"What the hell?" "Help me!" "Open the door!" "Open the door, please!" "Pass me the tissues." "Call the police." "Damn, it's sticky." "Or an ambulance." "Come on." "Get in, it's the cops." "What're you doing?" "Calling an ambulance." "Are you nuts?" "There's blood there!" "So?" "Turn it off." "We have to wash the car." "What about the girl?" "What girl?" "Hello, Gran." "It's your mother." "What a pity." "Paul just left." "Yes, of course." "I'm late but it's okay, come on up." "What a pain!" "She has a gift for you." "I'm not here." "Gran..." "Hello, Helene." "I'm late." "I brought this." "Walnut oil." "Thanks, I'll tell him you're in Paris." "He knows, he's busy?" "Frantic, can he call you?" "I'm at the Alton." "As usual." "How's the boy?" "Fine, he's his own place now." "You must miss him." "He's always in a rush, like us." "Tell Paul to call me." "I will." "Bye Gran." "Good-bye." "Paul." "She's gone." "I'm off." "She brought you..." "Walnut oil." "You take the elevator." "You go." "It's your mother." "Tell her I've left." "Sorry, he's at his class." "Never mind, I brought him a kettle." "A kettle?" "Mind if I leave it?" "Come on up." "Here I come." "She's coming up." "That's great, thanks." "See you soon." "Yes, yesterday evening." "A young woman attacked near Pigalle." "I'm a relative, which hospital?" "St Georges." "Intensive care." "Number?" "is that for me?" "No." "Excuse me..." "A girl was brought here on Sunday..." "Yes, follow me." "Here you are." "Good evening." "Number sixteen, please." "Any messages?" "No." "I bought Fabrice a kettle." "I took it round yesterday." "You don't give a damn." "No." "And then I..." "Working?" "No, picking flowers." "What if she calls?" "Who?" "Your mother." "I called her." "I'll let you finish your bouquet." "What's wrong?" "Cardiac arrest!" "Call Filland." "I already did." "Stand back." "Are you a relative?" "I witnessed the attack, and just came to see how she is." "You don't know her family?" "No." "We must find them." "It's cardiac arrest." "It's touch and go." "Meaning?" "It's bad." "You're well, at least." "Yes, very well." "I'll pay then." "No, let me." "Let me, Mom." "Excuse me." "I may visit after grape picking." "Will you be free then?" "Helene, are you ready?" "We're late!" "Could you wait outside, please?" "Yes, forgive me..." "This is my seventh message." "Why have a mobile if you never listen to messages?" "It's 10 pm, I cancelled the Benoits." "I suppose you forgot." "They'd done a roast and all." "They were very polite, but furious." "How's the girl in 8?" "Stable." "No change." "You should go home." "Can I sleep here?" "Sorry, no one sleeps over." "Except for people with kids here." "Good night." "Helene?" "I cancelled our dinner at 8:30." "The roast and lemon pie were cooked." "It won't be easy to placate them." "Where's your mobile?" "My mobile?" "It has a message service." "So?" "When did you last check?" "Where were you?" "Are you getting jealous on me?" "Well?" "She's over the worst." "The police want to see you." "We have a few questions." "What's wrong exactly?" "I need some time off." "A holiday?" "No." "is it Paul?" "We're fine..." "This isn't really a good time..." "I'll take the urgent files and fax you." "Why did you call the cops?" "I didn't." "So what do they want from me?" "Enquiries." "If you didn't, how did they find me?" "I went to see the girl in hospital." "Said I was a witness." "They questioned me." "What hospital?" "You're crazy!" "What do you care about her?" "I don't." "She might die, I don't know..." "What did you tell the cops?" "You realize what we risk?" "We risk nothing." "Nothing at all." "I never said you locked the car doors and didn't even help her." "I said I was there alone." "You've nothing to worry about." "They seek pimps who beat up a hooker." "I bet they won't be too diligent." "I don't want any hassle, okay?" "I get the message." "No hassle." "It's easy to walk away from trouble." "You have the nerve to say that to me?" "Have you noticed anyone missing?" "Missing?" "A girl." "Ten days ago." "Not really..." "Beaten up by three guys..." "No. ls she dead?" "We don't know yet." "Good morning, miss." "I have an injection for your drip." "It may sting but it won't last long." "How are you today?" "Any pain?" "You talk to her?" "Yes." "Can she hear you?" "Yes." "In a coma?" "Sure." "They tell us about it after." "If you can hear me..." "My name's Helene." "What can I say?" "I don't know you." "I'd like you to live." "Hi, Dad." "Hello, Paul." "Good evening, Florence." "Isn't Mom in?" "She's away for a few days." "Where?" "No idea." "I've come for a few CDs." "We're splitting up." "It's not official but..." "You couldn't care less." "I do care." "You don't." "It's just we've got friends waiting..." "Go on then." "See you." "Hello." "Are you relatives?" "No, friends." "Seen the supervisor?" "First door on the right." "We need information on her." "When can she leave?" "Not for a while, she'll be moved soon." "Where?" "Down the corridor." "We'll see the supervisor then." "You saw the visitors?" "No." "They said they'd come." "They left." "What?" "I saw them take the stairs." "Do you know them?" "Your heart and lungs are working again." "You'll change wards soon." "I don't know what to bring..." "There were two men here." "Shifty." "Don't know what they wanted." "I hope this message will reach you in the next six months." "I need my linen suit ironed for tomorrow." "I don't have Rosario's number and I won't see her at home." "Can you get her to iron the black suit on our bed?" "Thanks." "I can't give you a patient's bed." "So a mattress and blanket on the floor?" "Until she can manage alone." "It'll take some time." "You mean she'll stay paralysed?" "No idea." "Will she be able to speak again?" "I need to make a phone call... but I can't use my mobile because I haven't been home for... several days... and all the appliances... to recharge a mobile, they're at home." "It's a nuisance because a mobile, is a good way to talk to each other." "You can stay in touch, see." "So now I need to find a phone... a pay phone, because..." "Please, where's the pay phone?" "In the basement." "See, I didn't need six months." "Anyway, if the ironing was an excuse to get in touch with me, we're in touch." "If you called because you really need someone to do your ironing, all I can say is... find some other sucker." "You want something?" "If you do, squeeze my hand." "Can you blink?" "Try to blink." "Squeeze my hand." "Never mind, nurse says it'll come back." "I'm not going." "Bloody mobile." "Shit suit." "I'm not going." "You wonder why I'm here." "I wonder too." "My life's a mess." "So is yours." "Will someone look after you later?" "What was that?" "Am I seeing things?" "You're moving?" "You're moving a foot?" "The right foot..." "Hello, Paul." "Can I have a word?" "Florence, is something wrong?" "I need a word." "Excuse me..." "Fabrice is cheating on me." "With Charlotte, another student." "She's pregnant by another guy..." "Who?" "Charlotte." "When I confronted him, he didn't deny it." "Really?" "Said he's going out with her." "Really..?" "We're officially engaged." "I know." "When I said I'd leave he said fine." "But I don't want to leave." "No." "He told me he was with her." "At your place?" "I have all my things there." "We're not married but..." "He's heartless." "Sorry, I can't talk right now." "What should I do?" "You know him." "Forget him, find another guy." "Love only exists in magazines." "You think so?" "I'm sure." "Stare straight ahead." "Take a deep breath." "Move your right foot." "Good, now move your left foot." "Move your left foot." "Move your left foot." "The left side should be moving too." "Won't it ever move again?" "Partial paralysis is better than total." "I'm not trying to get in touch with you but we do share a number of things." "Mail's piling up, Fabrice is cheating, people keep leaving you messages, the dishwasher's blocked." "Don't get in touch with me, just try to act like an adult and sort out what you need to sort out." "That's all." "Paul." "She's in." "How about your place?" "My boyfriend's in." "Wait here, I'll talk to her." "Don't be long." "I need cigarettes." "Wait for me in bed." "Give me a kiss." "Where've you been?" "It's a waste of time talking to her." "Let her stew." "Shall we find a hotel?" "It's not as sexy as what you had on." "Pyjamas." "I got some tops too." "Look." "Like them?" "Try to blink." "You can't?" "I'll wash your things." "There you are..." "You're hard to find." "Sign the old man's proxy." "Want me to unplug this?" "Do you?" "Sign it!" "Someone there?" "What's going on?" "You're hurt." "They came back?" "What do you mean?" "One of them?" "Just one man was here?" "I took care of that, I have to pop out." "I need to let the police know." "I won't be long." "Don't worry." "He won't be back." "Want to make 200 francs?" "You bet." "Nothing sexual, just a phone call." "Hello, is that the police?" "There's a guy under a tarp at St Georges hospital, by the path to the Clorau Ward, near the car exit." "Yes, under a tarp." "The guy's a pimp." "You've been after him for a while." "She moved her left thumb." "Just like this." "It was her left thumb, the one near the window." "Tell Florence I don't need your problems." "She called?" "No, turned up at lunch." "Did she come on to you?" "No!" "Not your type?" "I've got 15 women in my office ready to lick me all over just because I'm the boss." "And a list of girls for an evening." "Nice, unemotional girls." "Keep Florence, I don't need the trouble." "Youngsters are useless in bed." "I get my real kicks from my work." "From winning in my job." "Women are just years of hassle." "You didn't see anyone?" "It's very busy..." "We caught a pimp who may know her." "He was out cold near the ward." "Really?" "Out cold?" "With a lump on his head." "Why?" "Some gangland score." "is she talking yet?" "No." "Do you know her name?" "Noemie Totka, 22." "Works the city fringes." "Mom?" "Florence wrecked my place." "It may need some work done on it." "Seen the grater?" "Isn't it there?" "Then I don't know." "I'll buy some grated cheese." "Watch this." "We have plenty of cheese!" "But no grater" "So look for it!" "I've been looking for an hour." "When's Mom due back?" "She isn't." "How do we manage, then?" "This kitchen's a disaster." "I want to see Fabrice." "What time is it?" "It's 3 in the morning." "I had trouble getting in." "I can imagine." "Where's his room?" "This way, miss." "The name's Charlotte." "I don't believe this." "I don't believe it!" "The stupid little shits..." "I must be dreaming." "Fabrice, it's 9:45." "Don't you have a class today?" "Okay..." "I'm getting up." "I need to go home to pick up my mobile things, to check on my son, my job..." "But I'm stuck here." "Scared to leave you." "Wash your dishes before you go to bed." "Dried tomato sauce makes me heave." "How do I clean it?" "Try a sponge, it might work..." "That's not for me." "Nor for me!" "You go, I'm not dressed." "Pain in the ass." "What are you here for?" "Guess." "To trash this place too?" "is she here?" "Yes." "I don't care, I'm staying till she goes." "You'll need the cops to get me out." "Can you swallow yet?" "She can't manage it." "It takes a while, speech is even longer." "Stewed fruit tomorrow." "Do you like stewed apples?" "Shall I buy you something else?" "Yoghurt?" "Cottage cheese?" "Chocolate dessert?" "Chocolate?" "She really wants to." "Good." "Nice and easy." "It's too wide." "Okay Charles?" "Not great Pelagie." "What's wrong Charles?" "Gladys is leaving me." "Really?" "When did she tell you?" "Hello, Charles." "Hello, Pelagie." "How are you today Gladys?" "Very well, thank you Pelagie." "And you?" "I'm well, thank you." "I'm Pelagie." "I'm Charles and I'm not well." "I don't believe it..." "I'm not washing your things." "Who asked you to?" "There's bras and panties in the machine." "No one told you to do a wash." "No chance of that." "I don't know how the thing works." "The nurse'll give you chocolate dessert." "It's Nicole today, the nice one." "I'll be back later or in the morning." "I have to pop home." "Are you sulking?" "Don't worry, they'll watch your room." "Your toothpaste is in that drawer." "Let them brush your teeth." "Noemie, look at me." "Okay, don't look at me." "I'm not abandoning you, I'll come back." "Look at me." "Look after her." "No problem." "Rosario?" "Hello, Florence." "Hello, Helene, Rosario's already left." "is Fabrice here?" "No, he's at university." "He sleeps here?" "We had a problem at the flat." "We're back here for a while." "Intensive care?" "is Noemie Totka still there?" "I'm her uncle, just flew in." "How is she?" "She's walking..." "But still not talking." "Can we come to see her?" "Tell Fabrice we've gone shopping until about seven." "All right." "There's no bread." "That's okay." "You could buy some." "Oh, right..." "The fridge is empty too." "Are you taking a bath?" "I don't know." "We hung all our laundry over the tub." "So you should wait with the bath." "Just stay nice and quiet." "If the nurse comes, I'm your uncle." "Or I'll redesign your face." "Madam leaves, madam returns, drops everything, the house is a mess..." "How can I shop?" "I leave at 8 am and work till 8:30 pm, assuming I don't have a late meeting." "Are you listening?" "Yes." "You have nothing to say?" "No, it only sounds like me." "Will she write again one day?" "Once they walk, the rest follows." "Can we take her out?" "Sure, it's a nice day." "Just for an hour or so." "It'll do you good to get out." "Staying in bed is bad for you." "She can't walk." "I'll get her wheelchair." "Don't get so excited, Noemie." "Calm down, okay?" "I'll catch up on work, one more week." "It's the first time I've taken off in twenty years with you!" "Okay, I'll call you tomorrow." "Where are they?" "Who?" "The girls." "No idea." "Oh, shopping until seven." "Together?" "Yes, together." "Together how?" "Well, together." "They were at war yesterday." "They've made up now." "I don't get it." "Hello, intensive care?" "Nicole?" "It's Helene, Noemie's friend." "is everything okay?" "What kind of shopping?" "Her uncle?" "She has an uncle?" "Fine..." "So everything's okay?" "Yes, some fresh air will do her good." "Tell her I'll be back tomorrow morning." "When will they be back?" "Here we are." "Your friend will be back tomorrow." "What friend?" "She's been here all month." "All month?" "Yes, she sleeps here." "Really?" "She sleeps here?" "You don't know her?" "They're all the same." "They trap us and stick like glue." "Maybe you're not in love." "I am, I swear." "Who with?" "Both of them." "And them?" "They're both chasing me." "Maybe it's not just a walk..." "What?" "Maybe they've come back." "Who?" "What a fool I am." "What an idiot!" "I don't believe it." "I just don't believe it." "Where are you going?" "See you later." "It can't be..." "What?" "Nothing." "Drive faster, please." "Who's this friend?" "Did she put Touki in hospital and jail?" "Give us the old man's proxy, or you'll be with 15 of us in a room." "It'll be dead easy with a mute." "Stop here." "If you wait I'll give you two more." "Stop!" "How are you, Noemie?" "You're taking her out?" "For a walk." "You can't." "What do you mean?" "Who are you?" "I'm a nurse on her ward." "You have to sign a release." "We signed it." "And does she want to go?" "Of course." "You want to go with them?" "Clear off you old bat!" "Pardon me?" "!" "Cut the crap." "I'll get security." "I'm her uncle." "Bastard!" "Scum!" "Piss off!" "We're being attacked!" "Call the police!" "Stop them!" "Help!" "Drive!" "Drive anywhere, but just drive!" "You screamed, Now you'll talk." "Gran?" "Are you home, Gran?" "Well, fancy that..." "They kidnapped her." "They didn't take her." "So who did?" "A woman." "If they can prove they didn't take her, they'd better do it fast, because we've got witnesses." "The nurses saw her leave with them." "And we have a precise description." "Meaning?" "Meaning we'd better find her soon." "Do you like asparagus?" "Do you like the walnut oil dressing?" "I don't have quilts." "I only have linen sheets." "Wedding presents." "You sleep well in them." "What's the matter?" "Are you crying?" "Why are you crying?" "No classes today?" "When do you start?" "Nine." "It's 8:30." "Cutting it a bit fine." "I'll go to 10 o'clock class." "Like a fitness club." "Every hour..." "Make an effort or your allowance goes." "Police, I'd like to speak to Mrs. Vidal." "So would I." "I've got some leeks from the garden." "Shop ones are never any good." "We can't cook, we'll be at hotels." "They're already cooked." "We can always eat them as a snack." "I brought cutlery too." "You find cutlery everywhere." "You never know." "We may stop for a picnic." "I'm so happy." "I'm going to enjoy this!" "Okay, the sea or the Poitou Marshes?" "The sea." "Did you speak?" "Cool!" "Led Zeppelin." "A cool band." "It's Fabrice's." "I'll put it on." "You'll love it." "What about his clothes?" "Put them in a bag in the cupboard." "I need you to go to Paris to do something for me." "What?" "You have to go get my passport." "I need to know where she may have gone." "Where do we start?" "Her parents." "They're dead." "Yours then." "Not my mother's." "Why not?" "It's the last place she'd ever go." "We'll check." "Brothers and sisters?" "I had him late and spoiled him." "How so?" "It annoyed him." "He won't see me now." "I go to a hotel in Paris once a year." "Wait over a month before I can see him, then he gives in, I see him in a bar for half an hour and return home." "I'm fed up with this case." "Why do we get cases like this?" "It's just an old bag and a hooker..." "What does the hospital care?" "She's run away, that's all." "Just one more hooker on the streets." "She won't be on the streets just yet." "Look..." "Are they ours?" "They're too young." "What if it's a trick?" "She's my boyfriend's mom." "Seen her lately?" "No." "Not for a while." "Could I see some id, please?" "I have nothing to do with this." "Odd, Mr Vidal said this place was empty, trashed by vandals." "is he lying?" "Well, actually..." "No." "He's not lying." "I dealt with it." "We tidied up." "But we didn't tell him, so he's not really lying." "Can you say that again?" "Have you got it?" "I've got them both." "Who's this Malika?" "Me." "And Zora?" "My sister." "Can you explain?" "I was born in Algiers in 1978." "My mother was 17, my father was 52." "He was a construction worker in Paris." "Had a French passport and a good salary." "The marriage was arranged." "He paid my grandfather 10,000 francs." "In Paris he had another wife." "They had two children." "He came to Algiers every two years to get my mother pregnant." "When I was 8, my mother fell in love with a neighbour." "They were found in my mother's bed." "She was beaten unconscious by her father." "Three days later, my father took us away." "There were four of us." "My 2 brothers, Zora, my baby sister, and me." "We had to leave my mother." "I never saw her again." "Her lover married in another town." "My mother hanged herself." "We moved to a 2 room flat in Paris with my father's other family." "His wife told him:" "You take care of them." "I won't cook a thing for them." "At night, after school, I'd cook for my sister and brothers after the others finished." "We slept on 2 mattresses on the floor." "I was a good student at school and so was Zora." "I read a lot." "My brothers hated school." "I raised them like that for 8 years." "When I was 16 we had a visitor." "This was in May, a month before finals." "I'd skipped two years." "An old man came and told me he was taking me to Algiers for a holiday." "He looked at my teeth and told my father I was skinny." "They got me a passport." "That's when I learned I was French." "On June 30th, I went by train to Marseilles with my father but at the ship, I asked:" "Dad?" "Yes." "Are you marrying me to that man?" "Why do you ask?" "If you are, I'm glad." "I like him." "Good, he paid 20,000 francs for you." "I took to my heels." "Malika!" "Where are you going?" "Malika, come back!" "My father had my passport." "I ran for an hour and a half." "I hid in parks or backyards." "But after two days, I was hungry." "I begged." "One guy was nice to me." "His name was Touki." "Hi, what are you doing here?" "How about having a drink with me?" "He bought me food." "He offered to put me up." "Sleep here, I'll sleep there." "No problem." "I told him my story." "I suspected nothing." "He was a pimp." "He took me to a house in the country." "In fact, it was a schooling house." "Touki?" "Touki, open the door!" "I spent two months in a room, beaten and raped 8-10 times a day." "There were seven girls." "I never saw them, just heard them." "They started me on heroin." "By the end, I was hooked." "Back in Marseilles, they kitted me out and put me on the streets." "God knows how many tricks I turned." "They watched me at first but they backed off when they saw I worked well." "They got me a fake passport for the cops and a daily dose of smack." "Once, I ran off with the day's takings." "I managed to last three days but withdrawal was tough and I couldn't find dope." "I went back to my turf." "Let go of me!" "You fuckers!" "Let go!" "I don't want to go in there!" "They sent me back to the house for four weeks, two without drugs." "After that, I kept a low profile, for a year or so." "The day I turned 18, I said to Touki:" "We could make more in Paris." "The bosses gave the go-ahead." "They like to keep the goods moving." "I worked the outer boulevards." "I made more money." "One day, I went to the housing project." "I waited until my stepmother left, then rang the bell." "Zora was twelve." "She was alone in the house." "Malika..." "I searched in my father's room, where he kept important documents." "I took my passport, and Zora's too." "In case you live with me..." "Me?" "Yes, but don't tell anyone I came." "When my brothers came home, they didn't know how to react." "Okay?" "What're you doing here?" "What d'you mean?" "Dad'll kill you." "My stepmother came and started screaming." "Get out!" "Get out!" "You're not one of us anymore!" "So get lost!" "I left and haven't seen them since." "But I had the passports." "Back on the streets all I could think of was how to quit that life." "Every day, I'd put money aside." "50 francs, 100, in different places." "I started kicking the drugs in secret." "I'd hide one dose a week, then two or three." "It was tough but no one found out." "8 months later," "I was clean." "They kept supplying me." "When I behaved, I'd get nights off." "Got the dough?" "I could sell my dope and hide the dough." "Then, I got into finance." "I asked Touki and the others how they laundered money." "What's going on?" "Get to work!" "Touki was useless, but others explained." "I'd read about the stock market." "One day, I tipped off a big shot in the organization, Pali." "Luckily, it worked." "He made a fortune." "Pali then told me about computers, the Internet and so on." "I learned fast..." "And he gave me a portfolio." "It was easy." "I got in on start-ups and he made money." "I wanted to try with my own money, so I got Touki to open an account." "He was wary until I told him he could make money." "I used my fake passport." "I was scared they'd find the passports and Zora." "If they know where your family is, they've got you." "I made good money in stocks." "Unfortunately, Pali found out..." "Good evening." "And sent me to a schooling camp in Italy for a month." "When I got back out, I had a bout of septicaemia." "I was useful." "So they didn't let me die." "They stuffed me with antibiotics and let me rest." "I tried to find someone to help me." "I tried SOS Racism to start with." "I told my story to this man, my father's age." "After two minutes, he told me his job was to fight racism, not help women who disgraced Islam." "I went home, called Pali and told him" "I wanted to move on." "I'm too classy for the streets, give me the big shots." "He said okay, we would try it." "I took a train to Geneva to do rich old men in swank hotels." "Touki held on to my fake passport." "I'd hidden mine and my sister's in the lining of my bag." "I had experience." "I'd talked to other girls." "I knew about rich old men." "In 18 months, I'd ruined four." "That one." "Very good." "All the dough went to the network." "None for me." "They were happy." "As for me..." "I had a plan." "Blanchet." "Seriously ill." "Divorced, lonely, very rich." "I turned the flamethrower on him." "You meet at a cocktail party, dressed up fancy." "I'm so sorry." "Are you all right?" "Let me get you another glass." "Cheers..." "You look sad." "He takes an interest." "You're an orphan." "He wants to help." "You refuse." "You hate younger men and feel so alone." "Things stay platonic." "Miss Noemie Totka, please." "She's out." "He calls all week." "You don't reply." "Miss Totka, please." "One day, you call." "You're depressed and need to see him." "I'm not well and really depressed." "Can you come to room 3614, the Richmond?" "He comes in." "You run to him, weeping..." "Thank you for coming so soon." "And turn on the flamethrower." "I want you." "You fake an orgasm, wake the neighbours." "He lets himself go." "Round one." "He dozes off." "You let him stew, then to the second round." "That's when you hook him for good." "At 5 am, he gets his wake-up call." "Third round: you leave." "No news for a month." "He goes crazy." "He searches for you." "He can afford to." "You hide out." "You reappear, lay the cards on the table" "By the lake?" "If he wants to play, he has to pay." "That's what I did with Blanchet." "Just before dying, he said:" "I'm going to die." "Do you love me?" "No sir, I'm a hooker." "I love you." "You'd love any young flesh." "No, you're different." "You're so tough." "Just doing my job." "I want to give you something." "As you wish." "What would you like?" "Money, sir." "Don't call me sir." "How much?" "Not how much." "Meaning?" "All of it." "Meaning?" "I want everything." "Your Swiss account, stocks and shares, and your bank safety deposit." "I don't want the real estate." "That's a lot." "It'll never be enough for me." "Half a billion dollars." "Tomorrow at nine?" "At the bank, he transferred all his money and shares to my account in another bank, opened under my real name, Malika Tarek." "I took the jewels away in a plastic bag." "I gave him one last good time." "That night, on the net," "I moved the money from Luxemburg to Panama, via Hong Kong and the Caymans, before depositing it all in Basel." "Blanchet died a few days later." "The network asked for what he'd left me." "They were happy with the jewels." "I came back to Paris." "They gave me my old turf." "I hid the passport then." "I could tell things would get nasty." "Blanchet's son and ex-wife kicked up one hell of a fuss." "It made the headlines." "I knew the money was safe... but the network figured it all out." "You'll end up in trash, shithead!" "Count on that!" "They wanted to know where the money was, and make me sign a proxy." "Bastards!" "Let go of me!" "But I denied everything." "Where's the money?" "I didn't do anything!" "Where's the money?" "What money?" "I'd have died rather than lose my money." "Sign the proxy." "I won't sign it!" "Okay, I'll sign, but I need to pee." "Go on." "I nearly did die, in fact." "One night," "I tried to escape." "She's done a runner!" "They came after me." "I ran like crazy down the street." "I headed for a car." "It stopped." "I tried to get in." "There was a couple..." "They locked the doors." "So the others caught me." "I'd love to meet the shits in that car." "I ended up in hospital." "I know the rest." "How come?" "I met you in the hospital." "What were you doing there?" "I'm glad you told me all that." "Bye Gran." "I can call a taxi for you..." "There's no need, thank you." "You're always welcome in Basel." "Good-bye" "Until I get my credit cards, this should do it." "Everything's fine." "Don't get carried away." "What?" "What do the police want me for?" "The hospital's pressing charges?" "Illegal discharge?" "Kidnapping?" "She was in danger, so she ran away to hide." "I just happened to be with her." "Stop shouting." "I hate it when he shouts." "You won't be bothered." "Your life'll be as smooth as a lake." "We're not arguing on the phone." "I'll be back Thursday." "You can bark all you like then." "No, I can't say where I am." "Midday." "No, I'm not with her." "No, I don't know where she is." "Okay." "See you." "Was that your husband?" "Something like that." "Heavy... Inspector Marsat?" "Paul Vidal here." "My wife just called to..." "You know?" "I don't know where she is..." "Really?" "Basel?" "So you know everything." "Exactly, Thursday morning." "Looks like my phone's well tapped." "Good to know one's not alone." "We split up in Paris." "Cops'll be there." "What on earth for?" "Your man seems fishy..." "What?" "I bet he locks his car door when someone calls for help." "What do you mean by that?" "It's just an example." "Hold on, not every man's a bastard." "Think he'd call the cops?" "I don't know." "Come on." "How could the cops know where we are?" "By tapping his phone." "You're being paranoid." "They mustn't learn my real name." "At the airport, we're strangers." "This is my card." "And my mobile number." "Back to your ordinary life?" "You know..." "Those bastards who locked their doors?" "That was me and my husband." "Later, I looked for you, found you and haven't left you since." "I don't give a damn." "Will you ever love?" "What do you mean?" "Love someone..." "Love or fuck?" "I don't know." "That's Paul!" "Who?" "Paul my husband, I just saw him." "Where?" "There." "He's coming back." "In the beige raincoat?" "Yes." "Maybe he's looking for me." "How can he know I'm here?" "The cops sent him." "You think so?" "So that's the door-locker, mother-hater and police-informer." "Your Paul's going to be my last client." "With my flamethrower, he's done for." "No, not him..." "Why not?" "It'll cause too much fuss." "Oh yeah?" "You stand no chance." "He loves only you?" "He doesn't care about me, or anyone." "He's rock-hard." "No emotions." "Here I go." "No." "I'm okay." "Are you sure?" "Yes." "Could you help me to the restroom?" "I'm sorry, my head started spinning." "I don't know why." "I need to freshen up." "You don't mind?" "I'm taking up your time." "You look sad, say your life's hell." "He takes an interest." "I'll be all right now." "I can't leave you like this." "I'm sorry." "You're so kind." "I can't control myself." "Please kiss me, it feels so good." "And you turn on the flamethrower." "I want you, madly." "Me too." "You fake an orgasm, wake the neighbours." "He lets himself go." "Round one." "You're here?" "I came from Paris to warn you." "The police will be waiting." "So if you have something to hide..." "What?" "How did you know I was here?" "The tap..." "They tapped my phone." "Lost something?" "Looking for someone?" "No, I'm not looking for anyone." "I've lost..." "No, I've lost nothing." "What were you doing in Basel?" "Visiting." "Visiting what?" "Basel." "Why?" "Why not?" "What?" "At least pretend to be interested." "In what?" "ln what I'm saying." "Why?" "Why what?" "What are you saying?" "Give me strength..." "I want to see you again." "Me too." "I've never been so..." "I mean... lt was..." "I'm..." "Happy." "So am I." "Can I call you?" "I travel a lot." "Well..." "I'll call you." "My numbers." "lt was lovely." "Mr Vidal." "Yes." "If you please." "We have a few questions for you." "Some elements concern you." "So Mrs Vidal has found Mr Vidal." "And you, Mr Vidal..." "I'm talking to you." "Please follow us." "lt won't take long." "Something wrong?" "What?" "Looking for someone?" "No." "Who?" "You keep looking." "I'm just worried about the cops." "Yes, of course." "Third round:" "you leave." "That's that then." "For you, it's case closed." "Thank you anyway." "Thank you." "What're you doing, Mom?" "Cooking." "I know." "Cooking what?" "Fish." "Isn't there any steak?" "No, there isn't." "I hate fish, pain in the ass." "What was that?" "I hate fish." "No, after." "After what?" "You said something else." "I did?" "You said pain in the ass." "Maybe." "Maybe... ln any case, today's the last time I cook for you or your father." "Manage alone from now on." "Are you crazy?" "Will you please shut your mouth?" "What is this, war?" "All-out war, yes." "See you, Dad." "See you." "Farid and Boudj'mah Tarek?" "Over there." "What's up?" "A delivery." "What of?" "Motorbikes." "He's Boudj'mah, I'm Farid." "What motorbikes?" "Got some id?" "You a cop?" "No, but show me some id and I'll let you have the bikes." "What?" "From Malika Tarek, your sister." "Let's see." "Fabrice..." "You've got your bags?" "This is Raoul." "You're back together again?" "For now," "I got thrown out of my place." "Me too, my mom threw a fit so I'm back." "Where?" "Here, to my place." "How'll we fit in?" "With Florence..." "Florence?" "She's with Didier now." "Who's he?" "For Dad." "Again?" "An iron... lt's tiny." "Foreign sales, national sales... lt's not mine." "It's mine." "Got a problem?" "No, no problem..." "I thought it was for me." "I was hoping... lt's for you." "Who is it?" "Noemie." "Helene, I need you." "It's urgent." "Good-bye." "Be careful." "Give me an hour, then call the cops." "I'll be in that bar." "Are you free?" "100 francs." "Hi, Zoriza, it's me." "Noemie." "I didn't recognize you!" "What's up?" "Friday at 11 by the Sevres-Babylone park." "Touki will be there." "He'll be expecting me, not you." "Give him this envelope from me." "He may give you a passport." "I doubt it." "Anyhow, once you've given it to him, start running fast." "Don't wear heels, there'll be trouble." "If you do that," "I'll leave your money with the Lutecia Hotel concierge." "If you talk, you get nothing." "I'm scared." "So am I." "Touki?" "It's Noemie." "I was in Switzerland." "I'll give you money for my passport." "500,000 Swiss francs, in cash." "Friday 11 , by the Sevres-Babylone park." "Bring my passport." "I'll be there with the money." "Pali?" "It's Noemie." "I'm sick of getting the blame whenever Touki hoodwinks you." "He's getting cash from a girl on Friday." "500,000 Swiss francs." "At 11 , by the Sevres-Babylone garden." "Your turn." "Call your pal the lnspector." "He can catch someone in the act Friday." "A hooker paying off her pimp." "And nab the ringleader and his sidekicks." "But why?" "I don't give a damn about her." "What if she doesn't call?" "You're not on the phone?" "No." "I heard you shout." "No..." "I wasn't on the..." "You've got them?" "Yes." "Shall we go?" "I'll meet you in an hour, after I pack." "I can wait for you." "I'm meeting my son here." "We're fighting a lot, we need to talk." "Here he is now." "This is Noemie, a friend." "Fabrice, my son." "is that mine?" "No, it's Big Ben." "It's not a spice mill." "Press, don't turn." "Very funny, Fabrice." "I can't hear..." "Can I see you?" "Saturday, at 6?" "6 pm?" "Yes, 6 pm." "See you later." "Did anyone call today?" "No idea." "I wasn't here." "It's for you." "Florence has left Didier." "I can go back." "I'll go tomorrow." "I'm sick of moving." "That's the armrest." "What?" "You're shredding the armrest." "Just pick up the fluff later." "What if she doesn't call..." "I'm scared." "It'll be all right." "I can stop everything." "They didn't stop when I first saw you." "There's no pardon... no truce with them." "I need to talk to someone." "I've met a girl." "I don't understand." "I think I love her." "I don't even know her name." "I've been waiting for her call." "It's driving me crazy." "Look at them." "Plainclothes cops." "It looks like it's working." "I hope Zoriza shows up." "If she talks, it's curtains for me." "Maybe they know I'm here." "Lock the door." "Everyone in position?" "Here comes Touki." "I can't see Pali... lt'll never work if he isn't here." "Isn't that him?" "Where?" "Behind the tree." "That's him!" "He's hiding." "The gang guys are with him." "Here's Zoriza." "Where?" "There, in trainers." "Oh God, I hope this works." "There should be an envelope for Zoriza." "From Noemie Totka." "Absolutely." "Can I see her?" "I'm afraid Miss Totka's checked out." "Thank you." "Gare de Lyon, please." "Do you recognise him?" "Yes." "He's one of the 3 who threatened her." "How about this one?" "Gosh, he's taken a beating..." "I recognise him though, very violent." "He runs a major prostitution ring." "Just fancy..." "So where's Noemie?" "No idea." "I gave you her message but haven't seen her since the hospital." "If you ever see her, thank her for me." "You can count on that, Mr Marsat." "You're weird." "You never speak." "No... lt's relaxing." "Yes." "What do you want to do?" "Nothing." "I really want you." "No." "I've given up sex." "Given up sex?" "Zora, make tea and bring the glasses." "Bring some stools." "Come outside." "How come they get presents and I don't?" "Because." "You don't love me?" "When are your exams?" "In three weeks." "Did an old Algerian man visit recently?" "Yes." "Why?" "Are you going to Algeria?" "Yes." "A week on Saturday, Dad's going to show me Algiers." "I didn't give presents to the others." "I bought them so I could see you." "I want you to come to live with me." "Now." "Why the hell would I?" "You'll end up married otherwise." "You're nuts." "Why d'you think I left?" "Why did that old man come?" "I bet he looked at your teeth." "Did he look at them?" "Yeah." "Go get your exam id and come with me." "You can't make me." "If you won't listen, I can." "Come with me, study, become someone." "You're acting like Dad did." "Wake up." "You want to be a slave?" "Your brothers already treat you like one." "Your husband will too." "Want him to take your kids away?" "Look at your brothers." "Look at the jerks on their bikes." "That's all they want." "And phones, easy money and obedient women." "They play rebel but it's all they want." "They were supposed to kill me." "Family honor, Arab honor, Islam's honor." "With one shitty motorbike, their honor melts away along with their religion." "Think they care how I earned the money?" "I've been forced to be a hooker." "Does that mean they'll be nice to me?" "Like hell!" "I'd only get hatred and scorn." "They turn against society but still treat you like a slave." "They don't mind Dad selling me and trying it again with you." "It suits them." "This fucking system... they want to use it, not change it." "But for poor, uneducated immigrants, theft's the only way." "They'll end up in jail and deserve it." "You're full of hate." "I can't come with you." "Why not?" "Because I love them." "I thought you'd never call." "I'm at Montparnasse Station." "I leave in an hour." "Coming with me?" "Tell me your name." "Noemie." "Noemie." "That's sweet, my Noemie." "I love my Noemie like no other." "We'll never have sex again." "Why?" "You were my last time." "What do you mean?" "Never again." "I want to stay with you." "We won't have sex." "That's final." "If that's how you feel now, fine." "But leave an address next time." "We're going to see a lady I like a lot." "If you love her, I will too." "Funny we should come here." "Why?" "I know this area very well." "Beautiful, isn't it?" "Very." "You've brought me Paul?" "You know each other?" "Yes." "She's my mother." "I know." "How come?" "I had an accident recently." "A lady took care of me." "Helene." "She took me to see Gran." "Helene, my wife?" "The girl running down the street..." "And the guy locking his doors..." "See, we'd already met." "To leave..." "I want a house by the sea." "Like it or not?" "It's not hygienic." "Don't blame me." "Zora, what's for dinner?" "Zora, what's she cooking?" "What?" "What's she cooking?" "Ask her yourself." "Get off my back." "Hey, what did I do?" "Zora, set the table." "No, I'm revising." "What's for dinner?" "Yesterday's fish." "Pain in the ass." "I hate fish." "Set the table." "I'm revising!" "Do it." "We're hungry." "No." "Just set the fucking table!" "Watch your tone." "Shut your mouth!" "Watch your tone!" "Set the fucking table!" "I'll kill you." "Let go of me!" "Cut it out, Farid!" "Not her face!" "You're crazy!" "Don't touch her!" "What can I do if you wreck her face?" "Don't touch her till we leave!" "Till we leave?" "For Algeria." "She never speaks but I think I'm in love." "There's something sad about her." "Know what?" "We've never had sex." "I don't care." "I'm in no hurry." "How about you?" "I saw her again." "And?" "lt was great." "But it's all over." "Shit." "I have to see Helene urgently." "Come in, I'll get her." "Dad, she's here!" "Come on, I'll introduce you." "Dad, this is Noemie." "I told you about her." "Noemie, meet my father." "We've met." "Was that the door?" "I need to talk to you." "Two tickets to Marseilles, please." "Got your exam id?" "Here." "Come here!" "Zora's coming with me." "You won't just marry her off." "No one's running away this time." "Any trouble and I'll get the cops." "There's a lawyer with me." "I curse you!" "So you gave me something at last." "Subtitles:" "Cinematyp Ltd." "01:44:18,336 -- 01:59:18,336 Made by:" "MJ23 - 2003"