EXT. EKATERINBURG -- URAL -- DAY
The train chugs along the road toward EKATERINBURG, a mining city, situated along the eastern slope of the Ural Mountains, with its mansions, hovels, mines, plants, lakes and forests.
EXT. EKATERINBURG STATION -- APRIL 30 1918 -- DAY
The train pulls to a stop to confront fearful scenes. The platform is filled with hundreds of furious PEOPLE advancing towards the train.
The Bolshevik sentries stand by and watch the crowds surging forward, spitting, cursing and shouting.
CROWDS
(shouting)
Come out. Romanovs are in our hands. Bring them out, let's spit in their faces. Hang them right here, right now, in this Bolshevik enclave.
INT. TRAIN -- DAY
A couple of sentries enter the coach to close the compartment windows and lower the curtains.
The Romanovs stay in their compartment, listening to the violent quarrel and threatening shouts. Marie tries to peep from behind the lowered curtains.
MARIE'S POV FROM BEHIND THE CURTAINS
An open motorcar rumbles up the station and pulls up near the train. From the motorcar climb three men: ALEXANDER BELOBORODOV, chairman of the Ural Regional Soviet; ISAAC GOLOSHCHOKIN, military commissar of the Ural Regional Soviet and ALEXANDER AVDAYEV, the commandant of the Ipatiev House.
The heavily armed Ural Bolshevik soldiers surround the train. The Ural Regional officials make their way through the crowds and stride toward the train.
BACK TO SCENE
The Ural Regional officials enter the rattling coach and approach to the Romanovs. Beloborodov, a tall and thin man with pale features and a receding hairline, unfolds a document and clears his throat.
BELOBORODOV
(reading loudly)
On April 30, 1918, I, the undersigned Chairman of the Ural Regional Soviet, Alexander Beloborodov, received from the Extraordinary Commissar of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, Vasily Yakovlev, the following persons, transferred from the town of Tobolsk: The former Emperor Nicholas Alexandrovich Romanov; the former Empress Alexandra Feodorovna Romanova; the former Grand Duchess Marie Nikolaievna Romanova, all of them to be kept under guard in the town of Ekaterinburg.
In a receipt, Yakovlev signs over custody of the Romanovs to the Ural Bolsheviks.
BELOBORODOV (CONT'D)
Moscow has ordered the Romanovs detain in Ekaterinburg until a trial for the former Emperor can be arranged. Gather your luggage and follow me outside.
EXT. EKATERINBURG STATION -- DAY
Standing on the platform, Victor watches Marie and her parents.
Nicholas, in an officer's greatcoat, comes out of the train, followed by Alexandra and Marie, in black Persian lamb coats and hats, with small valises in their hands.
Beloborodov leads the Romanovs to the cars waited. Nicholas climbs into the rear of the first car, followed by Alexandra and Marie. Beloborodov sits in the front seat next to the driver.
Victor madly runs after the cars driving down the roadway, followed by a full truck of Bolshevik soldiers. Victor wrestles with some guards who try to push him back.
