EXT. CITY NIGHT: ASPEN (18) and RONAN (18) are standing in a dark alley way. The cracked cobblestone pavement is wet from rain earlier this evening. The city atmosphere is gloomy, and they are facing one another, whispering. Each of them glance behind each other, always on the lookout.

ASPEN
Did you bring it?

RONAN crosses his arms.

RONAN
Why?

ASPEN
Don’t you ever listen to me?

RONAN

Of course I do.

ASPEN
Then hand it to me.

RONAN hands Aspen a stone that glows from a dark green pattern ingrained in the center of it. It appears to be some type of rune stone.

RONAN
What are you going to do with it?

ASPEN
I told you, I can’t tell you.

RONAN ignores the dry remark.

RONAN
Why?

ASPEN
Because.

RONAN

Don’t you trust me?

Aspen’s eyes flash with guilt. She hesitates. 

ASPEN

Of course I do.

RONAN
Then why can’t you just tell me?

ASPEN
All I know is its going to help us.

RONAN
How?

ASPEN
I’m still figuring that out.

She tosses the stone into the air and catches it in her other hand. She scrutinizes it, squinting her eyes.

RONAN
Be careful with that thing! You are going to drop it!

ASPEN
Don’t you think I know what I’m doing?

RONAN
Yes, but still, it seems fragile.

ASPEN
I know that! I’m not an idiot. Here, help me up.

ASPEN shoves the stone into her back pocket. RONAN kneels down on one knee to lift her up onto his shoulders. ASPEN grabs a hold of the bricks of the building next to her, and peers into the window.

RONAN
Jesus, you’re heavy.
RONAN lies, trying to make light of the situation.

ASPEN
Quiet, they might hear you.

She ignores his joke, this isn’t funny to her.
RONAN hoists ASPEN higher on his shoulder. The ground is still slippery from the rain. ASPEN holds tightly onto the window sill, trying to get a better look.

RONAN
Can you see anything?

ASPEN
Yes. He’s in there.

ASPEN looks in the window to see a group of men all sitting around a table, one, in particular is standing. Alexei (20). All of a sudden RONAN starts to lose his footing on the slippery pavement. He stumbles backwards-

ASPEN
Christ, you almost dropped me!

Suddenly the figures in the room turn to the window. ASPEN makes eye contact with ALEXEI, whose eyes fill with surprise, anger, and something else, almost like longing.
ASPEN slides off RONAN’s tall form.

ASPEN
We need to leave. Now.

RONAN
Did they see you?

ASPEN
Obviously!

ASPEN and RONAN quickly run in between the alley ways in which they came, their feet pattering against the wet pavement. ASPEN shoves the stone into her tunic. She sprints around a corner, and collides into something as hard as a cement wall. RONAN crashes into her, and stumbles back. Standing in front of ASPEN is a man of at least 7’5’’, she staggers back. ALEXEI saunters out from behind him, smirking.

ALEXEI
Well, if it isn’t our little thieves. How truly spectacular it is for us to all have a little reunion. It was quite rude to eavesdrop, Aspen. You could have just knocked, I would have gladly pulled up a chair at the table for you.

ASPEN
I found the seat from the window to be just fine.

ALEXEI smiles, though it doesn’t meet his cold, gray eyes.

ALEXEI
I can only imagine you would. Where is the stone.

All traces of a smile from ALEXEI’S face disappears.

ASPEN
What stone?

ALEXEI
Don’t play coy, it doesn’t suit you.

ASPEN looks to RONAN, they share a concerned glance. ALEXEI sighs.

ALEXEI CONT’D

I know that one of you have it. Hugo, search her.

RONAN steps in between the giant man, HUGO and ASPEN. ALEXEI takes a notice of how protective RONAN seems over ASPEN. ALEXEI steps forward, smiling, almost enjoying the discovery. His eyes flitter back and forth between them.

ALEXEI
Why, my dearest Ronan and Aspen, you two have grown quite close since my absence.

ASPEN
Shut it.

ALEXEI

Your disposition remains as charming as ever, Aspen.

HUGO grabs a hold of ASPEN’S arm, ASPEN kicks out her foot towards HUGO’S groin, HUGO releases her as his knees buckle, ASPEN quickly turns and grabs RONAN’s hand and they race down back towards where they came. Dodging through the thin alley ways, they have no clear path in which they are running. ALEXEI is hot on their tails. Sprinting for what felt like miles, ASPEN and RONAN see the lights of the center of city, full of night life.

RONAN
Follow me!

ASPEN looks behind her to still see ALEXEI running after them, barely breaking a sweat. ASPEN turns her head forward again.

ASPEN
We’re heading straight towards the crowd!

RONAN
Exactly.

RONAN grabs a hold of ASPEN’S hand as they break into the crowd of celebrators. ASPEN and RONAN rush past drunks, dancers, gypsies, and eager villagers enjoying themselves.

ASPEN
Ronan! Look, over here.

ASPEN pulls RONAN behind a wagon that is lavishly decorated with gypsy designs. ASPEN pears into the wagon to see scarves and gypsy costumes.

ASPEN
Here, quickly put these on.

ASPEN and RONAN emerge from behind the wagon, they maneuver their way to join the circle of gypsies holding hands and dancing, hoping to disguise themselves from ALEXEI- hiding in plain sight. ALEXEI runs straight into the circle, twirling and tripping over his own feet, his eyes wild, searching the crowd for ASPEN and RONAN, only to be met with gypsies. He quickly pushes past the gypsy performers, anger filling each step.

RONAN
God, that was close.

ASPEN can’t help but laugh.

ASPEN
Thank god for festival.

RONAN cracks a smile.

RONAN
Yes, thank god for festival.