ANNOUNCER :

Another sequence of pips, more urgent, over which we hear a Voice, female, metallic :

VOICE : File is Classified. Please register password.

More pips

VOICE : You have access.

More pips

VOICE : The Korvack Conspiracy began in New York on the night of July 23rd ...

Telephone Intercept start tone (American telephone ringing out)

LUCKY : Yeh ?

KORVACK : Me again - how much longer ?

LUCKY : Mr Korvack -

KORVACK : When do I get to see him ?

LUCKY : When you're told.

KORVACK : Look, can't you - ?

LUCKY : You see him when you're told.

Lucky hangs up. Disengaged tone. Telephone Intercept end tone

VOICE : Call intercepted.

Telephone Intercept start tone (American telephone ringing out)

LUCKY : Yeh ?

KORVACK : Korvack.

LUCKY : Listen, Mr Korvack -

KORVACK : No, you listen, I'm sick and tired of -

Disengaged tone. Telephone Intercept end tone

VOICE : Call intercepted.

Telephone Intercept start tone (American telephone ringing out)

KORVACK : Hello ?

LUCKY : That you Korvack ?

KORVACK : Speaking.

LUCKY : He'll see you tonight. You'll be picked up at eight.

Disengaged tone. Telephone Intercept end tone

VOICE : Call intercepted.

Surveillance Start tone

New York apartment, high above night traffic. LUCKY enters ...

LUCKY : Mr Gordinni ? Mr Gordinni ... ?

GORDINNI : In the bathroom.

LUCKY : He's here, Mr Gordinni.

Toilet flushes

GORDINNI : What ?

LUCKY : Korvack.

GORDINNI enters from the Bathroom

GORDINNI : Oh yeh ? How do you figure him ?

LUCKY : Aw, you know - English, looks like he has a poker stuck up his -

Surveillance End tone

Surveillance Start tone

GORDINNI : - find New York ?

KORVACK : Filthy, crowded, noisy, apart from that I hate the place.

GORDINNI : Prefer London, huh ?

KORVACK : Not particularly.

GORDINNI : Whatever, good to be out, right ?

KORVACK : Right.

GORDINNI : Well, Korvack, you certainly come highly recommended. Enrico says you're some kind of genius, a man of ideas ...

KORVACK : No, no, just one - one idea.

GORDINNI : Okay, so long as it's good.

KORVACK : Oh, it's good.

GORDINNI : Terrific, so why don't we have a drink and you can - ?

Surveillance End tone

Surveillance Start tone

London flat. Norma, thirties, a Scot, furiously packs a suitcase

NORMA : - yourself, I'll do no such thing !

ENRICO : You'll do as I say, and if I say -

NORMA : You say, you say. and who the hell are you ? I'm getting out, I've had about as much of you as I - Enrico, will you let go ?

ENRICO : I'm warning you, Norma ...

NORMA : Lay one more finger on me and I'm bringing in the Law, now will you - ?

ENRICO : ... last warning or so help me I'll -

He suddenly groans with pain

NORMA : God's sake, what's - ?

ENRICO : ... pain ... here ...

He crumples to the floor, upsetting dressing-table & spilling its contents

NORMA : Enrico ...

ENRICO : ... doctor ... Norma call a ... Norma, please ... Norma ...

As he struggles for his dying breath ...

Surveillance End tone

Surveillance Start tone

New York apartment

GORDINNI : - enough people in the goddam world, a few more, a few less, who cares ?

Telephone rings

GORDINNI : Will you sit on that !

GORDINNI sighs, a distant siren recedes into the night

GORDINNI : How old are you, Korvack ? 38 ? 39 ? Me, I'd killed seven men by your age, two with my own hands. Ha - and now look at them, arthritis, these claws couldn't crack an egg. Lucky ...

LUCKY : Yes, Mr Gordinni ?

GORDINNI : Another bourbon. Sure you won't join me ?

KORVACK : Positive.

LUCKY pours drink

GORDINNI : Okay, so what's the deal ?

KORVACK : A double hit - you here, me in London.

GORDINNI : Leave it there, Lucky. A double hit ?

KORVACK : Synchronised - to the minute.

GORDINNI : Yeh ? So what's the target ?

KORVACK : A merchant bank.

GORDINNI : Prison stewed your brain, Korvack - merchant banks don't hold money.

KORVACK : Precisely.

GORDINNI : Precisely ? What do you mean precisely ?

KORVACK : I mean for that reason their security isn't quite so rigorous.

GORDINNI : Listen to me, you come all the way from England just to -

GORDINNI drops his glass, it shatters

GORDINNI : See ? No grip, I'll be sucking it through a freaking straw next.

KORVACK : Fifty million dollars.

GORDINNI : ... fifty ?

KORVACK : Bottom line, could be a lot more.

GORDINNI : Hey, didn't I just say - ?