PUCHEMKO leads GOTTLIEB to the door. As they pass, the other PRISONERS look up and run to the cell doors, shouting in various languages; encouragement, hatred, prayers. Even the old ROMANY MAN in the first cell looks up.

ROMANY MAN
Little Angel. Look at your papa. Is Vladokov, me.

ANGEL
(Turns.)
Vladokov? My ... My papa?
(Tears prick his eyes.)
You left me. You abandoned me. And in return, Mama abused me until she died.

VLADOKOV
I know, little Angel. Puchemko told me. Angel ... I must ask of you something ...

ANGEL
I will listen. But is my decision whether I do this for you.

VLADOKOV
Please ... Little Angel, your papa hurts so much. My heart, is dying ... I cannot live another year here. Please ... show me mercy ...

ANGEL walks to the bars of the cell and thrusts his hands as far in as they will go.

ANGEL
Come here, papa. I will take you away from this awful place.

VLADOKOV clasps hands with ANGEL. He leans forward, kisses the ROMANIAN'S cheeks.

VLADOKOV
I am so sorry, Angel. You were miracle ... from God Himself to this lonely old man, and I left you ...

ANGEL
Yes, you did, papa ... you have no idea how much you hurt me ...

VLADOKOV
I was stupid, foolish ... I never wanted to know you so much, did not know how much I miss you, until they tell me you were here.

ANGEL
Why you leave me, papa?

VLADOKOV
When I see you first in your mama's arms, you look like little cherub, like everything good and right in the world ... I could not believe you were the son of this old sinner ... I had done so many wrong things. You make me understand I was not the man I should have been.

ANGEL
You were so angry when you first see me, papa.

VLADOKOV
I was angry at me inside, not you. Never you.

ANGEL
What you do when you left?

VLADOKOV
I went home, tried to forget. Tried to change. It was so hard, Angel, knowing I could have been better for you and your brothers. I send you money every year ... did you get it?

ANGEL
A hundred leu for every one of my years, every year. I wondered why it came on my birthday ... Mama never tell me who it was from. And then it stop when I turn nineteen. I went to work.

VLADOKOV
You supported your mama for me.

ANGEL
I did. But she was so bitter. She never let me forget it ... I always used the money you sent me for our home. She wanted me to leave, and when I did no leave and my brothers did, she realized she had to keep me.

VLADOKOV
You could have given her to a home.

ANGEL
I know. But hearing Mama cry at night, when she thought I slept ... was too much for me to bear. She was so lonely.

VLADOKOV
Teribila sa fie singur in aceasta lume.
(Nods.)
But you have good heart. I very proud of you, my Angel. Come ... kiss your papa good-by ...

ANGEL
A kiss then, to give you mercy.
(Presses his face to the bars and kisses Vladokov on both cheeks.)
Oh, Papa. You smell as I remember. Tobacco and good vodka.
(His tears stream down his face.)
Papa. Papa ... taticu' meu ... !
(Gives a strangled sob, clinging to the bars.)

VLADOKOV
Angel. My Angel ...
(Presses his hand to his heart.)
You turn out so much like me. Go with God, my Angel.
(A tear slips down his cheek.)
Fiul meu, numai al meu.

ANGEL weeps brokenly at this.

VLADOKOV
No, no ...
(Places a hand on Angel's shoulder and strokes it.)
Why you cry, my son?

ANGEL
I cannot help it, papa. I wait so long to be loved by you ...

VLADOKOV
It is terrible my love came too late to save either of us.
(His breath stutters, and he presses himself to the bars, clinging.)
Te iubesc, inger-fiul. Va multumesc ...

ANGEL
Si te iubesc. Esti iertata pacatele tale impotriva mea.
(Kisses his fingers.)
Du-te acum...Bunica Lena asteapta pentru tine.

VLADOKOV
(Reaches his hands through the bars and touches Angel's face, his breath slipping away.)
Du-te cu Dumnezeu. Esti binecuvintat in ochii mei.

VLADOKOV smiles, clings to the bars once more, and his eyes cloud over. He is STILL.

PUCHEMKO
So your peace is made at last ...
(Smiles.)
Come, Angel, to the battle's beginning.

PUCHEMKO opens the door, and the two emerge into a blaze of raging sun, the shouts of the PRISONERS following them out and ebbing away.