It was Hell, but, we won. The Soviet Union won, because we knew how to suffer better than our enemies knew how to suffer. And life is suffering after suffering until it finally ends. 

So, you become a mobster in order to save your mother from cancer. I can understand that. I would have done the same thing in order to save my mother, if that was my only choice. 

“Well, yes, that was my only choice. And, unfortunately, it didn’t work. A young man like me, with an arrest record, with tatoos that identify him as a Vor, as a thief, a member of the Russian mafia, well, with no college or apprenticeship, you can say, I did not have a bright future. At that point, I had only one choice in order to survive: stay with the thieves and do as they did, whether I liked it or not. So, that is what I did. And, to be honest, much of it, I don’t like. Much of it I hate. I wish I could have done something else. When I was a boy I wanted to be a cosmonaut. Well, boys dream impossible dreams. I had to accept the truth, that I am a vor, a thief,, and will always be a thief, and that is the only life I’m allowed to live. I can’t stop the bad things I’ve seen, nor take back the bad things I’ve done. Like the Americans say, shit happens. Evil happens. You cannot stop it. All you can do, the BEST that you can do, is survive it. a

I’m gonna survive this. 

Of course you will! You’re Taylor Schiff, the most famous singer songwriter in the world! You’ll survive this, and go back to your loving family, back to your cat, back to the friends you still have, and this nightmare will fade, a little more each year, until it becomes just a distant memory, like a past life, like a nightmare you had years ago, that has slowly faded away. 

I don’t think I could ever forget this horrible day. Never. 

You may not forget it completely. But, you’ll learn to live with it. Like, when my grandparents had to eat their mule, and then their dogs, and then, pieces of dead strangers. You never forget, but you survive. You learn to live with it. You put it on the back shelf of your mind, and keep it there the best you can, and go on living.

But, what if they decide to kill me too?

They won’t.

I swear to you, God and all the Holy Angels, and the Holy Saints, and also by my dear dead Mother, whom I loved more than life itself, that I will not let anyone harm you, and that you will walk out of this building completely unwarmed, alive, into the loving arms of your parents, your brother, and your fiancee Joe! 

Taylor jerks her arm back.

How do you know about Joe?

Are you kidding me? You’re the most famous person on Earth right now, outside maybe a few Presidents and one or two movie stars. Everybody knows about Joseph Michael Irwin, the British actor. You and he have been together for five years, and are thinking of marrying and having children. Joe’s nickname for you is ‘Sweet Cheeks’ and you call him ‘The Blue-eyed Guy.’

How did you know that? We don’t even use those terms around our bodyguards?

Taylor, we know everything about you. Before we took you, we had people following you everywhere. We hacked into all your Facebook accounts, and all your cellphones, long ago. We even have a camera in the bedroom you and Joe share when you’re in New York.

Oh, I suppose that’s how you guys get your jollies eh? By watching us have sex? 

I never saw that Taylor. I always looked away when those scenes came up. The others laughed and howled, but, no, I always turned away.

Sure you did.

I’m not lying to you. Honestly, I’ve always kind of worshiped you in a way. I’ve always seen you as a beautiful Princess, held in a Castle by an evil king, waiting to be rescued.

I used to have dreams where I was a Knight that broke into the castle and fought off the evil knights, and rescued you, and we kissed, and I put you on the back of my white horse, and we rode off into the sunset. I loved those dreams. But, they were just dreams, and this is reality. 

Keep dreaming!

My parents will get me out. They’ll get the FBI, CIA, Mossad, and the Delta Team, and they’re gonna storm in here and kill everybody, and rescue me.

Sergie stands up and walks away, facing away from Taylor. He lowers his head and turns around.

No, no Taylor. That is not going to happen here, in our case. We have a, lets say, a machine. That machine is a very dangerous machine. The FBI already knows if they storm this building, the Boss will turn on that machine. That is something nobody wants. My Boss, he’s on old man, he lost his only son to war, to an American Stinger missile, and he hates his daughter Elena, as we all do. His wife died long ago. He lives day to day, every day expecting it to be his last. He has a bad heart, and won’t live too much longer anyway. The sad thing is, he doesn’t care if he dies, or his daughter dies, or if we all die. You might say, he has no heart left. He enjoys the game, that is all. If he suspects the game is about to be over, and he’s gonna lose, he’ll turn on that machine, and, unfortunately, you’ll be gone, I’ll be gone, and half of New York City will be gone too!

Oh my God, are you serious? You have, you have an atom bomb here? How?

I’ve said too much. But, be assured, there will be no rescue attempt. But, don’t worry.

Don’t worry about that at all. Your parents love you very much, we know that, and they will pay the ransom, you’ll be released, and you can get on with your life with Joe and your brother and parents, and your cat: Mister Cuddles.

What about Teema, and my maids and bodyguards? 

They’re are gone. 

Taylor starts whimpering.

Yes, it is very sad. Your bodyguards are heroes. They did their duty. Your maids, and your publicist, well, that was more or less Elena’s decision. Nobody likes her, not even her father. We all hate her. She’s a bitch. But, she is the daughter of the Boss, the PakHan.. So, we have to tolerate her. But, Taylor, shit happens. It will take some time, but the past will fade and one day, you’ll be living in one of your grand homes, with Joe as your husband, with your children playing, and your cat, and maybe a dog too, and all this will seem just like a bad dream. It will slowly fade away, and you’ll live a long, happy, life. 

You think so? 

Taylor, I KNOW so! I promised you, you will not be harmed. You will get out of this, and this nightmare will one day be a distant memory. 

Why are so many of you guys Asian? 

They are from the eastern republics of Russia. Yakutia. Burgatia. A few Khazaks. Russia includes a lot of different kinds of people. We don’t all look the same. And, of course, we let some Chinese and Koreans join us, if they are good enough and can speak Russian. North Korean security agents. Drug dealers and smugglers face death in China, so, they often escape and go to Russia, work there as truck drivers, and learn Russian for a year or two, and then join us. 

How long do I have to stay here? 

A few days. A few weeks. Maybe a month. Probably not even that. As soon as the Boss receives the 300 million, we let you go. We put a hood over your face, put you into a van, and take you to Central Park at night, and leave you off and untie you. We speed away, and, you can find take off the hood yourself and find your way home from there. 

You really think they’re gonna let me go. Even after they get their money?     

Taylor, I swore you on the Saints, and upon the grave of my dear mother. You will not be harmed. I won’t let anyone harm you, for any reason. Do you believe me? 

Yes, I guess so.     

Good, now if you are hungry, we can get some something to eat. We have excellent Russian, Chinese, and Korean cuisine here. With room service. What do you feel like tonight? 

Well, sorry, I’m not hungry. I lost too many friends today to be hungry.     

Yes, your servants. 

No, my friends! I knew those people for years, spent every day of my life with most of them since I was 15 years old.     

Taylor starts to cry again.

Taylor. I know what its like to lose loved ones. But your family is still alive aren’t they? 

Taylor sniffles and nods up and down.

Your family is still alive, and waiting for you to come home. And you will, I promise you. But, I’m required to make sure you eat something. So, we’ll order some borsh, and you can eat what you want and leave the rest okay? 

Taylor nods.

Don’t worry Taylor. I won’t let anyone harm you. After all, I’m the guy in my dreams that saves the beautiful princess from the evil king and his henchmen in his castle! 

Hello, kitchen. This is Sergei. No, the other one. Yes, the one in charge of the special guest. Cook her up some borsh with some toast and jam on the side. What to drink? Water and white wine. Have someone bring it up to Elena’s suite as soon as it is ready. No, just one serving. Yes, Yes.  

Your food will be done soon. I also ordered you some white wine. I know how much your like white wine.

I guess you know everything about me don’t you?     

We studied your history. We studied your cellphone and internet conversations. We followed you, for several years. Standard procedure. We were all trained by former KGB agents. Retired Mossad agents. Even a few CIA agents that we turned. We know our shit. 

What if my parents don’t pay you?     

Don’t be silly. Why would your parents not pay us? They have the money. We know you’re worthy at least twice that in cash reserves alone, not counting your investments. Your 10 houses. You six condos. All your jewelry. 

The houses and condos are investments. The jewelry was sent to me by rich male fans. I never asked them to send me jewelry.     

Of course not. They love you. The entire world loves Taylor Schiff. The entire world loves you. And I ... 

What? What?     

I think you need to get ready for dinner. Today was a hard day for you. That van ride really made you sweaty. 

Sergie goes into a closet and gets out a large white bath robe and tosses it to Taylor.

Here, here is one of Elena’s bath robes. It will fit you. I’m supposed to watch you take a shower, but I won’t. I won’t disrespect you like that. I actually have a lot of respect for you. 

Why is that?     

I feel that I know you. I know how you visit sick and dying children. I know that you give millions away a year, in secret, to children’s hospitals and to charities that help children everywhere. Sometimes to some of your fans who need operators and can’t afford them. You do most of this in secret. I respect that. I even know that you remained a virgin until you were 22, and only gave in because the man insisted and told you that if you didn’t put out he would dump you. 

How did you know that! Only my mother and Treema, the women you killed, knew that! How did ‘you’ know? 

Taylor, we are the Maws-kof-skeh Bratsva, the Moscow Syndicate, the Moscow Brotherhood. We know everything! And, remember, I didn’t kill your friend Treema. I didn’t kill anybody today. Yes, your bodyguards had to be neutralized, for safety reasons. They are heroes. Martyrs. But, as far as the maids go, and your friend and publicist Treema, well, that was all Elena’s idea. Nobody likes Elena here. She is, what you call in English, a psychopath. Not even her own father likes her, much less loves her. 

So, why does he keep her around?     

Well, she is still his daughter. Blood is thicker than water, as Americans say. Now, go take your shower. There is soap, shampoo, brushes, make up, all in the bathroom. I’ll make sure nobody disturbs you. By the time you are finished, your meal will be here. 

Taylor slowly takes the white robe, and walks into the bathroom. She begins to close the bathroom door but Sergei stops her.

Sorry Taylor, the door must remain open at all times. But, don’t worry, nobody is going to spy on you here. 

Taylor hangs the robe up and removes her clothing. Sergei slowly turns around. Tayler showers nude.

Sergei turns his head and looks at her. Tayler does not see him look. Sergei turns his head away again.

Taylor sees him turn. She slips out of the shower, takes the scissors from the counter, and sneaks up behind him. She readies herself to plunge the scissors into his back.

You know Taylor, if I were to die here, you could not get free. We’re on the top floor, and there are almost a hundred thieves under our feet. The FBI won’t dare raid us, we have a working atomic bomb in the building, from the Soviet era, and they know it. Perhaps you need to put the knife away, and get into the robe. Your dinner is almost here. 

Taylor stops. She returns to the shower and dons a robe.

In my business, one learns to grow eyes in the back on one’s head. 

When do I get out of here?     

As I said before, as soon as your parents pay the ransom. 300 million dollars. 

It will take a long time to get that cash together. I don’t have it all in one bank you know.     

We live in the digital age Taylor. Bank transactions are all handled digitally now. There will be no cash withdrawals. Only numbers, digits, will be transferred. 

What bank is going to accept the money? Wouldn’t the Russian government raid any back that accepts that kind of ransom money?     

Taylor, we have it all figured out. The money, the electronic digits, will be transferred to a bank in China that works with us. Then they will transfer, after they take their cut of course, the money, the digits, to a bank in Russia that is under our control. As far as our government goes, it will look the other way. You see, we give the government a cut of the profits as well. Everybody gets a cut of the pie, and everybody is happy. 

I’m not happy.     

No. of course not. You are a innocent victim of war, collateral damage. You see, my Boss believes that the Cold War never ended. American missiles killed his only son, his pride and joy, Alexei, in a war America should not have been involved in. He has been at war with American ever since then. He cares about nothing else. He wants to fleece America of all its wealth, and transfer it to Russia. And, of course, to himself too. He lives for this revenge very moment of his life. 

I want revenge too.     

Yes, sure you do. Revenge is a common human emotion, we all share. But, we all are not able to get what we want. I wanted my mother to live, and she did not. The Boss wanted his son to survive Afghanistan, and he did not. You want to get revenge for the slaying of your bodyguards and maids (cut)... 

AND TREEMA     

Of course, and your friend and publicist, Treema. Yes, that was very unfortunate. That was not part of the plan by the way. Elena was told to neutralize the bodyguards, but then to tie up everyone else. She didn’t follow protocol. Had anyone else done that, they would have been killed. However, like I said, Elena is The Bosses daughter. So, she gets away with murder—literally. 

There are three knocks on the bedroom door.

Sergei answers the door. Two mobsters, one male and one female, bring in a room service table with wine glasses and a bottle of white whine in a bucket.

Taylor, we know about your eating disorder. We are not going to let that happen while you are our guest. This is a bottle of one of the most expensive white wines in New York City. 

Sergie grabs a cork screw from the table and opens the bottle. He holds the cork under Taylor’s nose. She backs away in disgust.

How can you expect me to want to eat or drink at a time like this?     

Taylor, eating this food and drinking this wine will make you sleepy, and we want you to sleep. The more you sleep, the sooner this nightmare will end for you, and you can go home to your brother and parents, and back to that fiancee’ of yours, Joseph Irwyn. 

Joe is not around. He’s away making a film.     

Yes, he’s in India, making an Indian remake of Gunga Deen. He’s playing a British captain in love with an Indian princeless. Very Romantic. The actress is a beautiful woman. You should be worried. 

Joe would never cheat on me. He loves me totally, and I love him totally.     

Good. Then let us drink to that. Let us drink to the fact that you’ll soon be home with your brother and parents, and back into the arms of your beloved Joe! 

Sergei takes a sip. Taylor smells the wine cautiously. She takes a sip of it.

How much longer do I need to stay here?     

As soon as the 300 million is digitally transferred, you’ll be released. It will be late at night. We’ll put a bag over your head. Don’t worry, you’ll be able to breath, and drop you off somewhere in Central Park. Once we untie you, we’ll have you count to 100, and then you can take the bag off and make your way back home or to the nearest police precinct. Up to you. 

Have you contacted my parents yet? 

Yes, we have. Your father was fishing off the coast of New Jersey when we snatched you, but he and your mother are now in New York City, at the the New York City FBI office, talking with Special Agent in Charge, Yamamoto. 

How do you know that? 

Like I told you before Taylor, we’re the Russian Mafia. We know everything! 

Scott Schiff is pacing back and forth nervously. Andrea Schiff is sitting in a chair, next to Austin Schiff, also sitting in a chair. Special Agent Yamamoto is on a telephone talking.

Okay, okay. So the mayor knows the situation now completely? No, we can’t raid the building because we suspect they have a weapon of mass destruction inside of it, and they may deploy that weapon if we raid them. No, no, sorry, I can’t be more specific than that. I can only tell you that if that weapon is deployed, it would make 9-11 look like a birthday party. Yes...  

Yes, I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. 

You can’t raid the building? You mean you know where she is, and you’re not going to do anything? 

Mister Schiff. Yes, we know where she is. She’s right here in New York City, in a building that serves as the base of operations for the Russian mob in North America. But we can’t just run in there with gun blazing, too many innocent people might get killed, including your daughter Taylor. 

I don’t want my baby to get hurt. Do what you can, but I don’t want my baby to get hurt! 

Mrs. Schiff…. 

Please call me Miss Farley. Mister Schiff and I have been divorced for years. 

Very well, Miss Farley. We are doing all we can to assure the safety of your daughter Taylor. We cannot raid the building where she is being held captive. Too many people could get hurt, including Taylor. 

So, what do you suggest. How do we get her out safely? 

Well, as the Agent-in-Charge of the New York City FBI Office, I suggest that you pay the ransom and hope for the best. 

What? Pay them 300 million dollars? Are you out of our mind? 

Pay them. Pay them all of it. Right away. If that is the only way Taylor won’t be harmed. 

Don’t we need proof of life first? I mean, I saw a movie once where they had to ask for proof of life before the ransom is paid. Can’t we do that? 

Oh, my poor little baby! What are you suggesting Austin, that’s she gone already? 

There is no reason to believe that Taylor has been harmed at all. We believe she is still alive, and in that building. 

Then get off your lazy butts and go rescue her…now! 

Mister Schiff. Let me repeat myself. That building is filled to the top with armed men, with Ak-47s, grenades, and a weapon of mass destruction. We don’t know if that weapon is is working shape, but, we can’t take a chance on that. 

What kind of weapon of mass destruction. You mean an atomic bomb? 

I never said that! I said they have a weapon, that might be operational, that could bring down the entire building, at least, the building that Taylor is in now. If we raid it, they may decide to use that weapon. 

Please, Agent Hamamoto…. 

Yamamoto 

Whatever! That’s a lot of money. 

No, Dad, we’re gonna pay the 300 million. Taylor alone has three times that. We can afford it. 

I know that Austin. Okay. Alright. We’ll pay it. But, that will take a lot of time. Different banks. Counting the money. Gathering the money. 

We believe that the transfers will be all digital. We know they work with corrupt banks both in China and Russia. It could be all done online in a matter or an hour of less. No cash involved. 

So, there is no way to trace to bills. 

I’m afraid not. We’re very aware of these corrupt banks. But, the Chinese and Russian governments look the other way. Once the money has been transferred, there is really nothing we can do about recovering the funds. All we can do, is arrest low-level Russian cartel members, and hope they flip in court. 

How many have flipped to date? 

Only a few have.. In prison they know they’ll be killed. The Russian mob will pay other gangs to kill them. In Witness Protection, well, that’s been tried before, with disastrous results. But, all we can do is operate under the law, and keep trying and hope we finally get lucky. 

Look, I don’t care about the money. They can have all of our money. I don’t care. I just want my sweet baby back, unharmed. That’s all I want. 

I want her back too, just as bad as you do. But, 300 million, that’s almost half of what we have to our names. 

I don’t care, they can have all of it. All of it. I just want Taylor back. 

Me too. 

Hey, has anyone called Joe yet? He needs to know what’s going on. 

No, I haven’t. 

Not me. 

Austin takes out her cellphone and frantically punches some numbers.

Attractive indian woman in traditional Indian garb with jewel in nose. Joseph Irwyn, British actor, in late 18th century British army captain’s uniform. They are embracing as if about to kiss.

The camera is rolling. The Indian director is poised to signal.

Don’t worry Hashmi. I plan to resign my commission, so that you and I can be together forever. 

But you’re not a Hindu, my father will never approve. 

Then I’ll become a Hindu. Anything for your love. 

Joe and Hashmi kiss passionately.

Cut, cut.     

What was wrong with that? I think that went perfectly. 

You have an emergency telephone call from America. Some man named Austin.     

The director gives his cellphone to Joe.

Austin is this you? How’s Taylor? 

What? When?

Oh my God! Is she still...

They have her where? Oh my God! Right. Right. I’ll be back in New York City in 20 hours.

Joe hangs up the phone and walks off camera. The director follows him.

Where are you going Joseph? 

I need to get back to New York City right away. It’s a family matter. 

But your family is in England. 

It has to do with my fiancee’ Taylor Schiff. I can’t talk about it right now. I have to leave right away. 

But what about my film. It’s too late to replace you. 

I can’t help that now. I’ll come back when Taylor is safe. 

No, no. We cant wait for that. Look, Joe, if you leave now and don’t come back within 24 hours, you’ll never work in Bollywood again!     

I’m sorry, I need to go help Taylor. I’m sorry. 

Joseph, Joseph, listen to me! Come back within 24 hours are you are finished!     

I have to do this! 

Wealthy men stand around an auction room. There is a rapper, a Saudi Prince, a Chinese billionaire, and many others.

Elena enters the room in a fancy dress and takes the podium.

Gentlemen. Thank you for coming out today. Our selection today we are especially proud of. The girls range from the ages of 8 to the age of
28.  They have been conditioned to obey your every command, and to address
you as Master and “My Lord”. They will not give you any trouble. We have explained to them that if they displease you, their families will be killed. They have all agreed to cooperate fully, and become your pets for as long as you need them. We shall start our auction now. Ivan, please send out the first girl. 

A mobster goes behind a curtain, and brings out a very beautiful women, about age 18, who seems scared, but she is dressed beautifully and has full make-up.

We will call this call Natalia. She speaks Ukrainian, Russian, and some English. She knows how to cook, and she is bi-sexual. We shall start the bidding at $1 million dollars. 

A Chinese man raises a red card.

We have one million. Do I hear 1.5 million? 

A Saudi prince raises a red card in the air in his hand above him.

Very good, we have 1.5 million, 1.5 million. Do I hear 2 million. 2 million. 1.5 million going once, going twice, SOLD at 1.5 million. 

Ivan (ee-vawn), please prepare Natalia for our first buyer of the day. 

Natalia looks confused but she is obedient, and Ivan takes her back behind the curtain.

Ivan, please bring out our next girl. 

Ivan brings out an under-aged girl, clothed skimpily. The girl looks scared and confused. She looks around at all the men in the room. The men in the room moun and clap.

This is Cindy. Isn’t she adorable? Cindy is 17 years old. She is untarnished. Shall we begin our bidding at 2 million. An extremely ugly old man man raises his card. I see 2 million. 2 million…. Do I see 2.5 million? 2.5 million….? 

Sergei is sitting on a chair. Tayler is finishing drinking a bottle of white wine.

I need to use the bathroom. 

Of course, it is right there. If you want to take a bath or shower, there is soap, shampoo, a hair-dryer, make-up, everything you need. 

Taylor gets off off the bed and moves slowly to the bathroom. She looks inside it, looks around, and then begins to close the door. Sergie jumps up and keeps the door open with his arm.

I’m sorry Taylor, I can’t let you do that. Vlad, the PakHan, the Boss, ordered me to watch you at all times. 

You’re going to watch me? 

I’m sorry. That is my duty. I am an officer, an Aw-toer-ree-tet, a Bree-gaw-deh commander in the Maws-koh-veh Brats-vaw, the largest and most powerful Russian mafia gang in North America. I didn’t get to become a Aw-toer-ree-tet by ignoring orders. 

Tayler uses the toilet.

Excuse me. 

Don’t worry about it. It’s only natural. 

There is a social media influencer who only Youtubes from her bathroom.  She’s made over half a million dollars so far. Maybe I’m in the wrong profession. 

We are asking for 300 million for your ransom. Is that going to wipe you out financially? 

No, no. I have a lot more than that. My fans gave me all that money because they love me. I was planning to spend most of it on charity, on hospitals for sick poor children, schools for poor children in India, Africa, Latin America. You know. Bleeding heart stuff. Not all it, just half of it. Maybe more. I don’t know. Now, its going down the toilet. 

But at least it is going for a good cause, your freedom. And, I’m sure, in time, you can make it all back. 

Yeah. Sure. Another three or four CDs should get that all back. Another 60 or 70 songs. Another 10 to 20 music videos. Hundreds of hours in a studio. More touring. Yes, I can make it all back. It will just take a lot of time and a lot of hard work. 

Hard work is good for the body and the soul. 

You believe in a soul, after all you’ve done? 

I don’t know. I try not to think about the future. I live one day at a time. Here in America I live each day very well. I dress well. I eat well. I can date beautiful women whenever I want to. Had it not been for the Brotherhood, well, I would be living still in Russia, with a boring factory job. Living in a tiny apartment meant for 4 people, that houses maybe 10 or 12 people. Probably never owning a car. Never traveling. Just a plain boring life, with no excitement. Never being able to meet beautiful famous singers such as yourself. 

I wish I never met your Sergei. I wish that this day never happened. 

Of course not! This has been a very hard and tragic day for you Taylor. I know. But, it will be over soon. Your family will pay the ransom, you will be released back to them, and you can get on with your life. 

Treema doesn’t have a life anymore. Nor does Maria or Lucia. Both of them have kids. Dennis, or Larry, or Kurt will never have a life anymore either. Oh my God! Their lives are over forever! 

Tayler starts to cry again.

I swear to you, by the Holy Saints, and upon the grave of my dear dead mother, than I will not allow anyone to harm you. I give you my word. You go to sleep. I will go over and sit on the sofa and remain silent, so you can get some rest. When you wake up, God willing, all this will be over and you can go home. 

Sergei leaves the room. He closes the door behind him gently, not wanting to wake her

The black screen says: “The Next Day”

A man is on a computer, with Scott and Austin looking over his shoulder.

Okay, it’s done. I’ve transferred 150 million from Scott Schiff’s account, 150 million from Andrea Fraley’s account, and 50 million from Austin Schiff’s account, into the Chinese bank as they instructed. The Chinese bank will then transfer this, minus a fee, to the Russian bank that their gang controls in Moscow. 

Fifty million. That’s all you had son. Everything you had. 

Taylor will pay you back Austin, you know that. 

I’m not worried about that. I just want to get Taylor back safe! 

An FBI agent comes to the door of the office:

Agent Yamamoto, there is a Joseph Irwyn here, he claims to be the finance’ of Taylor Schiff. He says he wants to speak with you. Should I let him in?

Yes, let him in. 

Joseph Irwyn comes in, dressed in normal clothing. Looking anxious. Andrea gets up to greet him and hugs him.

Oh, Joe, I’m so glad that you’re here. 

Scott and Austin shake his hand.

How is Taylor. Just tell me! 

We don’t know. The bastards killed her bodyguards, as well as the women: Maria, Lucia, and Treema, all dead. 

Oh my God! My God! 

Joseph sits down in a chair and grabs his head and rubs his head.

Taylor lived with Maria and Lucia since she was 15. Treema’s been her best publicist and best friend since that time. Oh my Lord! And her bodyguards have bee with her for years and years! 

Those Russian assholes killed them all, in cold blood. 

Did they harm Taylor? 

There is no indication that she’s been harmed. At least not yet. We’ve transferred 300 million to their Chinese front bank. So, we’ve met all their demands. We hope they’re going to release her unharmed. We’re waiting for them to contact the family. We know where they are keeping her. 

They got Taylor in a building right here in New York City! 

Why don’t you just go in with swat, or whatever you call it in the FBI, and get her? 

They can’t. The Russian have a nuclear bomb in that building. 

What? Are you joking? A nuclear bomb? Are you kidding me? 

The FBI never told you that. All we can say, is that storming the building is too dangerous. The best course of action is to pay the ransom, which has been paid, and wait for their next move. Once Taylor is back to her family, safe, then we can make other plans. But, for now, all we can do is wait and hope. 

Joe paces back and forth frantically.

Do you know which building it is? 

I sure do. 

Neither of you must approach that building. The FBI and the NYPD have it under close surveillance. You’ll mess things up if you go there! 

I just can’t wait and do nothing. They may be torturing her as we speak. 

Oh my baby, my poor baby! 

Austin. I need your help. We gotta do something. Are you gonna help me? 

I’ll do anything to get Taylor back safe. 

I advise you two very strongly to not do anything foolish. Just stay here, or go home and wait for their next move. The ransom is paid. They may release her safe and unharmed. 

May? May? That’s NOT good enough for me! Taylor is the only woman I ever loved, besides my mother. I can’t just sit around and wait.(bump) Austin, are you wish me? 

You bet I am! 

Fellas. Maybe we should listen to the FBI here. They know what they’re doing! 

Joe, don’t do anything rash. That might endanger Taylor further. 

Don’t worry Andrea. We’re not going to let them hurt her. C’mon Austin

Joe leaves. Austin follows him looking back at his parents.

Mom, Dad, we have to do this! 

Guys! Guys! Wait. This is foolish! 

Joe and Austin leave the office.

Can’t your stop them? You’re the FBI! 

I can’t stop them. I can’t arrest them. They haven’t committed any crimes, yet. 

Oh my God! They’ll be killed if they try to get into that building. 

Damn fool kids! 

I’m sorry Mister Schiff, Miss Fraley. I shouldn’t have told all of you where they were keeping Taylor. That was my big mistake. Probably my last as Agent-in-Charge. They’ll probably transfer me to Nome Alaska after this. 

Andrea covers her mouth.

Scott shakes his head back and forth.

Tayler is waking up. Sergei stands up and goes to the foot of the bed.

How long was I asleep? 

All night. I know, I’ve been here on the sofa, with my head on this old torn up pillow. 

Can I go home now? 

I’m about to go see the Boss, Vlad, and ask him if your family has transferred the 300 million yet. If they have, then you’ll be going home very soon. 

Tell me something Sergei, do you have enough money now? You know, I have a lot more than just 300 million. I could make you a very wealthy man if you helped me out of here right now. Did you know that? 

I swore an oath to the Brotherhood. Its for life. I have tattoos that identify me as a member of the Maws-koh-veh Bratsvaw, the Moscow Brotherhood. Once you become a Vor, a Thief, you cannot leave unless it is in a pine box, or, as the Italians say, ‘swimmin’ wid daw fishes’ 

In the Brotherhood Taylor, like the Italian Mafia, it is hard to get in and impossible to get out. At least, one cannot leave it alive. 

I will pay to you, personally, 300 million dollars, if you get me out of here and back to my family safely. I promise you this. 

I swear to you in the name of the Holy Saints, and on the grave of my beloved grandmother, Marjorie, that if you get me back to my parents, safe and unharmed, I will pay you 300 million dollars 

Taylor, I can’t spend the money if I’m dead, or in prison. If I help you escape, even if possible, I was become a soo-kaw, a bitch, worse than a traitor. Every Vor of every Bratsva would kill me on the spot if they saw me. The Moscow Brotherhood would pay other gangs in prison to kill me. I would be hunted forever. Also, one must consider that I’m wanted by the FBI and the NYPD on multiple felonies. 

With 300 million you can find a new life somewhere. Get new identification. Start a new life in South America. Brazil maybe. I hear in Brazil, if you get a girl pregnant, they can’t extradite you back to the States until the child you conceived turns 18. That means at least 19 years of freedom, living near the beach in Rio, in a luxury hotel, with beautiful women every day. Wouldn’t you like that? 

Tempting Taylor. Tempting. You are a very tempting woman indeed, in every way! But if the Brotherhood did not catch me, the FBI would, and, either way, I would be a dead man. 

Don’t they have something called Witness Protection? 

Awww…yes. Witness Protection. Do you know what they do there? The U.S. Marshal’s Service will find you a nice little room to rent, or maybe a nice little single-wide in a run-down gang-infested mobile home park, and they pay you nothing. They tell you to get a job at Burger King or Taco Bell, and do your best. Any money one has in the bank, they confiscate. It all goes into the Witness Protection Program. No, sorry, I can’t live like that Taylor. I’ve eaten of the forbidden fruit. The kind of life I have lived, I cannot give up. I can’t go from being a Vor, an Awv-tohr-eh-tet, a commander of a Bree-gaw-deh, to flipping hamburgers for minimum wage over some greasy stove all day, being yelled at by a pimple-faced teenager assistant manager with a Napoleon complex. No, no thank you. I can’t give up the life I have now for Witness Protection. 

Look, then don’t turn yourself in. I’m sure you have enough money to hide yourself for a few days, a week, then we can meet and I’ll get you the money. It may take a few weeks to get the money together, but, look, I have secret accounts in the Cayman Islands and Panama. I can get you another account, and transfer the funds to your account. You must know people who can get your false identification, don’t you? 

Yes, I do. The Moscow Brotherhood does that. But I don’t think they’ll do that for me, if I help you escape.     

Look, Taylor, what are you worried about? As soon as your family pays the 300 million, you can leave, you can go home. A little poorer, but you can go home and go back to the life you had. 

You mean I can go home in time to attend the funerals of my best friends? Is that what you mean? 

We all bury our friends Taylor, and we all bury our families. Or they bury us. That is how life works. Now, let’s forget this escape foolishness. I’m gonna go ask Vlad right now if your family has paid the ransom yet. Don’t do anything foolish, or they’ll hog-tie you to the bed. I’ll be right back. 

Sergei exits the room.

Austin and Joe sit in the car. A black teen walks up to the car.

Yo yo homies, I gots what you needs. If I don’t gots it, I can gets it. How can I help you fellas today? 

We need guns, high calibre. Ak-47 with banana clips. Glocks. Uzis. Guns and ammunition both. 

The teen sees the money on the floor.

Muther Fuckuh! Are you guys 5-0? I thought you just wanted some rock? 

Look, kid, this is Joe Irwyn, the fiancee of Taylor Schiff, and I’m Austin Schiff. We’re both actors. Don’t you recognize us? 

Taylor Schiff? Damn. She’s one hot BITCH. Oh…sorry man. I mean, she’s one hot lady. But I kinda think you guys must be cops, maybe dat Secret Service or dat Secure Homeland shit. 

Austin talks out his wallet and hands it to the teen.

Austin Schiff. Damn. Daaaaammmmn. You must be the real thing. I didn’t know y’all smoked crack. 

The teen hands the driver’s license back to Austin.

We don’t need crack. We need guns. And we have the money to pay for them. 

Why y’all need guns? Who you gonna rob? 

The Russian mafia kidnapped Taylor Schiff and killed her bodyguards and maids. They have her hold up in a building near here, with 100 or so Russian mobsters inside. The FBI can’t raid the place because they have an atom bomb in the building, ready to do off if they raid. We need guns to rescue Taylor. 

DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMnnnnnnn!!!! 

The teen pulls out a glock 9mm and points it at Joe. Both Austin and Joe looked shocked.

I got this glock 19 right here. I’ll sell it to y’alls for $10,000 dollars. 

That’s too much. 

Okay, $5,000 and not one dime less than that. My last offer. This mother fuhkuh holds 19 rounds, hollow points. Blows them Russian mother fuckers AWAY! 

Do you have any more weapons for sale? 

The teen digs around in his belt and pulls out an UZI.

I got this Uzi right here. Fully loaded. I can’t let this puppy go for anything less than 10 hard. 

He means 10 grand. 

Ok, anything else?     

Teen is seen taking things out of his pants high and low. He takes out brass knuckles, a .38 special, a switchblade, and a colt 45, a sawed-off shot gun, and a stun gun.

Oh, one more thing... 

The teen takes off his shirt, revealing a bullet proof vest, he takes off the vest, puts his shirt back on, and hands them the vest.

Das all I gots. I can let y’all have this all fo’, lets say, 20 hard? 

Alright. 

Awww-RIGHT! If you gentlemen need anything else you just come to me and I’ll get it for y’all. 

We need five or six men, and we’ll pay them all 10 hard, if they create a diversion? 

Hey dude, we don’t go for that gay bullshit okay. You two get out of here while you still can. 

No, no, Nothing gay. Taylor is held up in a building near here. Austin and I will enter the building through the roof from another building next to it. We need someone to create a disturbance near the entrance, to draw attention away from us on the roof. Do you understand? 

What do you mean? Like a fight or something? 

Yes, start fighting in front of the building. Keep fighting for at least five minutes. That will give us enough time to get on the roof and into the building without being noticed. 

Man, you two fools be serious? 

We’ve never been more serious in our lives? 

So, if I gets some of maw homies to help, you gonna pay us up front? 

No. But you’ll be paid as soon as Taylor is free. 

Oh man! 

No only that, but I will promise you that Taylor will invite you to her next concert, and you and your friends can sit in front, and all get pictures with Taylor backstage, and she will give you more money, a LOT more. 

How much more? 

I’m not sure. But, I’m sure we’re talking six figures. 

Six figures. I like dat. Just for fightin’ eh? 

Just for fighting with each other for five minutes in front of the building, while Austin and I get onto the roof and into the building. 

Okay, okay, yeah, I think we can do dat. We fight all the time and don’t ebuh get paid for it. Yeah, okay, you dudes wait here and I’ll be back in 15 minutes. 

Make it ten! 

The teen runs off with lots of cash in his pockets and hands.

FBI men looking with binoculars. They cannot see into the Russian Mafia Building because the glass is tinted.

The phone rings.

One of the men in the observation room receives a call from Yamamoto.

Have you seen anything yet? 

Nothing. Just the usual activity. 

Two cars full of black teens drive up in front of the building. The teens get out and begin to argue with each other. A fight begins. Two Russian Mobsters come out of the building. The teens ignore them.

The FBI survey the building. Joe jumps from the roof of the building adjacent to the Russian Mafia building. He crashes through a window holding the Uzi.

Joe and Austin sneak into the building, hiding from mobsters. The mobsters spot them. Joe is cornered.

Run Austin, Run, get out of here, I’ll hold them off! 

Austin is wounded in the arm. He jumps from the building into a dumpster. Joe is shot and killed.

Vlad and his men take Tayler to identify the body on a pool table covered in a bloody sheet.

Joe, JOe…you killed may Joe. 

Tayler kneels over Joe and takes his hand.

Oh Joe. Why did you come? Why? You were my king. You were the kind of my heart, my body, and my soul. Why Joe? We were meant to live our lives together. To have children. To travel the world together. To grow old together in each other’s arms. Why did you come? How could you do this to me? They killed you, and you have killed me!!! 

The Russian Mobsters take Taylor back to Elena’s room.

They killed Joe. How did he get here? He was supposed to be on a film in India? He’s here. I saw his body. I felt him. It was him. They killed him.

I’m sorry Taylor, I really am. The boys told me that he snuck in through the roof. They were paying attention to some black gangsters fighting downstairs. They never noticed him getting in until it was too late. He came with another man, but that man escaped. 

What other man? What did he look like 

Taylor, I don’t know. I didn’t see it. Just another man, a white man. That is all I know. But he escaped. 

My life is over. My life is over. I’m never leaving here. This place is my eternal hell. Without Joe, I have no life. I have no future. 

I’m sorry, again, Taylor, about your fiancee. He was a brave man, very brave, to come in here. He will be remembered as a good and brave man who tried to save you, but failed. Look, as soon as the random is paid, we’ll drive you to Central Park, at night, and leave you there alone. You can find a cab and go back to your parents. I promise you, this nightmare will not last forever. You’ll see.     

Tayler cries on the bed face down. Sergei leaves the room.

Vlad opens a bottle of vodka. He pours it into glasses. A group of men sit around his desk. One of the men is Chinese.

Sergie comes into the room without knocking.

Vlad, have they paid the 300 million yet? 

They paid us! They paid us the 300 million. The Tong Society kept their normal percentage, 10%, and we get the rest. That is what we are celebrating. Elena will join us soon. All this was her idea you know.

I know. Elena still loves me. I talked about Taylor Schiff too much around her. She became jealous of her. Elena is a rotten bitch!

We all know that Sergei. We all know what a miserable bitch Elena is. I told you not to make love to her or you’ll regret it the rest of your life. I warned you! 

Alright, so, good, We have the money. Now, when do we release Taylor? 

I used to think you Russians had balls. You Russians are too soft-hearted 

We cannot release her Sergei. She has had a good look at you, at me, at Elena, at some of our boys here. She can’t be released. 

You mean, you’re going auction her off? 

Vlad and the men laugh.

Are you joking Sergei? Nobody can hide Taylor Schiff. The entire world knows who she is? Nobody is going to buy her. No, we need to get rid of her. 

You mean kill her. 

Of course, and you are the man for that job. 

What? I can’t. I can’t do that. 

Your boys are going soft Vlad. Very soft. Let my MEN do the job! 

Sergei. You are like a son to me. You are my most loyal and obedient Awv-tohr-ree-tet. I’ve given you everything you have in this world. Now is the first time you’ve ever questioned an order. You are to kill Taylor Schiff, and get rid of her body, completely, in a vat of acid. Nothing must remain of her clothing either. Elena’s room must be completely cleaned, and her sheets and blankets burned. Tell her, that you are taking her to her parents, then, when you are the elevator, strangle her from behind. Take her body to the basement and put it in a vat of acid, and that will be that. Do you understand? Will you obey my order? 

I will obey you as always, Vlad, as always. You are the PakHan! 

That is the Sergei Chumchenko I know and love 

Vlad hands Sergei a small shot glass of Vodka.

“Naws-tro-via” (“To our health”) 

Everyone drinks.

Vlad walks over to his wall where he has a photo of his son killed in Afghanistan. Vlad looks at the photo.

Mister Li. This was my son Alexei. He was a helicopter pilot in Afghanistan. He was killed by an American stinger missile, given to the Taliban by the CIA. How ironic isn’t it, that the CIA later fought the Taliban in Afghanistan. I’m gonna use some of this 300 million and give it to ISIS in Iraq, and tell them to kill Americans with it. I will always love you Alexei, and I will avenge your death many times over before I die.     

Mister Li, a pleasure to have met you again. Now, I must do my duty. 

Sergei walks out of the room.

Tayler lays whimpering on the bed. Sergei stands by the door.

Your parents paid the 300 million. You're going home. I'm going to take you to the park and leave you there. 

Let me use the bathroom one more time, to wash up. 

We’ve got to take Joe with us. I can’t leave him here! 

Look, Taylor, I know where the take his body where the police will find him. They’ll call the coroner. Once he is at the coroner’s office, his family will be notified. They will claim the body. You can then attend his funeral. I will do that later. First, I need to take you back to your family. 

Taylor rushes into the bathroom and closes door.

Sergei walks back and forth. He puts on leather gloves and takes a wire hanger out of his pocket. Tayler comes out of the bathroom fully dressed.

They exit the room.

Austin and Joe are driving precariously in Austin’s car.

They are followed closely by the cars carrying the black teens.

“Do you think they’re gonna do it? What if the Russian mafia starts shooting at them? 

Then we’ll shoot back. We’ve already checked out the rooftops on Google. If we can get to the roof of the building next to it, which is the same height, we should be able to jump across. 

I'm afraid of heights. 

Hi Sergei! 

Privyet Dimitri, how is your family?     

My girlfriend is about to have our second child. I hope its a boy this time. 

If its a girl I hope she looks like her mother and not like you. 

Both men laugh.

Dimitri presses the button to Basement, and lets go of Tayler’s arm. The elevator descends.

Unlucky woman. 

Sergei takes out his wire hanger. He wraps the ends of the wire around his hands.

Sergei’s eyes bulge and he starts to shake.

When the light gets to “5,” Sergei lifts up his arms as if to strangle Taylor, but he strangles the Russian mobster (Dimitri) instead.

The two men battle, while Taylor cowers in the corner. Sergei gets the upper hand, and forces Dimitri to the ground. Dimitri dies.

Sergei hands Dimitri’s gun to Tayler.

Do you know how to use this? 

Of course, do you know how many stalkers I have? Why are you doing this? 

Your parents paid the 300 million, but Vlad wants you dead anyway. I’m going to help you escape. Now, no more questions. Be silent, and do what I tell you to do. 

Tayler nods and pops a round in the chamber, as if she is very familiar with using a Glock.

Sergei takes out one Glock from his jacket and chambers a round. He takes a second smaller gun from his sock.

Sergei and Taylor exit the elevator into the basement.

Give me your gun. I may have to give it to you again. 

Sergei pockets the guns. He walks past a Russian mobster.

Privyet Sergei 

Privyet 

They walk through what looks like a strip club. One of the enslaved women is dancing on the stripping pole. Several others are serving drinks.

Where are you going with her? 

I’m taking her to the back. 

Can I come with you? I want to share her with you?

Maybe next time. 

Sergei and Taylor walk quickly down the hall.

They pass rooms where various men are having sex with sex-slaves.

One of the men is whipping a girl. She is screaming.

They come to the exit. Sergei enters a code. The door opens into a stairway.

Vlad and his men enter the elevator. They see Dimitri on the floor, dead.

You are now free. Run down this alley until you get to the street. The FBI will see you, and you’ll be safe then.  

What about you? Will you be safe? 

I have no life now. The old Sergei is now dead. I’ll keep them busy long enough for the FBI to see you and keep you safe. Now, you must go. Go. Run. Hurry. They are coming for me. 

Taylor looks down the alley, and back at Sergei. And then she looks at the building.

No, I’m not going! 

Taylor, you must run. Go now, They are coming for me. I can delay them but I can’t stop them. Just get to the street, and the FBI will see you, and you’ll be safe. Run now. 

No! No! I’m going back inside! 

WHAT? Are you insane? They will kill you for sure! Just run. You are free! You can go back home to your family. There is no time to argue! 

They killed my best friends in the world. And they killed the one man I truly loved. They killed my Joe. NO! Taylor Schiff is dead. She died in that building with Joe. Now…GIVE ME THAT GUN BACK! I’m going back in…and getting a little PAYBACK! 

Sergei gives Taylor her Glock. He takes both of his guns out, and keeps one in each hand. They rush back down to the door, which is still open, and run inside.

You are free. Run out the back door. You are free. Run for your lives. 

From an open door a Russian Mobster, in only his shorts, aims his gun at Taylor.

Taylor shoots him dead.

Girls run out of the rooms towards the door, naked, half-naked, covered in sheets.

Taylor finds a young girl. She brings her out of a room wrapped in a blanket and hands her to one of women.

Take her with you. The back door is open. Escape. Run down the alley to the street. The FBI is waiting for you there. 

The woman, dressed like a stripper, takes the little girl, who appears to be drugged and or traumatized and carries her away.

The old ugly man comes out of the room in his shorts. Taylor shoots him in the head. He falls dead.

Sergei grabs Taylor and guides her toward the utility room.

We are going to need some more fire-power 

They run towad the utility room.

Ever fire a fully automatic Kalishnacoff? 

Once a month at least. How about you? 

They load two Ak47s with large clips, and put more clips in their clothing.

Taylor fills a bag with clips, and strings the bag over her shoulder.

Naked girls and girls in string bikinis are screaming and running past the door towards the exit.

They are raiding us. They are raiding us. The girls are escaping out the back. What do you want us to do? 

Find Sergei, and kill him, or bring him to me. 

Vlad hangs up the phone.

Find Sergei, and kill him, or bring him to me alive. Either way. 

The Russian Mobsters leave in a hurry.

Vlad lifts the cover off the bomb in the corner of the office. He looks over at the photo of his son (who died in Afghanistan).

Alexei, this is the end. But don’t worry. I will avenge you, 100,000 fold. 

Vlad punches a code into the timer. It begins to count-down from “300,” beeping.

“299,” “298,” “297,” …

Sergei and Taylor go from floor to floor, toward’s Vlad’s office, using the stairs. They exchange continuous gunfire with Russian Mobsters, killing many.

Sergei becomes trapped. Sergei and Taylor get split up.

Taylor escapes gun fire through a door and enters a large commercial kitchen. The kitchen staff flee. Taylor turns around. Elena is standing in the kitchen, holding a gun on her.

Taylor tries to shoot her, but she is out of bullets.

Well, Miss Schiff, you may have had a few surprises up your sleeve, but I've got you now. 

Elena sneers and puts the gun down.

No, no, too easy!

She puts her gun in her belt and picks up a butcher’s knife from the counter.

This is going to be fun! I’m going to carve you up like a Christmas ham! 

Taylor grabs a knife from the counter and they have an epic knife fight in the kitchen.

Elena finally prevails. She knocks Taylor to the ground. Elena brings the knife down on Taylor.

Sergei enters the room and shoots Elena with a 38 revolver.

Elena looks back at Sergei, holding the revolver.

Why Sergei, I love you. Why? 

Sergei shoots her a second time in the head. Elena falls to the floor dead.

I ran out of bullets. 

Take this, and these. Lets kill Vlad. 

They run to the stairs. A Russian Mobster shoots three bullets at them and misses. Sergie shoots him in the head.

This was Andrei. We played chess together. He was a sore loser.  

They continue up the stairs.

A truck driver is listening to country music, while he is driving, and eating potato chips.

An FBI agent looks through binoculars. There are naked strippers and a few men in shorts running into the street.

Something major is going down. All sorts of half-naked people are running from the alley into the street. What do you want me to do? 

Make sure to get them out of the street to a safe location as far from the building as possible.

Right. Get down there and get those people off the street. Take them to safe locations outside of the blast zone.

You really think they’re gonna do it? They’re gonna set that thing off? 

Maybe. We can’t take any chances. Get everybody out of the buildings around there. We don’t have much time. Also, Frank, you may want to say goodbye to your wife.

Okay, everybody leaves. Everybody has to evacuate from the blast zone. You know the drill! 

 What about you?

No, I’m committed. I’m staying here

Hello 

Honey. Yeah its me. Remember when I told you the day might come to head to your Mom’s place in Ohio with the boys. Well, that day has come. I’ll join you as soon as I can. No, no questions. Just get the boys at school and head for your Mom’s place. ASAP. Go now. I’ll call you when its safe.  

A semi-truck rolls down a street passing squad cars and police setting up road blocks.

The driver looks in his side mirror. He sees the police cars blocking the street behind him.

He looks confused, but shakes it off.

Sergie and Taylor cautiously enter Vlad’s office.

They see the Atomic bomb and hear its timer beeping loudly.

What’s that beeping sound? 

Sergei runs over to the machine (atom bomb) and looks it over.

Oh my God! He’s done it. He’s really done it. I never thought he would! 

What? What? 

In the late 1970s the Soviets smuggled a small atonic bomb into New York City. They later assembled it. It was to destroy to be used as a knife to the backs of America. Well, the Soviet Union fell in 1981. Of course, the Moscow Brotherhood paid millions of dollars to the KGB, and obtained the bomb. That’s why the FBI has never raided this building. They are too afraid that Vlad would use this if they did, and they were right! 

What? Are you KIDDING ME? That’s an ATOM BOMB! Let’s get the hell out of here! 

NO Taylor No. It’s too late for that. The timer on the bomb is down to one minute. The bomb is small, but we’ll never be able to escape the blast radius. I’m sorry! 

You’re WHAT? You’re SORRY? Look, there must be a combination to stop the timer! 

Yes, you are right, there is. 

What is it? 

I don’t know. Look around for a set of numbers. I remember it is a set of six numbers. 

Sergei and Taylor look around frantically for anything to give them a clue what the six numbers are to deactivate the bomb, and it keep beeping loudly. Taylor is throwing books around looking for six numbers and Sergei is rummaging through Vlad’s desk.

I’m sorry Taylor. We’re doomed. So is everyone who lives within 10 square blocks of here. We’ll all doomed! 

Taylor looks at a photo of the face and grave stone of Alexei, Vlad’s son who was killed in Afghanistan.

Try this. 

What is it? 

It is the date of Alexei’s death. 1981-08-08. 

Sergei quickly punches that code into the timer. The clock keeps beeping, now down to 40 seconds, 39, 38….”

It didn’t work. It didn’t work! 

Try his date of birth. It’s here on his grave stone: 1958-02-10 

Sergei quickly punches that into the timer. Nothing, it keeps beeping down… 20…19….18….17…16…”

Sergei gets angry and begins to beat the machine. He shoots it. The timer keeps beeping downward.

Sergei punches more numbers into the timer randomly and begins to tear up.

Sergie looks in horror as the timer beeps….10…09…08….07…06…05…

I’m sorry Taylor, its too late. Please know, that I’ve loved you since I saw your first music video. I’ve loved you like no man ever loved a woman before. I’m so sorry for all this. This was all my fault. Please God forgive me! 

Sergei watches as the time beeps….04…03…02….01..and then the lights on the time fade, and machine winds down, as if the electricity runs out of it.

Sergei looks up. Taylor is holding the plug.

She unplugged the timer from the wall socket, stopping the countdown before the atomic bomb exploded.

Sergei is ecstatic. He grabs Taylor and dances her around the room jumping up and down.

Taylor, you did it. You saves us. You’ve saved all of us! 

Sergei and Taylor kiss passionately in a long kiss.

Vlad comes out from a hidden door in a wall holding an Uzi.

Sorry I had to interrupt you love birds, but you interrupted the revenge I’m seeking on America for killing my son Alexei. 

I didn’t kill your son. Sergei didn’t kill your son. None of the people you would have killed with your bomb ever killed your son. The men who killed your son are dead and buried. You shouldn’t punish us for the crimes of other men did who are now dead. 

I don’t care what you say Miss Schiff. I’ve watched you in my secret room, on my CCTV televisions, go from floor to floor, killing my men. I watched you kill my daughter Elena. Yes, she was a whore. But, after all, she was my daughter. I have plans for you Miss Schiff. A very slow and a very painful death. But, for the moment, I must take my revenge on Sergei, whom I treated like a son for many years. He was my most intelligent and most trusted Awv-tohr-eh-tet. I gave him everything he has, and, in return, he ruined everything I had. 

Look, you got your 300 million right? You can move to Brazil, live there for twenty years in luxury. Have all the women you want…. 

I don’t want any more whores. I just want some payback. That’s all. Just some payback. That’s all I want any more in my life, which is about to end, after I kill you, Miss Schiff, I’ll plug the timer back into the wall socket. 

Vlad aims his Uzi at Sergei.

But first, I have to take care of Sergei, this traitor, this SOO-KAW, worse than a traitor. I treated him like a son, gave him everything, and in return, he betrayed me. Now, say goodbye to your new boyfriend, Miss Schiff. 

Tayler bum-rushes Vlad. Vlad and Tayler go crashing through the stained glass window.

They fall together towards the ground.

Vlad holds on to his Uzi as they fall, and Taylor holds on to Vlad.

As they fall, the semi-truck approaches beneath them.

The side of the truck reads ’Big Poppa’s Pillow Delivery.’

This is the truck Elena ordered to bring hundreds of new pillows for the building.

Vlad and Taylor fall through the thin metal roof of the semi truck trailer, into the pillows.

FBI and NYPD cars, plus ERT (Emergency Response Team), rush up to the back of the trailor.

Agent in charge Yamamoto drives up, with Taylor’s family in the back seat and the passenger seat.

We’ve listened to our bugs placed in the office of the Godfather of this Russian mafia gang. The atom bomb has been disarmed. We’re now safe to go in. 

They all look up and see Taylor and Vlad fall out of the the office window.

My baby…my baby…my baby is dead! She’s dead. 

Andrea falls down on the ground and cries horribly.

Scott and Austin hold onto each other and weep.

Police swat members go inside of the building, while FBI and uniformed officer open the back of the semi truck.

Dozens of Russian cushions fall out. There are feathers everywhere.

I’m okay. I’m okay. Help me out. 

The police dig through the pillows, and bring out Tayler, still alive, but bruised. She is covered in blood.

Miss Schiff. We need to get you to the hospital. You’re bleeding. 

No, I’m be okay. I’m fine. This ain’t my blood. I fell on Vlad. He’s back there. He broke my fall, along with all these pillows. 

Police drag out the body of Vlad, who is covered in blood and looking crushed.

Andrea runs to Tayler and hugs her.

Oh my baby, my baby, this is a miracle, a miracle! 

Well Mom, you and Dad always said, that if I didn’t have good luck, I wouldn’t have any luck at all. 

Where’s Joe? Did you fine him? Is he okay? 

Taylor looks very sad, with head down and says:

No Austin. Joe is dead, they killed him. The bastards killed him. But I got some payback! 

Oh, honey, I ‘m so sorry that Joe is dead. But, I'm glad you got some payback!

Taylor gives her mother a dirty look.

How can you say that Mom? This has been the worst two days of my
life. I lost my best friends and the love of my life, all in two days. 

Not to mention 300 million dollars. 

Scott, how can you talk about that at a time like this? Our baby
is alive, and well, and that’s all that matters. 

The paparazzi appear, snapping photos.

Taylor, Taylor, look over here, look over here! 

Get those assholes out of here! 

Taylor sees Sergei peaking around a corner, jestering her to come see him.
She runs towards him.

Taylor, where are you going? 

Taylor runs around the corner, and Sergei is there.

Taylor, I’m so happy you are alive. I thought the fall would have
killed you for sure.  Vlad is dead. I’m now a SOO-KAW. I must run, I can’t
turn myself in, and I can’t go to jail. I can’t go to Witness Protection.
All the men I could testify against, are now dead. 

How are you going to live 

I have some money.  I’ll manage.  I find something.  I’m so sorry
I got you into this. 

You didn’t do this. Vlad and Elena did.     

Taylor, I’ve been in love with you since I saw your first music
video many years ago. I’d talk about you all the time.  I used to have
dreams about rescuing you from a bad King and his knights in a black
castle.  Elena was in love with me, and she heard all this, and she wanted
payback, against you. She was jealous. So, she convinced my father to
kidnap you, so, in the end, she could kill you. She didn’t care about the
money. She just wanted you gone. 

I see.  I don’t know whether to thank you or hate you. 

Taylor, I have to leave now.  You can go to your life. I must go on
the run. I must hide.  You will have your old life again, with new friends,
new songs, new experiences.  My life is over. Goodbye Taylor. 

Sergei turns around and begins two walk away, but then he goes back and
kisses Taylor one more time, passionately.

Remember, I loved you, and I always will. Farewell. 

Wait Sergei, I’m coming with you. 

What? You can’t do that!  What kind of life would that be?  You’re
Taylor Schiff, the most famous singer in the entire world. The entire world
knows the name Taylor Schiff. And they know your face as well.  You can’t
come with me. 

I can. Taylor Schiff died in this building with Joe.  There is no
more Taylor Schiff. I”m a new girl now. A new person. My life before is dead
and buried. I want to go with you. 

Taylor grabs Sergei’s hand, and they run to his white sports car, and get
in.

Austin follows them running, still holding his injured arm.

Sergei and Taylor speed off in his little white sports car, with a white
stallion logo on the hood.

Just like Sergei saw in his dreams.

Taylor, wait, don’t go with him. Taylor, please, wait….Taylor…Taylor… 

The screen goes black. White lettering appears and says:
“Ten years later. Las Vegas, Nevada”

The screen goes black. White lettering appears and says:
“Ten years later. Las Vegas, Nevada”

Taylor is in front of a large audience singing the last verse of “We’ve only just begun,” by Karen Carpenter.

She’s on the last verses.

Sergei, with a black and pepper beard, stands off-stage next to two children.

The boy looks like Joe.

Taylor finishes the song. The audience delivers a standing ovation.
Show bows repeatedly as the audience stands and applauds.

The screen goes black.

Credits appear (featuring #BANG/CHOP/SLAP EDITING).

The Karen Carpenter song “We’ve Only Just Begun” continues.