Difference between revisions of "The Zytglogge Mission"

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''[[Carla]] Xanthis, a Swiss prosecutor investigating the banking transactions of a Russian pipeline company, is the target of a failed assassination attempt as she leaves her old Bern home for work. Oblivious to what happened, she is secretly contacted by [[Uri]] Yatom, the renegade [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mossad Mossad] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katsa Katsa] who saved her life.
 
''[[Carla]] Xanthis, a Swiss prosecutor investigating the banking transactions of a Russian pipeline company, is the target of a failed assassination attempt as she leaves her old Bern home for work. Oblivious to what happened, she is secretly contacted by [[Uri]] Yatom, the renegade [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mossad Mossad] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katsa Katsa] who saved her life.
  
''Back in the Middle East, [[Alexander]] the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_oligarch Russian Oligarch] who heads the pipeline company, transfers his operations to Dubai where he purchases a bank. He moves to the Emirate with his key staff and [[Najwa]], his Palestinian/Iranian girlfriend.
+
''Back in the Middle East, [[Alexander]] Nikitin, the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_oligarch Russian Oligarch] who heads the pipeline company, transfers his operations to Dubai where he purchases a bank. He moves to the Emirate with his key staff and [[Najwa]], his Palestinian/Iranian girlfriend.
  
 
''The plot thickens as the characters involved cross reference transactions and individuals.
 
''The plot thickens as the characters involved cross reference transactions and individuals.

Revision as of 14:16, 3 October 2011

OUTLINE

Carla Xanthis, a Swiss prosecutor investigating the banking transactions of a Russian pipeline company, is the target of a failed assassination attempt as she leaves her old Bern home for work. Oblivious to what happened, she is secretly contacted by Uri Yatom, the renegade Mossad Katsa who saved her life.

Back in the Middle East, Alexander Nikitin, the Russian Oligarch who heads the pipeline company, transfers his operations to Dubai where he purchases a bank. He moves to the Emirate with his key staff and Najwa, his Palestinian/Iranian girlfriend.

The plot thickens as the characters involved cross reference transactions and individuals.

NEXT EPISODE >>

DAY, GULF OF ADEN, ARABIAN SEA

Gulf of Aden

Aboard a small rusted trawler, three men use a crane to raise a something from the bottom of the sea. One of them, which seams to be the leader, talks in a Southern France accent as the cable winds through his hand.

-Slowly... Slowly...

A diver emerges out of the water holding on to the cable and removes his mouthpiece.

-10 meters guys...

A rusted trunk pops out in a net and is raised on deck. The diver removes his gear as he is being helped onboard, then walks up to the leader addressing with in the same Southern France accent.

-So... Gold bars!

The leader looks at him perplex as he tilts the trunk on its side.

-One thing we know it's that this thing is sealed!

He notices an embossed logo on the front of the trunk.

-G.V.I.R.? What's that... A crown?

-Nice... The Queen's jewels!

The leader addresses the other two crewmen in English.

-Get me the crow bar.

He pops the lid off the trunk to find stacks of letters inside as the diver looks astonished.

-Shit... The mail!

MORNING, JUNKERNGASSE STREET, BERN, SWITZERLAND

Bern

Carla Xanthis, 35, a Swiss federal prosecutor, unlocks her bicycle just outside her apartment and starts riding when a stocky 40 year old pedestrian crosses the street towards her. As the two are about to collide, another cyclist, Uri Yatom, 33, storms from behind Carla and purposely runs into the pedestrian who then falls on the pavement, dropping his umbrella. As Carla stops, Uri maneuvers back towards the fallen pedestrian, picks up the umbrella and zooms down the Bubenbergrain passage leading to the Aare river. Before Carla or other passers-by could get to the fallen pedestrian to assist him, a silver Mercedes sedan cuts them off to pick him up and continues its course as the man in the passenger seat, Boris, exits the car to run after Uri. Carla and the other passers-by stare at each other in disbelief before continuing their journeys.

BUBENBERGRAIN PASSAGE, BERN

Uri continues his rocky ride down the outdoor stairway when he sees the silver Mercedes stopping at the bottom. As he hears the steps of the man following him getting closer, he dismounts his bike and hides behind and entrance still holding the umbrella. A mobile phone rings and Boris answers as he continues running down.

INTERIOR SILVER MERCEDES, AARSTRASSE, BERN

The Mercedes' driver, Dimitri, 38, shouts in Russian into his phone as he looks up the stairs and sees Boris running into Uri.

-Look out... On your left!

BUBENBERGRAIN PASSAGE, BERN

Boris reacts to the warning a split second before Uri extends his leg to trip him. After dropping his phone and falling down several steps, he jumps back on his feet and reaches for his gun. Uri runs towards him and strikes him on the chest with the tip of the umbrella then kicks him under the chin. Boris drops unconscious.

INTERIOR/EXTERIOR SILVER MERCEDES, AARSTRASSE, BERN

Dimitri looks at the injured pedestrian on the back seat.

-Shit, he struck Boris! Get in front!

He then exits the car and runs up the stairs.

BUBENBERGRAIN PASSAGE, BERN

A large group of school children walk down from the top of the stairs blocking the way. Uri jumps over a side wall and starts running through inner courts and garden. Dimitri cuts through a side alley and runs on a parallel path but is slowed down by multiple dead ends. Dimitri catches glimpses of Uri then lose him again several times as the chase continues.

EXTERIOR/EXTERIOR MATTENLIFT ELEVATOR, BERN

Uri jumps a last wall and runs across a parking lot towards a couple entering an outside elevator leading back to the old city. He gets in just before the glass doors close and sees Dimitri arriving at the scene as the elevator climbs rapidly.

The silver Mercedes reaches the parking lot as Uri continues his escape.

OPENING CREDIT SEQUENCE

A replay of the opening scene through various city surveillance cameras which extends to Uri crossing the Kirchenfeld bridge aboard a black Alfa Romeo Giulietta.

MORNING, INTERIOR, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND POLICE, BERN

Carla gets to her office late to pick up documents. A young female Assistant is busy gathering into a rolling briefcase. Carla pops her laptop on and notices that she's late.

-Shit... the train leaves in 12 minutes.

-Making sure all the subpoenas are there. Gunter Feurer called to say he'll meet you in the restaurant wagon. He tried your mobile but he couldn't reach you.

Carla rapidly scans through her filled inbox.

-Yes, I got caught up in a bike accident.

-You're OK?

Carla shuts down her laptop.

-Yeah, I wasn't really involved... It's like this guy came out of nowhere to save me from crashing into a wandering pedestrian, then stole his umbrella and disappeared down the Bubenbergrain!

-Who's umbrella?

Carla seems perplex as her Assistant closes her briefcase.

-The man's crossing the street I guess. He got picked up by a car and also vanished...

The Assistant is more preoccupied by the departing train than by the incident.

-Wow! You're sure you're OK? 9 minutes!

AFTERNOON, BERNER OBERLAND/URI, SWITZERLAND

Uri drives his black Giulietta through several trans-alpine tunnels into Switzerland's heartland.

EXTERIOR/INTERIOR, SERVICE AREA, URI, SWITZERLAND

Flag of Canton of Uri

As he reaches a highway service area, Uri parks and waits in his car until he notices the flashing headlights from a car parked on the opposite side of the highway. He picks up the stolen umbrella and crosses the austere pedestrian tunnel where he notices the emblem of the Canton of Uri, a cow's head with a buckle through the nostrils.

SELF SERVICE RESTAURANT, SERVICE AREA, URI, SWITZERLAND

Uri picks up a tray and gets in line next to Aaron Hanin, a bulky man in his late 40s, at the self service food counter.

Aaron
(in Hebrew)
What the fuck are you doing here?

Uri
(showing the umbrella)
The target was about to hit the woman. Probably with ricin.

Aaron
(looking at the umbrella's open tip)
What target!!! First it's not our business what goes on in this country, then it's especially none of your business. Who the fuck told you to get on these Russians' case!

The cook looks at them from across the counter.

Uri
(in German, to the cook)
One sausage with gratin please.

Aaron
(in English, to the cook)
What's in the sausage.

Cook
Veal!

Aaron
OK, give me two.

Cook
With gratin?

Aaron
Is there cheese in it?

Cook
No. Potatoes, butter and cream.

Aaron
(annoyed)
Just the sausages... (to Uri)
Since when have you been in Europe anyways. Aren't you supposed to be in China?

Uri
Well I had some personal issues to deal with here and I bumped into these guys by accident...

Aaron
(mad)
By accident!

Uri
(to Aaron as they sit at a table with their trays)
I just picked up the umbrella and left, not to leave evidences.

Aaron
But you left Russian hit-man unconscious on the streets of Bern!

Uri
(surprised)
They left him there?

Aaron
An ambulance was already on its way when the others reached him.

Uri
Did they find out about the toxin at the hospital.

Aaron
Not yet, but the Swiss police got a good description of your car... That's how we tracked you down... Get rid of it and report back home within 48 hours.

INTERIOR, PEDESTRIAN TUNNEL, SERVICE AREA , URI

After crossing back the pedestrian tunnel to reach his car, Uri stops by the service area's shop to buy cigarettes and picks up an Uri flag crested cap which he wears with amusement.

Uri
(in English, smiling to the cashier)
Do I look good?

Cashier
(in German , not understanding)
Nein. Deutsche.

AFTERNOON, HIGHWAY, UNDERWALD, SWITZERLAND

A surveillance camera records Uri's car driving through a tunnel.

DUSK, EXTERIOR/INTERIOR, ZURICH INTERCONTINENTAL BANK AG, SWITZERLAND

A surveillance camera records Carla Xanthis and Gunter Feurer, a 50 something auditor from the Swiss Department of Finances, as they enter the building of the Zurich Intercontinental Bank AG along with a dozen Federal Police officers. They show a search warrant to the security agents as the police officers quickly bypass the gates and infiltrate the building.

INTERIOR, CEO'S OFFICE, ZURICH INTERCONTINENTAL BANK AG

As the bank's CEO, Julius Widmer early 50s, is being warned about the intrusion by a panicked employee, Carla and Gunter enter his office.

Gunter
(addressing the CEO)
Julius Widmer?

Julius
(hostile)
Yes.

Gunter
(holding the search warrant)
We have a warrant from the Department of Justice to search this building. We also have orders to shut down all communications and seize all mobile devices.

Julius
(aggressive)
Show me this order.

Carla
(handing the order)
Carla Xanthis, Department of Justice

INTERIOR, ZURICH INTERCONTINENTAL BANK AG

Staff on all floors of the bank are quickly ordered to cease using their computers and to surrender their phones and mobile devices as IT specialists take over the bank's servers and cut the building's Internet access. Walking through the bank's luxurious corridors amidst stunned employees, Gunter is lead to the archives where plainclothes police officers seize boxes of documents.

EXTERIOR, ZURICH INTERCONTINENTAL BANK AG

As police officers search employees exiting the bank, Carla is on the phone with her superior explaining that they might need several days to find what they're looking for and that letting the CEO go might jeopardize the case that she's building.

She stare at the flow of well dressed pedestrians and commutors on their way home from work.

INTERIOR, CEO'S OFFICE, ZURICH INTERCONTINENTAL BANK AG

As she questions the very evasive CEO, she gets a call back from her office informing her request for an arrest warrant has been declined.

Julius
(looking out the window)
What is this mascarade.

Carla
We have solid evidence showing steady transfers occurring from your transit. The Russian government is ...

Julius
Fuck the Russians... You can't suspend the operations of a whole bank because you are investigating one account. Don't you see the damage this causes us... (mad) Not only us... (gesturing outside) All of us!

Carla
It's the only way we have to act diligently.

Julius
(walking the room nervously)
I can't believe this... I got to make a phone call to Bern.

Carla
Please go ahead... We have to remain in your office though...

Julius
(through his mobile phone)
Roland! Julius... Not good. A team from the Department of Justice stormed into the bank just now. No, not a joke. Can you talk to someone and see what the fuck is going on... (looking outside) Yes, like 10 police cars parked downstairs blocking the door... Call me on my cell. The bank's lines are down!

144th FLOOR APARTMENT, BURJ KHALIFA, DUBAI, UAE

The Burj Khalifa

On the 144th floor of the Burj Khalifa, Najwa, a 28 year old Palestinian/Iranian fiction writer, contemplates the sunset over the Persian Gulf. In the background, Alexander Nikitin, a 41 year old Russian businessman, gets an SMS urging him to log on to Epyks (a Skype derivative application).

Alexander sits on a sofa and opens his laptop as Najwa, wearing a white cloth that catches the soft light of the setting sun, sits on the railing of the bay window writing notes on her iPad.

Dimitri
(in Russian through Epyks)
She's the prosecutor. We tried to get to her before she got to Zurich but things got out of hands... as I'm sure you already know.

Alexander
That's OK, we have nothing in Zurich.

Dimitri
(hesitant)
Great... I'm relieved.

Alexander
You screwed up Dimitri. I asked you to slow down the process, not to hit a government official.

Dimitri
(apologetically)
The subpoenas had been issued. They were heading for the bank.

Alexander
I knew that and we acted accordingly... This is not Africa, Dima.

Dimitri
(protesting)
Sasha...

Alexander
Forget about it. Viktor is now in Geneva and he's taking over. Go back home.

Alexander closes the application and looks at Najwa's silhouette against the setting sun. He walks towards her and softly grabs her shoulders as he kisses her neck.

Alexander
(in English, glancing at her screen)
Why do you write your diary in French? You think I can't understand!

Najwa
(continuing to write)
I told you, it's not mine. I'm just continuing someone else's.

Alexander
(pretending to be jealous)
A French lover...

Najwa
No, a young girl, who's diary I read in French when I was a kid... (turning towards him) Now stop bugging me you Russian mobster.

Alexander gently caresses the side of her face as she looks up at the setting sun.

Najwa(continuing)
When I look at the sun, especially now when it's so red and peaceful, I see you my love. Bright, strong and peaceful.

Alexander
(smiling)
I think of you when I see the sun rising... Then, all my senses emerge.

Najwa
Hmmmm... My senses emerge when you touch me.

Alexander
(gently pulling her body on the floor)
Ishtar... You're a goddess.

They make love on the floor.

EVENING, INSIDE TRAMWAY, BERN

Uri boards a tramway and walks passed Carla who is sitting down.

Uri
(wearing his Uri cap, standing next to Carla)
Excuse me. Carla Xanthis... Please do not look at me... There is something important I'd like to share with you but we can't be seen together... here.

Carla seems suspicious as she looks around her, then stares out the window, nervously ignoring Uri.

Uri
Remember the accident across from your house yesterday morning? It was not an accident...

Carla reacts to Uri's claim and looks down.

Uri
Meet me at the Kornhauskeller at midnight. It's important.

Uri exits the tramway as it reaches the next stop. Carla and Uri exchange quick glances through the tramway's window as it leaves.

EVENING, JUNKERNGASSE, BERN

Arriving in front of her building, Carla meets an old lady and vaguely questions her about the incident that occurred the day before. The old lady (a neighbor) answers that she didn't know of anything out of the ordinary except that an ambulance had picked up an injured man in the Bubenbergrain that morning.

NIGHT, CARLA'S APARTMENT, BERN

At home Carla is preparing a fresh juice mix on her kitchen counter while watching the news. She gets a call on her mobile phone.

Carla
(noticing the caller's ID on the display)
Franzi!

Franziska
(in Swiss German)
OK. So I looked into the case. (reading from a report) The victim is a Russian national named Boris Pichushkin. He entered Switzerland through Basel from either Vienna or Moscow on Friday. He was rushed to H+ by ambulance 20 minutes after a school teacher found him lying semi-unconscious on the Bubenbergrain. Early diagnostic was a contusion due to a head trauma. He stayed in observation for about an hour before leaving the hospital with 2 men claiming to be his work colleagues. We're waiting for the interrogation report from the nurse who talked to the 2 men. Her shift was over when our agents got back to H+.

Carla
So no one spoke to him?

Franziska
No. The guys we dispatched were waiting for him to get out of observation but when they called back to inquire, he was already gone. It happen right bellow your street no? You heard of something?

Carla
(hesitant and evasive)
No. I was just wondering what happened. Thanks for your help.

Franziska
(flirtatious)
Any time sweetie. Call me when you feel like seeing me.

Carla
I will...

Carla sips her juice pensively.

NIGHT, INSIDE THE KORNHAUSKELLER LOUNGE, BERN

Carla walks into the lounge area as a DJ X mixes a trans Bossa nova beat. She observes the crowd from the edge of the room, trying to recognize the man from the tramway. A waiter brings her a drink and mentions that it's from a man sitting at the bar. Carla sips on the drink walks toward Uri at the end of the bar.

Carla
(stern)
I give you one minute to tell me what's going on.

Uri
(polite)
Please sit.

Carla sits next to Uri.

Uri
What I will tell you has to stay between us. Off the record... I didn't ask you to come here for official reasons.

Carla
I'm a Federal Prosecutor. Everything I do is official!

Uri
I work for a foreign government. Nothing I do is official. And I'm not here on business. Just to warn you.

Carla
(impatient)
30 seconds.

Uri
I'm the cyclist who pushed down the pedestrian in front of your house.

Carla
Why are you telling me this? Tell the police.

Uri
He was after you.

Carla
How do you know?

Uri
I was following him.

Carla
Why?

Uri
That's beside the point.

Carla
So what is the point?

Uri
They want you out. His job was to kill you.

Carla
Kill me?

Carla tries to look calm.

Carla (cont)
Who are you? What do you want.

Uri
Nothing, I just wanted to avoid an unnecessary victim.

Carla
I can't really talk to you.

Uri
Me neither.

Carla spots a surveillance camera as she walks out of the club.

NEXT DAY - DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Carla is in her office telling Gunter Feurer about her strange encounter the night before.

Gunter
(in Swiss German)
And you went to the Kornhaus alone?

Carla
Yes, the place was busy. It was not like meeting him in a parking garage.

Gunter
Why didn't you call the police.

Carla
I don't know. I didn't have any reason to fear him. And I did call my friend at the Cantonal Police. They didn't know much anyways. I don't want the file to be removed from me, Gunter. This is important to me. It's my first major case.

Gunter
I know someone who might be able to guide us through here. He's worked on several international cases.

Gunter search for a number on his mobile and dials it.

Gunter
Franz! It's Gunti... All Good... Not bad... Listen, I'm here with a colleague who is also a friend. She had a strange encounter and doesn't really know who to turn to. Do you think you could meet with us shortly to discuss... Yes we're at the Department of Justice... Yes a prosecutor... (embarrassed) Like mid thirties... Yes... She's here with me... Great, see you then.

Carla
He's available?

Gunter
Yes, he agreed to meet us now.

Carla
Which department does he work for?

Gunter
I don't really know. He's asked that we meet up with him at the Bellevue's Bar in 15 minutes.

Carla
That's fast.

EXTERIOR, BUNDESTERRASSE, ON THE WAY TO THE HOTEL BELLEVUE

Gunter
We met during military service. He was not really the army type. More of a punkish guy. We liked the same music, got drunk together during days off... I lost track of him for a while. He skipped our yearly rehearsals and I guess got away with it. I think he was abroad. Then I bumped into him at an inter-agency meeting when we were looking into Duvalier's accounts, around 86 I guess. I don't know how he ended up there, but he was the one providing the best information. Since then, we see each other through mutual friends or at concerts. We never talk about work.

INTERIOR, HOTEL BELLEVUE BAR

Franz Meier, 49, sporty type, shaved head, discreetly waves towards Carla and Gunter as they enter a the bar of the Hotel Bellevue. Only a couple in their 70s sits in the background sipping on coffee.

Moments later... Carla, Gunter and Meier are drinking beer.

Meier
The man you met yesterday is probably from the Israeli secret service, Mossad. The man who was hit across from your house we don't know, nor do we know who the man which was found unconscious on the Bubenbergrain was. We have a hard time tracking all the Russians in and out of the country. What puzzles me is why the Israelis engaged with Russians here in Bern... on a bicycle.

Carla
He said to protect me.

Meier
Mossad don't usually intervene when it doesn't concern them... Xanthis, that's not Jewish if you don't mind me asking?

Carla
No, it's not.

Meier
(to Gunter)
Are you guys working on any Russian cases these days.

Carla
Unfortunately, I can't reveal the nature of ongoing investigations and I believe that Gunter's office is guided by the same prescription.

Meier
(smiling)
We all work for the same cause, Miss.

Carla
Sorry, our guidelines at the Department of Justice are very clear. We can't share our data.

Gunter
(to Meier)
We're investigating several accounts at the ZIB, some of which belong to Russian interests. (turning towards Carla)
I'm Finance Carla.... Sorry... We're looking out for you here.

Meier
Oil companies? Anything related to Alex Nikitin?

Gunter looks towards Carla who acknowledges positively.

Gunter
Could be.

Meier
(to Gunter)
Then this could explain it. Before buying into the RPC, Nikitin was moving ex-Soviet navy ships filled with weapons to the Middle East. He's been on the Mossad watch list ever since.
(to Carla)
And I supposed you guys threatened his assets here.

Gunter
Under request from the Russian Government.

Meier
He probably forgot to pay upstream.
(to Carla)
I suggest you take this very seriously. You probably know people Cantonal Police?

Carla
Yes, I suppose.

Meier
Then ask for their protection. They'll be back.

Meier looks at his phone and turns towards Gunter.

Gunter
Thank you Franz... How is your daughter?

Meier
Great. I wished I'd see her more often.
(to Carla)
By the way. No need to confuse the Cantonal Police with too much unnecessary information if you know what I mean. Better not to mention our meeting.

Carla looks towards Gunter who nods at Meier.

Gunter
(joking)
At the Bellevue bar... Who would believe us anyways.

Meier
(standing up)
Nice meeting you Ms. Xanthis, and good luck.

Carla
Same here. Thank you for your time.

WALKING OUT OF THE BELLEVUE HOTEL

Carla and Gunter walk out of the hotel.

Carla
So we do have a secret service after all.

Gunter
Not officially...

YENICHE CAMPGROUND, ST. GALLEN, SWITZERLAND

Uri drives his black Giulietta into a Yeniche camp where kids interrupt a soccer game to let him through. He walks out of his car and tries to locate the head of the clan. A stalky bearded Man walks towards him.

Uri
(in German)
Good afternoon.

Man
(in German)
Hi.

Uri
(in broken Yiddish, extending his hand)
My name is Uri.

Man
(in Yenish, shaking Uri's hand)
Stephan... Where are you coming from?

Uri
(in broken Yiddish)
West... Going East.

Man
(in Yeniche)
And where did you learn to speak Yeniche?

Uri
(in German)
I speak a little Yiddish.

The man acknowledge with his head.

Man
(in German)
What are you looking for?

Uri
(looking towards his car)
I need someone to drive my car to Venice.

Man
I thought cars were not allowed in Venice.

Uri
Well, there's a parking lot as you get in... Tronchetto (pulling a smart card from his pocked) This will get you in to the main garage.

Man
(hesitant, looking at the car)
We can't really do that. Better find someone else.

Uri
I can't. I can pay 1000 Francs.

The man skeptically looks at the car.

Uri
(smiling, pulling 10 one hundred CHF bills from his pocket)
Also I would ask that you drop me in Buchs, at the train station.

SHEIKH ZAYED ROAD, DUBAI

Alexander is driving his Tesla Roadster through Sheikh Zayed's Road. He gets an SMS on his mobile phone: EPYKS-V. We hear the sound of the electric engine slowing down as he pulls to the side, flips open his laptop, seeks an open WiFi connection and launches the app.

Alexander
Viktor!

Viktor
(at the other end, in Russian)
Hey.

Alex
You're in Zurich?

Viktor
No, still in Geneva.

Alex
Well, stay there.

Viktor
What about Dimitri?

Alexander
We're closing Zurich.

Viktor
(hesitant)
Ok...

Alexander
(looking at a row of high-rises)
We're opening here in Dubai.

Viktor
What do you mean? We're... You're already in Dubai!

Alexander
No man. We're opening a bank in Dubai. Plenty of brand new empty buildings here. Sharia banking... We don't need the points anyways... You'll get a floor to yourself!

Viktor
(joking)
Great. What about girls and vodka...

Alexander
(laughing)
Don't worry about it. It'll do you good.

Viktor
Ok. So what's next?

Alexander
Lay low. Keep an ear for the Swiss and an eye on this girl. Also, don't tell me Dimitri's guys both got mugged by some cyclist on the streets of Bern. See if the Swiss are on to something.

Viktor
Could be from home?

Alexander
On a bike? No... Plus they wouldn't have left them there... Alive.

Viktor
You heard about Dima's crew?

Alexander
No.

Viktor
Just heard the local news here... They found trace of Botulinum in a blood sample taken on an "Eastern European type" during his visit to the hospital and launched a nationwide search to find him. They're concerned about an outbreak and want to identify the source which they believe is food-borne.

Alexander
Botulinum! Can't be from home... And now Dima's gone!

Viktor
If they didn't make it out of the country, they might have taken cover around here.

Alexander
In Geneva?

Viktor
Yeah, not far. Let me check on a lead.

Alexander
Good.
(moment)
Oh... and Viktor.

Viktor
What?

Alexander
Don't let this escalate any further.

BEN GURION INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, ISRAEL

Zvi Dagan, Deputy Director of Mossad' Collections department meets Aaron as he steps out of an El Al flight at Tel Aviv's airport.

Aaron
(surprised)
Dagan!

Zvi
(shaking Aaron's hand)
Welcome home... You had a good flight?

Aaron
Yes thanks.

Zvi
Sorry for rushing to you here... I wanted to see you first... About Uri.

Aaron
What about him?

Zvi
Well, it's been 4 days now. I'm concerned.

Aaron
(nodding his head) I should have grabbed him in Switzerland...

Zvi
Can I ask you what he told you there.

Aaron Not much... Basically told me to fuck off.

Zvi signals a plainclothes officer at a first security check who lets them through. They continue walking.

Zvi
(breaking the silence) We figured out who the Russians are....

Aaron
And?

Zvi
Nikitin men... Remember, the Russian who snatched a Soviet Navy ship and sailed it across the world without anyone noticing... More your era than mine.

Aaron
What the fuck is Yatom messing with these guys... Nikitin is not an issue for us any longer...

Zvi
Not that we know, he switched to pipelines and finance in the 90'... No indications he's back in the arms business.

Aaron
We should look into what he's up to anyways. He'll be easier to track than one of ours.

Zvi
Use him to find Uri?

Aaron
You see another way?

Zvi remains pensive as Aaron continues on his way through passport/immigration check.

Aaron
We'll talk tomorrow. My wife is picking me up.

TRAIN STATION, BUCHS, ST. GALLEN

Uri is looking at a photo of Carla on his phone then stares through the train's window as a speaker voice announce the departure of the train bound for Schaan, Liechtenstein.

EXTERIOR, ROAD, LAVAUX REGION, VAUD

Viktor drives his Mercedes S600 sedan in and out of tunnels on Highway E62 overlooking Lake Geneva. Surveillance cameras record his passing by.

EXTERIOR, KIRCHENFELD BRIDGE, BERN

Kirchenfeldbrüke

Gunter is crossing the Kirchenfeld Bridge reading news updates about the Botulinum scare on his smart-phone when a private call notification appears on the screen.

Gunter
(promptly)
Feurer.

Meier
(over the phone)
Cute but pretty uptight your prosecutor, Gunter.

Gunter
(smiling)
Yeah well she's not for you Franz... I heard she doesn't walk the walk.

Meier
Well too bad for of us.

Gunter
She's a good girl and a promising prosecutor. I want to help her out.

Meier
I'm sure you do... By the way, I wanted to let you know that the guy we talked about, not the one on the news, the other one, well he's on the lose... Even his people are looking for him. Let me know if he resurfaces at your end. I'd like to know.

Gunter
(annoyed)
Well, I'll see with Carla... And what about this Botulinum case.

Meier
Can't speak about it. Tschüss.

EXTERIOR, WINERY, LAVAUX, VAUD

Viktor parks his car on the side of a narrow road overlooking a winery and crosses the vines towards the back entrance of the main building. No one's in sight except for a leashed up barking German Shepherd. He enters the cellar which doesn't appear to have been used in years and hears someone calling. As his sight adjusts to the darkness, he discovers a man lying on a makeshift bed.

Boris
(agonizing, in Russian)
Here... Here...

Viktor
(surprised by Boris' condition)
Where are the others?

Boris
They went back home... To get an antidote. I got struck by our poison.

Viktor
Our poison?

Boris
Some guy came out of nowhere, stole Vlad's umbrella and turned it on me when I caught up with him.

Viktor
Russian?

Boris
No, he said something in English... I think.

Viktor
When did they leave?

Boris
I don't know, I've been in and out since then. This thing is killing me. Get me something fast.

Viktor moves closer to Boris and chokes him with one hand. Boris convulses for several seconds then rests inert.

Viktor carries the body outside and dumps it in a dry well. He unties the German Shepherd which remains still, then drives away as the sun is setting over the French Alps on the opposite side of the lake.

INTERIOR, FRANZISKA'S APARTMENT, BERN

Franziska Wenger, 35, a Bern Cantonal Police investigator, opens the door to Carla.

Carla
(nervous)
Can I come in?

Franziska
(shocked, letting her in)
Of course. What's going on, you look so pale.

Carla
(collapsing into Franziska's arms)
I'm scared Franzi... I'm scared.

FRANZISKA'S LIVING ROOM, BERN

Franziska gently massages Carla's naked back on a yoga mattress.

Franziska
Ssssshhhhh.... Relax Carla... No one is going to hurt you.

Carla
(being massaged)
I don't want to file an official request. They'll take the case away from me.

Franziska
Stay here for a few days. Can't you call in sick? We'll figure it out tomorrow.

Carla
Ok, I guess I could work from here... Thanks for being there for me Franzi.

Franziska
(as she runs her tongue over Carla's spine)
My pleasure baby, my pleasure.

Carla turns over and removes Franziska's T-shirt as they starts kissing.


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