THE DEAL I

ARBITER
ISN'T IT STRANGE THE COMPLICATIONS
PEOPLE CREATE IN SITUATIONS
ALMOST AS IF THEY WANT TO MISS
THE WOOD FOR THE TREES
NOTHING WILL CHANGE MY BASIC FEELING
WHEN THEY'VE DONE ALL THEIR WHEELER-DEALING
NOTHING WILL CHANGE - THE HEAVY GUNS
JUST DO AS THEY PLEASE.

You might see all kinds of human emotion here - passion and pain, love and hate -

I SEE NOTHING OTHER THAN A SIMPLE BOARD GAME.

After a night of vodka and deliberation, Alexander Molokov makes a very important move.

(Molokov and Svetlana appear on the balcony.)

MOLOKOV
You are not here for a holiday, my dear. And there is still a lot you can do to help your husband. And yourself.

YOU CAN HAVE THE LIFE YOU WANT
AND ANYWHERE YOU WANT IT.

But if you persist with this inexplicable behavior, then life will be very tough for you. Tell Anatoly that.

MAKE HIM THINK OF YOU NOT
NARCISSISTIC DREAMS OF GLORY.

(Svetlana descends in elevator)

ARBITER
So, Svetlana Sergeivska makes her move.

SVETLANA (to Anatoly)
LONG AGO
IN SOMEONE ELSE'S LIFETIME
SOMEONE WITH YOUR NAME
WHO LOOKED A LOT LIKE YOU

NOW YOU'RE WHERE YOU WANT TO BE AND WHO YOU WANT TO BE AND DOING WHAT YOU ALWAYS SAID YOU WOULD AND YOU KNOW YOU HAVEN'T WON AT ALL
RUNNING FOR YOUR LIFE AND NEVER LOOKING BACK IN CASE THERE'S SOMEONE RIGHT BEHIND TO SHOOT YOU DOWN AND SAY HE ALWAYS KNEW YOU'D FALL.

WHEN THE CRAZY WHEEL SLOWS DOWN
WHERE WILL YOU BE?
BACK WHERE YOU STARTED.

(Svetlana moves upstage into shadows)

ARBITER
I SEE NOTHING OTHER THAN A SIMPLE BOARD GAME.
In a surprising counterattack, Walter de Courcey makes his gambit perfectly clear.

(Walter and Florence appear on balcony.)

WALTER
And so you see, my dear, we have a golden opportunity to right one of the many injustices of the past twenty years - and you will be the prime beneficiary! We can arrange for the release of your father, if -

FLORENCE
If he is alive!

WALTER
No, If you play your part. Of course he's alive. You've seen the evidence. Incontestible documentation straight from Prague. It's amazing how much easier information is to come by these days -

FLORENCE
THIS OUGHT TO BE SUCH PRECIOUS NEWS
THE GREATEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE!
BUT ALL I FEEL IS SQUALOR
I KNOW I'M BEING USED
THERE'S NO ONE IN THIS FILTHY GAME
WHO ISN'T PLAYING POLITICS!

WALTER
I know. Twenty years is a long time. But even if you don't believe me, Anatoly does.
(They descend in the elevator)
Now I'm not saying it's a simple choice between Anatoly and your father, but I don't think you should encourage Anatoly to win against Freddie. We want your father out. And not only him --
(Exiting elevator on stage level)
WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE TO RECOVER
I KNOW THAT YOU WOULD SIMPLY LOVE A
CHANCE TO MAKE SURE YOUR FATHER'S NAME
IS HIGH ON OUR LIST
WE WANT HIM BACK WHICH IS TO SAY A
GESTURE IS NEEDED FROM YOUR PLAYER
WE WOULDN'T MIND IF HE GOT BEATEN
IN FACT WE INSIST.

FLORENCE
You can't insist that Anatoly throw his life's work away!
It's all a lie! There's no deal!

WALTER
A NATURAL REACTION, BUT WHEN YOU SETTLE DOWN
YOU'LL SEE THE NEWS IS GOOD
A LITTLE GIVE, A LITTLE TAKE

FLORENCE
GUESS WHO GIVES AND GUESS WHO TAKES?

WALTER
You must realize, Florence, I'm giving you the only chance you'll ever have to know your father -

FLORENCE
GUESS WHO GIVES AND GUESS WHO TAKES?

WALTER
DO YOU THINK I ENJOY
PLAYING WITH PEOPLE'S EMOTIONS?
IN A WAY THAT INSURES
I HAVE TO EXTINGUISH MY OWN
WHILE YOU AND YOUR MORALS CAN
SELFISHLY, SAFELY, SURVIVE.

AND NOW HERE JUST FOR ONCE
I CAN DO SOMETHING REWARDING
YOU HAVE TO FORGET
ANYONE ELSE'S AMBITIONS
ALL THAT SHOULD MATTER TO YOU IS
Your father's alive.

FLORENCE
YOU KNOW ALL THAT MATTERS TO ME
BUT WHY MAKE ME FEEL I'M AS DIRTY AS YOU?
WHY'D YOU HAVE TO DO THIS TO ME?