UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD THE TRILOGY
PART ONE
1999 was the year the Indian nuclear satellite went out of control.
No one knew where it might land.
It soared above the ozone layer like a lethal bird of prey.
The whole world was alarmed. Only Claire couldn't care less.
At the time she was living her own nightmare.
The same dream arrived each night: she was gliding over an unknown land,
pleasantly at first, but then the gliding would turn into falling.
falling into panic, and then she'd wake up.
- Pietro! - Why are you still here?
You saw that guy in the green room, remember?
- He's a creep! - He won't wake up.
Stayed release drugs. Fucking dangerous.
- Do you mind... - Phone Dr. Fabrini again? Sure.
Pietro, You should be in bed.
I don't sleep anymore, doctor. Sleeping is "out".
All of us who knew Claire well
loved her for her optimism, her energy and her courage.
We remembered these things about her just as we'd like to forget her capacity for self destruction.
They were all a part of her and we accepted that.
When Claire had left me, I'd shut myself off completely.
I didn't see anybody, and avoided leaving the apartment.
In my solitude, things happened to me.
I started to pray again, as I had long ago.
Hesitantly at first but accepting the good that it did me.
And out of this peace, came the beginning of my first novel.
Claire was it's leading character. It began "For two months..."
drifted through the parties, the designer drugs, the one night stands.
seeking excuses to obliterate herself,
until she realized that if she was to go on living, she couldn't go on living like this.
Hello, Claire. Your dashboard computer system is now online performing car initialization.
Press 1 to activate the electronic map service.
Never thought that I'd travel all alone The trail of memories
Happy hours, lonely years
Friendly reminder that you're over the speed limit, Claire.
The fire of love, the fire of love Can burn from afar
And nothing can light the dark of the night Like a falling star
Summer kisses, Winter tears Like the stars they fade away
Leaving me to spend my lonely nights With dreams of yesterday
Leaving me...
Traffic congested for the next 30km.
Unable to provide alternative route.
I'm sorry, Claire.
The satellite emergency created traffic jams,
wherever people fled areas of possible impact, like the south of France.
Only Claire, impatient as ever, fled the traffic jam and chose to thrust herself
into the unknown.
In doing so, she changed the direction of her life, of all our lives.
You are leaving the map zone database. You are on your own, Claire.
Claire felt strangely light.
She knew she'd been meant to die here, on the high plateau of the Lozère.
It was a miracle she was alive.
The angels had somehow made a mistake in their accounting
and had left her with a precious gift.
She'd been given a whole new life
that she could use this time, to be a better person.
She could be of service.
All she needed was an opportunity, a mission.
- Shit! - Yes...
- She didn't see us, Raymond. - I'm sorry, we were not introduced.
- Claire Tourneur. - I am Raymond, He's Chico.
Chico, you could apologize to... Madame Tourneur.
- Are you all right? - No, I'm not.
I'm sorry, I've been an idiot.
I'm sorry.
Will your car still work?
People always want to give definitions. You say "Rock'n Roll"
they ask, "Which kind?".
But I just play rock'n roll. I'm a drummer.
- Did you hear him playing? - He's been breaking my head for 15 years.
Raymond is the same. When he says he is buddhist, people go crazy.
- They can't stand him! - It's not the same.
There's nothing wrong in being buddhist.
- In his job, yes. - What's his job?
My job is... fuck and fucking.
- I want a beer. - For a change!
We might stop there.
Leave it there!
Don't touch it!
- Who's there? - It's me.
I've got to talk with you.
Your bag's heavy.
- This is enough for being rich. - You might pay a coffee in Rome.
Did you see well? It's 50,000!
What did I say? It's the price for a cappuccino.
But with this one you could buy half a cow in Ethiopia.
- Have you been there? - Yes.
- Where else have you been? - More or less everywhere.
I've never been anywhere. I don't care.
- Well actually I've been in America. - So, how much do you have there?
Count them, I leave it here. Sleep on it.
Perfect!
Claire's head was spinning.
Was this a trap? Or exactly the opportunity she was looking for?
She spent another sleepless night, keeping her nightmares at bay.
I don't trust people who do thing for free.
- And you'd be a buddhist? - Realist!
So?
I agree, for 30%.
- We counted the money, we can find you. - Calm down Raymond.
If you want to change your mind... Do as you want.
If the address is not real, we know where to find you.
It's not worth to try to fool us.
We don't know who will fetch the money.
If it's not me, and if you want to contact me,
have a drink, listen to some music...
Yes! You never know.
This is my music. It's just a demo.
Thanks, Chico.
- Don't lose time. - Don't worry.
Here she is!
Claire thought about her future,
as she drove from the high plateau towards St. Étienne.
Her share of the money could buy her an apartment on the Seine.
A quiet life, a view of the Eiffel Tower.
But did she really want all this?
Take a break, Claire.
Where is she now ?
She should be between St. Étienne...
- and Lyon. - still a long road.
- 15 more minutes? - At least. Still has to dry up.
- You were lucky, and had good tyres. - Hurry up!
Tell me again what time you'll go over, Günther ?
- No. - Make sure it's after dark, ok ?
- Ok, I'll be careful. - Ok.
- How is Anton? - Anton? He's okay.
He's okay? My eyes, can you hold on one second?
Sam?
- Can I help you? - Are you still there? Where are you?
Hold on, hold on a second, Günther.
Yeah, it's my eyes.
- I can't see anything. - Well, it's better already.
- You have sad eyes. - I'm not a sad man though.
Günther...
I'm gonna go now, okay?
See you tomorrow. Give my love to Anton and Irina, please? Okay, bye bye.
Eugene speaking,
but I'm not here...
me neither.
If you would like to leave a message on our new answering machine, please
please feel free to do so after you hear the tone
You idiot.
Didn't want to have a conversation with yourself?
Thanks for the help.
Hello Makiko. How are you? Is Gene with you?
No, I haven't seen him since you went away.
You know that apartment across from you? Did they sell it?
It's still there. Claire, are you okay?
Please, come back. I'm so sorry.
Oh, Makiko.
- Excuse me. Where'd he go? - Who?
- The bloke who was on the phone. - The what?
The guy who was here just a minute ago. You didn't see him?
No, I was on the phone myself.
No worries, mind.
Makiko, I've got to go. I'll call you tomorrow.
Wait, I have to remove the foam.
- Will it hold til Paris? - Yes, no problems.
But you're going to draw people's attention with that foam.
- Hi. Me again. - Hi.
Would you give me a lift?
I don't think that's a very good idea.
There's a guy looking for you.
- Yeah, I know. - He's got a gun.
Could you go? He's coming. Please?
What's he after?
- He want's to kill me. - What for?
I borrowed some money I can't pay back.
- From him? - No, not from him from... some tough guys.
It's incredible. I just seem to attract criminals.
Hey, I'm not a criminal. Might not even be attracted to you.
Sure. You're just a regular guy with a wife and a kid.
That's right.
This must be the beginning of a new trend.
I haven't met anyone with a straight job for weeks.
- Where have you been? - Everywhere... and back.
- Are you tired? - Me? Never.
Hey I could drive. Really, it'd be a pleasure.
Show me your wife and kid.
Go on, you must have a picture.
Okay, you can drive.
He's got your eyes.
Sorry. You okay?
- It went with the windshield. - That must've been some crash.
What the hell is going on?
- You've got to help me. - I'd love to but how can I explain it?
- What? - The car, the damage!
- That's not it! - What is it then? The bag?
- What should I do? - I don't know, Just talk to them. Keep them away.
I'll try.
Hey there fellas, how's it goin'? You speak any English?
Yes a little. Were you in a accident?
- I told them we were on our honeymoon. - And they believed you?
So, who am I married to?
- Dope pusher or bank robber? - Take your pick.
- Do you mind if I put on some music? - No, go ahead.
That is beautiful.
Who are they?
- They're pygmy children. - Pygmy?
Yeah, it's the truth. They're young pygmy from Cameroon.
I've been listening to that for weeks.
I've never heard anything like it.
- My mother recorded that. - In Cameroon?
Yeah.
- What do you do? - Everything, nothing.
If I say I'm a singer, you'll ask me what I've done. Nothing.
I destroyed all the tapes. I broke up with my boyfriend.
He fucked my best friend. I went to Italy.
Now I'm on my way back to Paris.
Back to square one?
- Sort of. - Good luck.
That's what I need. And you, what do you do?
I travel.
And... I see.
All overland access to Paris is restricted to commercial transportation.
For private traffic, please use souterrain tunnels.
Charges will be applied to your credit card.
Good evening.
- How long did I sleep? - Um... 500 kilometers.
I haven't slept so long in weeks.
I dreamed I was pregnant. I was stumbling around...
I felt very light. What does it mean?
I don't know. Maybe you wanna get pregnant?
This is as far as I go.
- If you're staying in Paris... - No, I'm not.
I'm Claire.
Claire Tourneur.
I'm Trevor McPhee. You saved my life.
Good luck with your life, Trevor.
- I hope you learn to sleep. - We'll see.
Oh, it's you, Claire!
So you smoke now?
Home is where you go when you run out of places.
So Claire came back to the apartment that she'd shared with me.
Whether she had returned for an hour or a day, it didn't matter to me.
I just thanked God she was back, safe and sound.
- It's you. - I crashed the Rover.
Are you alright? Did you hurt yourself?
No, I'm fine.
- I'm sorry. - No, Claire. I'm sorry.
- I haven't seen her since then. - Oh, I know, Gene. I know.
Actually...
I haven't seen anybody since you left.
I was just worried about you.
It looks... different.
I tried to paint you out. It didn't work.
I couldn't stop thinking about you.
I never loved anyone like I love you.
- Do you believe that? - Yes... I do.
Where did you go?
I went to Venice.
I stayed with Luca.
I went to a lot of parties.
I cried a lot.
I forgot how nice you smelled.
You seem so different.
I'm rich, now.
Christ.
Did you read about the bank robbery at Nice?
The guys who did it crashed into your car.
I had to drive them to the next town.
Then they told me they'd robbed a bank and...
asked me to take the money up to Paris.
Call the police.
No, I don't want to.
Gene.
30% of this is mine.
Come on, Claire. They robbed a bank.
They're not going to have any problems about robbing it back from you.
They're not like you think. Actually, they're nice guys.
No, really. One of them is a very good drummer.
But they were desperate.
So I thought, "why not?"
I could buy that apartment opposite Makiko.
Why do you need to buy an apartment?
I just want my own place, that's all.
It's all different currencies.
I thought you'd help me work out what it's worth so I know how much is mine.
And I might give you a cut.
- Oh, no. - What is it?
My hitchhiker robbed me.
Your hitchhiker!
Well, he left an IOU.
But he was a really nice guy...
You seem to know a lot of really nice guys.
- I trusted him. - Sure, and then he robbed you.
Come on, you can't be upset about having stolen money stolen.
Hi Claire. Hi Gene.
Um, so Claire...
I have arranged with a real estate agent to see the apartment tomorrow afternoon.
Please meet me there at 2pm.
It's raining a lot now. I hope you're not outside.
...7 at 0.552...
is... just a minute, I'll just put this with the subtotal here.
I love loving you.
That's a good song title.
Ah, it's too corny.
Depends.
Who is this?
Pygmys.
This is really stupid.
You couldn't sell it so you put the price up.
But it is very reasonable in this location. I can show you other properties.
This is the only one I want.
- I like your view. - Oh, I like it, too.
It wasn't meant to happen. You were singing, so we went to the movies.
I'm not angry with you, Makiko. Come on, you're my friend.
But I have done something terrible. I must make it right.
Don't be stupid. This is 1999.
I can get the apartment.
She will never find anyone to buy it at that price.
I'll get her to knock it down.
"You can't get angry about having stolen money stolen."
- What? - Nothing.
I'll get the painter to put pressure on her, too.
I can go to my bank manager. We have a special relationship.
He's going crazy because no one is borrowing money, anymore.
The interest rates are too high.
He would give you a special rate, 19%. Claire, where are you going?
Was it something I said?
Okay, just watch the house until I get to Berlin.
M-A-N-G-E-R strasse 26.
Mangerstrasse, ok ?
And then follow him. No, it's none of your business.
Redialing. Hold on.
Hi there! Winter's the name, missing people's the game.
- Can I find someone for you? - No. Maybe. I don't know.
- It's much less expensive than you'd think. - I'll think about it.
I'm going to Berlin.
- Tonight? - A friend is in trouble.
You don't have any friends in Berlin.
Well, friends can travel.
- I'll go with you. - No, Gene. You can't.
I was worried right away. I knew Claire's self-destructiveness.
I knew if there was danger, she would throw herself right into it.
If there was a chance to get hurt, she would grab it.
What was she letting herself in for?
Claire never doubted she would find the man named Trevor in Berlin.
Any sane person, like myself, would have told her she was chasing a projection of her own imagination.
But Claire never listened much to that sort of reasonable thinking.
She was impulsive and stubborn, and she was in love with the idea of being in love.
So the only think she worried about was not if she could find Trevor McPhee,
but only what she would do when she finally found him.
Berlin was a big city now. 10 million people lived in the area.
You couldn't even take a taxi anymore. So, she had to pedal.
All the great minds were persecuted...
A hundred years from now they will have you on a postage stamp.
So this day is a great day in history,
and your family is very proud to be with you on this day
and you see our faces. I know I am talking too much.
- Anton, it's Edith this is for, not Henry. - I'm coming to her.
Hello, dear Edith.
- Good morning. - Good morning.
Thanks for the music, but you still owe the bank.
I thought I deserved my share.
We'll sort it out later. You're being followed.
- Really? - Not me, the black guy... in the street.
Show me.
Who is she? What is she doing here?
- What hotel are you in? - The Adlon.
Can you wait? I'll meet you there. We'll have dinner. It's a promise.
Uncle Anton, I'm gonna have to...
- So, you are a friend of Sam's? - No, of Trevor's.
Look at them!
We're on the eve of destruction and all they give a damn about
is laughing, drinking, carousing.
Don't they realize that this satellite business could mean the end of the world as we know it?
If it was the end of the world, why shouldn't we go down laughing?
- I could fall in love with you right now. - Don't!
- Then I'll love you in my dreams. - I will remember you, too.
One day, I will no longer be alive.
And when that day comes, remember me as I am now.
Of course, Trevor McPhee did not show up.
Claire could have come back to Paris, but she had a mission now.
To find and protect Trevor. And she did have one lead.
That's him.
- He's a big one. 85,000 dollars. - He's wanted?
There's an opal mining syndicate in Australia
offering a very tasty finding fee for his capture.
- What did he do? - Apparently he stole some opal.
- He stole from me, too. - How much?
Id' rather not disclose that. I just want to find him.
Normally, I would charge 4,500 to retrieve it for you
but seeing as I am going to collect a big reward from these people here.
and... assuming you are free to assist me...
I will get your money back for 3,000.
Maybe you're after the man, not the money. Doesn't matter, you'll see.
What I'm really worried about is... there are hitman chasing him.
Then we'd better get him fast, and first.
Fast and first, wonderful names.
Tricky Trevor is flying to Lisbon, Portugal, see?
Want your money back? Come, sweetie. Get your hat.
We are on the next flight behind him.
Are you playing or staying?
Love or money? Either way you'll win.
You are a poet, Mr. Winter, and you know it.
Can I have an aspirin? I have a splitting headache.
She'd always imagined a detective would be some sort of a tough guy.
A Sam Spade or a Philip Marlowe.
But the truth was, Philip Winter was a bleeding heart
whose professional speciality was locating missing children.
So what exactly is your relationship?
Lovers?
I'm sorry to disappoint you. I know him about as well as I know you.
I'm not disappointed.
On the contrary.
What's next?
I said no. No is no.
Look. I've got him!
His credit card company was offline for 8 hours but now I got in.
He's at the Alhambra hotel.
So, what do we do?
Gently, gently, catchee monkey.
Winter was inexperienced.
He thought the cat was in the bag, the chase was over.
He felt fat and prosperous.
So he was happy to allow his client a private interview with his quarry.
I'm not the one who robs banks, you are.
First, you stole from me, and then you stood me up.
You just happened to wander in here today, to find me?
- That's three countries in three days, baby! - Don't call me "baby".
You just happened to be getting your car fixed in the south of France
you just happened to wander into my uncle's house in Berlin?
I was trying to save your life.
You just happened to be having breakfast, in Lisbon?
That's quite a coincidence. What agency are you with?
I don't need to chase you. There's a detective outside who was chasing you.
And anyway, it was no big deal finding you.
Every time you use your credit cards bells start ringing.
What's so funny?
I really like you.
That's why I'm having so much trouble getting it through my skull that you're an agent.
If I was really an agent, I wouldn't need to hire a bounty hunter to find you.
- A bounty hunter? - Yes,
the guys you stole the opals from put out a reward on you.
Would this bounty hunter of yours be willing to let us go for a little walk?
With money, Mr. McPhee, all things are possible.
How...
how about this?
Would this do it?
Hey, wait a minute! Wait!
Shit.
- Why are people chasing you? - Because they want to know where I'm going.
Are you escaping from the police?
What'd you say?
I told her, it's a way you get married in your country.
Where is he from?
He's from Australia.
And you're... in honeymoon?
- When I say no, I mean no. - Get out. You work for me!
You're a small fry. Those guys in Australia will pay me 85,000.
- Plus you owe me 3,000, okay? - Fuck you!
- I knew this would get me in trouble. - Put it down on the chair.
- I hate guns. - Put it down.
Now, come over here.
Slowly. At the foot of the bed.
Now, unlock me.
Your hand. Put it through there. Claire, help me.
Give me the key.
Hey.
Yeah, just a second.
Okay, where's my opal?
No, Claire. No.
I'm sorry. You're making things too dangerous for me.
Trevor, wait!
Let's just pay him off. I have money.
Put that back.
You'll find these downstairs in the garbage, where they belong.
You bastard!
You just lost me 85,000 bucks.
This will cover my expenses.
Turn around.
What Claire felt,
she knew she could never justify or explain to anyone.
What she had was like a crush.
A sort of nagging pain she thought she'd abandoned when she was 16.
She was determined to follow her mission through,
no matter where it lead her. What was the alternative?
A return to her old self? She hated the very idea.
No worries, mate. I'll take it up myself. What floor, mate?
The sixth floor, sir. You can take the elevator.
You're still here?
You can't leave without me.
"You can't leave without me"!
You hire me, you fire me. You abuse me and confuse me.
You cost me a year's rent. How can I afford to take you with me?
I'm broke. He thought I was working with you.
That's why he took my money! It's all your fault.
I can't lend you the plane fare to Paris, but I can offer you Moscow.
You'll sit in the bar at the Ukraine. I'll catch him, and I'll take you out to dinner.
- Deal? - Deal.
- Hi, Gene. - Hello, Claire.
Guess what? I need money. 5,000 dollars.
- Can you wire it to the Hotel Ukraine in Moscow? - Slow down, Claire.
I don't have much time, Gene. My card is running out.
Guess who's here?
Hey, Chico!
- Hello, Claire! - How is Raymond?
- Claire, where are you? - I'm in the plane to Moscow.
O-L-I-V-I...
That isn't it, I've forgotten it. R...
The name is Dr. Nora Oliveira.
- I am not sharing your room! - You expect me to pay for two rooms?
- I expect you to pay for mine. - You realize...
There's no need to argue with strangers.
Gene!
There are no rooms available.
Take a look around. There's nothing left. The convention's taken them all.
- Gene, this is... - Winter.
There's not a single room left in all of Moscow.
Winter is my name. What's your game?
What?
He's a detective.
Find yourself a couch. That's all we offer.
Over there. 1,500 rubles a night.
1,500 rubles a night?
- Take it or leave it. - We'll take it.
It's my fishing program.
It's keyed to our man's passport and credit card.
- The minute he rents a car or crosses a border... - It's most impressive, Mr. Winter.
But wouldn't you say he's crossing a lot of borders tonight?
Eastern bloc. Nothing but talk.
It's a malfunction.
They have these advanced Vietnamese chips now.
What are you going to do about it?
I have to find a local guide tomorrow.
Who is this Trevor McPhee character?
A tall, handsome stranger from Australia with an American accent.
What has he done?
Better ask the client.
That's exactly what I'm going to do.
- Thank you for your cooperation. - Anytime.
I know you don't sleep.
I still love you, but it's a different sort of love. That's all. It's like a ladder.
- I'm like a ladder? - Like a ladder with a broken step.
And every time I see you...
I know I lost my life when the step broke.
Well, I'm sorry.
And I forgive you, but I can't trust you again.
I can understand you, and see how you're made and feel affection for you...
But as far as you're concerned, it's over. Your hitchhiker,
this man who stole your money...
Did you have an affair with him?
Do you love him?
I'll get over it.
- So, this is the place. - Right.
Your Eastern Bloc program is out of date.
You try and save money, but it only costs you money.
So, I'll give you a good price on the update.
Trevor McPhee, is that what you said?
No.
This is Trevor McPhee. You chase your man, you'll get no reward.
This guy is traveling with Trevor McPhee's ID.
- Who is he, then? - May I?
I'm the Bear. The Bounty Bear.
I find them here, I find them there.
I can find them anywhere.
The Bear. Advanced bounty bank programming.
Searching.
I'm searching. I'm searching.
Give me a minute. I am identifying.
I got him!
This is your guy.
That's him.
- Finder's fee: 500,000 dollars. - Vietnamese chips.
Too bad you can't afford it.
How do we know that price belongs to that face?
You'll have to trust me.
Is that so hard?
What do you want to do?
I just want my money back.
How much would it cost to set me up with one of these, hard and soft?
Marry her. Slap her around. But don't go chasing after this guy.
She's not going to fuck you. She wants to fuck him.
I don't think you quite understand the nature of our relationship.
Besides which, you're out of your depth.
You buy a computer from this ice, and you think you're a detective?
When you get back from Moscow, you'll be broke.
They will have repossessed your car, your electricity will have been turned off.
Your computers will be down, your garbage won't be picked up.
Mr. Winter, admit it! You'd love it, but you can't afford it.
To be effective you need a detective to make one of these work for you.
I'm going back to Berlin.
You'd better ask yourself what you're going to do with the tiger.
When you catch him.
Wait a minute, Mr. Winter.
I want my opal back, please.
Just my expenses. Five grand.
Sometimes Claire must have thought that she had invented that face, invented Trevor McPhee
and that she'd projected onto him the person she thought she could become.
But when she considered this, she panicked and just worked harder
extending her stay in Moscow from one day to two, from two to three
always finding one more hotel and one more concierge.
- Winning. - Yeah. About bloody time, too.
I already paid for the carpet.
Haven't I seen you somewhere before?
It's possible.
- Anyway, what are you going to do with all that money? - Well, we could start with a drink.
With Winter gone, I was now Claire's guardian angel.
No, I was fooling myself. I just wanted her back.
So, I was kind to her. Waited for her to exhaust her crush.
Pretended to help her find the only man on Earth I didn't want her to find.
Unfortunately, my Bounty Bear found him in no time.
But I was, at least, able to prove that my competitor had a bad character.
His name was Sam Farber, not Trevor McPhee.
He was wanted for industrial espionage by the US government.
I have seen you somewhere before. In the south of France.
You're Sam Farber's girlfriend, aren't you?
You mean Trevor?
McPhee! That's him, too.
You tell him that he is in breach of his service agreement
with the Sunset Lab, at Palo Alto.
The camera was developed in their time,
- with government funds. - Are you scientists?
He robbed me, betrayed me. He took all my money and I'm not his girlfriend!
But you're going to tell me where he is, right?
If I knew where he was, I wouldn't be here with you. I would be with him.
I would be making love with him.
Why did I say that?
I've given you penthocine phosphate. It's the truth drug.
That's okay. I've given you five sleeping pills myself.
You bitch.
- Is he really a criminal? - Waiter...
- Coffee. - So what. I'm a criminal, too.
I was involved in the bank robbery at the Nice airport.
They got Raymond, but Chico, he's still okay.
What I'm really worried about is that the cops will get Gene's address.
He is innocent, and I am really blonde!
Cut the bullshit.
Don't go to sleep. I want to know what Trevor did.
I told you already...
They never work that well for me...
I think he's a spy. I didn't think they had spies, anymore.
I mean, we are here in Moscow, in 1999.
Actually, I'm not a tourist. I'm a burglar.
I've stolen these things to protect the man who has stolen my money.
I had it. These other guys who had stolen it
from the people who had stolen it from a bank.
Are you following me?
You know we can't be together again. You know our baby can't be born now.
That's even sadder than we are.
It's like a river that will never run, or a whole day that will never happen...
Why do you keep being so good.
Why are you so sweet and kind. Are you doing it to punish me?
Searching...
I'm searching...
Give me a minute.
I've got him!
He's getting on the Trans-Siberian.
Farber has booked a seat for the train to Beijing leaving Moscow tonight at 23:10.
The accounting is getting very complicated.
I'll say goodbye now.
Anyway, it would be really painful face to face for me, too.
I still love you, broken ladder.
Excuse me.
There was not another train for three days.
Claire, of course, couldn't wait.
Within 10 minutes, she was on the back of a motorcycle traveling southeast towards Beijing.
If she'd gone northwest, she could've found Trevor.
It's unbelievable, Mom, how Sam found me here in Siberia, of all places.
I wish you didn't have to see me in such an ugly place,
but I'm afraid... this is what the world looks like.
I wish Sam could've found me at home in Lisbon, with the kids.
Instead, Claire recorded some of her journey through China for me.
4 days later, she spent a fortune videofaxing
the tape to me in Paris.
- What's your name? - No, you!
Charlie Yu.
- Claire. Claire. Claire Tourneur. - Claire Tourneur. OK!
OK.
So, Gene. I am learning Chinese. I can say already "ni hao".
"ni hao" means "how are you".
So, Gene. That was my home movie.
I'm in Beijing now, at the Tiananmen Hotel, room 1407.
Please phone me as soon you get in. I hope you're waiting for your call.
Hi, Claire. It's me. I just got in. I got your message and uh...
- I guess you need something else from the fridge? - I don't need anything, Gene.
- I'm lost. - So, you reached a dead end, is that right?
I've lost his trace.
If you're looking for him in Beijing, I'm not surprised.
- Then where should I look? God, you never give up, do you?
Why don't you come home. Forget all about it.
Look at me, Gene. I'm Claire. What do you expect?
Right...
- Do you remember the children's theater? - He's in Tokyo?
Yeah. I'll meet you there on Tuesday evening.
World News Network brings you this update. The protest against an American plan
to shoot down the stray nuclear satellite escalated last night
with the assassination of the US ambassador to the United Nations in Berlin.
The last terrifying minutes of the ambassador's life have been captured
on this videotape recorded by the assassin himself.
If the United States shoots down the satellite, it will cause a chain reaction.
The whole world could explode.
Let our death be a signal, a final warning.
Leave the satellite alone!
I'm in no hurry to be a corpse,
but I will sacrifice our lives because the fate of the entire planet
depends on what the Americans do. So, goodbye!
For World News Network, this is Nomi Morris in Berlin.
Good morning.
I thought you'd never come. Where is he?
How about: "It's nice to see you. I like your suit."
I hate your suit, but it is nice to see you.
Remember the first time we came to Tokyo?
It was the summer of '94.
- Our first summer. - A grand old time.
We saw the Rolling Stones' last concert.
Of course, it wasn't their last concert, was it?
Is a gaijin called McPhee-san, or Farber-san, staying in the hotel?
- Farber-san? - Yes, Farber-san.
He's saying the 7th floor. Can you write it, please?
It's for men!
- That way. - Thank you!
- Miss! Wait! - A foreigner?
There is a foreign woman.
Madam, are you sure you're not wrong? This place is for men only!
It's no place for women here! Only for men, forbidden to women.
Hey, beautiful!
I need help.
- Winter ! No ! - Escape, run !
Oh, are you still playing detective, or are you just the bellboy?
Where is Claire?
I saw some guy chasing her, but that's nothing new.
- Are you taking the piss again? - Better to be pissed off than be pissed on.
Your friend Krassikova sold us out to the highest bidder.
CIA, KGB, Yakuza, bounty hunters. Who know's who is in on this deal.
This is where computer programming ends and real detective work begins.
- We don't have much time. - We? Are you implying you want to hire me?
Hire you?
Certainly not.
Sayonara!
Do you know who I am?
- Weren't you the angel in Lisbon? - I am the angel again.
Would you take me out of here. Please.
Gene, I'm sorry.
You're safe...
- I need my bags. - What for?
Claire, I don't like this.
I don't like this at all.
You know you'd be better off with me.
You don't know him.
Do you?
He needs me now.
Then, you'll need these, too.
Thanks.
Oh, that helps. It's cooler.
They kept moving all night until they could be sure
that nobody was following them anymore.
Eventually, they found themselves in a train leaving Tokyo.
They didn't know the destination.
Claire had bought the ticket at the station in Shinjuku
by pointing at a symbol that she could not read.
- Where are we going? - I don't know.
All Claire knew was that she had finally found her mission.
The man she loved was almost blind, and needed her.
END OF PART ONE
UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD