SHCHERBINA
The bullet.
LEGASOV
Yes. The bullet. So, bullets are flying off of the uranium.
He shows Shcherbina the page as he sketches.
LEGASOV
Now, if you put enough of these uranium atoms close together, the bullets from one atom will eventually hit another atom. The force of this impact splits that atom apart, releasing a tremendous amount of energy. Fission. But— that fissioning atom releases even more bullets, which slam into even more atoms. More fission leads to more fission-- and the result is a chain reaction.
(beat)
You see the problem with that, right?
SHCHERBINA I'm not in your classroom. Just tell me the answer.
Oh.
LEGASOV
The chain reaction will grow and grow, never stopping until all the uranium fissions.
(MORE)
LEGASOV (cont'd) The fuel quickly burns out, releasing a massive amount of energy in an instant. This is the principle behind a nuclear bomb. So:
(the sketch) Control rods. See... these rods are the fuel rods. They contain the uranium. These rods are control rods. They're made of boron. Now— why do you think they're--
Oh. Right. Not in a classroom.
LEGASOV
They're made of boron because it's excellent at capturing neutrons. It absorbs them. If you lower a control rod between two fuel rods, it acts like a bullet proof vest, keeping these neutrons from smashing into these atoms, and the reaction slows. If you raise it, the fuel rods can fire neutrons at each other, and the reaction increases. Water is pumped through the core, the heat of fission turns it to steam, and the result: electricity.
Shcherbina reaches out and takes the sketch. Studies it.
SHCHERBINA And the graphite?
LEGASOV
Ah-- the neutrons are moving so fast— we call this "flux"— it's relatively unlikely that they'll hit other uranium atoms. To make the chain reaction possible, you have to slow them down. In the RBMK reactors, we surround the fuel rods with graphite to moderate-- slow down-- the neutron flux.
Shcherbina stares at the sketch. Then:
SHCHERBINA Good. I know how a nuclear reactor works. Now I don't need you.
Shcherbina leans back in his seat and closes his eyes to sleep. A happy little smile on his face.
218 EXT. BYELORUSIAN COMMUNIST PARTY HQ - MINSK - AFTERNOON 218
An impossibly gray, Soviet building.
219 INT. OFFICE RECEPTION ROOM - CONTINUOUS 219
A portrait of LENIN.
Khomyuk sits across from it on a squat couch. Tense. From behind a closed door, we hear MEN LAUGHING.
A sheepish female AIDE, 60's, sits at a desk near the door.
AIDE
Perhaps if you came back another-- ? KHOMYUK
I've waited three hours. I can wait longer.
The DOOR OPENS, and two men emerge in good spirits. One is CHULKOV, 50's. The other is GARANIN, 57, overfed.
GARANIN
Wonderful... just wonderful...
KHOMYUK (rises) Deputy Secretary Garanin.
Garanin doesn't drop his smile, but he glances over to his aide, who looks like a dog about to get beaten. Who's this?
AIDE
Ulana Khomyuk of the Byelorusian Institute for Nuclear Energy.
The slightest hitch in his smile. Then right back to:
GARANIN
Oh? What a pleasure. May I introduce Ilya Ivanovich Chulkov, the eminent poet? We were just discussing--
KHOMYUK I'm here about Chernobyl.
Garanin's smile freezes on his face. Then to Chulkov. Guides him warmly to the door.
GARANIN
Such a lovely time. Please, visit again soon.
Chulkov heads out, confused. Garanin closes the door behind him, then turns back to Khomyuk. No longer smiling.
220 INT. GARANIN'S OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER 220
He pours himself a glass of vodka.
GARANIN
I must tell you-- this is why no one likes scientists. When we have a disease to cure, where are they? In a lab. Noses in their books. And so, grandma dies.
He crosses to his desk.
GARANIN
But when there isn't a problem? They're everywhere. Spreading fear.
KHOMYUK I know about Chernobyl.
GARANIN
Oh?
KHOMYUK
I know the core is either partially or completely exposed.
GARANIN (shrugs) Whatever that means.
KHOMYUK
And I know that if you don't immediately issue iodine tablets and then evacuate this city, hundreds of thousands will get cancer, and god only knows how many will die.
For a moment, her fear rattles him. But only for a moment.
GARANIN
Yes, very good, there has been an accident at Chernobyl, but I have been assured there is no problem.
KHOMYUK I'm telling you there is.
GARANIN
I prefer my opinion to yours. KHOMYUK
I'm a nuclear physicist. Before you were Deputy Secretary, you worked in a shoe factory.
GARANIN (stiffens) Yes. I worked in a shoe factory. And now I'm in charge.
(raises his glass) "To the workers of the world."
He downs his drink. Meeting over.
221 INT. OFFICE RECEPTION ROOM - MOMENTS LATER 221
Khomyuk walks out of Garanin's office. Closes the door behind her. His AIDE looks nervous.
Khomyuk fishes the PILL BOTTLE out of her purse.
KHOMYUK
Stable iodine will keep your thyroid from absorbing radioactive iodine. Take one pill each day for as long as they last. And go east— as far away from Minsk as you can.
Khomyuk hands her the pills, and exits.
The aide stares at the pills, then quickly takes one and shoves the bottle into her own purse.
222 OMITTED 222
223 INT. PRIPYAT HOSPITAL - LATE AFTERNOON 223
Lyudmilla pushes her way through the throngs of miserable people. The hallways are choked with sick people.
Some are being treated while they lie on the floor. We hear the sound of a SCREAMING BABY from off-screen.
Lyudmilla sees a nurse coming toward her.
LYUDMILLA Can you help me, I'm looking for--
The nurse doesn't acknowledge her. Just rushes by.
Lyudmilla turns a corner and stops when she sees: Oksana's husband MIKHAIL, standing in the corridor.
He's holding his baby, who is screaming— not a wail of hunger or fatigue, but the sharp, staccato cry of PAIN.
MIKHAIL
Lyudmilla.
She stares in shock at him. His eyes are bloodshot. Face puffy. Both his and his baby's skin are reddish/tan.
She approaches and sees that he's standing in front of a window looking into a TREATMENT ROOM.
THROUGH THE WINDOW - she sees OKSANA and her FOUR-YEAR OLD SON in the room - both sharing a single gurney. Oksana's dress is covered in vomit.
ZINCHENKO, her hand BANDAGED, is hooking the four-year old up to an IV. The little boy's head lolls... he doesn't even react when Zinchenko pushes the needle in.
They're both TANNED... just like Mikhail and the baby.
MIKHAIL
Take her.
LYUDMILLA
What?
He extends his baby out to her.
MIKHAIL
Take her. Take her away from here.
He retches, then holds the baby out again. Raising his volume to be heard over his daughter's SCREAMING.
MIKHAIL Please. Take her. Take her.
Lyudmilla, scared, reaches out for the baby when:
PRIPYAT NURSE Get away from them!
The Pripyat Nurse rushes over to Lyudmilla. Starts pushing her back from Mikhail.
PRIPYAT NURSE You want to get sick? Go!
Lyudmilla backs away, then turns and rushes away. Mikhail is still holding his baby out.
MIKHAIL TAKE HER! PLEASE TAKE HER!
224 INT. HOSPITAL - CORRIDOR - MOMENTS LATER 224
Lyudmilla rounds the corner, then finally stops. Covers her mouth with a shaky hand. Overwhelmed.
Then sees: a MILITARY OFFICER, MAJOR BUROV, 45, passing by. She runs to catch up to him.