TARAKANOV
Begin.
The operator turns the second switch on the control module. Nothing. The lights stay red. Everyone is dead quiet. Then:
TARAKANOV
Again.
The operator goes back to the switch. Off. Then on. Still nothing. Red lights.
The monitors continue to show the rover's view of the roof. Slightly askew. The graphite chunks. The bits of fuel assembly. All at rest.
TARAKANOV
Again.
Like a doctor refusing to acknowledge a patient is dead.
Once more, the operator switches the power off. Then on. And again, nothing. Red lights. Then... in rapid succession...
GREEN.
TARAKANOV (my god) Can you move it?
The operator grabs hold of his remote, and begins pushing the small joystick.
ON THE MONITORS - a lag, then... IT MOVES.
The operators react. Breathing. Laughing. On the screen, the rover is moving along, starting to PUSH DEBRIS. Doing exactly what they had hoped.
Shcherbina makes a fist in the air. Triumph. Then sees...
SHCHERBINA Valery? Is that...? Is that a smile?
Legasov sheepishly waves him off. But yes. A smile. The first one we've seen on his face.
Shcherbina puts his arm around Legasov. Hugs him close, laughing. Yes. YES! Hope.
430 INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY 430
Dyatlov sits in a chair. Smoking. Looking out the window. His hair appears to have come back a bit. A bit of moustache, though it wasn't what it was. The lesions have faded. But he does not look healthy. At all.
Behind him, a knock on the door. He doesn't answer. We hear the door opening, and:
KHOMYUK (O.S.) I see your condition has improved.
Dyatlov turns. Sees her there, back in her protective clothing. In her hand, a small manila folder.
He waves her away in contempt.
DYATLOV
No. Leave.
KHOMYUK I need your help.
Dyatlov raises his arms slightly to the side to show her all of the IV tubes running in and out of him. How is he supposed to help anyone? But:
KHOMYUK
Akimov initiated AZ-5. When you gave him the order, was--
DYATLOV
Order? What order? Toptunov called it out, Akimov pressed it. That was the only good decision they made. Incompetent morons.
KHOMYUK (ignores that) Can you confirm the reactor exploded after they attempted to shut it down?
He gives her a strange smile.
DYATLOV
How do I even know it exploded? Hmm?
Out of patience, she opens her folder, pulls out a PHOTO, and SLAPS IT DOWN in front of him.
It's an AERIAL VIEW of the EXPLODED REACTOR.
And for a moment, Dyatlov is shaken. He pushes it away. Already doing whatever mental gymnastics are required to forget what he just saw.
But Khomyuk knows he won't forget it. She takes the photo back, and hands him a JOURNAL ARTICLE from her folder.
KHOMYUK I pulled this from the state archives, written in 1976. It's about the operation of RBMK reactors under extreme conditions.
Dyatlov barely looks at it.
DYATLOV
So?
KHOMYUK
The names of the authors have been redacted. And two pages have been removed.
Dyatlov hesitates. An old, habitual paranoia rises. Is she testing him?
DYATLOV
The State must protect its secrets, Comrade Khomyuk. Do you dare suggest otherwise?
KHOMYUK (quieter) They made a mistake. They didn't redact the table of contents.
He slowly flips to the first page. Sees it.
KHOMYUK
The missing pages apparently refer to a positive void coefficient and AZ-5. Does that mean anything to you?
DYATLOV (suspicious) What are you after here? Why are you asking me this?
KHOMYUK
You worked with this reactor. You know it better than I do--
DYATLOV
So everything's my fault then? Is that what this is?
KHOMYUK (snaps)
I'm not here to blame you. I'm here to find out what happened. And whether you realize it or not, I am the best chance you have to avoid a bullet. Can you help me or not?
Dyatlov stares at her. Then flips through the article to the missing section. Scans around it briefly. Then, honestly:
DYATLOV
I have no idea what would have gone here. Void coefficients have nothing to do with AZ-5.
He tosses the article at her. Dismissive.
DYATLOV There. Now you can go.
She picks the article up from the floor. Then:
KHOMYUK (disgusted) You're not even curious.
DYATLOV
What for? You think the right question will get you the truth? There is no truth. Ask the bosses whatever you want.
He stubs out his cigarette.
DYATLOV You will get the lie. (beat)
And I will get the bullet.
431 INT. TRUCK - DAY 431
A stakebed truck. Bacho drives. Garo sits next to the other window. Pavel is squeezed in between.
Bacho is peering at a MAP he has on the dashboard. It keeps falling. Son of a bitch. He grabs it, then reaches across Pavel to Garo, who hands him a bottle of vodka.
Bacho drinks and drives. Grabs the map again. Drinks again. The truck jostles on the uneven road.
BACHO Fucking thing.
Pavel is nervous. Bacho offers him the bottle.
PAVEL No. Thank you.
BACHO
What, are you afraid we're going to run out? Trust me, we won't. It's the one thing we always have. In Afghanistan, when we needed guns, they sent vodka. We needed penicillin? They sent vodka. Boots, morphine, fuel? Never the right things. Never enough. Except the vodka. So you might as well drink.
Bacho turns to Pavel. Not looking at the road at all.
BACHO
I'm not asking. I'm telling. Because of the radiation. It protects you.
(catches the map) Where the fuck are we? Garo?
Garo shrugs. Takes the vodka bottle.
PAVEL
Do they tell you how much there is? BACHO
How much what there is?
PAVEL
Radiation.
Bacho laughs. And Garo starts to chuckle along with him. Pavel isn't sure what that means.
PAVEL
I saw a man throwing up. On the side of the road.
BACHO Yeah, that happens.
Pavel touches the white-and-black badge on his shirt. The one they all wear.
PAVEL
But we have these. To measure. So they know.
(no response) The radiation we get.
BACHO
That's right. They check them every day. You're allowed to get a total of 24 roentgen. If you hit 24, you get to go home. And if you go over 24, your commanding officer gets arrested for negligence. Maybe even shot. Does that make you feel better?
PAVEL
Yes.
(beat) How much do you have?
BACHO
Me? They tell me I have 2 3 roentgen. Go ahead, ask Garo how much he has.
Before Pavel can ask or Garo can answer--
BACHO
He has 23. We all have 23. And we will never have more than 23. You understand now?
Pavel falls silent. Yes. He does understand.
Bacho points ahead.
BACHO
Ay! There it is. Fuck this map. I told you I knew where I was.
432 EXT. COUNTRYSIDE VILLAGE - CONTINUOUS 432
The truck rumbles toward a SMALL VILLAGE - a few dozen buildings... one main street... all quiet. No one left.
433 EXT. COUNTRYSIDE VILLAGE - MOMENTS LATER 433
The truck squeals to a stop. The three men get out, and walk around to the back of the truck. Bacho pulls the back of the stakebed down, and opens a LARGE METAL BOX.
It's full of BULLETS. Hundreds? Thousands? They're bound in clusters of five rounds each, held together by thin steel stripper clips.
Bacho forks over a fistful of bullets to Pavel. Garo takes three Mosin-Nagant rifles from the back of the truck.
Bacho loads his rifle, then sees Pavel struggling. Wow. Bacho grabs the gun from Pavel. Shows him how to insert the stripper clip. Bullets go in, empty clip comes out. Slide the bolt to chamber.
BACHO
Got it? Okay. Now listen. I only have two rules. One, don't point this gun at me. That's easy, right?