“The Assassin, The Russian, and The Gangster” is a crime thriller about an amateur assassin who connects with her estranged crime boss father to search for her missing mother. While Nikki Saul understands the shady and violent world she must investigate to examine the disappearance of her mother Veronica, the assassin-in-training’s inexperience and emotions often gets in her way, shielding her from seeing the truth and creates more problems for the young girl. Those problems also threaten to ruin Brandon Saul’s business, who’s made it clear that his money and power is more important than his estranged daughter. Unfortunately for Nikki, dancing with the wolves may end up getting her buried six feet under.

1. THE ASSASSIN, THE RUSSIAN, AND THE GANGSTER
Written by
Jeffrey Bowie Jr
12119 Valleywood Drive
Silver Spring, MD 20902
Jbowiejr@hotmail.com
(240) 370-4105

2. FADE IN:
MOSCOW, RUSSIA
INT. THE ACADEMY - TRAINING ROOM - NIGHT
NIKKI SAUL, 19, a seemingly sweet light skinned woman with
scarlet red hair skillfully trains with her knife at a
punching bag in an otherwise darkroom.
ARTEM SERGEY, 40, a Russian fixer with soulless brown eyes,
walks out from the darkness signaling that he’s ready to
fight. He clears his throat.
Nikki stops training. She turns around and stares him down
menacingly. She then darts at him with the knife diagonally.
Artem remains standing still and very calm.
Nikki expertly swings her knife at Artem, but he ducks and
dodges each one with ease. Artem then gets a slap in. This
pisses off Nikki, who recklessly swings her knife at Artem.
Artem continues to successfully dodge each swing and finally
grabs her arm that’s holding the knife. He twists it and
Nikki is forced to drop the knife due to the pain.
Artem then straight punches Nikki.
She falls back with a bloody nose. Embarrassed, Nikki quickly
gets back up and throws more reckless punches, but Artem puts
a swift end to it with two shadow punches.
Nikki falls down to the ground. As soon as she tries to get
up, Artem puts her in a rear naked choke. Nikki squirms
trying to get out, but slowly fades away. Once Artem realizes
this, he let’s go of the choke.
Nikki coughs heavily and spits out some blood as Artem walks
away. The lights eventually turn on revealing a training gym
and Artem comes back over with two water bottles.
He offers one to Nikki, but she’s still dispirited and
ashamed of her performance. Artem lays the water next to her
and sits down on the mat in front of Nikki.
She continues to look despondent.
ARTEM SERGEY
(russian)
What’s wrong Nikki?
She sighs.

3. NIKKI SAUL
(russian)
I’m fine.
ARTEM
(russian)
Nikki, if you’re going to lie to
me, please do it better.
NIKKI
(russian)
I got my ass kicked. Nothing more
than that.
ARTEM
(russian)
You let your emotions get the best
of you. In fact, your emotions have
been getting the best of you
lately.
She remains quiet.
ARTEM (CONT’D)
(russian)
Do you know why we picked you
Nikki?
She shrugs.
NIKKI
(russian)
To fill your black quota for the
semester?
Artem laughs at her joke.
ARTEM
(russian)
You’re smart Nikki. And creative.
However, you have to learn to keep
your emotions at bay. Whatever is
on your mind, let it go. If I see
you being distracted again, I will
take advantage of it, but I won’t
stop next time.
NIKKI
(russian)
Even for a rookie?
Artem stands up.
2.

4. ARTEM
(russian)
Rookies don’t get a pass Nikki.
Tomorrow 6am. Be ready.
He leaves.
She sighs and remains seated for a moment. Nikki then gets up
and exits the room.
INT. THE ACADEMY - ROOM - NIGHT
Inside a military like bedroom, NINA VOLKOVA, 20, a jovial
and savvy Russian girl lies in her bed on the left reading an
American magazine.
Nikki comes into the room downtrodden and gets into her bed
on the right and sulks.
NINA VOLKOVA
(russian)
Is America truly the place of the
free?
Nikki ponders the question.
NIKKI
(russian)
It can be. I know alot of drug
dealers who feel free as a
motherfucker, everyday.
Nina Volkova laughs.
NINA
(russian)
I want to go. Experience the
sights, the sounds, the drug
dealers.
Nikki flashes a smile.
NIKKI
(russian)
I do miss the sounds. My mama got
me hooked on jazz. First time I
heard it, I was like, mama, I don’t
think God likes jazz.
Nina chuckles.
3.

5. NINA
(russian)
What she say?
NIKKI
(russian)
Girl, stop playing, you know damn
well you don’t like God.
Nina chuckles.
NIKKI (CONT’D)
She had a beautiful voice. The only
reason to go to church for me. Her
music...
She smiles reminiscent over the happy times with her mother.
NIKKI (CONT’D)
(russian)
...Her music was my freedom.
Nina smiles at the story. She then puts down the magazine and
lays her head down on the pillow worrisome.
NINA
(russian)
I’m scared.
NIKKI
(russian)
Yeah, me too. But that’s the world.
It’s always been a scary place.
It’s our job to give it the middle
finger, and fight through it.
Nina flashes a smile, though she still seems unsure. She
closes her eyes.
Nikki goes into a drawer and takes out a letter from her
mother. She glares at it for a moment.
NIKKI (CONT’D)
(russian)
Please be okay.
She then folds it and puts it into her pocket. Nikki grabs an
old fashioned cassette player and puts on her headphones. She
rests her head on the pillow next to her stuffed teddy bear
Mr. Timothes and slowly goes to sleep.
4.

6. A FEW HOURS LATER
Nina is out of her bed carefully putting on a small back pack
as Nikki is sound asleep. She closes her eyes to pray. Once
she does, Nina exits the room quietly.
INT. THE ACADEMY - HALLWAY - NIGHT
Nina slyly creeps down the dark hallway constantly checking
her surroundings. Further down the hallway, Two HEAVILY ARMED
GUARDS spot Nina coming their way.
HEAVILY ARMED SECURITY GUARD
Hey!
Nina rushes down to her left with the Guards chasing after
her.
Another HEAVILY ARMED SECURITY GUARD comes out of the
bathroom from the left and accidentally bumps into her.
NINA
(russian)
Shit!
Nina quickly gets up and passes him.
The Heavily Armed Security Guard pulls out a walkie talkie.
HEAVILY ARMED SECURITY GUARD
(speaking russian on a
walkie talkie)
We’ve got a Code 964!
He shouts as the other two guards chase after Nina.
An alarm sounds as Nina runs for her dear life towards the
exit; however, the security bars close down before Nina can
make it. She stops running and closes her eyes.
NINA
(mumbles in Russian)
Good luck my friend.
The Heavily Armed Security Guards have their guns pointed at
Nina ready to shoot.
HEAVILY ARMED SECURITY GUARD
(shouts in russian)
Put your fucking hands up!
Nina complies and raises her hands surrendering.
5.

7. Artem comes in front of the guards with a handgun pointed at
the back of her head.
ARTEM
(russian)
Make one more move, and I’ll shoot
you dead...
Nina’s nervousness increases as she’s visibly shaking.
ARTEM (CONT’D)
(russian)
...Now, move towards the sound of
my voice. Slowly.
Nina slowly and cautiously moves towards Artem with her hands
in the air.
ARTEM (CONT’D)
(russian)
Stop!
She immediately stops.
ARTEM (CONT’D)
(russian)
We’re going to go back to your
room. You making it there safely is
all up to you. Understand?
She nods her head as she nervously sweats.
ARTEM (CONT’D)
(russian)
Then move.
Nina carefully walks back towards her room with Artem and the
Heavily Armed Guards all ready to shoot if she makes the
wrong move.
As the group travels down the hallway, various Academy
students from every room look on.
ARTEM (CONT’D)
(russian)
Go back to sleep. Nothing to see
here.
The students go back into their rooms.
Nina gets back into her room and so does Artem.
6.

8. INT. THE ACADEMY - ROOM - NIGHT
Nina sits down on her bed.
ARTEM
(russian)
Nina, the fuc...
He stops mid-sentence when he glances over to Nikki’s empty
bed.
ARTEM (CONT’D)
(russian)
...Fuck!
He pokes his head out of the room.
ARTEM (CONT’D)
(russian)
Find Nikki Saul now!
INT. EMPTY FIELD - NIGHT
Nikki darts through the empty field with a back pack towards
a car with a RUSSIAN MALE, 30, leaning against it smoking a
cigarette.
Once he sees Nikki, he instantly opens the trunk and she gets
into it without asking any questions. The Russian male closes
the trunk door and quickly gets into the passenger side of
the car.
The vehicle then drives off down the road.
INT. MANSION - BASEMENT - NIGHT
BRANDON SAUL, 45, a somewhat chubby and gruff looking African
American male covered in blood stands next to a headless
male’s body with a glass of liquor in his hand.
Fellow gangsters DANTE BROWN, 40, a suave African American
male smoking a cigar, and ALFONSO LUCAS, 39, a no non-sense
African American male are seated at the poker table calmly
playing blackjack as Brandon is deep in thought.
Dante bangs his fists on the poker table vexed.
DANTE BROWN
You killin’ my vibe right now --
7.

9. ALFONSO LUCAS
-- Oh shut up and take your ass
whooping like a man.
Dante puts down a flush hand.
DANTE
Looks like you about to take that
ass whooping boy.
Alfonso scoffs. He then lays down a royal flush.
Dante’s cocky smile changes to a “Oh shit, I’m fucked” look.
ALFONSO
Sorry, I keep killing your vibe --
DANTE
-- Nah. I’m just tired --
ALFONSO
-- You’re just tired?
DANTE
I’m just tired. Everyone loses when
they’re tired. But when I wake up
tomorrow, your ass is mine --
ALFONSO
-- Yeah, ok.
He chuckles amused as he takes the poker chips.
BRANDON SAUL
Ya hear from Roscoe? That
motherfucker should’ve been here by
now.
Brandon’s cell phone rings and he instantly answers it. Dante
and Alfonso go quiet.
The longer the conversation goes, the sadder Brandon gets. He
moves the phone and turns around melancholy stricken.
Alfonso and Dante notice.
ALFONSO
A boss, you good?
Brandon doesn’t respond and sniffs a bit. He then puts the
phone back to his ear.
8.

10. BRANDON
(on phone)
Who did this?
He listens and his anger grows.
BRANDON (CONT’D)
Fuck you mean you don’t know?
He listens.
Dante and Alfonso focus their attention on the phone
conversation.
BRANDON (CONT’D)
(on phone)
You listen to me you son of a
bitch. Someone out there is killin’
my men, and you mean to tell me
that you know nothin’?
He goes silent again.
BRANDON (CONT’D)
(on phone)
Then figure it out!
He bursts out furious.
BRANDON (CONT’D)
Because if you don’t, I’ll start
killin’ everyone who I feel is a
suspect.
He abruptly ends the call.
He stands there sullen for a moment, but his rage gets the
best of him and Brandon throws his cell phone against the
wall. The phone smashes into pieces.
ALFONSO
Boss, what’s going on?
BRANDON
Roscoe’s dead.
Both Alfonso and Dante look stunned.
ALFONSO
Who did it?
BRANDON
I don’t know.
9.

11. DANTE
I bet you it’s one of those idiots
in blue --
BRANDON
-- I wouldn’t be surprised. Cops
are supposed to be smart, right? So
why the fuck can’t they figure out
who’s killin’ us?
SOPHIA NOVA, 45, a cheery maid rushes downstairs and gets to
Brandon as he pays attention to her skeptical.
BRANDON (CONT’D)
Sophia?
She whispers into his ear.
BRANDON (CONT’D)
She’s lying. Get rid of her --
SOPHIA NOVA
-- She has evidence. It’s legit.
Brandon stands there quiet contemplating.
VANCE CLYDE, early 30’s, a tall African American male who’s
fit like a bodybuilder comes downstairs with a mop and rubber
gloves.
BRANDON
Clean him up quickly.
Brandon follows Sophia up the stairs.
Vance puts his hands together and closes his eyes to pray.
Alfonso notices.
ALFONSO
Yo? He said quickly.
Vance turns his attention to Alfonso.
VANCE CLYDE
So are you gonna make sure this
man’s soul is in heaven?
DANTE
Motherfucker he’s a drug dealer who
smells like piss and funnel cakes.
He ain’t going to heaven.
10.

12. VANCE
No my brother, you ain’t going to
heaven if you keep sleeping on God.
Now, I’m gonna pray.
Dante rolls his eyes.
Vance turns back around to pray, but is hit in the back of
the head with a ball of paper.
INT. MANSION - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Looking flustered, Brandon walks through his big and gorgeous
mansion with his suit wrinkled and splattered with blood.
Sophia directs him to Nikki who’s seated on the luxury couch
with the back pack and suitcase near her and a stuffed teddy
bear named in her hand.
Brandon gets to her and simply stares at Nikki seemingly
unsure how to react. Sophia leaves.
BRANDON
Who are you?
NIKKI
I guess she didn’t tell you --
He responds annoyed.
BRANDON
-- She did. Who are you?
On the beautifully decorated coffee table, Nikki grabs a
stacked folder filled with paperwork that proves he’s the
father.
He grabs it and skims through it. Brandon knows that he’s her
father; however, he’s having a hard time accepting it. He
zeroes in on the birth certificate. He then slams the paper
on the table frustrated.
Nikki remains cool, calm, and collected.
BRANDON (CONT’D)
You not supposed to be here --
NIKKI
-- And you’re supposed to be dead.
He pauses and then sighs.
11.

13. BRANDON
When she tell you?
NIKKI
She never did. Daddy died of a
heart attack. She been saying that
since I was 7.
BRANDON
How you find out then?
NIKKI
One day she slipped. She said
Brandon, but corrected herself and
said Brad. And I thought, my mother
would never fuck a guy named Brad.
But she would fuck a guy named
Brandon.
BRANDON
So let me guess? You’re here for
money? Or father daughter time --
NIKKI
-- I’m here for my mother. She’s
missing.
Brandon reacts in stunned silence.
BRANDON
What makes you think she’s missing?
Nikki takes out a folded letter and hands it to Brandon. He
carefully reads it quietly as Nikki sits patiently. Once he’s
done reading Brandon hands her back the letter, but he
doesn’t know how to react.
BRANDON (CONT’D)
(mumbles loudly)
Sherri.
NIKKI
You know her?
BRANDON
She works down at the Baby Blues
jazz club.
NIKKI
How often you go there?
He shrugs.
12.

14. BRANDON
Depends. When I feel like drinking
I guess.
NIKKI
Did you go before my mother
starting working there?
BRANDON
Of course. Look, your mother was my
past. My feelings for her are long
gone.
NIKKI
Then why would she come back here,
out of all the places in the world.
BRANDON
Maybe she was homesick.
Nikki scoffs at his answer.
NIKKI
My mother moved to Russia to escape
her past...
Brandon scoffs surprised.
BRANDON
Russia? Fuck she moved there for?
Ain’t no other blacks there.
Nikki gives him a look that says “seriously?”.
He sucks his teeth.
BRANDON (CONT’D)
You know what I mean.
NIKKI
Right. My point is, why would she
come back here? For 10 years we
lived in Russia hiding. What’s the
purpose in coming back now?
BRANDON
She tell why she ran?
NIKKI
No. Do you know?
13.

15. BRANDON
Unfortunately I don’t. It seems
that’s the only question she could
answer.
NIKKI
I gonna find the truth. No matter
what.
BRANDON
Last time I saw her was at the Baby
Blues jazz club four months ago.
You can try the police, though just
a warning, they’re fucking idiots
if you ask me.
NIKKI
I’ve tried. They found nothing --
BRANDON
-- And you can find her?
NIKKI
It doesn’t hurt to try.
BRANDON
I’m sorry to break it to you kid,
but it does.
NIKKI
Noted. Now, I need a place to stay.
BRANDON
D.C. has these wonderful places
called hotels...
Nikki looks amused over his sarcasm.
BRANDON (CONT’D)
...I hear those are great places to
stay.
NIKKI
I can’t.
BRANDON
Why?
NIKKI
Because. I can’t.
Brandon glares at her skeptical.
14.

16. Vance carries the headless drug dealer across the living
room.
VANCE
Sorry boss, forgot that the bag was
up here.
BRANDON
Hey?
Vance stops and looks at Brandon.
BRANDON (CONT’D)
Make sure you take out that trash
properly.
He nods and exits the living room.
Brandon looks back at Nikki, who seems unfazed over seeing a
headless body.
NIKKI
Word of advice, I don’t think it’s
particularly smart to drag your
trash across the room.
Brandon flashes a quick smile.
BRANDON
You runnin’ from the law? Because
if cops show up here lookin’ for
your ass, I won’t be happy.
NIKKI
No need to worry about the cops. No
one knows I’m here.
Brandon still stares at her doubtful.
BRANDON
You really think you can find her?
NIKKI
I don’t know. I just hope I find
answers.
BRANDON
You know who I am?
NIKKI
I do.
BRANDON
You a snitch?
15.