Who's he?
Wait at the bar. This is no way to greet an old friend.
You kept me waiting here for 2 weeks.
Right! It's Paris. See the sights.
I'm here for work.
There's a lot of ground to cover. Difficult terrain. Remote.
They want me to send someone with you.
Two men is a security risk.
This is an important job. There's no room for mistakes.
So don't make any.
It must be very nice for you. Not to need anyone.
The client is Red Leaf. A military biotech.
They're after something extremely rare.
You're to bring back biological samples.
Blood, skin, hair, organs.
As for the rest, make sure no one else can ever find it.
What Red Leaf wants is very valuable.
Tasmanian Tiger.
But only if they have exclusive ownership.
You are looking for something most believe is extinct.
The rarest, most elusive creature on the planet.
The client has evidence it still exists.
If so, it may be the very last one.
THE HUNTER
The client has reports from a reliable source.
Two confirmed sightings in the past year.
Until now, these sightings have been kept secret...
...but word always gets out.
We have only a couple of months, maybe less.
After that there will be competition.
Perhaps there already is.
Hello?
Hey! What are you doing?
You can't wake her up.
I'm Martin David, from the University.
Hello, Martin David. My name's Sass. This is my brother Bike.
Mom said we should take you to see your room.
Come on.
- Bulb's burned out. - Nah... No fucking power.
- Excuse me? - It's the generator. Stopped working.
You gonna fix it?
I got a lot of equipment. I need power.
Yeh. Used to work, but it stopped.
Dad says the fucken fucker's completely fucked.
- Where's your father? - Gone away. Up there.
He'll be back soon though. He'll fix it if you can't.
There's water in the cold tap.
Oh, and the toilet's outside.
- You right there mate? - Ah, just need to use the restroom.
You wanna drink first?
Right.
- Beer? - Sure.
SAVE OUR NATIVE FORESTS ( -- JOBS -- )
- How much to rent a room? - No vacancies.
- Not even one small room? - All regulars, mate .. Live-ins.
I can pay double.
Pay triple if you want. Same difference.
Hey, you!... Hey, you!
- You wanna room? - Yeah.
Yeah. Well, you can't have one.
- You're from overseas, aren't you? Some Uni? - You got a room? I can pay.
Nuh. The thing is... mate,
We don't really like greenies around here.
So, unless you want to join your mate, Jarrah fucking Armstrong...
...fuck off.
- You're up Dougie. - Coming.
I've arrived. The lodging is... not what I excepted.
The communication may be a problem.
So, I'll call when I have something to report.
What's she singing about?
She sounds sad. Yelling like that.
She's not yelling. Don't you ever listen to music?
Sure. My Dad likes "The Boss".
Who?
"The Boss". Bruce Springsteen. He rocks.
Shouldn't come in here without knocking.
You're looking for my dad?
No, I'm researching Tasmanian devils.
But if you see him, you'll tell him to come home?
I'll be up for twelve days, then I'll come back for two days to resupply and do my paperwork.
If I'm not back, Wednesday next week...
Take this, when you go up.
You can keep it for while.
Here's my Dad. We gave him that for his birthday. It's what he looks like.
Okay.
44.30...
Those are my coordinates. They're points on the map. Now, listen.
- When your mother wakes up... - I know. Twelve days.
Jack's here!
- Where are my soldiers? - Jack!
Hey, little princess. Hi, mate.
There he is.
- G'day, Jack Mindy. - Martin David. How's it going?
- How's the room, alright? - Yeah, it's fine, thanks.
Any problems, just let me know, I'll sort it out.
It's a good spot for you here. Quiet, convenient.
Now, the blokes from the university told me you needed a guide.
- Really? - Yeah. I can take can take you up there...
- No, no, I, I don't... - No, no, no, it's not problem.
You can get your stuff and follow me in your truck. Alright?
Who were they?
Blockade? It's Greenies protesting the logging.
- Jarrah started all that. - The children's father?
Jarrah, yeah. I've a lot of time for Jarrah, he's a good bloke,
eco-warrior.
- Where is he now? - He went missing last summer.
He was out doing his university work, he never came back down.
- Didn't the university tell you? - Different university.
Anyway. It was a bloody nightmare Search & Rescue was out for two weeks...
...not a trace.
And his wife?
Lucy is not doing too good. She's ...um, I do what I can to help.
Your rent money will go a long way.
This is all earmarked for logging.
- What is it you're studying? - Devils.
Dunno why, they're pests.
Still, makes a change.
From what?
We get a lot of tourists this way looking for the Tassie tiger.
They think they can take a bit of a day trip...
...and find an animal that's been written off as extinct.
- What do you think? - I heard one once.
I was a kid. I was up trapping with my dad.
50 years ago but I still remember it.
Every now and again some clown reckons he sees one but...
...no one can ever prove it.
Not a Sunday stroll up where you want to go Mr. David.
Part of it is highlands. Never been mapped.
There are satellite maps alright, but it doesn't mean anyone's ever been there.
What do you think happened to Jarrah Armstrong?
Slipped, fell, broke a leg, froze, starved...
And then the devils got him.
Eat you alive if you give 'em a chance.
Odd, though, not to find a trace.
Well, depends if anyone wanted a trace left.
Made a few enemies, Jarrah.
He was a foreigner, like yourself.
Wanted to save the trees.
Logging trees is the only reason there's any people here at all.
For a town. So you can imagine when he arrived a few years back he was as popular as...
...a snake in a sleeping bag.
- Good Lord! - Good Lord indeed, Mr. David.
Thank you, Mr. Mindy. I'll take it from here.
You what?
I'd like to go on alone.
- Are you sure? It's... - Yes, I'm sure.
Well, suit yourself.
I'll leave you to it then. See you in a couple of weeks.
And watch your step.
GO HOME GREENIE SCUM
G'day.
You're back then.
- You get what you needed? - Sort of.
- Seen many "devils"? - Yes.
Sick or healthy?
Healthy.
Oh well, don't let me stand in your way. Just brought 'round some supplies.
Your dinner's in the kitchen.
- Is that your father? - Which? Oh, yeah, he did it.
- Why is scratching his head? - He's not.
He's looking for something. But you'd never guess what for.
- A way out of here? - A tiger.
Really? A tiger?
- What kind of tiger? - A Tasmanian tiger.
A Tasmanian tiger?
- That's very interesting, but you know, they don't exist. - Do so.
- They're extinct - Are not! My dad saw one last summer. It's a secret.
He must have told somebody about it. Somebody else besides you?
- Have other people seen it? - I do not know. Ask him.
Hello. I hear you're doing some research on the plateau, "Devils", right?
- Yes, that's right. - Very cool.
- I'm Free by the way. This is Simon. - How's it going?
You should stop by some time. We'd love to hear about your work.
I'm sorry, but I won't have any time.
You're not using traps up there, are you? Steel traps?
No. I won't do that.
Thanks.
I bet you helped your dad too.
What is that? A monkey face?
OK. Here goes nothing.
- Where did these come from? - It's a prescription from a doctor.
Jack Mindy brings them.
Your mother doesn't need these anymore. So, no more, OK?
OK.
Go run a bath.
Sass, here, help me.
Get her legs.
I have to go back up tomorrow. You're going to have to take care your mother.
- She's gonna feel sick. - OK.
Give her lots of tea, and water and let her rest.
- OK? - OK.
Out!
You can't come with me.
You know these are exctint. They're gone.
I don't know what your father told you but he couldn't have seen one.
Come on.
Ok, if I see one, you'll be the first to hear.
- Where's your mother? - In town with Jack Mindy.
She's better now. Did you find anything?
It's not my dad's.
- What are you doing? - We're going in.
- No, you can't. - But we always do.
- Wait until I finished. - No, the water'll be cold.
Besides, my dad says when we have a bath it's shame...
...to waste all the hot water.
I am not your dad and I do not think your mom would like this.
- He tells us a story. - I do not know any.
- None? - No.
- Not even one story? - No.
- What she keeps singing about then? - She's just singing.
'bout what though? People never sing about nothing.
I've never met someone does it.
She can't sing a song about nothing.
So what's she singing about?
He's back.
- I'll better come in. - I'll be fine.
I'll see you soon.
Thanks.
Want some water?
- Hi. - Hi, Mom.
They do not like to waste the hot water.
- You guys hungry? - Yes.
I'll get dinner ready.
A tiger in the trees.
Which trees? There are lots of trees out there.
The winters up here are something else, especially when the snow comes.
- Shiraz? ( Wine? ) - No.
He drinks tea.
- Jamie! Dinner is ready. - Jamie?
- His new name's Bike. - Bike? Not a bad name.
What about you, Katie? Do you have a new name?
- Sass. From "Sassafras". - That's very pretty.
- Jamie? - I'll go get him.
Hey... time to eat.
- So, Mr. David... - Call me Martin.
Martin, how's the study going? Those Devils giving you much trouble?
No. Not too much trouble.
- I'm getting... - Oh, Katie, that's disgusting! Sorry.
- He likes it stronger. - Like Jarrah.
My husband only liked tea if it was the colour of rust.
- Have you read his book? - No, I haven't but it's on the top of my list.
Run and get daddy's book.
So, what do they teach in zoology these days Martin?
Same stuff. Hasn't changed much in the past ten years.
Do you know Jude Morris? He's from your neck of the woods,... Columbia, right?
I couldn't find it. I'm Finished. Can you tell us a story?
- Martin and I will just have to have a little chat. After that... - You promised.
After we've had our talk...
Katie said that you washed me. In the bath.
The children helped.
I am not a bad mother.
It's just hard.
What are those speakers in the trees? Up there.
Umm. Jarrah.
He wanted to have concerts up here when we first moved.
He had this idea that everyone could gather here, artists, scientist, town's people...
...like a little Woodstock.
He had lots of ideas.
Too many. Too many to hold in his head at once.
We're lucky Jack sent you.
Hey everybody, this is Martin David, like I told you.
Hello.
What happened to your eye?
- Caught a stick in it. - Gross-ish.
- Where's your mother? - She's inside. In the kitchen.
What's going on?
- We having a little Woodstock? - You're back!
- Your eye ...oh god! What happened? - It's fine
Come and sit down.
Sit down.
It's not too deep.
We got a moratorium... for the logging in the forest down the road...
Forrestry aren't allowed to touch it for 6 months not until there's a complete ecologic survey.
- We're celebrating. - They're friends of yours?
I helped them with their proposal, interpreted some of their research.
I was doing my PhD in Plant Science when I met Jarrah.
Ecophysiology.
You look different.
Oh, this? Yeah I had it done in town.
- Do you like it? - I liked it better before.
And this has all the signs of a tiger kill. She eats the heart first.
And this is the cave. She's been there.
She probably has dens all around the area, and she moved between them...
...but sooner or later she'll move back here.
I wonder if she's the last one. Alone. Just...
...hunting and killing, waiting to die.
Go on. We won't tell the University.
No. Thanks, I'm fine.
Guess you will be heading home soon since you got what you wanted.
Nah, got offered a job. Him 'n me.
- Working for the government. - Searching for tigers.
- National Parks found a footprint. - Shhh. It's fucking top secret!
And we know the area, so...
There's no tigers up there.
- You don't know that. You only know what they want you to know. - Mmmm, Here we go.
We'd be sitting on a pile of money if you found one man, I'm telling you. Cloning and shit.
You're a scientist. What would you do if you found a tiger?
Not my field.
I'd just point his nose due west and tell him to run like the wind.
That's what Jarrah would've done.
Isn't that right Luce?
- Take the kids inside. - Come on. Katie. Come on.
Listen, fellows...
It's not personal.
Taking away our jobs is personal mate.
- Come on man, there're women & children here. - Shut up Feral.
Hey, you don't want to do that mate.
Yeah.
Ah, Run you little fairies.
Come in.
I'm making tea. Would you like some?
- No, thank you. - You sure?
No. I'm gonna turn it. I got to go back up early tomorrow morning.
Sorry about tonight.
Do you think those people have something to do with y... your husband?
No. They're angry that they're out of work but they wouldn't hurt us.
Their kids go to school with my kids.
Jarrah thought that somebody was following him though.
Not one of the locals.
Well, if not them, who?
My husband pissed off a lot of people.
- Did you tell the police? - Yeah, they said there was no evidence.
No, uhh, body. Besides, they knew Jarrah, his theories, what he was like. So, ...
Do you believe someone was following him?
I believe he believed it.
How is it going Mr. Mindy?
Hear you had a bit of trouble up at the house last night?
Everything is under control.
Maybe I should talk to the University...
...find you somewhere else to live, somewhere with fewer distractions.
Lucy is better. She is off the pills and the kids are fine too.
I don't think you need to come around so much.
- Hello? - This is Jack Mindy from Tasmania.
- Yes, Jack? - You said to call if there was any problems. - Go on.
Well, this scientist of yours, he's... He's becoming a problem.
Mum
Beer, please.
Didn't think you'd be back in here.
Why aren't you up there with all your other greenie mates, ha?
I know what you're up to mate. Whole fucking town knows about it.
It's a bloody waste of taxes.
You and that fucking Armstrong bitch deserve each other.
Let him go!
'kay. Good boy.
- My Dad was going to fix those. - Just helping him out, while he's away.
- Can I help too? - Sure.
# MUSIC: Vivaldi Gloria In Excelsis Deo
Thank you!
- What kind of work was your husband doing up there? - I don't know if you call it work...
Was he working for Red Leaf?
I saw their name on the back of some of the drawings. On the fridge.
I thought he burnt it all. He got very paranoid about, umm.
- Why? - He was hunting a tiger up there.
He told me that the tiger had some unique toxin that paralyzed its prey.
And that Red Leaf wanted to own it. The DNA.
Jarrah was trying to stop them.
It's probably better off extinct.
If its alive people would always want to find it. Hunt it down.
- Mum? I can't sleep. - What's the matter Katie?
- I'm scared, I want to sleep in your bed, with you. - Okay, I'm coming.
Listen. If it's a nice day tomorrow, do you want to go on a picnic?
Yeah.
- Good night. - 'Night.
- Can we bring the chook? - No! - Why not?
Because, ... I don't even know what a chook is.
Chooks... the chickens!
Oh, My, Lord. Look at you!
Are you sure you want to be seen with us?
Oh, okay, you want him? It's is for you.
He's coming...
- Martin David. - I'm hearing reports.
You're attracting too much attention, getting involved with locals.
You need to focus on the job, or someone else will get there first.
I've found a cave... a kind of den. I've been there.
Why aren't you up there now?
You need a result.
You'll get your result.
Exscuse me.
- What are you doing? - I have to go back up.
- I have to finish my work. I have no choice. - What about the kids?
- These are my coordinates, if I'm not back... - Don't bother.
Get down on your knees, face away from me.
Where's the cave?
What cave?
Hands by your sides, palms up.
Where is the cave?
- Up there. - How far?
Two hour climb.
You're going to take me there.
Let's go!
I can't navigate like this.
Jack!
Jack?
You stay there! You stay there!
- Don't you make me. - Where are they?
It was an accident. Police...
...said it was an accident. All the...
candles, & lanterns, open fire up at that place, was bound to happen sooner or later.
Where are they now, Jack?
Lucy and the girl... they're dead. They're. They're dead.
And the boy?
They took him away. I couldn't look after him, not at my age.
We'll find him a place, somewhere good...
Was someone paying you to follow me, to keep an eye on me?
No. I thought you were a scientist, like Jarrah.
No one was paying me.
You should never've come here.
What did you tell them, you idiot?
They sent someone to replace me. They'll send someone to replace him...
...and they'll keep on sending people until they get what they want.
What you want is gone forever.
Don't bother looking for me. I'm going to see the sights.