ELENA: Good. We can keep this civilized, can’t we?

Elena takes out the clip from Lamb’s gun, puts the clip in her pocket, then puts the gun in the back of her jeans.

She indicates a chair for Hamilton. Lamb and Josef look at Hamilton. He sits down in the chair.

HAMILTON: What do you want?

ELENA: It’s not what I want, Marko, it’s what we want. I represent the interests of many people here.

JOSEF: Pretsao som ti, da je vona stavno varljava kurvetina.[2]

ELENA: Don’t call me that.

(off Lamb’s look) He calls me a kurvetina. It translates as ‘bog donkey,’ but in Lavinian it means something like a cunty whore.

A wonderfully progressive people, as you can see.

HAMILTON: Your soldiers urinate on enemy corpses. Like dogs marking their territory.

ELENA: Do we? Why yes, I suppose we do. But we would like to take exception to something you said earlier, about how we seek only revenge, and not justice. That is not true. We seek both.

Your mistake is thinking that there is a difference.

HAMILTON: That’s a fine bit of sophistry, but –

ELENA: Does it make you feel better to use words no one understands?

HAMILTON: All I mean –

ELENA: I don’t care what you mean. We’ve heard the arguments, and they are always the same.

We tried to do it your way, you know. During the peace talks, we submitted a list of fourteen officers we wanted tried for war crimes. The West agreed, but the Sužni brokered a secret deal with them to let the officers leave the country. Because nothing, you see, would be allowed to derail the ‘peace process.’

We learned our lesson.

Let me ask you a question, Marko: if you take away the scales of justice, what’s left?

HAMILTON: Nothing.

ELENA: Wrong. She’s left with her sword.

HAMILTON: …

ELENA: Inspector, would you be so kind as to handcuff our friend here to the chair?

Hamilton rises. Elena makes a calming gesture.

ELENA: This may surprise you, Marko, but we are not interested in killing you. Your co-operation is expected, however, and force will be used if necessary. (pats the chair) Sit down.

Hamilton doesn’t move. Elena goes to her backpack and takes out two zip ties.

LAMB: Please, do as she says …

Lamb puts his hand on Hamilton’s shoulder. Hamilton brushes him off. Lamb grabs him again, this time with a firmer grip.

LAMB: Please.

HAMILTON: (puts up his hands in surrender) Okay, okay.

Hamilton sits. Lamb cuffs his hands behind the chair.

LAMB: (whispers) Sorry.

ELENA: Tie his legs with these when you’re done.

Elena throws a pair of zip ties to Lamb.

Lamb ties Hamilton’s legs to the chair.