"THE RUTHLESS ONES" "Boss!" "Just ran out of lanterns." "How come?" "There." "Go get some more." "Deal with it." "Stathis!" " When did you get out?" " Hi, Alekos." "Released or runaway?" "The pardon granted worked for me too." "Guilty or not, right?" " How are things here?" " So-so." "We're counting on this time of year." "And hoping..." "Seen the boys yet?" "Looked all over but no." " Did they know?" " I had Vana notified." " Noone came?" " Nope." "Be sure then." "That's Mihalis' doing." "Why Mihalis?" "Since you got locked up he took your place so now he's bound to react." "My place in all?" "In all." "Vana included?" "Vana too." "I'm off now." "Where to?" "Have some coffee first." "I've a business on hold for 2 years now." "Tell them I'll be in the garage." "You're staying there again?" " If it's still standing..." " Why wouldn't it be?" " See you." " Drop by any night, ok?" "PRIVATE DETECTIVE Othon Lapas" "Anyone asked for me?" "This gentleman." "Waiting for me?" "Leave the sack outside and come in." "I said leave the sack outside." "Didn't you hear?" "You don't remember me?" "No, I don't." "Pity." "Looks like 2 years in jail made me unrecognizable." "This receipt may ring a bell." "I'm sorry, mister..." "Then let me help you." "2 years ago the two of us made an agreement." "I came in this pigsty and gave you 5.000 to find a person for me." "I also gave you two photos." " Remember now?" " Not really..." "Hey, please..." "Give it a try." "I think I recalled something." "Attaboy!" "It was about a woman who went missing during the Occupation." "Yes, yes, yes..." "She worked in a cabaret, I think, right?" "Yes, yes, yes..." "Her name was..." "Rosa." "Rosa." "Maria Kouya, in real life." "Right." "Now I remember." "Maria Kouya... or Rosa." "She abandoned a child at the orphanage and was gone." "She was your mother I think, right?" "Cut the crap and tell me what became of her." "Unfortunately, I searched but couldn't do anything." "Searched where?" "In all places." "Name them so I can go and ask." "Listen, mister..." "I'm a professional, not a wizard..." "You gave me a name... and an ancient photo and you say go find a woman missing for some 20 years." "What do you expect me to do?" "Finger tricks would find her?" "I expected you to say keep your money mister, I cannot find her." "But you pocketted the 5.000 and walked out to ask passersby." "Hey pals, ever seen a trollop twenty years ago such and such?" "They said no then you did your duty and spent the cash, right?" "What can I do now anyway, sir?" "Give me the photos." "There." "Now hand us the money." "What money?" "Listen, pal..." "You should have known by now that my patience is over." "Don't drive back to jail that soon." "Hello Stella." "Vana is not here." "You know where she is?" "Since her mingling with tramps she doesn't tell me her plans." "Not very happy to see me..." "On the contrary." "I'm delirious." "I'm grateful to you for corrupting my sister." "If you see the progress she's made you'll be very proud." "Then I must start Catechising her first thing tomorrow." "Send her away, that's the thing to do." "If I dumped the defective into good ones do you know of any good one who would set her eyes on me?" "He's coming." "Straight to the garage." "I never could see why he chose to live in these ruins." "Shall we go right now?" "In a few minutes." "First dolly here will go and make her statements." "We'll go later." "Where are the boys?" "They'll be here shortly." "I was expecting you this morning." "How come you didn't show up?" "When they called me about your release I was madly overjoyed." "It took you so long, Stathis." "Real long." "And I was waiting for you." "One by one I counted the days these two years you were away." "The days you counted, Vana." "What do you mean?" "Exactly what I said." "The days." "'Cause at night you had other things to do." " Stathis!" " Spare me the melodrama!" "Go tell your pals to come in." "We need talk." "So?" "How's things?" "Pretty good." "Businesswise?" "Even better." "How good is that?" "Hello Stathis!" "Hi boys!" "Welcome back!" " How's your scooter?" " Just fine!" "Say, Stathis, what's your conduct in the report card?" "Excellent!" "So... how did you do?" "So-so." "Meaning?" "We heisted a few stores." "Not real big." "Next." "Recently there was a stock market guy." "We cornered him one night and took his briefcase." "Quite violent behaviour." "With guns, too." "Whose ideas were these?" "Mine." "Why yours?" "Because someone had to be in charge." "So I took over." "Okay, this story's over now." "Mihalis managed things until today." "But now I'm back so he rests." "The things that happened while I was away were pointless and dangerous." "There are other methods to make money." "In a civilized way." "Without guns." "This was your thinking and your decision." "Fine." "Let the boys decide." "The tricks you did so far are over." "Leave jackknives and pistols at home." "Agreed?" "There in jail, I gave it some serious thought." "People protect their money." "In drawers, trunks and saves." "As well as doors, windows and shutters on the outside." "They all hide it within their eye range." "But there is something they leave unattended." "And there's plenty of money-making out of this." "Without any risk, too." "Only takes some brains." "Meaning?" "Their soul." "Their soul?" "We'll be stealing souls from now on, then?" "That's right." "Souls." "All these million little folks swarming in the streets have hopes, troubles and dreams." "You hang around them, you pick'em up and start plucking them." "That's business." "Explain it a bit better for us." "Tomorrow morning two of us are renting a car." "How did it go, pal?" "You finished?" "Is there a problem?" "They won't let me go." "Why?" "They didn't say." "They put a stamp on paper." ""Denied"." "No explanation given?" "The doctor." "He put the stamp on it." "My lungs he says." "The thing is my kids are expecting us to move to Arizona." "They talk about it all day." "Don't you know, pal?" "Only bribery works, nowadays." " Bribery?" " What else?" "They denied me too but soon I'm taking my stamp and my trip." " To America?" " Ohio!" "Say, good man." "How much should one pay?" "Shush, he's coming." "Move over." "He doesn't want people to know." "Is it ready?" "You may leave on the first ship." " The doctor?" " All's taken care of." " Stamps and signatures." " Long live Ohio!" "You're my savior, Sir." "There's too many of us in Greece and this jam will kill us, that's well worth the money you got." "OK, OK, I have to rush now." " So goodbye and have a nice trip!" " Wish you well, thanks!" "See?" "Like I said..." "Ohio!" "Excuse me." "Sorry to bother you." "You're talking to me?" "Yes, I'm sorry I mean, I'd like a word, Sir." "Go on." "I'm a friend of the gent that you..." "I mean the one who's going to Ohio, you know." "So?" "I don't mean to offend you..." "I mean if it's possible..." "What exactly?" "Us getting to Arizona." "Get my papers issued." "I'm sick... in the lungs..." "So they wrote "denied"." "But my kids are expecting, you see" "I told them we'd go and now how can I tell them we lost Arizona?" "You don't know what trouble you're getting me into." "Procedures..." "Besides..." "Too expensive..." "Judge not by the looks of me, I'll sell my little house, all I have." "As a favor to my kids, sir, not me." "So that they live in a better place and have enough bread." "Get in and let's talk." "You're looking for me?" "Where's Vana?" "You want to have a look?" "Now listen, Stathis Kouyias!" "The day you got out of jail Vana stayed out all night and got drunk." "Since then she does the same thing every night." "And what's for me to do?" "I told you last time." "Send her away." "She's going downhill, can't you see?" "I'm going downhill too." "But..." "There's noone there to help me." "A real mechanism I'm telling you!" "Folks have trouble of all kinds." "You sell them their Paradise and they start paying down, right?" "This last month the Arizona worker has given him 20.000." "He'll soon get his papers and leave on his life's long journey." "Let's see Vana, where this will get you." "I knocked on your door 100 times." "Where are you?" "Inside." "Then why don't you open?" "Why don't you open for me?" "'Cause you've become a trolley bus." "You stop every 100 metres for a new passenger." "You stay out all night and overdrink." "Stathis, stop it." "You let every tramp lay their hands on you as if you're public property." "Stop it I say!" "I may be whatever." "But I never harmed you." "I gave myself to you never asking for anything." "Neither did I ever mind if you're a gent or a tramp." "A human or a dirty worm that deserves being squashed." "Did I ever mind?" "Did I?" "Maybe that's why I got tired of you, Vana." "'Cause you never minded what I was." "Stathis, don't go!" "I'm drunk and talking nonsense!" "I swear, Stathis!" "Go back home, Vana." "This life is like poison slowly killing people." "Go back before it's too late." "Before all paths close for you, too." "As for me, forget me." "Say that I never existed." "Take her home and don't come back." "I'll walk back." "Want anything else?" "No." "Tomorrow as agreed?" "Stathis!" "Get up." "You said we'd leave early?" "What time is it?" "Nearing eight." "Mano!" "See who it is." "Stathis, it's for you." "I'll wait outside." "Come in." "Hello, Stathis." "Strange seeing me here again, right?" "Indeed." "I was off to work and stopped to say good morning." "You started work?" "A year now." "I came to thank you, Stathis." "What for?" "I did a good thing and I'm not aware of it?" "You are well aware of it, Stathis." "Vana came home early last night." "Feeling shame and disgust for herself." "You're not well informed, Stella." "Last night I insulted Vana 'cause I'm sick of her, that's all." "No need to thank me at all." "Tell me, Stathis." "What is it making you ashamed for the good you have in you?" "I don't understand." "I've just started understanding you, though." "You're a strange person, Stathis." "Good and evil are swirling in you like knives." "I call you a wastrel and you smile." "I call you good and you startle." "Why?" "Goodbye, Stathis." "And thanks." "Greek Red Cross Announcements" "Everyone having any information on the following missing persons please notify Red Cross Service on 21 September 3rd Street." "During Christmas Days missing from his house at St. Fanourios area was Christos Rodis son of Theofanis and Dimitra and born in Athens." "Rodis is fifteen years old of average height with brown hair and eyes." "His mother Dimitra is asking him to return home." "Hello Mrs. Zoidou, what'll it be today?" " I'd like some fruit." " Help yourself, madam." "Sir?" "A kilo of pears, please." "Coming up." "Alekos dear!" "Where've you been, my friend?" "I've called and called, how are you?" " Fine, you need any help?" " I need to thank you, my good man!" "You saved her, dear Alekos!" "In spite of doctors' inability to help incurable disease and all, we had to show our strength etc and we started mourning for the old woman." "But as soon as she finishes the second bottle of your medicine, she rises as good as new!" " Your pears, Sir. 10 please." " No, leave it." "Why not come by the house?" "She wants to thank you herself." " I'm busy right now." " OK." "I'll need 3 more bottles." "I'll see." "Though it's not that easy now." " Why?" " They're after it." " Afraid of losing their buyers." " Damn them exploiters!" " They've taken all I had!" " Anyway..." "Bye now." "God bless you!" "Don't forget to call me at the office when you have the bottles." "Sir..." "Are you talking to me?" "I'm sorry to bother you." "To take up your time." "Not at all, my lady." "Is anything the matter?" "A few minutes ago, while you were shopping..." "I was standing next to you." "And I heard your conversation with your friend." "I'm losing my husband, Sir." "We've been struggling for months now." "I took him to all doctors available..." "They all come to the same conclusion." "They say there's no medicine." "No possible salvation!" "I know I'm a stranger to you..." "But do it for your soul's well-being." "He has a family, Sir." "He doesn't want to leave us." "He's fighting hard to keep himself alive." "Sir..." "I'm pleading you, Sir!" "Got any cash?" "None at all." "Hey, this is getting too far already." "Too much waiting." "What I know for sure is our empty pockets." "What do you say, Thanassis?" "What's there to say, boys?" "Things are bad, ok." "But we won't find another one like Stathis." "Yeah, big deal..." "I say let's wait." "He's in a phase, he'll get over it." "What phase is this?" "He doesn't even talk about it." "Know what?" "Mihalis was much better." "We knew where we were at." "Right, tall man?" "I say let's go see him tonight." "Mihalis is a man you can talk to." "Agreed Thanassis?" "She'll be here soon." "Yes?" "Enter." "I said enter, didn't you hear?" "What do you want?" "To leave a message." " Is this the right office?" " Yes, it is." "It is about a woman." " Missing since the Occupation." " What are you to her?" "A relative." "We'd like to know if she's dead or alive." "You know." "OK, what did you say her name was?" "Maria Kouyas." "Or Rosa." "Rosa?" "She was a performer in a cabaret." "Born in?" "Nafpaktos, 1906." "And she went missing?" "In 1943." "She also left a child at the Orphanage." "Sign here and take one copy next door to get a number for it." "And bring it back here, eh?" " Am I very late?" " Of course you are!" "I have both my and your stuff to do." "Come now, you nag." "Any newcomers?" " A new message." " Who from?" "A guy who's gone next door." "There's this lady, too." "Give me a minute, please." "Can I have the copy, please?" "That'll be all." "From next week it'll be on the radio." "Stathis..." "There's something crucial missing from the message." "That child abandoned by Maria Kouya..." "Was it a boy?" "Or a girl?" "A boy." "His name?" "Efstathios." "Did you come for me?" "Yes." "Anything wrong?" "You used to walk past my house once." "I've found a shorter cut now." "That message about your mother's been on the radio for 2 weeks now." "Are you not interested to know about it?" "Not important." "I've forgotten this story already." "This story you've never managed to forget not even for a minute, Stathis." "Be good and stop it, Stella." "So, that's it." "You feel shame." "All your life you've been trying to hide out of shame man's finest feeling." " A child's grievance..." " Stop it I said!" "We've got no answer to the message but we can try tracing her." "In nursing homes, asylums..." "In the hospitals of Syngrou and Dafni..." "All over." "I have contacts in these Institutions." "I can help you." "I want to help you." "Why?" "You don't know?" "Then let me tell you why." "You're one of those women born half nurse and half angel." "Your kick comes from discovering patients so you can heal their wounds." "Or sinners so you can send them to Paradise." "I'm not what you think, though, Stella." "I'm no cherubim with a broken white wing." "I am what you see me to be." "Scum." "If you must know about my mother..." "Yes, I will." "I'll keep looking for her..." "Grab her hair and ask her..." "Where did you dump your five-year-old child?" "Where?" "Forgive me." "I've had a few drinks and started shouting for no reason." "Stathis." "I'll get entrance passes for those Institutions and we'll search for her." "And that's not because I'm half nurse and half angel." "Because I'm a woman, Stathis." "Only because of that." "Turn off the light!" "Vana..." "Don't touch me!" "Where will you go at this hour?" "I love him, Vana." "Hello?" "Yes, Messaging Service." "What was that?" "Hold on please." "Come Stella, sit at your post for once!" "Hello, yes?" "Tell me the address, please." "Drapetsona..." "Street?" "Number?" "Thank you very much." "I must go." "Find an excuse for me, if needed." "Hello." "Welcome, dear." "Are you the new tenants for the little room?" "No, we're looking for a woman." "We were told she lives in this yard." "Even if she's in the neighbourhood, just give me the name and I'll tell you." "Maria." "Maria Kouya." "Kouya?" "There's no Kouya woman here." "We were called and told she lives here." "I can't help you, lady." "This woman is also called Rosa." "Now you're talking, man of God!" "No Kouya then." "It's Rosa that you want." "Rosa!" "Rosa!" "What's the shrieking for, woman?" "Step outside." "You've got guests, you fool!" "Where's my guests, Harikleia?" "You blind or what?" "The young man and the young lady are asking for you." "Are you now?" "We're looking for a certain Rosa." "That's me." "Rosa's famous by name!" "Here, please enter!" "Here's my mansion." "I don't have anything left to offer you." "Unless you have any little bottle with you." "Tell me please." "What's your real name?" "Rosa, woman." "I've said it's Rosa." "The one we're looking for was called Ma..." "Lady, that's exactly what all men are like, scum!" "What's your real name?" "It's Rosa, little boy." "Don't you like the name?" "Rosa what?" "Rosa nothing." "I have no other name and if I ever did I've forgotten it and it's no business of yours." "Where did you work during the Occupation?" "In a cabaret." "And then?" "Then came an Italian man." "He brainwashed me into going with him to Padova and marrying him." "That beast!" "And you..." "Did you go?" "I went of course." "That's why I'm telling you, woman." "They're all scum." "What did you do with the child you had?" "What child?" "I never had a child." "What did you do with your little boy?" "Say it." "I gave it." "Where?" "To the Orphanage." "What was his name?" "He was five and a half years old, we were both starving..." "What was his name?" "What was his name?" "Stathis." "Stathis Kouyas." "Stathis?" "Stathis!" "My boy, my little boy!" "My tiny little boy!" "Forty." "Forty." "Advantage." "Pass." "Full of nine." "Dolly." "Hi Vana." "Hello." "Hi Thanassis." "Heard the news?" "We don't need a news bulletin." "Hey, the world is upside down." "Three sixes." "Three Queens." "Bad luck tonight!" "Let's hear it, Thanassis." "Stathis..." "What about him?" "He found his mother who was missing for 20 years." "She was a cabaret girl and how she's turned into an alcoholic junk." "He paid off her rents at the shithouse and he rented a flat in New Elvetia for her to live like a lady." " Ten." " Ace." "Thirty." "Fifty." "Call." "How's the exercise?" "They were right telling you were in smashing business." "Say..." "You're the contractor of all this?" "Hold it a sec and have a talk." "We heard stories about you." "You found your mother laying somewhere and decided to live with her in quiet." "If you have no objection..." "Nothing but." "It's ever so touching." "But the boys here asked me to take things over." "And I want to be straightforward with you." "So..." "You split?" "I split." "For good..." "For good." "Perhaps you can inform us about what you intend to live on?" "Like all people do, Vana." "Meaning?" "Through work." "What we did up to now was no life." "It was a well." "Only you're forgetting that you opened this well." "He opened it and now he's closing it." "He may soon fall into it and close it ever firmer." "He's entitled to it." "We'll talk again, little boy." "Don't forget to kiss your mother for me." " Am I late?" " Not at all." "Look Stella." "Fist salary of my life!" "We have to celebrate, are you in?" "You bet I am!" "Which path is still open... for me to walk on it..." "To find out my dark Destiny... and gravely talk to Her..." "The two of us sitting in a corner... and having a long talk..." "Who's the one who determined... our black predestination..." "If Night's a craftsman... and Death is a rock..." "The days left of Sorrow, oh world... are only counted on your fingers..." "The two of us sitting in a corner... and having a long talk..." "Who's the one who determined... our black predestination." "The gentleman." "Let's leave, Stathis." "Let's leave, please." "I spoiled your evening." "I know." "You spoiled nothing." "I felt a tight grip in my heart, Stathis." "I didn't want to hurt her in their presense." "It might have driven her to worse things." "Listen, Stella." "You may be right." "But Vana has to accept it." "Once and for all." "We can't spend our lives hiding." "Can we?" "I have two rings in my pocket." "Cheap but delicate." "Tomorrow you're coming home." "To my mother." "And you'll wear one of the two." "Would you like that?" "Tomorrow, Stella." "Who is it this time?" "It's me." "Stathis." "Who's this Stathis?" "Leave the bottle alone, did it put your eye out?" "Give me the bottle, please." "Stay put." "Stay put!" "I'll make you some black coffee and you'll never have another drink." "You hear?" "What's wrong, mother?" "You gone mad?" "Go to hell, for all I care!" "Stop this dancing." "Cut it out!" "You're way too much, you are!" "OK listen and that's final." "You want me to be your mother, fine." "Or your aunt or godmother or whatever you want, suit yourself!" "But Rosa can't be dry not for a moment!" "What was that?" "Exactly what I said!" "First you go and ask around about Rosa then you can put me in the cage!" "Sonny of mine!" "Sonny of mine!" "What did you say?" "Don't..." "Don't..." "Hold it, boy..." "Don't..." "Tell me what your name is." "Rosa." "The other one." "Real one." "I'm asking you, damn it!" "You're not Maria Kouya..." "Are you?" "Did you owe the rents you made me pay?" "So, it was all about money, eh?" "You heard I was looking for my mother..." "You sold me a phony one so that I fork over the cash." "Did you..." "Did you?" "Not my fault." "Whose then?" "Say whose fault was it?" "You're not doing this for yourself." "Speak." "Speak." "Speak!" "Mihalis..." "How's your mother, Stathis?" "You sold a phony mother to me, scum?" "I sold you what you sell others all day." "Hope!" "Enough, Stathis!" "Get them!" "Eng. subs by never4ever for KG Sept. 2014"