T R U E L I E S
WRITTEN
BY
JAMES CAMERON
-----------------------
TITLE SEQUENCE
1 EXT. MOUNTAINS, NEAR GENEVA, SWITZERLAND - NIGHT
The snow covered Alps stand out clearly in the light of a full
moon. A fortress-like CHATEAU is situated in a flat saddle of
forest partway up the mountain, next to a frozen lake. The
property is surrounded by high stone walls, and the stately
grounds are bathed in floodlights and patrolled by armed guards
with dogs.
2 EXT. CHATEAU - NIGHT
The driveway and motorcourt are filled with cars. A formal-
dress party is in progress... a private reception for a middle-
eastern dignitary. Tuxedoes men escort their diamond-encrusted
ladies through the huge front doors, where they doff their
overcoats and are politely scanned with hand-held metal
detectors by white gloved security staffers.
The walled perimeter of the house runs along the lake, forming
a kind of rampart. There is an opening, to a kind of waterway
or canal, which connects to the private docks inside the
grounds. There is a steel grating across the opening. The
bars disappear down into the thin ice of early winter.
With the house visible BG, we CRANE DOWN below the parapet wall
along which a guard is a white exposure-suit is walking... down
along the dark wall to the grating... TILTING DOWN to see a
glow pulsing under the ice.
3 EXT. BENEATH THE ICE, UNDERWATER - NIGHT
Camera moving toward: A FIGURE in diving gear working at the
metal bars with an oxygen arc cutting torch. One bar has
already been cut out. Two quick cuts and a second bar falls to
the muddy bottom. Lit now only from the floodlights filtering
down through the ice, the figure slips through the bars and
swims powerfully along the stone canal wall.
Seem from below, the figure is a black shadow moving against
the rippled-glass of the ice above.
4 EXT. CANAL AND BOATHOUSE - NIGHT
A dock extends into the frozen canal, just behind a large
boathouse. There is a faint chipping sound. The ice breaks
quietly, and the pieces are slid back. A head appears, in a
rubber drysuit hood. The DIVER slips the regulator out of his
mouth and turns slowly, scanning... revealing:
HARRY TASKER. Our hero. Harry floats with just his eyes above
the surface, silent as a water snake, as a guard passes on a
footpath nearby.
After a few beats Harry slips out of his tanks and fins,
letting them sink, and climbs the frozen ladder onto the dock.
He moves like a ninja into the shadows of the boathouse.
Opening a WATERPROOF BAG, he pulls out a walky talky.
HARRY
Honey, I'm home.
5 INT. / EXT. SURVEILLANCE VAN, MOUNTAIN ROAD - NIGHT
Meet Harry's partner, ALBERT "GIB" GIBSON, an overweight twenty-
year-man with a lived in looking face. Gib answers Harry via
his headset.
GIB
Roger that.
(he covers the mike and
turns)
Hey, Fize! Get your butt in
here. Harry's inside.
Outside, FAST FAISIL, an Iranian-American, finishes making
yellow snow and hurries back to the van. They are parked on a
winding mountain road a half-mile from the chateau, whose
lights are visible through the trees.
Faisil jumps in and goes to the eyepiece of a huge telephoto
nightvision scope. The eerie green image lurches as he sweeps
the grounds, locating the boathouse.
6 EXT. BOATHOUSE - NIGHT
Concealed in the shadows, Harry is shucking out of his drysuit.
Underneath is he is wearing black tux pants, suspenders,
cummerbund and a formal shirt. He puts a tiny plug, like a
hearing aid, deep in his ear canal. A SUB-VOCAL TRANSCEIVER.
Very advanced.
HARRY
Switching to sub-vocal. Gib, you
copy?
GIB (OVER)
It's Talkradio. You're on the
air.
Harry slips into his shoulder harness... holster on one side,
containing his .45 auto Glock-22, and the transmitter pack for
the ear-piece slung on the other. He slips on a formal jacket,
concealing the rig. Then a final touch. A little aftershave
from a tiny plastic vial.
Harry adjusts his bow-tie and strides confidently out of the
shadows, crossing quickly to the main house. He looks
ultrasharp in his black tux with the white silk cummerbund and
his hair slicked back. He enters the main house through a back
service entrance.
7 INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
Harry strides through the huge kitchen like he owns the place.
The kitchen staff are scurrying around, too busy to really
notice. He finger-tastes a dish as he passes.
HARRY
(French/ subtitled)
This needs more garlic.
He breezes through unchallenged, exiting into the--
8 INT. MAIN HALL - NIGHT
Here the party is in full swing. Harry blends smoothly into
the crowd of foreign dignitaries, businessman and minor mid-
east nobility. They are a high-octane mixture of new oil money
and old European money, and run the spectrum from stodgy
bankers to playboy arms dealers.
Harry strolls amiably among the glittering woman, the cigar
smoking men, casually snagging a glass of champagne and a
canape from the passing waiters. He nods to someone as if he
knows them. Greets another is quite fluent Arabic. People in
his wake look at each other like "Do you know him?" They
shrug, go on with their conversation. Harry moves through the
crowd. Scanning.
HARRY
There's Daddy Petrobucks.
HARRY'S POV - Through the crowd is sees JAMAL KHALED, the host
of the party and owner of the chateau. He is fat and animated,
greeting guests with a flourish. As Harry watches he warmly *
greets a beautiful WOMAN. They become absorbed in a *
conversation.
The woman glances up and sees Harry checking her out. There is
a frank moment of returned interest. Then the crowd shifts,
cutting off their view of each other.
9 INT. STAIRCASE AND SECOND FLOOR - NIGHT
Harry makes his way up the grand staircase to the second floor. *
He slips through doors into the private area of the mansion. *
10 INT. LIBRARY - NIGHT
The doors open and Harry slips into the darkened library. He *
crosses quickly to a window and opens it onto a terrace. *
11 EXT. BALCONIES - NIGHT *
Harry goes onto the terrace, and in a display of acrobatic *
prowess, he pulls himself up onto the third floor balcony *
directly above. He lets himself into-- *
12 INT. KHALED'S OFFICE - NIGHT *
Khaled's office is ornately furnished. Beautiful antiques
glint in the moonlight coming in the French-doors. Harry
crosses to an immense desk and boots up the computer there.
Bathed in the glow from the screen, he pulls a FLAT BOX, about
the size of a paperback, from the back of his cummerbund. He
connects it quickly to the modem port in the back of the
computer.
HARRY
Modem in place. Transmitting...
now.
He pushes a button and a green light comes on.
13 INT. VAN - NIGHT
Gib and Faisil watch as their monitor screen lights with DATA
from Khaled's private computer.
FAISIL
Affirmatory. We are in. *
Fast Faisil is a computer ace. His fingers fly on the keyboard
as he types rapid key commands. We see familiar "windows
appear". The words are all in Arabic characters.
FAISIL
These are encrypted files, guys.
This is going to take me a few
minutes.
14 OMITTED *
15 INT. 2ND FLOOR HALLWAY - NIGHT *
TIGHT ON LIBRARY DOOR. It opens a crack and a dental mirror *
comes out, looking around like a U-boat periscope. Seeing the
coast is clear Harry slips out. But just as he is closing the
door, a GUARD rounds the corner ten feet away. Harry turns
smoothly. He smiles sheepishly and moves toward the guard.
HARRY
(In Arabic/ subtitled)
Where's the john around here? I
have to take a major leak.
The guard points warily down the corridor. Harry nods and
heads that way, back toward the party.
16 INT. MAIN HALL/ STAIRCASE - NIGHT
Harry comes down the staircase amid the glitter of the party.
He is sipping champagne and looking bored. He sees two
security guys moving purposefully through the crowd toward the
stairs, walkies in their hands. He turns away as they pass him
and pretends to study a large fragment of bas-relief... a
temple frieze depicting a war chariot drawn by four horses.
He senses someone next to him and turns. It is the WOMAN. She *
is captivatingly beautiful, and her gaze is piercing.
HARRY
(indicating the bas-
relief)
Magnificent, isn't it?
WOMAN
Yes. Hi, I'm Juno Skinner. I
thought I knew most of Khaled's
friends but I don't believe I
know you.
Harry offers his hand to her.
HARRY
Renquist. Harry Renquist.
17 INT. VAN - NIGHT
Gib whirls to the screen displaying the mission database. He
scans rapidly for--
GIB
Skinner. Skinner. Come on...
Gib finds the entry he's looking for. Juno's picture and data
appear on the screen.
GIB
Juno Skinner. Art and
antiquities dealer, specializing
in ancient Persia.
18 INT. MAIN HALL - NIGHT
Harry turns back to the fragment of frieze.
HARRY
This is Persian, if I'm not
mistaken.
JUNO
Very good. It's sixth century
B.C. Do you like the period?
HARRY
(shameless)
I adore it.
19 EXT. DOCK/ BOATHOUSE (NIGHTVISION POV) - NIGHT
Seen through the starlight scope, we see one of the guards
shining his light on the hole in the ice and then on Harry's
footprints leading to the boathouse. He calls to one of the
other guards, who comes running over.
20 INT. MANSION - NIGHT
Harry, still with Juno, hears Gib in his ear:
GIB (VO)
Harry, we got a problem. Guards
are swarming all over the dock.
Harry glances up the stairs. Khaled's SECURITY CHIEF is
gesturing to several of his men, and speaking quickly into a
walky. Three SECURITY MEN come down the stairs, scanning the
crowd. Harry turns smoothly away from them and takes Juno's
arm.
HARRY
Do you dance, Ms. Skinner?
He steers her toward the dance floor.
21 INT. VAN - NIGHT
Gib, listening, rolls his eyes. He looks through the night-
vision scope. Guards are running around outside the chateau.
Harry's stirred up the hornet's nest. Faisil is still jamming
at the keyboard.
FAISIL
Okay, files are unlocked. I'm
in. I'm down, baby. I got my
hand up her dress and I'm going
for the gold. I'm--
GIB
Just copy the goddamn files!
(into his headset)
Harry, don't be stopping to smell
the roses, now. You hear me,
Harry?
22 INT. MAIN HALL - NIGHT
Harry whirls Juno aggressively across the dancefloor. She
responds deftly. They are well matched. She parries each of
his smooth moves with a flourish. It is a contest of wills,
and a surprised appraisal for each that the other is worthy.
Juno is hot. He bends her back at the waist, then snaps her
up. She twirls into the crook of his arm. Their faces are
inches apart. Wow. The music ends and she gives him a wry
grin.
JUNO
Well. And I thought this was
going to be just another bunch of
boring bankers and oil
billionaires.
GIB (OVER)
Harry, seconds count, buddy.
Ditch the bitch, let's go.
HARRY
Unfortunately, Juno, I have a
plane to catch.
She slips a card out of a pocket in her otherwise sheer dress.
She hands it to him, maintaining eye contact. Serious sparks.
JUNO
Call me, if you'd like to see
some of my other pieces.
HARRY
I'd like that.
23 INT. VAN - NIGHT
Gib can't believe this conversation.
GIB
(to Faisil)
Son of a bitch is with her two
minutes and she's ready to bear
his children
(to Harry)
What's your exit strategy Twinkle
Toes?
24 EXT. CHATEAU/ FRONT ENTRANCE - NIGHT
Harry nods to the security men at the door as he strides
confidently through. He goes down the steps to the broad
terrace above the motor court. Behind Harry, a GUARD lowers
his walky talky and starts after him.
GUARD
May I see your invitation, sir?
Without turning, Harry slips a small flat box out of his breast
pocket. A REMOTE DETONATOR.
HARRY *
Here's my invitation. *
He pushes the button and-- *
KABOOM! The second floor office windows blow out in a fiery
explosion. Using the diversion, Harry leaps off the terrace
before the guard can open fire.
25 INT. / EXT. VAN - NIGHT
Gib sees the rising fireball a half-mile away. He starts the
van.
GIB
Aw, shit. Here we go--
26 EXT. CHATEAU AND GROUNDS - NIGHT
Harry sprints across the snow-covered lawn, through the trees.
Guards with automatic weapons run after him, firing. The snow
explodes around him with bullet hits.
TWO DOBERMANS pelt toward Harry, leaping at him in perfect
unison. He waits... and knocks their heads together in mid-
leap with a crack like a baseball bat. The dogs drop to the
snow, wobbling around like they're drunk.
As Harry sprints on, ANOTHER DOBERMAN lunges out of the bushes
ahead, leaping directly for his throat. Harry grabs the dog
and shot-puts him up into a tree without breaking stride. Dog
Fu. The dog yelps and scrambles to hold onto an icy branch,
looking down in amazement.
27 EXT. PERIMETER WALL/ MOUNTAIN SLOPE - NIGHT
Harry leaps down on the outside of the wall, hitting a snow
bank and sliding downhill. He sprints down the gentle slope
toward the highway.
Harry looks back as TWO GUARDS ON SKIS come out of a guard
station beside the main entrance.
TRACKING WITH THE SKI-GUARDS, searching through the trees with
lights. They have lost Harry. They stop. A snowbank behind
them EXPLODES as Harry leaps out. He disables them both with
vicious street-fighter moves. Harry looks upslope as--
A service gate opens in the perimeter wall and TEAMS OF
SECURITY MEN in white snow-suits pour out, some on skis, some
on SNOWMOBILES. A HELICOPTER rises over the wall in a blast of
swirling snow. Its xenon lights rake through the trees,
casting lurid wheeling shadows on the snow.
ON Harry, snapping closed the ski boots he has stolen from one
of the disabled guards. He pops the boots quickly into the
bindings and takes off downhill with one of the guard's FN FAL
rifles slung across his back.
The helicopter swoops downhill, its searchlight blazing through
the forest. Snowmobile headlights illuminate the ski-patrols
zig-zagging among the trees.
Harry slashes expertly downhill. He cuts a distinguished
figure in his black tux. Automatic weapons fire rips through
the trees from behind him. Harry is going flat-out. The xenon
light hits him. A 7.62 mm machine gun in the chopper rips the *
slope into white clouds around him. Harry slashes, turns,
weaving among the trees at breakneck speed. A snowmobile is
closing in, outflanking him. He turns toward it, suddenly.
Hits a mogul. Uses the air to slash his skis right across the
rider's face. The snowmobile crashes and tumbles into the
night.
28 INT. / EXT. VAN - MOUNTAIN ROAD - NIGHT
GIB'S VAN takes an icy turn in a hairy slide.
INSIDE Gib is peering upslope, trying to see what's going on.
All he can see are lights and gunfire.
GIB
Harry, what's your twenty? I
need a position, buddy--
Suddenly a skier in a black tux launches across the road from
the slope above, RIGHT OVER THE VAN, and lands deftly
downslope.
GIB
Uh... right! I'll catch you on
the next bend.
Behind the van, pursuing guards leap across the road. Only
about half can make the jump. The rest crash horribly. The
helicopter thunders overhead.
29 EXT. MOUNTAIN SLOPE - NIGHT
Harry sees the chopper start an attack run. He comes out into
the open, going straight downhill like a rocket. The chopper
gets suckered in... trying to hit him, getting right down
behind him... and suddenly-- Harry slides to a stop in an
explosion of powder and whips up the rifle. P-P-P-POW! He
rakes a burst across the windshield. The startled pilot
swerves and-- Suddenly two tall pine trees are right in front
of him.
K-WHACK! The main-rotor blade snaps clean off and the chopper
drops into the snow, plowing into a snowbank. It slides right
to the edge of a steep ridge and stops, teetering.
Firing from a snowmobile, one of the guards puts a burst right
across Harry's path. Harry's skis are hit and he tumbles,
comes out of it... running down the hill like a juggernaut in
his heavy boots. He has lost the rifle somewhere in the snow.
Harry takes cover behind the burning wreck of the downed
chopper, which still has its engine running. The ski patrol
opens fire from upslope. Rounds whacking against the disabled
helicopter.
Harry looks down the slope and gets an idea. He jerks the
unconscious pilot out and pushes on the fuselage, rocking it.
It slips over the edge. He leaps inside as it topples forward
and slides down the slope.
30 INT./ EXT. HELICOPTER - MOUNTAIN SLOPE - NIGHT
Harry adds throttle and works the footpedals, using the tail-
rotor to steer. The chopper had snow-skids, and Harry is
skiing the damn thing down the mountain.
The copter is burning as it rockets down the slope on its *
skids. Bullets are hitting the fuselage, and everything around
it. Skiers are wiping out, hitting trees. A snowmobile hits
a rock and flies spectacularly into a ravine.
GIB (OVER)
Harry! Where are you!
HARRY
In the helicopter.
31 INT./ EXT. VAN - MOUNTAIN ROAD - NIGHT
Gib slides the van around a curve.
GIB
(deadpan, to Faisil)
He's in the helicopter.
Big is scanning above for the chopper. Then upslope he sees
the burning fuselage skiing expertly among the trees.
The chopper hits a jump and launches into the air-- It crashes
through trees, still soaring and-- Gib looks up, screaming as--
The chopper drops right toward him-- He hits the brakes and--
BLAMMO! It drops onto the road ten feet in front of the
skidding van... then slides over the edge and tumbles into a
rocky canyon where is BLOWS UP! The fireball lights up the
night.
Gib and Faisil jump out of the van. They look downslope at the
burning wreckage.
GIB
Harry? HARRY?!
HARRY
What?
Gib and Faisil spin to look behind them. Harry is lodged in
tree-branches hanging over the road. Gib hands his MP-5K *
machine gun to Faisil and reaches up to Harry, who grabs his *
hand and pulls. Harry tumbles down into the snowbank. He
stands, brushing snow off his tux, and clomps toward the van in
his ski-boots. He is completely unruffled.
HARRY
Let's go. We can still make our
flight.
As Faisil is getting into the van behind Harry, TWO GUARD TEAMS
ON SNOWMOBILES roar around the bend behind them, fish-tailing
on the ice. Faisil OPENS FIRE. One snowmobile swerves over
the embankment. The other pulls up broadside, and the guards
duck behind it. Gib floors it and the van roars down the
mountain. Faisil is still Ramboing on full-auto.
FAISIL
This is GREAT!! I never get to
shoot!
CUT TO:
32 EXT. DULLES AIRPORT - NIGHT
An American Airlines 747 touches down amid puffs of tire smoke.
33 EXT. SUBURBAN D.C. STREET - NIGHT
A NON-DESCRIPT SEDAN pulls to the curb in a neighborhood of
modest middle-income tract homes. The street is deserted. It
is 4 A.M. Gib is at the wheel, dropping Harry off at his
house.
34 INT. SEDAN - NIGHT
Harry is emptying his pockets... passport, business cards etc.
All documents under his name "Renquist". He double checks that
his pants and jacket pockets and empty. Gib fastidiously puts
the items into a plastic zip-lock.
HARRY
Empty. Go.
Gib starts handing him items from a briefcase. This should all
feel like a tired ceremony between them.
GIB
Harry Tasker wallet. Harry
Tasker passport. Plane ticket
stub, hotel receipt, Tasker. Two
postcards of Lake Geneva. House
keys. Souvenir snowing Swiss
village.
Gib snows him how is snows when you shake it up and turn it
over.
HARRY
What's this for?
GIB
For Dana, schmuck. Bring your
kid something. You know. The
dad thing.
HARRY
Got it. Nice touch. Okay, pick
me up at eight. The de-brief is
at ten hundred.
Harry opens the car door.
GIB
Hey, hey, hey... what are we
forgetting?
Gib holds up Harry's gold wedding band. Harry puts it on.
HARRY
What a team. See you at eight.
GIB
Yep. Sleep fast.
35 INT. TASKER HOUSE - NIGHT
Harry slips inside. He sets down his suitcase and walks
quietly down the hall. He pauses at a door with lurid labels
and stickers plastered all over it (Toxic Waste, STAY OUT!, IF
IT'S TOO LOUD YOU'RE TOO OLD, etc.)
Harry silently opens the door and looks in at his sleeping
daughter, DANA. She looks like an angel in the moonlight
coming in the window. In fact, she is a typical 14 year old
girl, and therefore hardly an angel. But to Harry she is
unflawed.
36 INT. MASTER BEDROOM - NIGHT
Harry, undressed now, slips into bed next to... a lump in the
covers which we presume to be a human being. This is HELEN
TASKER, Harry's wife of 15 years. He kisses her on the cheek
and she stirs. She rolls toward him, giving him a sleepy hug
and a kiss.
HELEN
(a drowsy murmur)
Hi, honey. How was the flight?
HARRY
Fine, honey. Stay asleep.
HELEN
Okay.
As she drifts off, Harry puts his head on the pillow and stares
at the ceiling.
DISSOLVE TO:
37 INT. TASKER HOUSE - DAY (MORNING)
TIGHT ON SWISS VILLAGE. It is snowing.
ON DANA, reaching to the present Harry just gave her.
DANA
Hey, thanks dad. I never had one
of these.
They are in her room, which is your basic room from Hell.
Pearl Jam posters, and an unbelievable clutter of junk,
magazines and cheap jewelry. Harry kisses her on the cheek, to
which she submits dutifully. He looks at his watch and heads
for the door.
HARRY
You better hurry. You're going
to be late for school.
Harry hurries out and Dana considers the Swiss village a
moment.
DANA
Really lame.
She plonks is straight in the wastebasket.
38 INT. HALLWAY/BEDROOM/ BATHROOM - DAY
Harry strides down the hall, avoiding their small but *
incredibly ugly dog, GIZMO, who skitters past him going the *
other way.
HARRY
Dana, don't forget to feed Gizmo! *
Harry crosses the bedroom, hurrying past Helen who is clearly
rushing to get ready herself. We get our first good look at
Helen. She is wearing a terrycloth robe as she picks out an
outfit. Her hair is wrapped in a towel. To call her plain
would be inaccurate. She could be attractive if she put any
effort into it, which doesn't occur to her.
HARRY
I'm late.
HELEN
Me too.
They talk without looking at each other, the way people who
have been together a long time do.
HELEN
How'd it go at the trade show?
You make all the other salesmen
jealous?
HARRY
Yeah. You should have seen it.
We were the hit of the show with
the new model ordering system,
the one for the 680... how you
can write up an order and the
second the customer's name goes
into the computer, it starts
checking their credit, and if
they've ordered anything in the
past, and if they get a
discount...
She is already tuning him out. And it hits us: SHE HAS NO
IDEA WHAT HARRY REALLY DOES.
HELEN
(barely listening)
That's fabulous Harry.
HARRY
Yeah, it was wild.
Harry glances at her, oblivious to him and brushing her teeth.
He smiles. The best lies are told with enthusiasm.
39 INT. FRONT HALLWAY, LIVING ROOM - DAY
Gib opens the door, knocks a bit, then strolls in like he lives
there. He is wearing dark Ray Bans, like he's doing a Roy
Orbison impression. Gizmo runs toward him, yapping, but Gib
gives him the evil eye.
GIB
Come any closer I'll kill you.
The dog backs up, whining plaintively. Gib throws his jacket
over the back of the couch and then, inexplicably, he takes out
a pack of CAMELS and sets it on the mantelpiece. He adjusts
its position carefully. Hmmmm.
40 INT. BATHROOM - DAY
Harry and Helen maneuver around each other expertly. She is
doing her make-up.
HELEN
The plumber came yesterday. He
said they have to dig under the
slab or something and it's going
to be six hundred dollars to fix.
Harry is not really paying attention as he ties his tie in
front of the mirror. His mind is elsewhere. He couldn't care
less about there domestic problems.
HARRY
Uh huh. Okay.
HELEN
It's not okay. It's extortion.
HARRY
What did you tell him?
HELEN
I slept with him and he knocked
off a hundred bucks.
HARRY
Good thinking, honey.
Harry kisses her on the cheek and exits.
41 INT. KITCHEN - DAY
Gib enters and pours two cups of coffee. Dana is drinking
orange juice from the bottle at the fridge.
GIB
Hi, kid.
DANA
Hey, Gib. What up?
She EXITS, eating an uncooked pop-tart. Harry comes in a
second later and Gib hands him his coffee.
HARRY
Thanks dear.
GIB
Here, check these out.
Gib hands Harry the glasses. Harry studies them, seeing the
VIRTUAL VIDEO DISPLAY inside the left lens of the Ray Bans.
Harry glances down the hall, making sure no-one is looking,
then he puts them on.
HARRY'S POV - INSIDE THE GLASSES - A black and white video
image of his own living room.
GIB
The CCD camera and transmitter
and inside a pack of smokes.
Slick little unit, huh?
IN POV we see Dana enter the living room. She looks around
carefuly, then quickly lifts Gib's jacket and slips out his
wallet. She palms two twenties in the blink of an eye and puts
the wallet back. Pro moves.
HARRY
Son of a bitch!
GIB
What?
Harry whips off the glasses and charges out of the kitchen.
Gib goes after him.
42 EXT. HOUSE - DAY
Dana comes out the front door, letting it slam behind her, and
runs to her boyfriend, TRENT, who is waiting for her in the
driveway on his idling YAMAHA. Trent is 16, dressed in grunge-
rock style, trying to look tough. Harry comes out the front
door as Trent revs the motor.
HARRY
Dana!!
She waves from the back of the bike as Trent pops the clutch
and they shoot down the driveway.
DANA
(yelling over the
engine)
Can't stop, I'm late. Bye, Dad!
43 INT. / EXT. GIB'S CAR/ STREETS OF WASHINGTON - DAY
They are driving through D.C. Harry is still shocked by his *
daughter's behavior.
GIB
Kids. Ten seconds of joy.
Thirty years of misery.
HARRY
She knows not to steal. I've
taught her better than that.
GIB
Yeah, but you're not her parents,
anymore, you and Helen. Her
parents are Axl Rose and Madonna.
The five minutes you spend a day
with her can't compete with that
kind of constant bombardment.
You're outgunned, amigo.
Gib and Harry turn onto Pennsylvania Avenue, heading toward
Lafayette Square. Capital Hill is behind them.
44 INT. TEKTEL OFFICES - DAY *
Harry and Gib come out of an elevator on the 12th floor. *
Behind the receptionist is a burnished metal sign which reads *
TEKTEL SYSTEMS. They cross a open floor of cubicle spaces. *
There is the hum of activity everywhere. A normal day at a *
normal business. *
SECRETARY *
Morning, Mr. Tasker. *
HARRY *
Morning, Charlene.
GIB
See, kids now are ten years ahead *
of where we were at the same age.
You probably think she's still a
virgin--
HARRY
Don't be ridiculous. She's only --
how old is she?
GIB
Fourteen, Harry.
HARRY
Right. She's only fourteen.
They go into a corridor. *
GIB
Uh huh. And her little hormones
are going like a fire alarm. I *
say even money that physicist on *
the bike is boinkin' her. *
HARRY
No way. Not Dana.
They stop at a door, like any other along the corridor. It is *
blank. *
GIB
Okay. Okay. De-nail ain't just
a river in Egypt. She's probably
stealing the money to pay for an
abortion.
HARRY
Will you just open the door! *
Gib touches a plastic card to an unmarked spot just above the *
doorknob. There is the CLUNK of a SOLENOID LOCK. *
GIB
Or drugs.
45 OMITTED *
46 INT. CORRIDOR - DAY
They enter a long corridor, which is featureless except for *
video surveillance cameras. They walk along the silence for a *
moment, then . . . *
GIB
Twenty here, fifty there... I
figured my wife's boyfriend was
taking it.
HARRY
I thought you moved out.
GIB
Well . . . I moved back in.
My lawyer said it would give me
a better claim on the house in
the property settlement. Don't
change the subject... you owe me
two hundred bucks.
They approach another door, with a (bulletproof) glass window *
in it. Beyond is a brightly lit room, with a woman sitting at
a desk... and nothing else. Gib presses a buzzer.
47 INT. OUTER SECURITY ROOM - DAY
JANICE sits at the non-descript desk like a receptionist... but
she is a highly trained security specialist. She is also hefty
through the shoulders, aggressively unattractive and utterly
humorless. She watches them on a monitor screen as they stand
outside the door. Harry and Gib appear as living X-Ray images.
Their weapons are visible in their shoulder harnesses. Janice
puts one hand automatically on the butt of a .45 tucked in a
holster riveted beneath her desk. She buzzes Harry and Gib in
with the other.
JANICE
Gentlemen, please idenitify
yourselves to the scanner.
Harry and Gib step up to the combination retinal-thumbprint-
voice scanners. Harry presses his thumb against a black-glass
plate for laser scan, and looks into the eye-piece of the
retinal scanner.
HARRY
Harry Tasker. One zero zero two
four.
GIB
Albert Gibson. Three four nine
nine one.
Their clearance appears on a monitor on Janice's desk.
JANICE
Thank you. You are cleared.
She stands to give them plastic I.D. badges which they hang
around their necks.
GIB
Janice, how many years have you
been buzzing us in?
JANICE
Ten, Mr. Gibson.
GIB
And you still reach for your
piece every time.
JANICE
Yes sir.
GIB
God! You have no idea how much
that turns me on. I've never had
the courage to say this before
but... I love you, Janice.
JANICE
Yes, sir.
He kisses her wetly on the cheek as he goes by. She does not
react is any discernible way.
They pass through a heavy stainless steel door which opens
automatically. Beyond is a kind of airlock... a SALLY PORT.
Behind a lexan shield are TWO GUARDS armed with MP5s. They nod
but do not speak at Harry and Gib pass them.
HARRY
You better watch it. She might
file on you for sexual
harassment.
GIB
In her dreams.
48 INT. OMEGA SECTOR INNER SANCTUM - DAY
Gib and Harry pass through the inner door of the sally port
into a large austere atrium.
ANGLE FROM ABOVE as they cross. A huge graphic logo covers the
floor. Across the center is says OMEGA SECTOR. In smaller
print, around the perimeter, is the motto: "THE LAST LINE OF
DEFENSE".
They enter a high-tech office space. It is a maze of glass
partitions surrounding a central floor-space of cubicles.
There is a hushed quality here. People do not joke. They do
not hurry. There are a lot of computer screens displaying
information from around the world. It looks like a combination
of NASA mission control and FBI headquarters.
Fast Faisil greets them, yawning, as they pass his partitioned
cubicle.
HARRY
Come on, Fize. We're late for
our butt-grinding.
Faisil gulps his coffee and hurries after them.
49 INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY
A dark and severe conference room, with large-screen computer
displays at one end. Glowering at one end of the long,
polished table, is SPENCER TRILBY, the chief of Omega Sector.
Visualize a cross between Colin Powel and J. Edgar Hoover.
TRILBY
Jesus, Harry! You guys really
screwed the pooch last night.
Please tell me how I can look at
this, that it's not a total pooch-
screw.
HARRY
Total is a strong word--
GIB
There are degrees of totality.
FAISIL
It's a scale really, with
"perfect mission" on one end and
"total pooch-screw" on the other
and we're more about here--
TRILBY
Faisil. You're new on Harry's
team, aren't you?
FAISIL
Yes.
TRILBY
So what makes you think that the
slack I cut him in any way
translates to you?!
FAISIL
Sorry, sir. Uh... here's what we
got.
He hits a button and a photo of Khaled fills a wall-screen.
FAISIL
Jamal Khaled. We think he's
dirty so we raid his financial
files... Check it out...
Faisil hits some buttons and a second screen lights up with the
data for their raid.
FAISIL
One hundred million in wire
transfers from the COMMERCE BANK *
INTERNATIONAL-- *
GIB
Which we all know is a front for
certain nations to fund terrorist *
activities. Something big is *
going down --
FAISIL *
And we know that a week ago four *
MIRV warheads were smuggled out *
of the former Soviet Republic of *
Kazakhstan . . .
HARRY *
We think Khaled's group has *
bought the nukes and is bringing *
them to U.S. soil. *
TRILBY *
So far this is not blowing my
skirt up, gentleman. Do you have *
anything remotely substantial? *
Don't be pumping beets up my ass *
here. Do you have hard data? *
HARRY *
Not what you'd call rock hard. *
GIB *
It's pretty limp, actually. *
TRILBY *
Then perhaps you better get some *
... before somebody parks a car *
in front of the White House with
a nuclear weapon in the trunk!
50 INT. OFFICE BUILDING - DAY
It is the interior of a huge law office. Helen works there as
a paralegal. She is going to the break room for coffee with
her friend, ALLISON, a secretary. Allison is black, younger
then Helen, and still single.
HELEN
I mean, it's not like he's saving
the world or anything. He's a
sales rep for Chrissakes.
Whenever I can't get to sleep I
ask him to tell me about his day.
Six seconds and I'm out. But he
acts like he's curing cancer or
something.
ALLISON
So I guess you didn't get away *
for the weekend after all? *
HELEN
Are you kidding? Harry had to go
out of town.
ALLISON
I'm shocked.
HELEN
Yeah. You know Harry.
Helen's nerdy boss BRAD, comes up behind her, scowling.
BRAD
Helen, have you pulled those
files yet? I need them by lunch.
HELEN
I won't let you down, Brad.
Brad leaves.
HELEN *
(under her breath) *
You little pencil-neck. *
(to Allison) *
So... yo... sista! D'you do *
anything interesting?
ALLISON *
Oh... Eric and I drove up to this *
little romantic inn, and... *
pretty much lapped champagne out
of each other's navels for two
days.
HELEN
You bitch.
ALLISON
Girlfriend, you got a man. You *
just have to take control . .
. set up the right mood. *
HELEN
Harry only has two moods: busy... *
and asleep.
ALLISON
Then you better do something to *
jumpstart that man's motor. You
know... wake up the sleeping
giant of his passion.
They both crack up at that one.
51 INT. OMEGA SECTOR (DATA CENTER) - DAY *
Harry meets up with Gib and Faisil coming from the ANALYSIS *
Department. *
HARRY
What'ya got?
The following will play as they wind their way through the rows *
of data-analysis workstations.
FAISIL
(handing Harry a
printout)
Here, check this out--
GIB
It's a two million dollar
disbursement from Khaled to...
Juno Skinner.
(Harry raises an
eyebrow)
Uh huh. The babe at the party. *
HARRY
It doesn't mean anything. She
buys antiquities for Khaled.
GIB
Nope. The art buys are in a
separate ledger.
FAISIL
And this is a little above market- *
rate for the horizontal bop, even *
for a total biscuit like her.
HARRY
Alright, I want a complete workup
on her. Do we know where she is?
FAISIL
Uh huh. Right here in river
city.
HARRY
You're kidding.
FAISIL
She lives in Rome, but she does
stuff here the Smithsonian and
has a lot of diplomatic
connections, so she has offices *
here. *
Gib starts tangoing with an imaginary partner.
GIB
Sounds like a job for a
specialist.
52 INT. TASKER HOUSE/ KITCHEN - NIGHT (10PM)
DING! Harry opens the microwave as his dinner finishes re-
heating. He sits down alone at the kitchen table and pulls the
Saran-wrap off the plate. Another solo supper two hours late.
His motions are so automatic we gather that this is the rule,
not the exception. Helen comes in from the living room,
holding the suspense novel she is reading.
HELEN
I need you to talk to Dana. The
vice principle called and she cut
class again this afternoon.
HARRY
I'll handle it.
Harry picks up his porkchop and goes out the back door.
53 EXT. DRIVEWAY - NIGHT
A basketball hoop is bolted to the garage and Dana is shooting
baskets in the driveway. Moths orbit the outside floodlights.
She sinks one, dribbled back to the foul line. Harry comes up
behind her and lifts the ball out of her hands as she stands
poised to shoot. She turns.
HARRY
Dana, Mr. Hardy called. Why
weren't you in class today?
DANA
He lies! I was there! I was in
the nurse's office, cause I had
a headache.
HARRY
You seem fine now.
DANA
Great! You're going to believe
that fat dweeb Mr. Hardy over
your own daughter.
HARRY
I'm not sure what to believe
anymore, young lady. You never
used to lie to me. But lately
you don't seem to know the
difference between right and
wrong.
Dana studies something really fascinating at the end of a
fingernail.
HARRY
Dana, are you listening to me?
DANA
Yeah, Dad.
HARRY
You know you can always talk to
me. Right? Whatever is going on
in your life, your mom and I'll
understand.
DANA
Okay, Dad.
HARRY
You'd tell me if there was
something wrong, wouldn't you,
pumpkin?
DANA
I'm not a pumpkin! Okay?!! Do
I look even remotely like a
pumpkin?! I'm not a muffin, or a
cupcake or a honeybear either!
And you don't understand anything
Dad...
Dana runs into the house, agent. Hold on Harry, superagent, *
unable to comprehend the mind of a 14-year-old. He looks up to *
see Helen at the backdoor. *
HELEN *
(macho voice)
"I'll handle it".
CUT TO:
54 OMITTED *
55 INT. / EXT. LIMO - DAY (NEXT MORNING)
A BLACK LIMO cruises through a morning fill of bright promise.
INSIDE, Gib is at the wheel in a chauffeur's uniform. He talks
to Harry, riding in the back, without turning.
GIB
It's all set up... ghost phones
and fax, all the usual stuff.
You have a suite at the Marquis
Hotel under Renquist. Okay,
reality check. Go.
HARRY
Hi, I'm Harry Renquist. I own a--
56 INT. JUNO'S OFFICES - DAY
HARRY
--corporate art consulting
company in San Francisco. I have
an appointment with Ms. Skinner--
Harry is extending his business card to the receptionist as
Juno breezes into the lobby from a corridor. She is dressed
sharply and looks as stunning as Harry remembers.
JUNO
Harry! I thought I might see you
again. I just didn't except you
to call so soon.
Juno lingers a second or so long on the handshake.
HARRY
Well, what's the point of
waiting?
JUNO
I agree.
There is definitely unholy magnetism here. She indicates for
Harry to walk with her and leads him through the suite of
offices. There are mounted fragments of ancient sculpture in
niches on either side, and beautifully restored mosaics and
tablets of hieroglyphics mounted on the walls.
JUNO
So your clients want something
for the lobby of their new
corporate headquarters?
HARRY
That's right. They want
something... dramatic. I spoke
to a number of people who said
you're the one to see.
Juno leads Harry through a door into a large warehouse area.
There is a bustle of activity as workmen unpack crates. An
overhead crane is used to move huge stone pieces. There are
massive columns, and statues two stories high. Even the entire
facade of a tomb.
JUNO
So what did these... people...
say about me exactly?
They stroll amongst the statues, as coveralled workmen move
around them with tools, scaffolding, pneumatic equipment. Most
of the workers are middle-eastern.
HARRY
Let's see... that you can read
ancient Sanskrit without having
to sound out the words. And that
other dealers and archeologists
don't like you much.
JUNO
Those wimps. It's because I use *
my diplomatic contacts to export
cultural treasures from countries
which tell them to take a hike.
(yelling in Arabic to
two workmen)
I told you to move those crates
an hour ago. Come on guys, let's
get going.
We realize that A WORKMAN is watching them intently from
nearby. He is an intense looking MIDDLE-EASTERN MAN in his mid-
thirties.
JUNO
You see, a lot of these pieces
are from ancient Persia.
Unfortunately, ancient Persia is
twenty feet under the sand of *
Iran, Iraq and Syria. Not the
most popular places lately. So
I've had to become an expert in
international diplomacy.
Juno stops and looks at Harry. Her smile indicates the
possibility of more than just business.
JUNO
Well, do you see anything you
like, Mr. Renquist?
CUT TO:
57 INT. HOTEL SUITE - DAY
Harry, Gib and Fast Faisil are in a luxury suite at the MARQUIS
HOTEL. It is a corner suite, with a spectacular view of the
city. Faisil is routinely sweeping the room for bugs with an
electronic DETECTOR.
HARRY
She's importing stuff from all
over the mid-east.
GIB
She could be moving money, guns.
Anything.
FAISIL
And the second you left there, we
started getting calls to the *
ghost numbers. They were
checking out the Renquist front.
HARRY
Okay. Let's step up the
surveillance on her. Put on two
more guys.
58 INT. JUNO'S WAREHOUSE - DAY
WE FOLLOW the WORKMAN we saw watching Harry earlier. He
catches up with Juno, who is going through the doors to the
office area. His name is MALIK.
MALIK
Ms. Skinner? Can I speak to you
for a moment please, in your
office?
His manner is self-effacing. Humble. He doesn't meet her
gaze. She nods and they go into the private office.
59 INT. JUNO'S OFFICE - DAY
MALIK comes in behind her and closes the door. The moment they
are away from public observation, his manner changes. His
humble posture straightens and his eyes flash intensely as he
approaches her. Without warning he SLAPS HER HARD ACROSS THE
FACE.
MALIK
You stupid undisciplined bitch!
Her jaw clenches but her reaction is surprisingly submissive.
JUNO
It's a good thing you pay me
well.
MALIK
Do you realize that there are
surveillance teams watching this
place right now? Your phones are
almost certainly tapped. And you
are busy laughing and flirting
like a whore with this Renquist,
who may be a--
JUNO
No. He checked out okay--
Malik slaps her again.
MALIK
That is for interrupting.
(He backhands her)
And that is for being wrong. We
do not tolerate mistakes.
Juno bites her lip.
JUNO
What do you want me to do?
MALIK
Find out who this Renquist it.
JUNO
How?
MALIK
Use the gifts that Allah has
given you.
60 INT. TEKTEL SYSTEMS OFFICES - DUSK *
The phone rings on the desk of CHARLENE, Harry's secretary at *
Tektel Systems, the permanent front-company for Omega Sector. *
SECRETARY
Hello, Tektel Systems. Mr. *
Tasker's office.
61 INT. TASKER HOUSE - DUSK
Helen is in the kitchen, showing Dana how to put icing on a
large birthday cake.
HELEN
Hi, Charlene? It's Helen. Is he
there?
62 INT. TEKTEL OFFICES - DUSK
Charlene doesn't hesitate a microsecond.
CHARLENE
Harry's in a sales meeting, Mrs.
Tasker. Let me try him in there.
Hold please.
She punches a key, engaging a digital scrambler and connecting
to--
63 INT. SUITE AT THE MARQUIS - DUSK
A PHONE RINGS. Gib opens his briefcase and looks at the
console of the cellular scrambler-phone inside. The display
reads TEKTEL/CALLER ID POS -- TASKER, HELEN. *
GIB
It's Helen. *
Harry picks up the phone. INTERCUT THE FOLLOWING WITH HELEN.
HARRY
Hi honey. What's going on? *
HELEN
Sorry to bother you in a meeting,
but you have to promise me that *
you'll be home at eight. I don't *
want Dana and I sitting here by
ourselves like we were last year.
You promise?
HARRY
(laughing)
Baby, I said I'd be there.
Really. Trust me.
(the room phone RINGS)
Gotta go, honey. Bye bye.
RING. Harry raises an eyebrow as he answers.
HARRY
Hello? Oh, Juno, hi.
(pause)
Well sure. I can be there in
twenty minutes.
Harry hangs up. Gib, checking his watch, has a look like he's
got a bad gas pain.
HARRY
What? It's on the way. She says
she's got something for me.
GIB
Yeah, right.
64 INT. JUNO'S WORKSHOP - NIGHT
A WORKMAN guides Harry through the maze of statuary. He points
toward the back of the warehouse and then leaves. Harry is
left alone in the vast space.
Only a few lights are on, rendering the place somewhat Gothic.
Harry strolls in the direction the workman pointed. Ahead of
him, is the huge facade of a royal tomb. There is a flickering
light inside. A shadow moves across the wall in the entryway.
HARRY
Hello?
He enters the stone doorway of the tomb. FOLLOWING HARRY as he
steps into the inner chamber. There is an oil-lamp burning on
a stone sarcophagus, the only light. The room appears empty.
REVERSE ON HARRY. Behind him a figure emerges from a shadowed
alcove. It is Juno. She looks ethereal in the strange light.
JUNO
Hello, Harry.
Harry whips around, startled.
JUNO
Do you like my tomb? The museum *
financing fell out, so I thought *
your clients might be interested.
HARRY
It's certainly... dramatic.
JUNO
Especially in this light. This
is the only light they had then, *
so I like to study it this way.
I love this place. I love all
ruins.
HARRY
Is that why you got into this
business?
Juno turns to him in the flickering half-light. She moves
closer. Her eyes seem to glitter.
JUNO
I've always been a collector at
heart. When I see something I
want, I have to have it.
HARRY
And you have a reputation as
someone who gets what she wants.
She is very close to him. Her eyes seem to glitter in the
light from the oil lamp. She is unbelievably beautiful.
JUNO
Yes, I do.
65 INT. GIB'S CAR - NIGHT
Gib is sitting in the car, in the shadows, up the street...
with his earphone in place. Listening.
GIB
Harry, this is your conscience
speaking...
66 INT. TOMB - NIGHT
Juno picks up the lamp and walks along the wall, holding it up
so that the flickering shadows seem to bring the bas-relief
figures to life. Stone faces shift and change, stone eyes
move.
JUNO
Look at this. People who dies
twenty centuries ago.
Juno presses her cheek against the cold stone. She runs her
fingers slowly across the figures. It is strange and erotic.
JUNO
They breathed and loved and wept,
just like us. And now their
ideals, their religions, their
social orders... are gone like
mist. What did any of it matter?
She crosses to Harry.
JUNO
I only hope they lived well.
That they got what they wanted.
She puts her hands on him and pulls herself close. It is a
hypnotic moment.
JUNO
Getting what you want is the only
important thing.
She kisses him, very lightly, with infinite sensuality.
67 INT. GIB'S CAR - NIGHT
GIB
Harry? Listen to the following
code word. Helen. H-E-L-E-N.
Now, do you want me to I beep
you?
68 INT. TOMB - NIGHT
Harry breaks the kiss... slowly pulling back.
HARRY
Yes.
JUNO
Yes what?
HARRY
Uh, yes, it is important.
Juno is moving in for a more passionate lip-lock when-- BEEP
BEEP BEEP!! Harry pulls his beeper off his hip and looks at
it. The moment is spoiled.
HARRY
Uh, it looks like I have to run.
I'll call you tomorrow. Your
proposal is very interesting.
69 INT. GIB'S CAR - NIGHT
Gib lets out a big exhale of relief. He looks at his watch.
70 INT. TASKER HOUSE - NIGHT
Helen and Dana are sitting expectantly at the dining room
table. There is a big cake, and presents piled on the buffet.
The food is getting cold. Helen looks at her watch.
DANA
See.
71 INT./EXT. GIB'S CAR - NIGHT
Harry is changing clothes, getting ready to be Harry Tasker *
again, as Gib drives through evening traffic. Gib keeps
checking the rearview.
GIB
We have a friend. Five cars
back, inside lane. They've been *
on us since we left Juno's. *
Harry adjusts the passenger side mirror.
HARRY
Station wagon?
GIB
Uh huh. Want me to lose them?
HARRY *
No. We need this lead. *
(into his Rover) *
Unit Seven. *
UNIT SEVEN (FAISIL) *
Seven here.
HARRY
(into Rover) *
I need you at the Georgetown mall *
in three minutes. *
SEVEN
Copy that. We're rolling.
GIB
Helen's going to be pissed.
HARRY
See, that's the problem with
terrorists. They're really
inconsiderate when it comes to
people's schedules.
72 INT. STATION WAGON - NIGHT
There are three men in the car. YUSIF and MAHMOUD are in the
front, with Mahmoud driving. In the back, shadowed, we can
just make out ABU MALIK. Yusif is massively built, with a body
like a beer-keg. Mahmoud is skinny and intense.
73 OMITTED *
74 INT./EXT. GIB'S CAR - MALL - NIGHT
Harry puts his SUB-VOCAL TRANSCEIVER into his ear canal.
HARRY
Test two three.
(Gib nods, receiving)
Pull over here.
Gib pulls the car to the curb near the mall entrance. Half a
block behind them the station wagon does the same. Harry slips
on the virtual-image sunglasses and gets out of the car.
75 EXT. MALL - NIGHT
Harry pauses on the sidewalk a moment to light a cigarette. He
coughs slightly.
GIB
(in his ear)
You don't smoke, dickhead.
Harry lets his hand drop to his side, holding the pack of
cigarettes casually. He turns his hand. The tiny lens in the
cigarette pack glints.
POV VIDEO SCREEN --inside the left lens of the glasses. The
camera in the cigarette pack reveals Yusif and Mahmoud getting
out of their cars, crossing the street half a block away.
HARRY strolls into the mall. It is an open promenade design,
with a moderate crowd of shoppers and movie-goers. Harry
watches in the glasses as Mahmoud and Yusif slip through the
crowd behind him.
GIB (VO)
What's the plan?
HARRY
(apparently mumbling to
himself)
Gonna try to get a closer shot of *
Beavis & Butthead. *
76 INT. / EXT. GIB'S CAR - NIGHT
Gib looks in the rearview, studying the car behind him.
GIB
There's another guy, still in the
car.
HARRY
(on radio)
Stay on him.
All Gib can see is a silhouette in the car. A soft cherry
glow, the tip of a cigarette in the dark. No features.
77 EXT. MALL - NIGHT
Harry turns off the main concourse, into a narrower walkway
between shops. In the video-glasses he watches Yusif and
Mahmoud, who have split up to look less conspicuous, as they
track him through the pedestrian traffic.
78 INT. / EXT. GIB'S CAR - NIGHT
Gib in on the cellular phone.
GIB
Helen? Hi, it's Gib. Harry
remembered something he left at
the office. You know Harry.
As he is talking he sees that a bus has blocked his view of the
station wagon.
79 INT. HARRY'S HOUSE - NIGHT
She sighs fatalistically.
HELEN
Yeah, Gib. I know Harry.
Helen hangs up the phone just as Dana strides through the room,
putting on a jacket and heading for the front door.
HELEN
Where are you going?
DANA
Out. If Dad doesn't care enough
about us to be here on his
birthday, then why should I care?
I'm going to a movie.
HELEN
No you're not. You're going to
stay here until your father gets
home and have cake!
DANA
Mom, wake up! Dad barely knows
we exist.
We see the hurt in her eyes. She doesn't hate her father. She
just misses him.
HELEN
That's not true, honey--
DANA
It is true! He doesn't know
anything about me. He still
thinks I'm like ten years old or
something. As long as I just
smile and say yes to whatever he
says, like his good little
fantasy daughter, he thinks
everything's fine. But it's not
fine. Nothing's fine.
Dana runs out the kitchen by the other door. Helen runs
after her.
HELEN
Dana! Come back here!
The slamming door is her answer.
80 EXT. MALL - MEN'S ROOM - NIGHT
Yusif sees Harry, up ahead, enter a public restroom. He
signals Mahmoud with his eyes and the two of them close in on
the restroom.
81 INT. / EXT. GIB'S CAR - NIGHT
Gib hangs up the car-phone. Ten the bus blocking his view
finally pulls away and Gib see that the station wagon is
empty. No silhouette.
GIB
Oh shit.
(into his headset)
Harry, I lost the third guy.
Harry?
82 INT. RESTROOM - NIGHT
Harry can't answer because Mahmoud just entered the room behind
him. Harry is at one of the urinals, apparently taking a leak.
Mahmoud goes to the mirror. Starts combing his hair. He
doesn't much notice the pack of Camels sitting on the counter
nearby. Harry is whistling. Shaking himself.
HARRY'S POV - In the video glasses Harry sees himself and
Mahmoud. Yusif comes into the restroom, seemingly ignoring
both Harry and Mahmoud, as if heading for the stalls. As he
passes behind Harry he reaches into his coat--
Harry spins lightning fast. He knocks away the SILENCED PISTOL
aimed at the back of his head with a sweeping block, capturing
Yusif's arm in an arm-lock. The shot goes wide, shattering a
urinal.
Harry slams his palm into Yusif's face like a piledriver, and
spins him against the steel stalls. The silenced pistol goes
skittering across the floor.
Mahmoud whips a pistol out of his waistband. Still holding the
bear-like Yusif, Harry draws his Glock so fast we can barely
see him move. BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! Three .45 slugs go through
Mahmoud's chest, shattering the mirror behind him. He flops on
his butt, slumping against the wall.
Yusif, who is easily Harry's size, bellows and grabs his gun
arm. They smash against the walls, struggling for the gun.
Yusif, locked to Harry, hurls him against the stalls. They hit
a locked door, which pops open, banging inward.
Yusif drives Harry to the floor. Harry's head is between the
shoes of an OLD GUY sitting on the can, who looks down
uncomprehendingly at him.
Yusif slams Harry's gun hand repeatedly against the doorframe
of the stall. He twists Harry's wrist brutally. He even
pounds against Harry's hand with his knee. The old guy winces.
That's got to hurt. Harry cries out in pain and the gun drops.
Yusif reaches for it, but Harry kicks it under the stalls.
He punches Yusif in the face, driving him back. They grapple,
spinning. Harry drives Yusif's head into the counter. Then he
elbows him in the throat and they crash together on the filthy
floor. Harry grabs Yusif's hair and pounds his face repeatedly
against the rim of a urinal. In case you haven't noticed, this
is a messy, nasty fight. Survival is like that.
Yusif sags into submission. Harry pulls a nylon zip-strip out
of his pocket and uses it like hand-cuffs, securing Yusif's
wrists.
83 EXT. MALL - NIGHT
Gib is running full out, drawing his gun. He has one finger
jammed in his ear. His gut is doing the rumba as he runs.
GIB
Harry? Harry, you copy?! Shit!
84 INT. RESTROOM - NIGHT
Harry is pulling Yusif to his feet when the door bangs open
behind him. He turns, thinking it is Gib. It's not. Malik
raises a FULL-AUTO BERETTA 92-F and opens fire. Harry spins
Yusif between him and the machine pistol. Yusif's beer-keg
body stops the spray of 9mm slugs form hitting Harry long
enough for him to dive into a stall.
Malik hoses the room with the Beretta. The metal stalls are
riddled with hits.
HARRY is in the stall with the old guy, who's just sitting
there. The walls of the stall are pimpling with the hits on
the far side. Harry reaches under the stall, retrieving his
Glock.
MALIK goes empty. Harry hears that and pops out, cranking off
rounds--
Malik is a blur going out the door, as Harry's shots shatter
tiles on the doorframe. Then silence.
HARRY
(to the old guy)
Sorry.
85 EXT. MALL - NIGHT
MOVING WITH MALIK, who backs rapidly away from the restroom,
reloading.
GIB (OFF)
FREEZE!!!
Malik spins to see Gib nearby, going into a firing stance
behind a light-standard. The terrorist doesn't hesitate. His
Beretta ROARS at 900 rounds per minute.
Gib tries to hide behind the light-standard, which is about
half as wide as he is. Shots hit all around him, shattering
window glass behind him. His stomach sticks out from behind
the pole. He sucks it in. Now his butt is sticking out on the
other side. Shots clang into the steel column, and riddle
everything behind him.
GIB
WRONG! THIS IS NOT GOOD!
Just when it looks like Gib is going to get a 9mm tummy tuck,
Malik turns and sprints away, through shocked pedestrians.
Harry runs out of the restroom, trying for a shot, but there
are too many people in the line of fire and Malik knows it.
HARRY
Get back to the car!
Gib nods and heads the other way as Harry takes off after
Malik. Malik is fast and vicious. He hurls people out of the
way, sending shoppers sprawling. Harry is ruthless in his
pursuit. They pound through the mall and out onto the street--
86 EXT. STREET - NIGHT
Malik sprints straight into traffic. A car screeches, not
stopping in time... Malik goes right over the hood. Harry
leaps over the hoods of cars after him. Malik sees Harry
coming after him like a juggernaut.
He turns and sees a MOTORCYCLIST coming down the street,
accelerating from a right-turn. Malik runs at him, clothes-
lining him right off the bike. The terrorist picks up the
nimble little Kawasaki 250, which is still running, and leaps
on. He pops the clutch and takes off. Harry pounds after him
like a locomotive. He sees Malik turn, taking the bike path
into a large PARK. Harry cuts into the park on a diagonal.
87 EXT. PARK - NIGHT
ON HARRY, running. Ahead is a MOUNTED COP. Harry doesn't
break stride, heading right for the cop on the horse. The cop
turns, surprised, a split second before-- Harry pulls him off
the horse and slams him to the ground (he's wearing a helmet).
HARRY
Federal Officer in pursuit of
suspect! Sorry.
Harry is in the saddle and galloping after Malik before the cop
can get his gut out of the holster to stop him.
MALIK roars through the park on the Kawasaki. He looks back,
amazed to see Harry charging after him on a horse. They
scatter joggers and bicyclists, people walking their dogs.
TRACKING WITH THEM as they rocket through the park. Malik
leaves the winding path and goes straight through the trees.
Harry charges through some rollerbladers who go sprawling.
Malik fires his Beretta straight back at Harry, emptying it.
He drops the pistol and crouches over the bike, twisting the
last bit of throttle out of it. They are going flat out,
through the trees, in a kinetic blur.
88 EXT. STREET - NEAR MALL - NIGHT
Gib, panting and heaving, pulls his car into traffic. The Unit
Seven car pulls out as well, up the block.
GIB
Harry, what's your twenty?
89 EXT. PARK/ STREETS - NIGHT
Harry is legging the police horse hard. He has his reigns in
one hand, his Glock in the other. It's the wild west.
HARRY
Westbound in the park... suspect
is on a motorcycle... he's going
to come out on Franklin. Hang
on--
Harry leaps a park bench like he's in a steeple chase.
HARRY (CONT'D)
I want you on 14th in case he
turns south. And I need Seven on
the north side to box him in.
90 INT. /EXT. GIB'S CAR - NIGHT
Gib is weaving furiously through traffic. He slides into a
turn.
GIB
Copy that.
HARRY
And make it fast. My horse is
getting tired.
ON GIB, mouthing "Your horse?"
91 EXT. STREET - NEXT TO PARK - NIGHT
Malik explodes through the bushes and out onto the street.
Cars skid around him, out of control. He turns south. Weaving
through traffic. Harry leaps the hedgerow behind Malik and
gallops among the spun-out cars. He goes right over the hood
on one which is blocking his path. The driver ducks as the
horse's hoof cracks the windshield.
92 EXT. STREET/ HYATT REGENCY HOTEL - NIGHT
Up ahead traffic is stopped, jammed tight at a light. Malik
goes into the oncoming traffic lanes, which are empty. Gib's
car slides around the corner in a blare of horns and comes
barrelling down the street toward him. Gib cranks the wheel
the slides the car broadside, blocking both lanes. Malik locks
up the brakes and the bike slides to a stop. Then the
terrorist pops the clutch and wheels the bike around-- Jumping
the curb and going straight at the entrance of THE HYATT
REGENCY HOTEL.
Bellmen and guests scatter as the bike roars right at them.
The sliding doors and opening for a bellman coming out with
bags and Malik blasts past him into the lobby.
HARRY ducks, galloping through the doors after him.
93 INT. HOTEL - NIGHT
Acres of marble and red carpet. Liveries porters. Guests
dressed for evening, the men in suits, diamonds on the women.
And sudden pandemonium as Malik roars through the lobby, with
Harry charging along behind him. Malik guns it across the
lounge, knocking over tables. He gets air at the top of the
steps going up to the RESTAURANT.
Harry swerves to avoid a panicking guest and finds himself
careening toward the JAZZ QUARTET at a full gallop. He gathers
the animal and LEAPS (in glorious SLOW MOTION) over the
bassist, who is diving for the carpet. Harry and horse land
deftly and then he urges his mount right up the steps after
Malik.
94 INT. HOTEL RESTAURANT - NIGHT
Malik roars between the tables, looking around wildly for a way
out. Harry charges in, ducking to avoid the chandelier.
Waiters, trays, dinners, tables... everything seems to be
flying at once as people dive out of the way.
95 INT. HOTEL - MAIN HALL - NIGHT
MALIK skids out into the main hall by another door, and sees--
the ELEVATORS. The door is just closing on one of them. He
guns it and slides through the doors.
HARRY RIDES out of the restaurant in time to catch a glimpse of
Malik as the doors close.
96 INT. SCENIC ELEVATOR - NIGHT
Harry canters the horse into the next elevator, which has just
been boarded by an older couple. He has to practically lie
down on the horse to fit through the door. The animal barely
fits, nose to tail, in what turns out to be--
A GLASS ELEVATOR with a view of the whole atrium of the hotel
as it rises, right to the top of the building. Harry looks
through the glass at the elevator car next to him, fifteen feet
away. Malik is inside, punching a button. He glances up and
sees Harry. There eyes meet for a moment, just before Malik's
car ascends rapidly. Malik's malevolent glare is etched on
Harry's retinas.
The older couple is jammed against the side-wall by Harry's
panting, snorting horse. It clomps around the tight elevator.
The woman is trying to crawl between her husband and the wall.
HARRY
Can you just press the top floor,
please.
The man nods mutely and complies. Their elevator takes off,
rising after Malik's.
97 INT. HOTEL LOBBY - NIGHT
Gib runs in with Faisil and Keough. They follow the path of
destruction, growing more and more amazed. Gib yells to one of
the porters.
GIB
The guy on the horse?!
The porter points at the elevators.
98 INT. / EXT. SCENIC ELEVATORS - NIGHT
Harry has slid off the horse to get next to the control panel.
He can look up at an angle and see Malik in the car above him.
His thumb hovers over the emergency stop button. If Malik gets
out at any floor, Harry will have a moment to react and stop.
Malik can look down and see this. He knows Harry's got him.
He just keeps going, floor after floor, using the time to
think.
The older woman is still just staring, trying not to breathe.
The horse flicks her in the face with his tail.
99 INT. /EXT. ROOFTOP - NIGHT *
The rooftop has a spectacular view of the city. TRACKING WITH *
Malik as he comes out of the elevator, rides to the far edge of *
the roof and slides to a stop. He looks down twenty stories.
THE SECOND ELEVATOR arrives. The doors part and Harry comes *
out, with his Glock poised and ready. He sees Malik revving *
his bike. The terrorist brodies the bike into a fast one-
eighty and speeds back toward the edge of the roof. Amazingly,
he increases speed, ROARING RIGHT OFF THE EDGE, ARCING THE
BIKE SUICIDALLY OUT INTO SPACE!
Harry rides to the edge in time to see Malik, on his bike,
CLEAR A 60 FOOT JUMP and SPLASH INTO THE ROOFTOP POOL of a *
LOWER BUILDING next to the hotel!
Harry is out of control now, seeing the guy setting away. He
wheels his mount and charges across the roof to get some
running space. Then he turns again, back toward the edge Malik
jumped from. He kicks the horse's flanks and yells HAAHH!!
The horse's hoofs thunder on the roof as they go full tilt
toward the edge.
But a horse is not a motorcycle. It is slightly smarter. It
slams its front hoofs down together, stopping suddenly. Harry
goes right over its head. He flies forward, almost going right
off the roof. He slams to the edge, with his legs dangling
over, holding onto a piece of pipe with one hand. His Glock
tumbles down into darkness.
Harry sees Malik far below, climb out of the pool, running to
the roof door of the other building. Getting away. Harry
clambers up onto his own roof, breathing hard. He walks over
to the horse.
HARRY
What the hell were you thinking?
We had the guy and you let him
get away.
He looks into the horse's innocent brown eyes. Pats its neck
fondly.
HARRY
What kind of cop are you?
100 INT. TASKER HOUSE - NIGHT
Helen is asleep at the dining room table next to a half-eaten
cake and some melted ice cream. His unopened presents are
piled at one end of the table. She raises her head as Harry
enters sheepishly.
HARRY
Look, I know you're upset. I'm
really sorry, honey. I raced
home as quick--
HELEN
It's okay, don't bother, Harry.
He goes to her and puts his arms around her. He is tender with
her. He wishes he can tell her the truth.
HARRY
I'm sorry. Thank you for the
party.
HELEN
Yeah. It was great.
Helen finds a smile for him somewhere. She really does love
him, though more and more often lately she finds her heart in
pain.
HELEN
Let's go to bed, Harry. There's
only one present you have to open
tonight.
She grins and arches one eyebrow meaningfully.
101 INT. BEDROOM / BATHROOM - NIGHT
Helen walks Harry to the edge of the bed and sits him down.
She puts her hand on his chest and pushes, causing him to lie
back.
HELEN
Don't move. I'll be right back.
She turns on the stereo. A Kenny G disc she put in there
earlier. Soft tenor sax flows around the room. Helen enters
the BATHROOM and shuts the door partway. She opens a cupboard
and quickly pulls out some things she hid there earlier. A
bottle of champagne on ice. Two glasses. Some trashy
lingerie.
HARRY
Come on to bed, you don't have to
brush your teeth.
HELEN
I'll just be a second. So what
happened tonight at the office?
HARRY
I couldn't believe it. I go back
to get this report I need, right,
and the phone is ringing, so like
a bonehead I answer it--
Helen is hurrying to put on the unfamiliar lingerie. G-string
panties and low-cut bra. She holds up the garter belt, turning
it backward and forward, trying to figure out which way it
goes.
ON HARRY, yawning. Lying with the ease of years of practice.
HARRY
It's the big client in Japan,
and it's the middle of the
morning there and their whole
system is crashed... this guy's
having a meltdown--
HELEN
(keeping him talking)
What'd you do, honey?
HARRY
Well I pull out the manual on
their setup, which is the new 680
server...
Helen is pulling up the black stockings. She fastens the
garters to the tops. Her features are a scowl of
concentration. She is very earnest in her preparations.
HARRY (CONT'D)
...and I'm troubleshooting it
with them over the phone...
talking to a translator, right,
who's getting half of it wrong...
it was unbelievable... really
wild.
HELEN
(putting on black
pumps)
It sounds wild. So now you're a
big hero, right? For fixing
their system.
HARRY
(faintly)
Uh huh.
HELEN
My husband the hero.
Red lipstick. Then she puts a little perfume on her wrists.
HELEN
I'll be right there, honey. Just
a minute.
Harry doesn't answer. Helen puts a little perfume down the
front of her panties.
HELEN
Just a second.
Helen quickly pours two glasses of champagne. Then she slinks
around the doorframe, making her entrance. She looks like a
living 900 number. Helen stands before the bed, looking down,
holding the champagne glasses.
ON HARRY: sprawled on the bed, fully clothed, snoring softly.
A little bit of drool is coming out the side of his mouth.
HOLD ON HELEN, all dressed up with no place to go. She gazes
down at him, her shoulders slumping.
HELEN
Happy Birthday, Harry.
She sighs deeply and downs her champagne in one long gulp.
CUT TO:
102 EXT. STREET/ NEAR HIGH-SCHOOL - DAY
It is the following morning. Harry and Gib are staked out
watching the front of Dana's school. Actually, Harry is staked
out, scanning the crowds of kids with binoculars.
Gib just keeps looking at his watch. He picks up a cellular
phone and pretends to call the office.
GIB
Hey, did that guy Harry chased
last night call in to give
himself up yet? Cause apparently
that's the only way we're going
to catch the son of a bitch --
HARRY
(not listening)
Okay. Here she comes.
103 EXT. STREET - DAY
HARRY'S POV THROUGH BINOCULARS - We see Dana come out to the
curb and meet Trent, who pulls up on his bike. She gets on
behind him, adjusts her walkman headphones over her ears and he
launches out into traffic.
104 INT. HARRY'S CAR - DAY
Harry, who is behind the wheel, pulls out after her. Trent
weaves radically through the light traffic, going in between
the cars.
HARRY
Look at the way the little punk
is driving. He's all over the
place. Look-- he hasn't
signalled once.
GIB
Goddammit! That's outrageous.
Harry speeds up. Somebody honks as he cuts them off to stay
with Trent.
105 EXT. MOTORCYCLE - DAY
ON DANA AND TRENT as she looks back and sees Harry following
her. She is mortified that her father is actually tailing her
DANA
Oh my God! I think that's my
dad!
TRENT
Hang on!
Trent downshifts and punches it. The nimble little bike
screams as it zips between cars.
106 INT. HARRY'S CAR - DAY
HARRY
(clenching his jaw)
So, you wanna play huh? You
little--
GIB
(rolling his eyes)
That's it. Get 'im Harry
(he draws a pistol)
We'll teach that little puke not
to signal.
107 EXT. MOTORCYCLE
BACK ON TRENT, who's actually a really good rider. He zig-zags
through the cars, cutting between them at the next light where
Gib and Harry get blocked. He cuts a sharp right turn and
disappears.
108 INT. HARRY'S CAR - DAY
Harry is stuck in stopped traffic. He pounds the wheel in
frustration.
GIB
(exploding with
laughter)
Ha! The little prick ditched
you! That is so goddamn funny.
HARRY
Son of a bitch!
GIB
Can we go to the office now, Mr.
Superspy?
CUT TO:
109 INT. OMEGA SECTOR / I.D. ANALYSIS ROOM - DAY
Harry is sitting at a computer workstation, lit by the monitor
screen. Gib and Faisil look on as he clicks through HEADSHOTS
of known terrorists. CLICK. CLICK. CLICK. Harry is very
focussed. He stops. He goes back one. Studies the face.
110 INT. ANALYSIS ROOM - TIGHT ON THE SCREEN - DAY
A defiant looking Syrian with a full beard.
HARRY holds up his hand, blocking out the beard, concentrating
on the eyes.
HARRY
That's him.
111 INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY
Harry slaps photos down in front of Trilby.
HARRY
Abu Kaleem Malik.
GIB
(reading from a file)
Hardcore, highly fanatical, ultra- *
fundamentalist. Linked to *
numerous car-bombings, that cafe *
bomb in Rome, and the 727 out of
Lisbon last year. Major player. *
FAISIL *
Now he's formed his own splinter
faction called CRIMSON JIHAD.
GIB *
Guess he thought the other
terrorist groups were too warm
and fuzzy for his taste.
FAISIL
They call him "The Sand Spider". *
TRILBY
Why?
FAISIL
(he shrugs)
Probably because it sounds scary. *
TRILBY
This is impressive, gentlemen.
Of course, it would have been
even more impressive if you
actually knew where he was.
HARRY
We'll get him.
TRILBY
Yes. You will.
(meaning-- you damn
well better)
Harry, I still want you in
charge, even though your cover is
blown. Just keep a low profile.
(he slaps a newspaper
on the table)
I generally prefer it when my
covert operations don't make the
front page.
The agents look at the headlines: WILD WEST CHASE. Harry and
Gib wince.
112 EXT. HELEN'S OFFICE BUILDING - DAY
Harry and Gib pull to the curb in front of the building.
GIB
What's going on?
Harry gets out of the car and turns back, leaning in the door
to talk to Gib.
HARRY
Look, uh... I've got to talk to
Helen about this thing with Dana.
I'm just going to run in and see
if she can get away for lunch.
GIB
You want me to just hang-- ?
HARRY
Just hang a minute.
GIB
I'll just hang then, shall I?
113 INT. OFFICE BUILDING - DAY
Harry enters the office of Helen's firm. He stops at
reception.
RECEPTIONIST
Hello Mr. Tasker. Just a second,
I'll buzz Helen.
HARRY
No. No, I'd like to surprise
her. Thanks, I know where her
desk is.
He smiles and breezes past her before she has a chance to
object.
114 INT. HELEN'S OFFICE - DAY
TRACKING WITH HARRY as he moves through the offices. He passes
through a library-like maze of records stacks. Through them he
can see Helen at her desk. But as he approaches, still
concealed, ALLISON puts a call on hold and whips around to
Helen.
ALLISON
Helen!
(grinning
conspiratorially)
It's your mystery man.
HELEN
Simon? Ohmygod.
Helen, normally the image of composure, goes suddenly fluttery
and nervous as a high-school girl. She takes the phone,
turning away from Allison.
HELEN
Hello, Simon?
(pause)
It's all right. There's no one
around.
Helen glimpses Allison with her ears cocked and gives her a
scowl and a shooing motion. Allison turns away, grinning.
115 INT. OFFICE - STACKS OF RECORDS - DAY
ON HARRY, behind the stacks, reacting. He silently mouths
"SIMON?!"
116 INT. HELEN'S OFFICE - DAY
HELEN
You mean right now?
(she looks around
guiltily)
I guess so. Okay. I'll be right
there.
(pause)
Yes. I can't wait. Bye.
She hangs up, a little flushed. Then turns to Allison.
HELEN
Can you cover me for an hour?
ALLISON
Just an hour? You should tell
this stud to take more time.
HELEN
Will you shutup. I should never
have told you about him.
Helen grabs her purse and rushes out, going right past the
stack where Harry is standing, dumbfounded. He looks like he
was slammed in the stomach with a lead pipe. His whole like is
unravelling.
117 EXT. BUILDING - DAY
Gib sees Harry crossing the street, holding his stomach. He
seems dazed. He is not so much walking to the car as wandering
in its general direction. He stops, in the street. Gib gets
out of the car and rushes to him. He pulls him out of the path
of a bus which is HONKING irritably.
GIB
You look like you got gut-kicked.
What's the matter? You sick?
Harry leans against the car for support.
HARRY
(barely audible)
He-- Helen. Helen-- it's Helen.
It's Helen, Gib.
GIB
Something to do with Helen, is
what I'm getting.
HARRY
She's having an affair.
Harry's best friend in the world brightens with the news. He
slaps him on the back.
GIB
Congratulations. Welcome to the
club.
HARRY
It can't be. Not Helen.
GIB
Nobody believes it can happen to
them.
HARRY
It can't be.
GIB
Same thing happened to me with
wife two. I had no idea until I
came home and the house was
empty. I mean empty. She even
took the ice-cube trays from the
fridge. What kind of person
would think of that?
HARRY
(not listening)
I still don't believe it.
GIB
Relax. Helen still loves you.
She just wants this guy to bang
her. It's nothing serious.
You'll get used to it after a --
Harry wheels around on Gib, grabbing him by the lapels, and
slams him against the car.
HARRY
STOP. CHEERING. ME. UP.
We see in Harry's rage, frustration, and hurt confusion a
vulnerability we never expected to see.
GIB
What'dya expect Harry? She's a
flesh and blood woman. And
you're never there. It was only
a matter of time.
Harry sags. His friend is right. Gib opens the car door and
helps him in like an invalid, talking soothingly the whole time--
GIB
I say we concentrate on work.
That's how I always got through
it whenever my life turned to
dogshit. Let's catch some
terrorists and then you can beat
the crap out of them. You'll
feel better.
Gib gets in and starts the car, full of stoic cheer for Harry.
GIB
Women. Can't live with 'em.
Can't kill 'em.
118 INT. OMEGA SECTOR / LISTENING ROOM - DAY
Harry and Gib are in the LISTENING ROOM. Banks of tape-decks
recording calls, rows of technicians in cubicles processing and
collating transcripts.
GIB
He's giving us a blank check on *
wiretaps. So I've set 'em up on
all of Juno's shipping agents,
her clients, and Faisil made up *
a list of possible contacts that
Crimson Jihad might have in this
country. Now all we can do is *
wait -- *
He notices Harry is not listening.
GIB
Is this national security stuff
boring you?
HARRY
Put a tap on her phone.
GIB
What're you talking about? We
have that.
HARRY
Helen's phone. Her office line
and the line at my house.
Gib gives Harry a stricken look, and glances around nervously.
He pulls him into an empty office.
GIB *
(a whispered hiss) *
Okay . . .I have two words to *
describe that idea. In. Sane.
Unauthorized wiretap is a felony,
pard.
Harry grabs him and rams him up against the wall, his teeth
clenched.
HARRY
Yeah, and we do it twenty times
a day. Don't give me that crap.
Just put on the taps. Now.
GIB
Sure, Harry. I'm on it.
Harry releases him and turns away. Gib straightens his jacket,
looking at his friend like he's completely losing it.
119 INT. TASKER HOUSE - NIGHT
That night Harry is actually there on time for dinner. He
glances at Dana, who has been eyeing him warily. She looks at
her peas.
HARRY
How was school today?
DANA
Fine.
Harry takes a bite of his food, watching her. Silence. Helen
glances at him.
HELEN
So. You came by to see me today?
She is a too casual, masking her nervousness.
HARRY
I was in the area, and I thought
you might like to have lunch.
HELEN
They must've just missed me.
HARRY
They said you had to run out.
HELEN
Yeah. It was a rush thing. They
needed some documents down at the
court house. I barely made it.
Harry watches her lying to him with some amazement. You can
see the jaw muscles clenching.
HARRY
So, a little excitement in an
otherwise dull day. Did is work
out okay?
HELEN
Oh, sure. Fine.
(she gets up suddenly)
I'll get some more gravy.
DANA
I'm done.
Dana bolts. She has eaten about four bites. Harry sits at the
table, alone. He feels isolated, knowing that everybody is
lying to everybody else. He is a man without a center, lost.
CUT TO:
120 INT. OMEGA SECTOR/ LISTENING ROOM - DAY
TRACKING ALONG THE BANK OF RECORDERS. Harry comes to a
particular set of machines. He reaches past the technician and
picks up the hard-copy of the transcripts.
ON HARRY walking and leafing through the phone transcripts.
Gib watches him through a glass partition, shaking his head
slowly. Harry freezes, staring at the page and WE HEAR THE
SOUND OF THE CONVERSATION OVERLAID:
HELEN
Hello?
SIMON
Helen? It's Simon. Is it safe
to talk?
HELEN
Yes. Go ahead.
121 INT. CAR - FLASHBACK SEQUENCE - DAY
A man in his mid-thirties, sitting in a car SOMEPLACE (DAY),
speaks into a cellular phone. This is SIMON. He is dark
haired, and fairly good-looking in an off-beat way. He is
unshaven and his clothes look slept in. He glances around in
a furtive manner.
SIMON
I can't talk long. Can you meet
me for lunch tomorrow? I must
see you.
122 INT. HELEN'S OFFICE - DAY
NOW WE SEE HELEN, at her office.
HELEN
Yes. I suppose so. Where?
SIMON
The same place. One o'clock. I
have to go now. See you
tomorrow. Remember, I need you.
123 INT. LISTENING ROOM - DAY
The last line is played ON HARRY, reading. Now he is seeing
the proof in black and white. He slowly crumples the paper in
one hand, his expression dark.
124 INT. TASKER HOUSE - NIGHT
Helen is reading in bed. She glances up as Harry comes into
the room. Gives him a quick smile. Too quick.
HARRY
I thought we might have lunch
tomorrow.
HELEN
I can't, honey. I promised
Allison I'd go shopping with her.
Sorry.
Harry watches her smoothly lying to him. It's surreal to him.
HARRY
No problem.
He surreptitiously picks up Helen's purse from a dresser and *
goes into the hall. *
125 OMITTED *
126 EXT. TASKER HOUSE - NIGHT *
THE FRONT DOOR OPENS and Harry comes out, walking Gizmo on a *
leash. Harry walks briskly along the sidewalk, jerking the
poor dog along twice as fast as his little legs will go. *
127 EXT. SIDEWALK, BY GIB'S CAR - NIGHT
He reaches Gib's car, half a block up, and hands him Helen's *
purse. Gib eyes the dog warily. He growls at it. Gizmo hides *
behind Harry's legs.
GIB
Look, Harry. I know this is
rough. I felt the same way the
first time it happened to--
Harry holds up one finger. His eyes and expression are so
intense, Gib just soft of trails off.
GIB *
Right. *
(hefting the purse) *
So . . . the usual, right? *
GPS locator, telemetry burst *
transmitter, audio transmitter, *
power supply.
HARRY *
Just have is back in two hours. *
128
thru OMITTED *
129
130 INT. / EXT. HELEN'S CAR - DAY
TIGHT ON THE PURSE sitting on the seat next to her as Helen
drives through the city.
131 INT. / EXT. N.D. SEDAN - DAY
Harry drives while Gib watches--
132 INT. SEDAN, CLOSE UP ON MAP - DAY
A COMPUTERIZED MAP below the dash. Helen's purse appears as a
moving blip on a street-map of the city.
133 INT. / EXT. SEDAN - DAY
GIB
Okay, she's turning on
Seventeenth. Make a left, you
should see her.
Harry makes the turn.
HARRY
There she is.
134 EXT. PARKING LOT - DAY
Up ahead they see Helen's RED ACCORD pulling into a parking low
next to a CAFE. Harry parks the car a block away and gets out
his binoculars.
135 EXT. HELEN'S CAR THROUGH BINOCULARS - DAY
HARRY'S POV through the scope. Helen gets out of her car and
looks around as she walks to the cafe. It is not a nervous
look, but it is clear she is making sure she is not followed.
She goes inside.
136 INT. SEDAN - DAY
HARRY
Give me audio.
Gib hits a switch and they hear the clamor of the cafe at lunch
rush come over a speaker.
137 INT. CAFE - DAY
The restaurant is nothing fancy. A little dark. Helen makes
her way to a booth in the back. Sitting in the shadows, facing
the door, is SIMON. She sits down opposite him. He doesn't
smile or kiss her in greeting, but glances around the room like
he expects a threat to leap out at any moment.
SIMON
Are you sure you weren't
followed?
HELEN
I kept looking back, like you
taught me. I didn't see anyone.
SIMON
Okay. It's just, things are a
bit hot for me right now. If I
get a signal...
(holds up a cigarette
lighter meaningfully)
I may have to leave suddenly.
HELEN
I understand.
SIMON
It's my job to risk my life, but
not yours. I feel bad about
bringing you into this, but
you're the only one I can trust.
Simon creates an atmosphere of danger. His haggardness give
him an air of mystery and desperation.
HELEN
Where were you? On a... uh, *
mission?
SIMON
Ssshhh! We say Op. Covert *
operation. And this one got a
little rough.
HELEN
Worse than Cairo? *
SIMON
Cairo was a day at the beach next *
to this.
138 INT. SEDAN - DAY
Harry and Gib turn to each other, shocked with the dawning
awareness.
GIB
Guy's a spook!
HARRY
Yeah, but for who? *
GIB
He could be working her to get to
you.
Harry waves his hand, silencing Gib.
INTERCUT FROM HERE ON BETWEEN HARRY/GIB AND HELEN/SIMON.
139 INT. CAFE - DAY
SIMON puts a newspaper on the table, sliding it over to Helen.
SIMON
Did you read the papers
yesterday?
HELEN
Yes.
SIMON
Sometimes a story is a mask for
a covert operation. See-- two
men killed in a restroom, and two
unidentified men in a running *
shootout, ending at the *
Marriot...
140 INT. SEDAN - DAY
HARRY AND GIB react, realizing that it is the story of their
operation gone awry.
141 INT. CAFE - DAY
HELEN
That was you?!
SIMON
You recognized my style. See,
you're very good. You're a
natural at this.
142 INT. SEDAN - DAY
Harry starts to get it. Then is dawns on Gib.
GIB
The guy's a fake! He's taking
credit for our moves.
143 INT. CAFE - DAY
HELEN LEANS CLOSE TO SIMON. She clearly is hanging on his
every word.
HELEN
Tell me what happened?
SIMON
I'm sorry, I can't.
HELEN
You can trust me completely.
SIMON
I know. But it would compromise
your safety too much to know
certain things.
HELEN
Right, of course. I was worried
when I didn't hear from you that
night.
SIMON
It's strange. I knew I was in a
woman's thoughts when I was
shooting it out with those
assassins.
144 INT. SEDAN - DAY
HARRY REACTS to the outrageous fabrication.
GIB
Unbelievable.
145 INT. CAFE - DAY
BUT HELEN is eating it up.
HELEN
Were they trying to kill you? *
SIMON
Three of them. Hardly worth *
talking about. Two won't bother *
me again.
HELEN
And you chased one?
SIMON
Something came over me, I just
had nail him, no matter what the *
risk. It was pretty hairy. I
thought he had me, a couple of *
times. But I really can't take
credit . . .
HELEN *
You can't? *
SIMON *
No. It's the training. It *
shapes you into a lethal *
instrument. You react without *
thinking. *
146 INT. SEDAN - DAY
HARRY AND GIB guffaw. This is too much.
GIB *
I'm starting to like this guy. *
Harry shoot him a hard look. *
GIB *
(holding up his hand *
defensively) *
We still have to kill him, that's *
a given. *
147 INT. CAFE - DAY
BACK TO HELEN AND SIMON as she leans even closer.
HELEN
What is it you want me to do?
SIMON
Not here. I'll call you and
we'll rendezvous again.
(he looks around)
We have to leave separately, so
we aren't seen together. For
your safety.
HELEN
You'll call me then?
SIMON
Yes. Now go.
148
thru OMITTED *
155
PAGES 66-67 OMITTED *
156 EXT. STREET/CAR LOT - DAY
Simon is cruising in the Corvette with the radio blasting.
Thinking he is supercool.
157 EXT. USED CAR LOT - DAY
Simon pulls into a used car lot, which is a run-down place. A
hodge-podge of makes and models, a few that might aspire to be
classics.
Simon backs the Vette into an open space on the front line. He
reaches into the back seat and pulls out a dayglo sign showing
the SALE PRICE of the car. He sticks it back on the dash. The
car doesn't even belong to him!
158 EXT. ACROSS THE STREET FROM CAR LOT - DAY
Harry and Gib pull up. They watch as Simon jumps out of the
Vette and goes into the sales office.
GIB
(laughing)
He's a goddamn used car salesman.
This just gets better.
(catching himself)
Sorry Harry, I know this is
painful.
Harry's eyes are slitted down lethally as he stares across the
street.
159 INT. CAR LOT SALES OFFICE - DAY (LATE AFTERNOON) *
TIGHT ON A TAPE PLAYER, with Simon's hand adjusting the volume.
The sound of traffic noise and middle-eastern music blares from
the deck.
PULL BACK to see Simon on the phone, talking loud, as if over
the din of a real place.
SIMON
It's a great little bar, Amanda,
you'd love it. Beirut's a great
place if you know the city. *
Listen, this isn't a secure line.
I'll tell you all about it when
I get back tomorrow... if I live.
(pause)
Scared? Never! Except of you--
During this, the owner of the place, DOUG WURTZ, has come out
of the back room and looked out at the lot. What Doug sees is--
HARRY, browsing among the cars.
DOUG turns from the window and bears down on Simon, who sees
him coming and speeds up his rap.
SIMON
--I have to go, baby. A guy's
coming toward me--
Doug grabs the phone out of his hand and slams it in the
cradle.
DOUG *
Simon, look out there. You see
that man? Notice how he's
looking at the cars. He's called
a customer. I know it's been a
while, but do you remember what
you're supposed to do when we
have a customer?
160 EXT. CAR LOT - DAY
Simon bounces jauntily up to Harry, talking before he's even
reached him.
SIMON
It wants you too. Feel it
vibrate? How about a little
spin?
Simon opens the passenger door and sits Harry inside, then runs
around the car. He leaps over the closed door into the
driver's seat and starts the car.
SIMON
You gotta jump in. That's rule
number one. It takes a little
practice, but there's no way
around it.
161 EXT. STREET - DAY
Simon swings the car out onto the boulevard, kicking back.
SIMON
See, it's not just the car, it's
a total image. An identity you
have to go for. This isn't some
high-tech sports car... it
doesn't even handle that great.
But that's not the idea, is it.
Simon gives Harry a big grin. Harry returns a knowing chuckle.
Ha ha.
SIMON
What're we talking about here?
Pussy, right?
HARRY
Absolutely.
Simon laughs. Harry laughs. A big lusty, male-bonding kind of
laugh.
SIMON
Well then this is a vital piece
of equipment. Used properly, it
can change your life. See, you
cruise. No racing. This ain't
a Ferrari. You check out the
scenery, let the scenery check
you out. You got to take it
slow. Old cars are like good
women... they heat up fast.
How do you grin warmly while your eyes are so cold? Ask Harry.
HARRY
Keep talking.
CUT TO:
162 EXT. TACO STAND - DAY
Simon is holding court. Over tacos, he waxes eloquent on his
greatest area of expertise. We see Harry laughing, going along
with the guy. Pretending to bond.
SIMON
Let's face it, Harry, the Vette
gets 'em wet. But it's not
enough. If you want to really
close escrow, you gotta have an
angle.
HARRY
And you've got one.
SIMON
It's killer. Look at me-- I'm
not that much to look at. No
really. I can be honest. But I
got 'em lining up, and not just
skanks, either. Some are.
HARRY
So what's your angle?
SIMON
Sorry. Trade secret.
HARRY
(grinning)
Sure. Set me up and then don't
tell me.
Simon leans forward, conspiratorially.
SIMON
Okay, just ask yourself. What do
women really want? You take
these bored housewives, married
to the same guy for years. Stuck
in a rut. They need some
release. The promise of
adventure. A hint of danger. I
create that for them.
HARRY
So you're basically lying your
ass off the whole time? I
couldn't do it.
SIMON
Well, think of it as playing a
role. It's fantasy. You have to
work on their dreams. Get them
out of their daily suburban grind
for a few hours.
HARRY
Isn't that hard to keep up, in
the long run?
SIMON
Doesn't matter. I like change.
You know, constant turnover. As
soon as I close the deal, it's
one of two more times, then
adios.
HARRY
Use 'em and lose 'em.
SIMON
Exactly. The trick is, you gotta
pick your target. They have to
be nice little housewife types.
School-teachers. But, I'm
telling you, you get their pilot
lit, these babes, they can suck-
start a leaf-blower.
HARRY
What about the husbands?
SIMON
Dickless. If they took care of *
business, I'd be out of business,
know what I mean?
HARRY
Those idiots.
163 EXT. STREET/ VETTE - DAY
They are cruising along, with Harry driving this time.
HARRY
You working on someone right now?
SIMON
I always have a couple on the
hook. You know. There's one
right now, I've got her panting
like a dog. It's great.
Unconsciously, Harry's hands clench the wheel tighter.
HARRY
What does she do?
SIMON
Some kinda legal secretary of
something. Married to some
boring jerk.
Harry takes a corner too fast. The tires squealing.
SIMON
And she could be so hot, if she
wanted to be. She's like a dying
plant that just needs a little
water.
When Simon is looking, Harry is open and encouraging... they
laugh together... then when he looks away Harry goes snake-
eyed. He could kill Simon with one punch. He's visualizing
his wife getting porked by this guy.
HARRY
But with you, she gets to be hot,
right?
SIMON
Red hot. Her thighs steam.
They laugh together. Harry's laugh is getting a bit brittle.
He speeds up, his knuckles white on the wheel. Now for the big
question: HAVE THEY OR HAVEN'T THEY?
HARRY
Sooooo... she's pretty good in
bed, then?
SIMON
(yelling suddenly)
Hey, slow down you're gonna miss
the turn!
164 EXT. USED CAR LOT - DAY
Harry comes barrelling into the lot at forty. He cranks the
wheel and hits the emergency brake, slewing the car into a
smoking bootlegger-180. It screeches backward, sliding right
into its parking space perfectly.
Simon is bugeyed. But he is non-plussed for only about two
seconds. Then he's back to selling. He scrambles out and goes
around to Harry, coughing in the cloud of tire smoke.
SIMON
See. You and this car were meant
for each other. Why fight it?
Sure, I have a couple other
buyers lined up, but I like your
style. Whattya say? Should we
start on the paperwork?
HARRY
Let me think about it. Hold it
a day for me?
Simon grins and winks.
SIMON
Because it's you.
165 INT. TASKER HOUSE - NIGHT
Dana is in the living room, watching TV when she sees her
mother cross through, dressed to go out.
HELEN
Dinner's in the warmer. Tell
your father I may be late.
DANA
Where are you going?
HELEN
Out.
Dana is momentarily puzzled by the reversal of roles.
166 INT. ENTRY WAY - NIGHT
ON HELEN, checking herself in the hall mirror. She looks at
her big dowdy purse. Hating it suddenly. She pulls her
pocketbook out and rummages on the top shelf of the hall closet
for a small handbag, then charges out.
167 OMITTED
168 INT. / EXT. SEDAN - NIGHT
Harry is driving. Gib pulls a sheaf of pages out of his
briefcase and hands them to him.
GIB
Here's today's transcripts.
There's nothing interesting.
SIMON
Nothing from Simon?
Keeping one eye on the road, Harry riffles through the sheets.
He glances at the top of the last couple of sheets. He scowls.
Then SUDDENLY SLAMS ON THE BRAKES. The car dives to the curb,
bumping one wheel. Harry gets out and charges around to Gib's
side. Gib gets out, his expression blank.
HARRY
Give me the page.
GIB
What are you talking about?
HARRY
It skips from page nine to
eleven. Where's page ten?
GIB
Aw, it's gotta be a typo--
HARRY
GIVE ME THE GODDAMN PAGE!!
Harry hammers his fist against the car-window right next to
Gib. It explodes inward in a shower of glass.
GIB
(shrugging)
Okay. Here.
He fishes a crumples sheet of paper out of his pocket. Harry
grabs it from him, straightening it.
GIB
Jeez, Harry. Seek help.
As Harry begins to read, we go into FLASHBACK.
169 INT. USED CAR LOT OFFICE - DAY/FLASHBACK
ON SIMON - He is talking into the phone in hushed, urgent
tones.
SIMON
Helen. I need your help. Can
you meet me tonight?
INTERCUT WITH HELEN at her office.
170 INT. HELEN'S OFFICE - DAY/FLASHBACK/INTERCUT
HELEN
What's happened?
SIMON
It's serious. That's all I can *
say. Just meet on K Street under *
the Key Bridge. At eight sharp. *
171 INT./ EXT. SEDAN - NIGHT
BACK TO THE PRESENT. Harry checks his watch. *
HARRY
Shit! It's almost eight. *
He jumps back in the car and activates the GPS locator.
Helen's purse-blip flashes on the grid map.
HARRY
She's still at my house. *
GIB
The purse is still at the house.
172 INT. SEDAN - NIGHT
Harry growls and slams the car into gear, roaring out into
traffic. Horns honk as he cuts off people. He is oblivious.
He grabs his rover.
HARRY
Unit Two? Unit Seven?
172A CUT TO -- FAISIL AND AGENT WEBSTER IN THE UNIT SEVEN VAN *
FAISIL
Seven here.
172B CUT TO -- AGENT MORTON IN UNIT TWO CAR *
UNIT TWO
This is Two.
172C INT. SEDAN - NIGHT *
HARRY
Immediate roll. Acquire subject
at K Street and Key Bridge. *
Vehicle is red-and-white *
convertible. You have six
minutes.
FAISIL
Roger, One. Rolling.
UNIT TWO
Copy that.
GIB
Wait a minute! Are you out of
your mind? You can't pull agents
off a priority surveillance to
follow your wife! It's gross
misappropriation of Sector's
resources, it's... it's a breach
of national security.
Harry drives on, ignoring him. Gib grabs his shoulder, shaking
him.
GIB *
You copy, Harry? This is too
far. You're losing it big-time.
I have to stop you.
HARRY
Whatya going to do? Tell?
GIB
Goddamnit, Harry. This is our
butts. So your life is in the
toilet. So your wife is banging
a used car salesman. Sure it's
humiliating. But be a man here--
HARRY
You tell on me, I tell on you.
GIB
Whatya talking? I'm clean as a
preacher's sheets, babe. Clean
as a --
HARRY
What about that time you trashed
a six-week operation because you
were busy getting a blow-job?
GIB
(instantly contrite)
You know about that?
Harry turns to him. His glare could melt metal. Gib gives a
fatalistic shrug.
GIB
Take Franklin, it's quicker.
Harry makes the turn, squealing tires.
GIB
You don't have any pictures
though, do ya. Huh? *
173 EXT. BRIDGE - NIGHT
Helen pulls her car under the bridge. She checks her watch.
Helen notices that her hand is shaking. She looks around and *
the place seems deserted. She is about to leave when she sees
headlights flash briefly in the shadows.
A red-and-white Vette emerges from the darkness and pulls up
next to her. Simon motions for her to get in quickly.
174 EXT. PARKING LOT - THROUGH BINOCULARS - NIGHT
LONGSHOT on Simon and Helen in the Vette, coming out of the
parking low under the bridge. We are watching them through a
sophisticated telephoto night-vision device.
175 INT. UNIT TWO SEDAN - NIGHT
Agent MORTON lowers the SCOPE and picks up his rover. He puts *
the car in gear to follow.
MORTON
Two here. Subject is southbound
on Key Bridge. A man and a woman *
in the vehicle.
HARRY (RADIO)
Roger's two.
175A INT./EXT. SIMON'S CAR
Simon makes a show of checking the mirrors.
SIMON
Now don't be alarmed... but if
I'm spotter, it would be best if
they don't see you. You should
keep your head down until we're
out of the city.
He pushes her head down onto his lap. She crouches there, with
her cheek against his thigh. He's cruising along, loving it.
176 INT. HARRY'S CAR - NIGHT
Gib is trying to watch the computerized city map on the screen,
but Harry keeps cornering so fast he loses his place.
MORTON (RADIO)
The woman has her head in the
guy's lap.
Harry is doing a jaw-clenched slow burn.
HARRY
Roger, two. One to Condor, do
you have visual?
177
thru OMITTED
183
184 EXT. HIGHWAY LEAVING CITY - NIGHT
It is a highway heading away from the city. IN A LONG LENS
SHOT, the Vette appears over the brow of a hill. A moment
later A HELICOPTER rises up behind them, A DRAMATIC REVEAL. It
follows the Vette.
CONDOR (VOICE OVER/RADIO)
This is Condor. We have the
ball, repeat... we have a good
lock-up on I.R.
CUT TO: INFRARED VIEW of the Vette, from the helicopter's FLIR
system. The greenish, image-intensified view of the car is
like daylight.
185 OMITTED
PAGES 79 - 80 OMITTED
EXT. HELICOPTER - AERIAL SHOT - NIGHT 186
Down past the helicopter, to the Vette on the highway below
as they head out into the country.
OMITTED (187) 187
EXT. TRAILER PARK - NIGHT 188
The headlights of the Vette light up a ratty single-wide
mobile home, on the outskirts of a TRAILER PARK off the
highway. Simon and Helen get out of the car.
SIMON
My place in the city is too
hot right now. So is the
penthouse in New York. But
this place is secure.
He takes her inside.
OMITTED (189) 189
INT. SIMON'S TRAILER - NIGHT 190
Helen feels awkward in the small, junky space. A tape deck
is playing cool jazz. Simon hands her a glass of cheap wine.
He clinks her glass with his.
SIMON
To our assignment.
HELEN
What is it you need me to do?
SIMON
Helen, I want you to be my wife.
HELEN
I'm married!
SIMON
(quickly)
Just for the operation in Paris.
I need to be married. They'll be
looking for a man traveling
alone.
HELEN
We're going to Paris?
SIMON
Helen, there's a double agent in
my outfit... I don't know who.
There's no one I can trust.
Except you. Can you get away?
Just for two days.
HELEN
I don't know. I have to think...
SIMON
Here. Sit down. Be comfortable.
He clears a place for her on the bed, shoving clothes and
magazines out of the way. She sits down and he tops off her
glass from the wine bottle.
191 EXT. BILLBOARD AND TRAILER PARK - NIGHT
The agents have gathered behind a billboard. Harry, Gib and *
the other three agents have donned black jumpsuits. They
finish fitting battle-harnesses, then they grab black ski- *
masks. They don them in perfect unison. Commando precision.
Harry leads off and they quick-time from behind the billboard,
closing in on Simon's trailer.
192 INT. TRAILER - NIGHT
Helen looks up at Simon and nods slowly.
HELEN
Okay. I'll do it.
Simon shoots over and sits next to her, taking her hand.
SIMON
You are incredibly brave. I have
to remind myself the fear you
must be feeling. I've lived like
this for years, so I'm used to
it. Every day when I get up, I
think it might be my last. But
it makes you appreciate life.
And the moment. Because that may
be all you have.
He moves a little closer. Casting his spell.
SIMON
To pull this cover story off, we
have to look exactly like two
people who are intimate with each
other. The enemy can spot a fake
easily.
He puts his hand on her knee. She tenses up instantly.
SIMON
You see what I mean? That
reaction would give us away in a
second. Try to relax.
HELEN
It's just that... it's been
sixteen years since anyone but
Harry did that, I--
SIMON
Relax. There, that's better.
Let yourself slip into the role.
He puts his other arm around her shoulders and pulls her slowly
into a kiss. This doesn't seem real to Helen. She finds
herself not pulling away. He lowers her slowly until they are
lying together on the bed.
SIMON
There you go. That's right...
He slides his hand up her thigh. The fingers, stroking in
little circles, slips under her skirt. And--
She suddenly EXPLODES, pushing on his chest, forcing him up off
her.
HELEN
NO! Stop!
(he keeps kissing her)
Get off me RIGHT NOW!
Simon struggles with her. She gets one knee up under him and
levers him up. She pushes him to a standing position. She
sits up on the bed, straightening her skirt.
He looks forlorn and pathetic. Now he's going to try
pleading...
SIMON
If not for me, do it for
democracy.
193 INT. / EXT. TRAILER - NIGHT
KABOOM!! The back wall of the trailer is blown outward by tiny
shaped-charges. The concussion throws Simon forward on top of
her. Five BLACK-SUITED FIGURES swarm in, carrying machine
pistols and flashlights.
194 INT. TRAILER - HARRY'S POV - NIGHT
Lit by the beam of the flashlight, he sees Simon on top of
Helen, her knees up on either side of his hips. It looks bad.
Simon and Helen sit up... stunned. They look like two rabbits
in the headlights of a truck. She screams.
195 INT. TRAILER - ON SIMON - NIGHT
Reacting as all his years of bullshit have suddenly
materialized as a nightmarish reality. He is stunned.
Blinking, mouth hanging open.
196 INT. / EXT. TRAILER - SIMON'S POV - NIGHT
WHAT SIMON SEES -- Five demonic figures, backlit by the XENON
LIGHT from a helicopter. Smoke and dust swirling in the rotor-
wash. The figures lunge toward them, grabbing them both.
Helen struggles fiercely as Gib (disguised) pulls her up.
Harry yanks Simon to his feet.
197 EXT. TRAILER - NIGHT
Gib comes out first with Helen. She struggles like a wildcat,
frankly surprising the hell out of Harry. Simon is brought
out, dazed and compliant. Helen whips around, KNEEING GIB
right in the balls. Gib OOPHS and doubles over, and Helen runs
for it.
Harry leaves Simon with the other agents and runs after Helen.
She sprints through the trees, Harry pounding after her. He
grabs her and gets her in a headlock. She bites the hell out
of his arm. Harry yells and lets her go, just as-- Keough runs
up and matter-of-factly clips her on the head with his weapon.
Standard operating procedure. Which is why he can't understand
why Harry punches him, knocking him down.
Harry supports a sagging Helen, gesturing sharply to the other
agents and going RRRRR-RRRR to make his point (since he can't
talk without her recognizing his voice). They head for the
cars.
CUT TO:
198 INT. INTERROGATION ROOM/OBSERVATION CHAMBER - NIGHT
An empty room with a single stool under a light, and a large
two-way mirror. The door opens and Helen is escorted in by
Keough, still wearing his jumpsuit. Helen has a black hood
over her head. Keough undoes a pair of handcuffs, freeing her,
then leaves quickly.
Helen whips the hood off and blinks in the light. She wheels
at the sound of the door locking and runs to it. Pulls twice
on the handle, without effect. She crosses to the mirror and
peers at her reflection, trying to see if anyone is there on
the other side.
199 INT. OBSERVATION ROOM - NIGHT
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GLASS is a dark chamber. We see Helen
perfectly, peering in, though she sees nothing. Harry and Gib,
in silhouette, sit at a console. Harry speaks into a
microphone.
HARRY
Sit down.
200 INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT
ON HELEN'S SIDE of the mirror we hear Harry's voice shifted by
a DIGITAL PROCESSOR. It is a cold booming mechanical voice.
Harsh and inhuman.
VOICE (HARRY)
I said SIT DOWN.
(she does)
Who do you work for?
HELEN
Kettleman, Barnes and McGrath.
I'm a legal secretary.
VOICE (HARRY)
Of course. Mrs. Tasker. And
what were you going with the
international terrorist, Carlos
the Jackal? Taking dictation?
HELEN
He said he was an American agent.
201 INT. OBSERVATION ROOM - NIGHT
INSIDE THE CONTROL room we can see Harry, Gib and, through the
glass, Helen. Their voices sound normal on this side.
HARRY
How long have you been a member
of his faction?
HELEN
I don't know anything about a
faction. I just met Simon... or
whatever his name is... a couple
of weeks ago. I barely know him.
GIB
That's not what it looked like
when we found you.
Harry scowls at Gib in the dark. Helen flushes, remembering.
HARRY
How did you meet him?
FLASHBACK SEQUENCE:
202 INT. MALL - DAY/FLASHBACK
We see Helen sitting at table at a mall near where she works,
having a cappucino and a croissant.
HELEN (V.O.)
About two weeks ago I was at the
mall, having coffee...
Simon appears behind her, sort of stalking up to her. He
approaches quickly the last few steps and slips into the seat
next to her. His manner is furtive. He keeps looking around,
as if for hidden assasins. He hands her a briefcase.
SIMON
(speaking very low)
Keep this for me. I can't afford
to be taken with it. National
security is at stake. I'll
contact you if a can. Okay? Oh--
He seems to suddenly spot something OFF CAMERA and dashes off
the other way.
203 EXT. BUSINESS DISTRICT - DAY/FLASHBACK
Helen walks back to her office building, carrying the
briefcase. She keeps looking over her shoulder.
204 INT. HELEN'S OFFICE - DAY/FLASHBACK
She has the briefcase on her desk while she works. She keeps
glancing at it as she types. Finally she hunches over it and
starts picking the locks with a paper clip.
TIGHT ON SECOND LOCK, popping open.
ON HELEN as she opens the case. She gasps.
INSIDE THE CASE are the following items: A tiny camera, some
loose tapes, some circuit diagrams, some transcripts that look
like gibberish which must be ENCRYPTED, some street maps of
Beirut, Rome and Berlin, and a Walther P.P.K. PISTOL. Helen,
eyes wide, closes the case.
205 INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT / PRESENT
Helen shrugs, finishing up her story.
HELEN
I should have gone to the police,
I suppose.
GIB
But you didn't. Why not?
HELEN
I don't know. I guess... I
wanted to see what would happen.
HARRY
What did happen?
HELEN
Three days later, he called me.
He told me to meet him at
Overlook Park.
206 EXT. OVERLOOK PARK - SUNSET/FLASHBACK
Through the trees is a sweeping view across the Potomac to
Georgetown and Embassy Row. Helen is sitting on a park bench
when Simon shows up, sitting beside her. She hands him the
briefcase.
SIMON
Thank you. You saved my life.
What's your name?
HELEN
Helen.
SIMON
You can call me Simon.
(he touches her hand)
You're very brave to do this...
(then notices the locks
have been opened)
You opened it.
HELEN
I just glances inside.
207 EXT. OVERLOOK PARK - CLOSE UP ON SIMON
CLOSE ON SIMON, looking right into her eyes.
SIMON
(solemn)
Then you know.
208 INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT / PRESENT
Harry shakes his head and rubs his eyes, picturing the whole
thing.
HARRY
Why did you continue to see him?
HELEN
He needed my help.
HARRY
Not because you were attracted to
him?
HELEN
No.
HARRY
You weren't attracted to him at
all?
HELEN
Well, maybe a little.
GIB
Is this a common thing for you?
Cheating?
HELEN
No! Never!
GIB
So, it was your first time.
HELEN
I wasn't cheating!
HARRY
Tell me about your husband, Mrs
Tasker.
HELEN
Harry? What can I say about
Harry? He's a sales rep for a
computer company.
HARRY
(hard question for him)
Would you say he was boring,
then?
HELEN
(she sighs, nodding
fatalistically)
Yeah. I suppose he is.
GIB
So sex with him isn't exactly
making your flag wave anymore.
Harry cuffs him on the shoulder. Signals with a scowl for him
to stay out of it. Gib smirks. Harry's put him through enough
shit the last couple of days, it's time for a couple digs.
HELEN
That's none of your goddamn
business! What kind of questions
are these?
HARRY
You're in a lot of trouble, Mrs.
Tasker, so I suggest you
cooperate. If we want to know
the most intimate details of your
life, you'd better tell us.
Helen glowers at the mirror. Her hands are shaking and she
hates it that they can probably see she is afraid.
HELEN
My husband is a good man.
GIB
But he's not exactly ringing your
bell lately, right? I mean--
Harry covers the mike and whips around on Gib.
HARRY
Let me handle this part. Do you
mind?
(to Helen)
Why did you go to Carlos'
hideout?
HELEN
He wanted me to go with him on a
mission, to pose as him wife.
HARRY
And you agreed?
HELEN
Yes.
HARRY
(amazed)
Why?
Helen searches herself for the explanation.
HELEN
I don't know. I guess I needed
something...
HARRY
What did you need?
HELEN
I needed to feel alive. I wanted
to do something... outrageous.
And... I don't know... it felt
good to be needed. To be
trusted. To be special.
In verbalizing it she just feels smaller, more pathetic that
she ever did. She hates the unseen voices for making for try
to explain her deepest, unvoiced needs.
HELEN
There's so much I wanted to do in
this life, and it's like I
haven't done any of it. And the
sand's running out of the
hourglass. I want to be able to
look back and say: See! I did
that. It was wild and it was
reckless and outrageous and I
fucking did it!
(she glares at the
mirror)
And I frankly don't give a shit
if you understand this or not.
Gib looks at Harry, eyebrows raised. Whew! Harry is studying
his wife like she's some fantastic new species.
HARRY
This Simon. Did you sleep with
him?
HELEN
No.
GIB
(covering the mike)
She's lying.
HARRY
You didn't have sexual relations
with him?
HELEN
(acidly)
Look, if you ask me everything
twice, this is going to take a
really long time. And I have to
get home to my family.
GIB
You're not going anywhere.
Helen loses it. It is fury and fear, tears and rage all at
once--
HELEN
Let me out of her! Right now!
HARRY
Answer the question--
She picks up her stool and charges toward the mirror, swinging
it with all her might. It bounces off harmlessly.
HELEN
(she swings again,
yelling)
I didn't sleep with him!
(and again--WHAM!)
You hear me, you chickenshit
bastards--
WHAM! She hits the mirror again.
GIB (INHUMAN VOICE)
Everyone tries. It's
unbreakable.
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! The mirror suddenly stars from side to
side with huge cracks. She's about to beat her way through it.
209 INT. OBSERVATION ROOM - NIGHT
INSIDE THE OBSERVATION ROOM Harry and Gib jump back.
GIB
She could be telling the truth.
HARRY
(to Helen)
Wait! Calm down, Mrs. Tasker.
There is only one more question.
Helen drops the stool. She stands there panting. Her fury
spent, she begins to cry.
HELEN
What?
HARRY
Do you still love your husband?
HELEN
(softly)
Yes.
HARRY
Louder please.
HELEN
I love him. I have always loved
him and I will always love him.
(she wipes at her eyes)
Can I go home, please?
210 INT. OBSERVATION ROOM - NIGHT
INSIDE THE OBSERVATION ROOM Harry states at her. He smiles.
GIB
Now what?
HARRY
(leaning forward to the
mike)
There is only one solution to
your problem, Mrs. Tasker. You
must work for us.
GIB
(whispering to Harry)
Oh shit. Harry... what're you
doing?
HARRY
(like: isn't it
obvious?)
I'm giving her an assignment.
(to Helen)
I am offerring you a choice. If
you work for us we will drop the
charges and you can go back to
your normal life. If not, you
will go to federal prison, and
your husband and daughter will be
left humiliated and alone. Your
like will be destroyed.
HELEN
Oh, gee thanks. Mmmm, let me see--
HARRY
Yes or no.
HELEN
What do you think? Of course
yes! What's involved?
HARRY
You will be contacted with the
assignment.
HELEN
My husband can't know about this.
HARRY
No one must know! Especially
him. You must appear to live
your life normally, conveying
nothing. The security of this
nation depends on it. Can you do
that?
HELEN
I think so.
HARRY
Think carefully. You will be
lying to the man you love. The
person who trusts you the most.
HELEN
(fearless)
I can do it!
HARRY
The code name of your contact
will be Boris. Your code name
will be--
HELEN
(excited)
Natasha?
HARRY
No. Doris.
211 INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - NIGHT
ON HELEN, not liking her wimpy code-name.
212 EXT. BRIDGE - NIGHT
The unit-seven van pulls up in the spooky shadows under the
bridge, stopping next to Helen's red Accord. The door slides
open and Helen gets out, helped my black-garbed hands. She is
wearing her hood, which is whisked off by one of the hands.
She whirls in time to see the door slide shut and the van speed
off. She watches it drive off into the night.
213 EXT. ROCK QUARRY - NIGHT
The van pulls up near the edge of a large quarry. The door
opens and Simon is pushed out, followed by Harry, who is in his
black jumpsuit and wearing a ski-mask. Gib follows as Harry
guides Simon to the edge of a sheer drop. Harry whips off the
hood and Simon takes in his surroundings.
SIMON
Yeeaoowww!!
HARRY
You son of a bitch. Did you
really think you could elude us
forever, Carlos?
SIMON
Wait! You got the wrong guy. My
name's Simon. Look, just let me
go. There's no need to kill me.
I haven't seen your--
Harry whips off his ski-mask.
SIMON
-- face. Shit! Shit!!
Simon has ducked his head and won't look at Harry. Then it
dawns... He looks up, brightening hopefully.
SIMON
It's you! Hey, you still
interested in that Vette at all?
GIB
You can drop it now, Carlos. The
game is over. Your career as an
inter-national terrorist is too
well documented.
SIMON
No... I sell cars. That's all!
Not even foreign cars. Nothing
international, I swear. I'm no
terrorist. Everything I said was
a lie... you have to believe me.
I'm actually a complete coward.
If I ever even saw a gun I'd--
Harry whips his pistol out in one liquid motion and snaps the
muzzle right in front of Simon's eyes.
SIMON
-- faint. Aahhh! Don't kill me.
I'm not a spy. I'm nothing. I'm
navel lint. I have to lie to
women to get laid. And I don't
score much. It's pathetic.
(he looks down)
See, look... would a spy pee
himself?
Harry is finally sickened by his grovelling. He pulls Simon
away from the edge, then gestures with his gun.
HARRY
Beat it.
SIMON
No. Soon as I turn you'll shoot
me.
Harry starts back to the truck. Simon stays right with him,
facing him, terrified to turn away. Like a dog following him.
SIMON
Please don't. You can have the
car for free--
GIB
Take off, dipshit!
Gib finally shoves Simon back and Harry contemptuously cranks
THREE ROUNDS into the ground by his feet, forcing him to dance
backward. The two agents get into the van and tear off in a
cloud of dust. Leaving Simon alone in the moonlight, miles
from nowhere.
CUT TO:
214 INT./ EXT. SEDAN - DAY
TIGHT ON LOCATOR SCREEN as a blip moves across the grid of city
streets. Gib drives while Harry watches the screen.
HARRY
We should pick up visual at the
next light.
The scrambler phone in Harry's briefcase rings. He picks it
up.
HARRY
Morning, boss.
215 INT. OMEGA SECTOR - DAY
INTERCUT WITH SEDAN. Spencer Trilby stands glowering as he
talks to Harry.
TRILBY
Harry, this report on last
night's operation is the thinnest
piece of crap I've ever seen from
you. I'm sure you won't mind
giving me a little more detail on
why all these assets were
deployed.
216 INT./EXT. SEDAN - DAY
HARRY
Absolutely. But can it wait?
I'm on a critical surveillance
right now.
Harry spots something up ahead. He snaps his fingers and
points, then whips a pair of gyro-stabilized binoculars to his
eyes.
HARRY'S POV THROUGH SCOPE: Trent, on the Yamaha with Dana on
the back, rides through the intersection up ahead. Dana bops
to the sound coming over her walkman headphones as Trent zips
between cars. Gib makes the turn, pulling in behind them at a
distance.
TRILBY
Harry. Is there anything you
want to tell me?
HARRY
(innocently)
No. Not that I can think of.
THE CAMERA PUSHES IN ominously on Spencer Trilby.
TRILBY
Harry? You know we never fire
anybody.
Click. Harry hangs up the phone slowly.
GIB
We're dead, right? So...
where'd you put the transmitter?
HARRY
In her Walkman. It's the one
thing I knew she'd be taking.
217 EXT. WAREHOUSE - DAY
Harry walks toward the closed warehouse doors, past Trent's
parked Yamaha. We hear MUSIC from inside.
218 INT. WAREHOUSE - DAY
INSIDE THE WAREHOUSE, we see what it is that Dana has been
doing when she skips school. A garage band of teenagers,
mostly older than her, are playing loudly. Dana has the
microphone, belting out a punchy cover of the old Cream classic
"Sunshine of Your Love". The guitar parts have been industrial-
ized, and it actually sounds pretty hip.
Harry watches from the shadows, standing behind a pillar not
far from the stage. Watching his daughter gyrating in the
spotlight. His reaction is hard to read.
219 INT. WAREHOUSE - CLOSE UP OF CIRCUIT-BREAKER - DAY
TIGHT ON THE MASTER CIRCUIT-BREAKER as Harry's hand throws the
switch.
220 INT. WAREHOUSE - STAGE - DAY
The stage is plunged into darkness and the music stops
abruptly. Before the band members can react, they hear the big
metal doors rolling and sunlight blazes in. Dana stares into
the glare, seeing an ominous silhouette standing there. The
shadowy figure walks toward them.
FIGURE
You! Come with me.
The figure comes straight toward Dana. To her horror is turns
out to be her dad. Her heart stops.
DANA
Oh my Gooooood.
221 EXT. WAREHOUSE - DAY
Harry appears through the doors, marching Dana by the arm. He
walks her over to some industrial junk nearby, overgrown with
weeds, and sits her down for a talk.
She is sullen, still mortified from getting dragged out in
front of her friends.
HARRY
There are going to be some
changes Dana. You're going to
start following some rules. And
I'm going to be there to see that
you do.
DANA
Yeah, right.
HARRY
You're going to stay in school.
Do you understand?
DANA
Why? So I can wind up like you?
What's the point?
You think Harry's going to really rain on her parade. But he
doesn't. He becomes very tender. He pushes the hair back from
her face.
HARRY
Did I tell you about the time we
first met?
She looks up at him, puzzled?
HARRY
You were quite young at the time.
All wet and still attached to
your mom by a cord. You opened
your eyes and looked right at me.
And I knew then I would always
love you with all my heart.
Dana stares at her father with a dawning awareness. This is
not just some chump that she has to put up with. This is her
father. He is a part of her. No matter what happens they are
in this thing together. Tears start to run down her cheeks.
HARRY
Somewhere along the way I got
lost, honey. I forgot about what
was really important. I'm sorry
pump-- I mean--
She grabs his in a fierce hug. Harry closes his eyes, letting
the moment purify him.
HARRY
Dana, regarding this singing--
She pulls back, suddenly wary. Oh shit.
HARRY
(grinning)
You were pretty good.
222 INT. / EXT. SEDAN - DAY
Dana sits wedged into the front seat between Gib and Harry.
Father and daughter are singing raucously loud, with the
windows down.
HARRY/ DANA
I've been waiting so long To be
where I'm going In the sunshine
of your looooove
They crack up after the long sustain. They are both suffused
with a glow of rediscovery. Harry pulls the car to the curb in
front of Dana's school.
DANA
Dad, how come you know the words?
HARRY
Honey that song came out in 1968,
when I was exactly your age.
DANA
Unbelievable! Trent told me he
wrote it. He's history.
223 INT. TASKER HOUSE - NIGHT
The image of a family dinner. Helen is avoiding Harry's eyes.
Harry looks over at Dana and she gives him a tiny smile. Then
she rises from her half-finished dinner and heads out of the
kitchen.
DANA
I'm done.
HELEN
Where are you off to young lady?
DANA
(pointing toward her
room)
I have a book report.
Helen watches her go. That's strange.
HARRY
So last night was pretty
exciting, huh?
HELEN
(alarmed)
What?
(then smoothly--)
Oh, the flat tire? Yeah, I
thought the damn towtruck was
never going to get there.
Harry smiles, reaching for more chicken. The phone RINGS.
Helen controls the urge to run to it.
HELEN
Hello?
METALLIC VOICE
Doris?
HELEN
Oh. Yes?
224 INT. OMEGA SECTOR - NIGHT
GIB, AT OMEGA SECTOR, uses the SPEECH SYNTHESIZER to disguise
his voice.
GIB
Listen carefully. Go to the
Hotel Marquis in one hour. Pick
up an envelope marked Doris at
the front desk. And dress sexy.
225 INT. TASKER HOUSE - NIGHT
BACK ON HELEN as she reacts to that.
HELEN
What?
VOICE
Get going!
(CLICK)
HELEN
(thinking for a second,
then--)
Uh... well, okay then. You sound
terrible. I'll run out right
now. Just call the prescription
in to the pharmacy. Sure, no
problem. Bye.
Harry smirks, listening to her lie. She's good. The smirk
drops as she turns.
HELEN
Allison is sick in bed. I have
to go over there, honey.
HARRY
Sure, hon.
She walks unhurriedly out of the room. Behind her back, Harry
is grinning. The second Helen is out of his sight line, she
runs up the stairs. Harry waits a moment then picks up the
phone.
226 INT. OMEGA SECTOR/ ELECTRONIC LAB -- NIGHT
Gib is in a corner of the electronics lab, in an area dedicated
to DIGITAL AUDIO PROCESSING. The phone in his briefcase rings.
Gib answers.
GIB
You've reached a new low with
this one. I can't believe you're
crazy enough to use the room at
the Marquis.
HARRY
Why not? You think I can afford
a suite like that on my salary?
Is Jean-Claude done yet? *
Gib looks over at a SOUND RECORDING BOOTH nearby. In it a FAT *
FRENCH AGENT, JEAN-CLAUDE is doing voice recording from a hand- *
written page.
GIB
Not quite.
227 INT. OMEGA SECTOR - INSIDE THE BOOTH - NIGHT
We hear Jean-Claude record a line on a tiny DAT tape recorder. *
He speaks with a cosmopolitan French accent. Close your eyes *
and he's Charles Boyer.
JEAN-CLAUDE *
No no. Do it slowly. Very
slowly.
228 OMITTED *
229 INT. HOTEL MARQUIS - NIGHT
A big luxury hotel downtown, with an opulent lobby. Helen
enters, looking different than we have ever seen her. She has
been commanded to be sexy, and she is. Her black slinky dress
is cut at mid-thigh, showing some good legs we haven't been
aware of. She's pulled her hair back and added pearls. Now
she looks elegant and hot. Playing the role.
230 INT. HOTEL - FRONT DESK - NIGHT
She goes to the front desk and signals the ASSISTANT MANAGER
with her eyes. He comes over to her.
HELEN
Do you have an envelope for
Doris?
The man nods. Saying nothing, he reaches under the counter and
hands her the envelope. She opens it as she walks across the
lobby. In contains a room key, a small bugging device, and a
phone number.
231 INT. HOTEL LOBBY - NIGHT
TIGHT ON A PAY PHONE as Helen finishes dialing the number. She
scans the lobby as the phone rings--
METALLIC VOICE
Listen. You are a prostitute
named Michelle. Go to the room.
A man will be there. He is a
suspected arms dealer.
HELEN
Do I have to... you know-- ?
VOICE
No. He has particular tastes.
He likes to watch. You will say
his regular girl, Carla, is sick.
If he likes you, he will tell you
what to do. You must plant the
bug near the telephone, by the
bed, before you leave. If you do
not accomplish your mission, the
deal is off.
232 INT. HOTEL/ TENTH FLOOR - NIGHT
Helen exits an elevator and walks down the long hallway toward
the suite. She stops by a mirror and checks her look. Decides
she is too uptown. She pulls the neckline of her dress down so
it shows more shoulder, then hitches up the hem. Ditches the
pearls. Puts on some red lipstick.
Now she doesn't look hot and elegant... just hot. She
practices a slinky walk, getting into the role.
Suddenly she remembers her wedding ring. She pulls on it. It
probably hasn't been off in years. She licks her finger and *
twists it off. Yoww! She puts it on her right hand and turns *
the modest diamond palm-side in . . . Out of site. Then, *
reading the number off the key, she goes to the room and
unlocks the door.
233 INT. SUITE - NIGHT
Helen comes in hesitantly. The lights are off. The suite is
large and richly furnished, with a breathtaking view of the
city. It is the room Harry was using, posing as Renquist. A
FRENCH-ACCENTED VOICE comes from the next room.
VOICE
In here.
She goes into the bedroom. There is a dark figure sitting in
a chair, just a silhouette.
MAN
Step into the light.
It is a corner room. The drapes on one side are closed,
shadowing the man, but open on the other just enough to let in
a slash of moonlight. She steps forward into it.
TIGHT CLOSE UP on the figure. We can just make out that it is
Harry, though Helen cannot. TILT DOWN to show his hand, out of
sight behind the chair-arm, as he manipulates the pause button
on the DAT tape deck.
HELEN
I'm Michelle. Carla's sick. She
thought you might like me, so --
Harry goes SSSSHHHH. Silencing her gently. He silently clicks
off the PAUSE button. The DAT recorder plays. Charles Boyer,
deep and hypnotic, speaks from Harry's outline. Harry
lipsynchs.
HARRY (TAPE)
Let me do the talking. You are *
very pretty. You may start by *
unzipping your dress.
PAUSE button. She starts to yank the zipper down. *
HARRY (TAPE)
No no. Do it slowly. Very
slowly.
Helen turns her back to him, and draws the zipper down *
languorously, revealing her creamy back. She is not wearing a *
bra. *
HARRY (TAPE)
Now slip the dress down... *
slowly.
Helen is starting to get into the ritual. She lets the dress *
slip off her shoulders. It slides down her body to the floor. *
She steps out of it, still in high heels. *
HARRY (TAPE)
Now slide the nylons off one by
one.
HELEN
(puzzled)
I'm not wearing any.
Harry winces. He starts the next line immediately.
HARRY (TAPE)
That's good. Now the panties. *
The ritual continues as she strips slowly (this will be
tastefully done). She conceals the bugging device in her hand
as she sets her clothes on the bed near the phone. Helen is
still concentrating on her mission.
HARRY (TAPE)
Now turn, cheri, in the
moonlight. Let your body flow
like water.
She turns. Her skin is beautiful in the silvery light.
HARRY (TAPE)
Now dance for me. Go on.
Helen has no idea what to do, but she improvises quite well.
The scrutiny of the shadowed man, who is fully clothed, and her
raw vulnerability are a quiveringly powerful erotic
combination.
HARRY (TAPE)
Let your hands be a lover's hands
on your own skin as you move.
Yes, that's it.
TIGHT ON Harry's eyes as he studies her. His game, meant to
give her a dangerous fantasy, is actually turning him on
mightily. He is amazed to see her playing the role, getting
into it. This is not the Helen is thought he knew for sixteen
years.
HARRY (TAPE)
Now, lie on the bed and close
your eyes.
She does. Harry rises and goes to her, bringing the tape deck.
HARRY (TAPE)
Keep them closed. Do not open
them.
He sits on the bed, next to her, but without touching her. He
strokes her hair, lovingly. Then runs his fingertips over her
eyes, down her cheeks. To her it feels delicate and delicious.
Part of her is enjoying this a lot. But Helen is torn between
wanting to flee and knowing that nothing the man has done so
far is enough to cause her to abort her mission.
HELEN
I thought you only liked to
watch.
Harry goes SSSHHH. It's all he can do. He bends over her and
brings his lips slowly down to her. He touches them to hers so
slowly that she barely knows he is kissing her. Then he takes
her in a passionate kiss.
And she grabs the lamp on the bedside table and SMASHES IT OVER
HIS HEAD. Harry flies off onto the floor, groaning and
semiconscious.
Helen flips on the light and grabs her clothes, starting to
dress rapidly. She still doesn't recognize Harry, who is face
down. He groans and starts to rise. She kicks him in the ribs
and finishes putting her dress on. She sticks the bug under
the night table and grabs her shoes. Mission accomplished,
motherfuckers.
Harry grabs her ankle. She raises one shoe to kosh him again,
and sees who it is. Freezeframe. Total shock. She can't even
form the question.
HELEN
Harry-- ?!
234 INT. SUITE DOOR - NIGHT
CRASH!! The door lock is shattered by tremendous force and
THREE MEN burst into the room. We may recognize them as
workers from Juno's shop. They are wielding pistols and are
clearly part of Malik's terrorist brigade.
Harry is still groggy, and he doesn't want to start anything
with Helen there, and risk her getting shot. He acquiesces as
they pull him to his feet.
HELEN
He's got nothing to do with this.
It's me you want, right?
HARRY
(to lead TERRORIST)
Let the hooker go. She's not
important.
HELEN
Harry, be quiet. Let me handle
this.
LEAD TERRORIST
Shutup, both of you.
During this exchange, the thugs have handcuffed Harry's hands
behind his back. The leader gestures to one of the men to
bring Helen along. Helen and Harry are dragged roughly out of
the room with pistol-muzzles stuck in their ribs.
235 INT. STAIRWELL - NIGHT
The door from the corridor bangs open and the thugs hustle
Harry and Helen down the fire-escape stairs.
HELEN
Listen, you don't need him, he's
nothing. He's a sales rep for a
computer company, really--
The thug leader cuffs her across the head to shut her up.
HELEN
That was unnecessary.
236 INT. HOTEL BASEMENT - NIGHT *
A stairwell door opens and the terrorists rush Harry and Helen *
through the basement labyrinth. *
HELEN
What were you doing there?
HARRY
You wouldn't believe me.
A pistol muzzle is jammed hard behind Helen's ear.
TERRORIST LEADER
Talk again, I kill you.
They are hustled across a loading dock to a RENTAL VAN waiting *
with the door open. A fourth terrorist slides the van door *
shut after they get in and gets in behind the wheel. The van *
takes off.
CUT TO: *
237 OMITTED *
238 EXT. AIRPORT - NIGHT
The rental van pulls up to a G-3 JET warming up outside a
private hanger. The van doors open and the hostages are
brought out. Harry sees a long black LIMO pulling up behind
the van. The driver, an enormous man names AKBAR, hurries to
open the passenger door. A slender pair of ankles emerge,
followed by the rest of Juno Skinner, looking devastatingly
beautiful but now quite sinister.
To Helen it is like a living James Bond film, with the jet, the
limo, the terrorists, and now an exotic femme fatale, dressed
to kill, approaching them.
JUNO
(with a wry smile)
Hello, Harry.
HARRY
Juno. I wish I could say it's a
pleasure to see you again.
HELEN
You know her?
Juno signals with her eyes and the terrorists march the
prisoners toward the plane.
JUNO
Who's your little friend?
HELEN
I'm Helen Tasker. Harry's my
husband. And you are?
JUNO
(to Harry)
So now it's Tasker? Not
Renquist?
239 INT. G-3 JET - NIGHT
They enter the luxurious passenger cabin of the plane. Helen
has never seen anything like this.
HELEN
Look, Harry's not part of this.
He's just a sales rep.
JUNO
No, my dear, he is a federal
agent. He killed two of my
colleagues the other night.
HELEN
No, you don't understand, we've
been married for 15 years--
HARRY
Look, Juno, this is just some
whacko hooker I met in the bar.
AKBAR and the other terrorists push Helen and Harry into seats
and strap them in.
HELEN
Harry, what's the matter with
you? Tell them the truth. We're
married, we have a daughter--
HARRY
(looking at Helen
contemptuously)
I don't know what this crazy
bitch is on. You should just cut
her loose, so we can get down to
business.
HELEN
Oh yeah? Oh yeah? Then where
did I get this?
Helen grabs the locket, dangling on a chain around her neck,
and opens it to show Juno.
THE PICTURE IN THE LOCKET -- Harry and Helen together, smiling.
Harry roles his eyes. Great, Helen. A FLIGHT HOSTESS walks up
carrying a tray. Juno smiles graciously at Helen.
JUNO
Something before take-off?
The hostess whips a PNEUMATIC INJECTOR off the tray and zaps
Helen in the shoulder.
HELEN
Oooowww!! That hurt. You biii--
She slumps. Juno looks at Harry.
JUNO
She was telling the truth, wasn't
she Harry? She really doesn't
know. Interesting.
Juno nods and the hostess zaps Harry. He slides into
unconsciousness as the plane engines begin to SCREAM.
240 EXT. AIRPORT - NIGHT
The G-3 lifts into the night sky, turning south.
241 EXT. PIER - NIGHT
A small FREIGHTER is tied up to a half-crumbling pier. Next to
the pier is a dilapidated corrugated-metal warehouse building,
two stories high. There are floodlights on the dock but beyond
is black night, with the ghostly shapes of mangroves and palms.
It is an abandoned facility on what appears to be a tiny island
in the Caribbean.
There is a lot of activity. Three U-RENT TRUCKS are parked by
the warehouse, as well as some other vehicles. About thirty
men, clearly CRIMSON JIHAD TERRORISTS are busy at various
activities. Many of them carry AK47 assault rifles.
MALIK is supervizing them as they finish unloading a tarp-
covered object about 15 feet high from the ship. A rusting
gantry crane trundles it into the warehouse. Malik looks up as
an AEROSPATIALE HELICOPTER thunders toward them over the black
Caribbean water.
The helicopter lands and Juno steps down from the front door.
The sliding door is opened and Akbar and the others pull a
groggy Harry and Helen out of the aircraft. They are covered
by hoods.
Malik walks up to them and pulls their hoods off. Harry takes
in his surroundings and looks back into the eyes of Malik.
Lethal energy flows between them.
MALIK
Who is this woman?
JUNO
His wife.
MALIK
(seeing the
possibilities)
His wife? Good. Bring them.
242 INT. WAREHOUSE - NIGHT
Malik leads the entourage into the warehouse, where brilliant
floodlights illuminate--
THREE HUGE STONE FIGURES, lined up in the middle of the space.
The tarp is removes from the object they just unloaded,
revealing a FOURTH STATUE. The figures are cracked and
obscured by centuries, but they are unmistakably warriors
mounted on horseback. The legs and arms are missing on some,
but the massive heads and necks remain.
JUNO
Incredible, aren't they? Warrior
figures from the Persian Empire
of Darius the First, around 500
BC. I call them "The Four
Horsemen".
She approaches the nearest figure, caressing its flank. A man
with a jackhammer steps up to her.
JUNO
They're absolutely priceless.
She shrugs and nods to the man with the jackhammer. He blasts
right into the body of one of the Horseman, destroying it.
Stone fragments fall away, revealing a cavity cut with great
precision inside the figure.
Inside is a BRIGHT METAL CONTAINER. Four terrorists pull it
out and set it on the ground. It is six feet long and coffin-
like. Malik steps up to it, his eyes glistening. A hush has
fallen over the group.
MALIK
Open it.
The latches are released and the lid lifted. Inside is
machined metal object, roughly conical, about five feet long.
Malik signals to Harry to step closer and look.
MALIK
Do you know what this is?
HARRY
Can you give me a clue? It could
be a water heater for all I know.
Malik grabs Helen, jerking her roughly forward. He whips out
a knife and inserts the point under Helen's jaw, forcing her
head back and drawing blood.
MALIK
Do you know why you have been
brought here?
HELEN
N-no.
MALIK
So that this man can verify to
the world that Crimson Jihad is
now a nuclear power.
HELEN
How can Harry do that? He's a
salesman for chrissakes.
MALIK
If we were wrong about him...
then the last thing you see will
be your blood spraying in his
face.
Harry steps forward, his face grim.
HARRY
This is a Soviet MIRV-Six, from
an SS-22N launch vehicle. The
warhead contains 14.5 kilos of
enriched uranium, with a
plutonium trigger. The nominal
yield is 10 kilotons.
(in Arabic, subtitled) *
Release her and I'll cooperate.
Malik lowers the knife from her jaw. He turns away from her
like she has ceased to exist and yells at the terrorists to
remove the other weapons. Jackhammers tear into the stone
figures.
Helen is just staring at Harry, her mouth open. He turns to
her, not knowing what to say. He shrugs sheepishly.
HARRY
What can I say? I'm a spy.
She just looks at him for a long time. She moves closer,
staring and staring, letting it sink in. Then she hauls off
and slugs him right in the jaw so hard is almost knocks him
down.
HELEN
You bastard!! You lying son of
a bitch!!
Terrorists grabs her and restrain her. She starts to cry.
HARRY
I'm sorry, honey.
HELEN
Don't call me honey! You don't
ever get to call me honey again.
You understand?! You pig!
Juno looks at them both and laughs. She offers Helen a tissue.
JUNO
Here you go, dear.
NEARBY, Akbar is going through the contents of Helen's handbag
and Harry's wallet. He rips open the bottom stitching and
pulls out the geo-positioning transmitter.
AKBAR
Abu! Look at this! *
Malik looks at the tracker and then smashes it to the floor.
Helen looks at the crushed transmitter. She stares at Harry
with dawning realization.
HELEN
You bugged me?!!
Juno cracks up at this.
243 INT. CITATION JET - NIGHT
The jet has become a mobile tactical-command center, with Gib, *
Faisil, and several other agents working out of portable *
equipment cases. Faisil looks up from a computer screen *
suddenly.
FAISIL *
We've lost the signal.
Gib, who has been pacing the aisile whirls to the screen. *
GIB
Son of a bitch! Where?
FAISIL *
It's an island in the Keys, out *
past Marathon. *
Gib goes up to the cockpit. They are on approach and the
lights of Miami fill the front window.
PILOT
Miami TCA, we are on final.
GIB
Call our DEA contact, tell him I
want those choppers flight-ready
the second we land.
244 INT. WAREHOUSE - NO NAME KEY - NIGHT
TIGHT ON BLACK AND WHITE VIEWFINDER IMAGE of the terrorists'
handycam. Harry is speaking directly into the camera,
finishing up his message.
HARRY
...and I can verify that they
have the arming box and all *
equipment necessary to detonate
the four warheads. This is
absolutely the real thing,
gentlemen.
The camera swings off Harry to Malik, standing before the rest
of the Jihad warriors, who are assembled behind the four bombs.
MALIK
You have killed our women and *
children, bombed our cities from
afar like cowards, and dare to
call us terrorists--
Over the image of Malik, a LOW-BATTERY warning begins to flash.
CUT TO SCENE, as Malik speaks into the camera, which is head by
one of his men. The CAMERAMAN is sweating, wondering if he
should interrupt. He gulps nervously as Malik drones on.
MALIK
-- But now the Oppressed have *
been given a mighty sword, to *
strike back at their enemies. *
Unless the US pulls all military
forces out of the Persian Gulf
area, immediately and forever,
Crimson Jihad will rain fire on
one major US city each week until
these demands are met...
BACK TO VIEWFINDER IMAGE. BATTERY warning flashing faster.
MALIK
... First one weapon will be
detonated on this uninhabited
island as a demonstration of
Crimson Jihad's power and our
willingness to be humanitarian.
However, if there demands are not--
In a burst of static the image GOES BLACK.
The cameraman nervously lowers the camera, ashen faced.
Malik's eyes are black with murder.
CAMERAMAN
Battery, Abu.
MALIK
Get another one, you moron!
245 INT. BUILDING - NIGHT
A filthy, crumbling cinderblock building (near the warehouse).
A few bare light bulbs with bugs zipping around then, and no
glass in the windows. Harry and Helen are brought in by two
TERRORIST GUARDS. Juno follows then into the bleak room.
Guards shackle them to steel chairs with handcuffs.
A MAN enters the room carrying a small suitcase. He has skull-
like features. He opens the suitcase and Harry has a good view
of the contents: medical instruments, needle-probes, drills,
Dremel tools with saw blades.
JUNO
This is Samir. See if you can
guess his specialty.
HARRY
Oral hygiene?
JUNO
Not exactly.
HELEN
(scared)
What's going on, Harry?
JUNO
Samir is just going to ask Harry
a few questions. See, we're not
even sure which agency Harry
works for. Now, Samir is
absolutely first class, but on
the other hand we have Harry,
here, who has managed to lie
convincingly to the woman he
loves for 15 years. So it will
be interesting to see how long he
can resist.
SAMIR
(holding up a syringe)
This will help.
Samir injects Harry in the arm with the syringe.
HARRY
You know, you should swab that
with alcohol. I might get an
infection.
SAMIR *
I'll return when this has taken *
effect. Then we'll talk. *
HARRY *
I'm looking forward to it. *
Samir exits. *
HARRY *
Why are you helping these raving
psychotics.
JUNO
Because they're very well-funded
raving psychotics, and I'm
getting a lot of money.
She kneels down in front of Harry, stroking his leg.
JUNO
You think I care about their *
cause? Or yours? Not at all. *
See, America is on top now . . *
. but so was Rome, once. All *
civilizations crumble. One
nation succeeding over another.
What does it mean in the long
run? The only important thing is
to live well. And... living *
well takes money. *
HARRY
You're damaged goods, lady.
Harry's words are beginning to be slightly slurred. The drugs
are taking effect.
JUNO
(indicating Helen)
Did you tell her about us, Harry?
HARRY
There is no us, you psychotic
bitch.
JUNO
Sure. Say that now.
Juno puts her arms around him and kisses him passionately. She
breaks, looking at Helen to savor the effect. Helen is
trembling with rage.
JUNO
Thanks for everything, Harry. It
was good while it lasted.
Juno crosses to the guard and takes a hand-grenade off his
belt. Then she goes to Helen and places it between her knees.
She pushes Helen's knees together to hold the spoon against the
grenade then pulls the pin.
JUNO
Now just keep your knees
together, and you'll be fine.
HELEN
Something you obviously have a
hard time doing!
JUNO
Hold that thought.
Juno leaves. Harry looks dopily at Helen.
HARRY
There was nothing. I swear.
Helen doesn't believe him, and why should she. She looks up *
from staring at the grenade, to see that Harry's head has
slumped forward.
HELEN
What did he give you?
HARRY
(groggy)
Sodium amytal, maybe some other
truth agent.
HELEN
It makes you tell the truth?
HARRY
Yes.
HELEN
Is it working yet?
HARRY
Ask me a question I would
normally lie to.
HELEN
Are we going to die?
HARRY
Yup. *
HELEN *
I'd say it's working.
HARRY *
They'll either torture us to
death, shoot us in the head, or
leave us until the bomb goes off.
HELEN *
Okay, okay. I get it. How long *
have you been a spy, Harry?
HARRY
17 years.
HELEN
My God. Have you had to... have
sex with other women in the line
of duty?
HARRY
I don't take those assignments.
HELEN
What about Juno?
HARRY
She's really a fox, isn't she?
HELEN
Did you pork her Harry?
HARRY
No.
(pause)
But I wanted to.
HELEN
(crying)
Are you a total lying,
scumsucking pig Harry?
HARRY
Looks that way.
246 INT. WAREHOUSE - NIGHT
ON MALIK as he pokes through Harry and Helen's stuff on the
table. He picks up Helen's wallet and opens it. ECU WALLET -
a picture of Harry, Helen and Dana. Malik stares at it a
moment. Then motions to one of his men.
267 INT. TORTURE ROOM - NIGHT
Samir lifts Harry's head and sees that he is pretty shitfaced.
SAMIR
Is there anything you would like
to tell me before we start?
HARRY
Yes. I'm going to kill you
pretty soon.
SAMIR
(calmly preparing his
instruments)
I see. How exactly?
SAMIR
Well, I thought I'd break your
neck, then use you as a human
shield, then kill the guard with
that knife there on your table
and take his gun.
Samir approaches Harry with a long steel needle probe.
SAMIR
(humoring Harry)
And what makes you think you can
do all that?
HARRY
Because I picked the lock on
these handcuffs...
He holds them up to show Samir. Then he explodes out of the
chair-- Breaks the torturer's neck-- Spins him between himself
and the guard-- Who then hesitates to fire-- Giving Harry the
split second he needs to grab the knife from the table and
throw it into the guard's eye, killing him instantly.
Helen is flat blown away. Wow. It only took a few seconds for
Harry to reverse the situation. Her Harry! He picks up the
guard's 9mm pistol and staggers over to her.
HARRY
Don't move.
He kneels down in front of her. Gently he slips his hands
between her thighs, getting a grip on the grenade, then sliding
his fingers slowly over the spoon to hold it securely.
He stops moving, suddenly. She realizes with a sudden jolt of
terror that he has frozen.
HELEN
What is it?
HARRY
(staring transfixed)
God, you have great legs.
HELEN
Harry... snap out of it!
She sees how shitfaced he is. He holds the grenade up, gripped
safely so the spoon can't fly off.
HARRY
Go it, baby.
248 EXT. BUILDING - NIGHT
Harry and Helen emerge from the building, creeping through the
shadows. She stops him for a second. Gets very close to him,
whispering, crouched in the shadows.
HELEN
Tell me something before this
stuff wears off and you start
lying again.
HARRY
What?
HELEN
Do you still love me?
HARRY
Yes.
HELEN
As much as you used to?
HARRY
No.
(she deflates)
Much more.
She looks into his eyes, and knows he is telling the truth.
HELEN *
(grinning) *
It wore off.
At that moment, they hear yelling from the cinder-block
building.
HARRY
They found the bodies. Come on--
249 EXT. SWAMP - NIGHT
Harry takes her hand and they sprint for cover at the edge of
the mangrove swamp. A LIGHT HITS THEM. TWO TERRORISTS,
running around the corner, open fire with AK47s just as Harry
and Helen reach a cluster of palm trees. The trunks explode *
with bullet hits as they run through the darkness. *
As the two terrorists move through the trees, Harry lunges from *
the shadows and grabs one from behind. He wrests his rifle *
away and swings it at the other, knocking his AK down. The *
first terrorist draws a knife and slashes at him, but Harry
grabs his knife arm and swings the blade into his partner.
Then he elbow smashes the first guy and seizes him in a two-
hand neck-breaker-- SNAP.
Two more run around the corner of a building. Harry stomps his *
foot down on one of the AKs, which is lying across a log. It *
flips into the air and he catches it in firing position . . *
. and takes them out with two well-aimed bursts. Helen comes *
out of the shadows staring at Harry in amazement. His shirt is
ripped, he is scratched and bleeding, holding an assault rifle *
expertly and scanning the brush like a feral animal. *
HELEN
I married Rambo. *
He grabs her and kisses her passionately.
HARRY
Let's go.
250
thru OMITTED *
253
254 INT. WAREHOUSE - NIGHT
LOOKING DOWN FROM A CATWALK on the activity below the four
horsemen statues and several utility trucks almost fill the
floorspace. A rental truck is being loaded with conventional
weapons, including machine guns and several HAND-LAUNCHED
STINGER MISSILES. One of the nukes has been lowered into a pit
cut in the concrete floor. Malik and most of the terrorists
are gathered around it.
A GUARD, F.G. on the catwalk, watches intently from the
railing. So intently that he doesn't head Harry sneak up on
him. SNAP. Harry catches the guard's MAC-10 machine pistol
before it can hit the floor. He and Helen crouch behind a
steel pillar, watching the proceedings below. Helen keeps
glancing at the dead guard, killed so effortlessly a moment
before by her husband. It is all surreal.
BELOW, MALIK is shouting in his native language. He pulls a
chain from around his neck and holds up a METAL ARMING KEY.
Then jumps down into the pit and inserts it into the warhead's
arming computer. Harry is listening intently, translating for
Helen.
HARRY
In ninety minutes a pillar of *
holy fire will rise at this place *
as a sign to out enemies. *
(Malik theatrically
turns the arming key)
It is done...
Malik jumps out of the pit. He signals and terrorists pour
concrete into the pit, covering the bomb. He begins ranting
again.
HARRY
Now no man can stop us. We are
set on our course. No force can
stop us...
(as libbing)
... we're cool, we're badass,
blah blah.
255 INT. WAREHOUSE - DOWN BELOW - NIGHT
Malik raises his fist and chants some Crimson Jihad slogans.
The terrorists echo and chant and then cheer, firing their guns
in the air. Harry pulls Helen back as ricochets clatter all
over the inside of the metal building.
Malik shouts something and all the terrorists go back to work
at double time. They are loading warheads Two and Three onto
trucks (one per truck) and the last, number Four, is being
wheeled out on a cart to the Aerospatiale outside.
256 INT. WAREHOUSE - ON CATWALK - NIGHT
HELEN
If we're on an island, why are
they using trucks?
HARRY
We must be in the Florida Keys . *
. . the Overseas Highway *
connects the islands to the
mainland.
HELEN *
So there's no border, no customs. *
They can just drive anywhere they *
want . . . there's nothing to *
stop them . . .
HARRY
Just us.
HELEN
What are you going to do?
HARRY
(shrugs, like: what do
you think?)
Go down there and kill everybody,
I guess.
He hands her the MAC-10. She holds it clumsily.
HELEN
Oh shit.
HARRY
Wait here. If you have to use
this, use it. Don't choke.
Okay?
She nods gamely and Harry starts down the steel stairs to the
floor below.
257 INT. WAREHOUSE - MAIN FLOOR - NIGHT
ON HARRY, reaching the floor. He slips behind some packing
crates. Then swings into action-- He hurls the grenade as hard
as he can, down to the other end of the building. KABOOM!! He
uses the distraction to move forward. But it goes wrong almost
right away... A TERRORIST comes around a corner behind him,
shouts-- Harry dives for cover as the guy fires, but-- He trips
on a pipe and goes sprawling-- Losing the AK47, which slides
under some equipment and-- Seven terrorists run toward him,
with guns raised.
HARRY
(to Helen)
SHOOT!!
258 INT. WAREHOUSE - CATWALK - NIGHT
HELEN fires a burst at the terrorists, actually hitting one!
But-- The recoil knocks her back, into a metal column, and the
gun
FLIES OUT OF HER HANDS.
It falls to the metal steps and hits-- Going off. B-B-BLAM!
The burst kills two more terrorists, and-- The Mac-10
cartwheels and hits further down. ANOTHER BURST. Another
terrorist is splattered.
It spins and hits another step-- ANOTHER RANDOM BURST
MIRACULOUSLY KILLS THE LAST TWO TERRORISTS!!
She has inadvertently saved her husband. Harry looks up from
behind cover-- to see all seven dead. Now it's his turn to be
amazed. He signals to her to run... get off the exposed
catwalk. She makes it through the door to the outside stairs
as bullets start hitting the steel walls behind her.
259 INT. WAREHOUSE - MAIN FLOOR - NIGHT
A TERRORIST with a knife runs at the unarmed Harry. Harry
snatches up a jack-hammer and BRAT-TAT-TAT-- Drives it into the
guy's chest. Then he-- Grabs an AK from one of the fallen
terrorists and opens fire. Malik shouts to the drivers of the
trucks to get going. The other terrorists return fire at Harry--
Who sprints from cover to cover, reaching a side door-- Where
he rakes one of the passing trucks with a burst-- But
terrorists behind him in the building have a clear shot and
rounds hit the wall next to him as he-- Dives through the door--
260 EXT. WAREHOUSE - NIGHT
--landing outside. He takes cover behind an aircraft REFUELING
TRUCK. Not a good place. He is pinned down by automatic
weapons fire. He looks around for Helen, who is--
261 EXT. WAREHOUSE - BEHIND A FORKLIFT - NIGHT
50 yards away. She is unarmed and unable to help.
262 EXT. WAREHOUSE - BEHIND A REFUELING TRUCK - NIGHT
HARRY cranks up the pump on the refueling truck and grabs the
nozzle of the hose. He opens the flow and-- A stream of JET-
FUEL blasts out of the nozzle and-- Harry fires his AK right
across the nozzle-- The muzzle-blast ignites the av-gas and he
has a flame thrower with a 70 foot reach.
Harry, lit demonically by the inferno, paints the whole area,
setting vehicles afire, and scattering the terrorists.
263 EXT. WAREHOUSE - NIGHT
Through the flames and smoke he sees one of the men hand Malik
a LAW rocket. Malik snaps it to his shoulder, preparing to
fire.
264 EXT. DOCK - NIGHT
Harry runs toward the edge of the dock thirty feet away as--
MALIK fires. The rocket shoots toward the truck and-- Harry
leaps toward the dark water as-- KABOOOM! Behind him the gas
truck EXPLODES IN A HUGE FIREBALL.
265 EXT. UNDERWATER - OFF THE DOCK - NIGHT
ANGLE LOOKING UP, UNDERWATER, AS HARRY HITS THE WATER AND
dives down. An instant later a sheet of fire sweeps across the
surface above him. Harry kicks hard, trying to swim beyond the
inferno above him so he can surface.
266 EXT. WAREHOUSE - NIGHT
CLOSE ON HELEN, watching the burning wreckage of the gas truck.
HELEN
Oh my God. Harry.
A PISTOL ENTERS FRAME. Its muzzle taps the back of her head.
She gasps and turns to see-- JUNO, holding the weapon expertly.
JUNO
My condolences to the window. *
Juno grabs her and yanks her to her feet. Helen SLAPS JUNO *
HARD. Juno has a slash across her cheek. Blood trickles down. *
She grabs Helen's hand and viciously turns it, seeing the *
wedding ring turned inward, the diamond on the palm-side. Her *
face darkens with fury and she points the gun at Helen's face, *
preparing to kill her . . . *
And Malik's hand grabs her wrist, stopping her. *
MALIK *
Not now. We may need a hostage. *
Juno grabs her and twists her around, pushing her toward the *
limo nearby. *
JUNO
Let's go, Suzy Homemaker.
267 EXT. UNDERWATER - NIGHT
Harry is still swimming. He reaches the edge of the fire and
surfaces, gasping for breath. Treading water he scans the
dock.
268 EXT. WATER OF THE DOCK - HARRY'S POV - NIGHT
Amid the fire and smoke, he sees Juno walking Helen at gun
point toward a LIMO.
269 EXT. WAREHOUSE - NIGHT
TRACKING WITH JUNO, approaching the car. Malik passes, jumping *
into the Aerospatiale with his few remaining men. The fourth *
bomb is clearly visible as the sliding door is closed. The *
copter pulls pitch, fanning the flames of the inferno below as *
it arcs away.
AKBAR, the 300 pound terrorist/chauffeur opens the door and *
Juno gets into the limo with Helen. Akbar scrunches into the
front seat and starts the car.
270 EXT. RAMP TO HIGHWAY - PREDAWN
There is just enough light to see some geography. The island
is very tiny. Running right over it and to the horizon in both
directions is the OVERSEAS HIGHWAY. The terrorists' trucks
rumble up an on-ramp past a sign that says MIAMI - 110. The
limo is the last member of the convoy. The Aerospatiale passes
overhead, hugging the deck, headed for Miami at 150 knots.
271 EXT. DOCK/ WAREHOUSE - DAWN
It looks like the aftermath of a battle... burning wreckage,
black smoke, bodies. Not a living soul around. The smoke
swirls as two big BELL 206 HELICOPTERS settle on the middle of
the dock. GIB jumps out of the nearest with an AR-15, scanning
the wreckage. Several of his men, and a couple of DEA agents,
spread out. Gib breaks into a grin as he sees--
HARRY, materializing out of the swirling smoke. Dripping wet,
clothes ripped and bloody. But okay.
GIB
I thought this look like your
work.
HARRY
Let's go. I'll brief you in the
air.
GIB
You're welcome.
272 INT. BELL 206 - DAY
Gib and Harry are working out of brief-case mobile com-units.
Several Omega agents with headsets are reading maps, giving
commands, coordinating the evacuation, mobilizing their own
forces. The energy is controlled but very high, everybody
talking at once. This is the day they all have trained for.
It is impressive to watch.
GIB
--you tell the son of bitch this
is Bright Boy Alert. Repeat,
a Bright Boy Alert. And I need
a patch of the White House ASAP.
That's right--
HARRY
(overlapping)
... the Coast Guard has to clear
them back to a twenty mile
radius. Anybody that can't make
the minimum safe distance we need
an airlift on, immediately--
Gib whips around to Harry, lowering his headset mike.
GIB
I can get 3 Marine Corps Harriers
here in about 12 minutes.
They're on maneuvers out of Boca
Chica.
HARRY
(checking his watch)
Get 'em. I'll brief them on the
way in.
273 EXT. OVERSEAS HIGHWAY - DAY
TRAFFIC on the two causeways is almost non-existent this early
in the morning. The three rental trucks, followed by the limo
about a mile back, are almost the only vehicles.
274 INT. LIMO - DAY
Juno has a 9mm pistol aimed at Helen. She opens the sunroof,
letting in the morning air and light. Then pours herself a
Scotch from the bar.
JUNO
Like one?
HELEN
(eyes like steel)
Fuck you.
275 INT. BELL 206 COPTER - DAY
HARRY AND GIB are both talking a mile a minute, coordinating
the evacuation of the highway and the surrounding area.
GIB
... well get the Highway Patrol
to go through the streets and
tell everybody on their damn
loudspeakers. Just the basics...
get away from windows, don't look
at it... yeah--
HARRY
Here they come.
Gib looks out the window in time to see--
THREE hunch-winged P.S.T.O.L. HARRIER jets pass them at 600
knots.
HARRY
(to the pilots)
Roger, Mike Three Five, you are
cleared to engage. Be advised,
your targets have Stingers and
light machine guns.
276 INT. COCKPIT OF LEAD HARRIER - DAY
The pilot, like all jet pilots, seems icy calm.
PILOT
Copy that, Bright Boy command.
(to his wingman)
Tally ho.
277 EXT. OVERSEAS HIGHWAY - DAY
The terrorists see the Harriers approaching on a low attack
run, and scramble to get out their Stingers.
The Harriers open fire with cannons and rocket pods on the
trucks below. The 20mm cannons rip the ocean on either side of
the causeway into plumes of spray.
278 EXT. HIGHWAY - ON TRUCK - DAY
One of the Bomb trucks is hit. It explodes and flies off the *
bridge into the water. The terrorists on one of the other
trucks fire a Stinger missile.
279 EXT. ABOVE HIGHWAY - ON HARRIER - DAY
It arrows up, blowing one wing off the lead Harrier. The pilot
ejects as the plane cartwheels into the sea and explodes.
280 INT. BELL 206 COPTER - DAY
Harry sees the battle far ahead... the exploding jet.
HARRY
(to the pilots)
Recommend you use your Mavericks *
to take out the bridge. *
PILOT (OVER)
They won't set off those nukes
will they?
HARRY
Negative, Mike Three Five.
That's a negative.
(low, to Gib)
Probably not.
281 EXT. HIGHWAY/ OCEAN - DAY
The two remaining Harriers make an attack run, launching four *
Maverick missiles at the bridge. *
282 EXT. HIGHWAY - DAY
The missiles hit the support trestles ahead of the trucks and *
. . . K-BOOOOM!! A whole section of the concrete span *
collapses into the water.
283 EXT. HIGHWAY - TRUCKS - DAY
The first truck is consumed in the blast. The last truck *
slides to the edge of the gap and stops. *
284 INT. / EXT. LIMO - DAY
Juno is trying to see what's going on ahead. All they can see
is smoke and explosions. Akbar is speaking heatedly (in
Arabic) into a walky talky and getting no answer.
Helen uses this moment of distraction to lunge forward,
grabbing the gun. Juno fires wildly as they struggle for
control of the weapon. The sound is deafening in the tiny
space. The second shot catches Akbar behind the ear, and he
slumps forward. His foot mashes down on the accelerator pedal
and the car surges faster.
285 EXT. HIGHWAY/ BATTLE SITE - DAY
The third Harrier fires its 2.75 Rockets and blows the *
remaining truck into tinfoil. Battle over. Two bombs down.
286 INT. BELL 206 COPTER - DAY
The columns of smoke from the battle are still a couple miles
ahead of the copter.
HARRY
Good shooting, Mike Three Five.
I need you to stay on station.
(to the copter pilot) *
Okay. You see that limo?
287 INT./ EXT. LIMO - HIGHWAY - DAY *
THE LIMO tracks lazily back and forth across the lanes from one
guardrail to the other, throwing sheets of sparks where it
hits. In is funneling along the causeway, unslowed, like an out-
of-control-train.
288 INT. LIMO - DAY
INSIDE, Helen knocks Juno's hands against the edge of the open
sunroof and the pistol goes flying out.
HELEN
You... bitch!!
Helen is raging, grabbing Juno's head and pounding it against
anything hard she can find inside the car. Suddenly she stops,
looking out the front window. Juno turns too, off her look, to
see-- ANGLE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. The causeway is blown away
about a quarter mile ahead.
JUNO
Shit!
Juno climbs through the window into the front seat, tugging on
the dead driver. The heavyset Akbar is like a bag of cement.
Helen look up through the sunroof and sees--
289 EXT. ABOVE LIMO - DAY
THE BELL 206 COPTER, descending rapidly. Harry is climbing out
onto the skids. He hooks on arm and leg over the skid and
hangs down as low as he can. HELEN stands up in the opening
and waves her arms.
290 INT. / EXT. BELL COPTER/ LIMO - DAY
Gib is yelling at the DEA pilot, who's not thrilled with this
idea.
GIB
Get lower, goddamnit! Right now!
Harry strains downward with one hand. Helen reaches up toward
him. The car screeches along the guard-rail, slamming against
it, throwing her from side to side in the sunroof. Their
fingers touch, then separate. She looks-- the limo is almost
on the precipice.
291 INT. LIMO - DAY
INSIDE THE CAR, Juno is desperately pulling on the inert
driver. He slumps over on her, pinning her. She looks over
the dash as the shattered edge of the causeway rushes toward
them--
292 EXT. LIMO - DAY
HARRY'S HAND grabs Helen's. He pulls her out of the car just
as the limo clears the edge. She is jerked through the
sunroof, screaming. The car falls away, arcing gracefully to
the ocean below. It hits with an enormous explosion of water.
293 INT. / EXT. BELL 206 COPTER - DAY
HARRY PULLS HELEN up onto the skid with him, getting her
stable. She is gasping, holding on for dear life. She looks
down at the ocean, the burning wreckage on the bridge, the
whole unbelievable panorama.
Then she looks at Harry and-- Grins. She's alive! And so is
he. And not only that, this is the biggest rush of her life.
Harry grins back. Surprised and pleased that she is more of a
soul-mate than he ever knew.
CUT TO:
294 EXT. HIGHWAY - DAY
ANGLE ON A HARRIER, landing in full-hover on the causeway. The
shriek of the jet engine is enormous. It bounces down onto its
wheels like a big inscect. The other remaining Harrier is
already down, behind it.
295 EXT. BELL 206 - DAY
TRACKING past burning wreckage to Harry's Bell 206 just
settling on the highway. B.G. the other DEA Bell 206 is
landing with the Harrier pilot who ejected hanging in a sling.
Harry jumps out of the open door, followed by Helen and Gib. *
Harry looks at his watch. *
HARRY
Any minute now.
GIB
(with a megaphone/ to
everybody)
It's show time. Don't look at *
the flash. Do not look at the
flash.
HARRY *
(to Helen) *
We're safe here. *
296 EXT. CAUSEWAY - DAY
Helen and Harry move away from the agents. They are safe and
together. They look at each other, and there is nothing to
say. Harry removes her wedding band from the wrong hand and *
slips it back onto its rightful finger. *
He leans forward to kiss her. She reaches for him. Their lips *
meet.
297 EXT. CAUSEWAY - HARRIERS IN BACKGROUND - DAY
And they are locked together in that position when the sky
lights up behind them. Talk about fireworks. Harry covers her *
eyes and they stay in the kiss. *
They are in no danger, but the effect is stunning. The classic *
mushroom cloud appears at the horizon. Helen watches, awed,
the most glorious and terrifying sight of our age.
HELEN *
That was some kiss. *
The two young Harrier pilots stand nearby, watching the
mushroom disperse. Gib is with the other Omega agents, his
finger pressed in his ear, listening to his headset. He waves
to Harry to come to him.
Harry detaches from Helen and walks over to him. Helen watches
him go... back to work. She glances over at the two Harrier
pilots.
HELEN
(to the pilots)
That's my husband.
HARRY goes into the huddle with Gib and the others.
GIB
Malik's copter landed twenty
minutes ago in Miami. He's on
the top of a high-rise downtown.
SWAT's on the scene, and I got
the cops sealing off the area. *
He renezvous'd there with about *
a dozen more faction members. *
They're barricaded on the *
twentieth floor.
(he gets very serious) *
Harry, they have a hostage. It's *
Dana. *
HARRY *
My Dana!?
GIB
They must have grabbed her during
the night... we didn't know.
Sorry, Harry, I--
298 EXT. HARRIER - DAY
But Harry is already moving. He sprints toward the nearest
Harrier, witch is idling nearby. Gib runs after him.
GIB
Harry! We'll get her out! We *
have a man inside already . . *
. Harry!! Aw, shit... here we
go.
Harry walks up to the young pilot...
HARRY
I need to borrow this thing for
a few minutes.
He pushes past the pilot before the guy can react.
PILOT
Excuse me . . . sir?! *
GIB *
Force Comm cleared you to give us *
total cooperation, right? *
PILOT *
Yessir, but . . . *
GIB *
That's coming right from the *
President, Captain. *
PILOT *
Yessir. Uh . . . sir? You're *
going to have to sign for the *
aircraft. *
GIB *
I'll sign for it. You got a pen? *
(one of the agents *
pulls out a pen) *
Here, he'll sign for it. *
Harry is in the cockpit by now. Gib climbs up. *
GIB
I'd like to remind you that it
has been ten years since you were
actually in one of these.
HARRY
If I break it they can take it
out of my pay.
299 INT. HARRIER - DAY
Harry doesn't have a G-suit or a helmet of anything. He just
has his walky on his belt.
INSIDE THE CRAMPED COCKPIT, Harry looks around for the lever
which vectors the thrust. Finds it, and sets it to 90 degrees
(vertical). He bangs the canopy closed and brings the throttle
up to FULL.
GIB
(to pilot)
It'll be fine. He's got hundreds
of hours in Harriers. Joint-ops,
cross-training and all that.
AGENT
Harry can fly anything.
The big plane wobbles off the ground like a drunken bumble-bee.
GIB
He's a little rusty. It's like
riding a bicycle . . . you
never forget. Uh . . . I'd
seek shelter!
It drifts sideways and everybody runs to get out of the way.
At about six feet above the ground it slides sideways, clips
the top of a cop car and knocks off the light bar. It lifts
unsteadily straight into the sky. It turns around 180.
GIB
He's got it.
HARRY
Sorry.
Harry pushes the vector lever forward and the thrust-nozzles
turn, accelerating the plane forward.
300 EXT. CAUSEWAY - DAY
Gib is standing, watching Harry go. He never believes this
guy. Harry's voice comes over the walky...
HARRY
Tell Helen what's going on. Tell
her I love her. And ask the
pilot where the button for the
20mm cannon is-- never mind. I
found it.
The plane disappears toward Miami.
301 EXT. HIGH RISE - MIAMI - DAY
AN AERIAL SHOT, circling the building. It is an unfinished
building in the high rise district. The Aerospatiale sits on
the roof, its rotor turning slowly. The street below is jammed
with cars. Honking horns echo up the glass canyons.
302 EXT. STREET - DAY
ANGLE AT STREETLEVEL as cops use bullhorns and bad attitudes to
clear the street around the building, setting up a perimeter
two blocks away.
303 INT. HIGH RISE - DAY
INSIDE THE HIGH RISE the terrorists have barricaded themselves
on the twentieth floor. There are 12 TERRORISTS, all with
automatic weapons. Occasionally one of them will fire a burst
down a stairwell with an AK-47. Miami-Dade SWAT team members
are deployed in the stairwell but are keeping their distance.
304 INT. HIGH RISE - ON THE 21ST FLOOR - DAY
Malik is sequestered with the bomb. It sits on the floor,
still in its shipping case. Dana stands nearby, looking
scares. She is not ties up. Where can she go?
She watches Malik go to the warhead and insert his arming key.
He has a TV set up on some crates, and we see that his video-
tapes demands are running on CNN. Harry's face fills the
screen, verifying the the nuclear weapons as a real threat. He
is identified at the bottom of the screen as HARRY TASKER,
ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION. Dana stares at her father's face on
the national news. It's like a bad dream. She has been crying
but she is fairly composed now.
DANA
I have to go to the bathroom.
The terrorists ignore her. A terrified ACTION NEWS REPORTER
and his CAMERAMAN, under guard by TWO TERRORISTS, are hastily
setting up to shoot Malik.
CAMERAMAN
Tape is rolling.
MALIK
This is a communique from Crimson
Jihad. You have heard from your
own expert. You have seen the
Holy fire with your own eyes. Do
not force us to destroy this
city. And do not try to use
force against us. I can trigger
this bomb instantly. All I have
to do is turn that key...
(he points fiercely at
the bomb)
... and five million of your
people will die.
The reporter glances down, nervously.
REPORTER
What key?
MALIK
(pointing like the
guy's blind)
That key right there!
Malik looks down. The key is gone.
MALIK
(to his men)
Someone has stolen the key!
He turns, looking around wildly. Malik then sees Dana running
for the stairwell to the roof. He pulls a pistol and shoots at
her, but hits the wall as she bangs through the door. He runs
after her.
305 EXT. BUILDING / ROOF - DAY
ON THE ROOF, Malik bursts through the stairwell door. His TWO
MEN have followed him. Malik stops suddenly when he sees--
Dana standing at the edge of the roof. She is holding the
ARMING KEY by its chain. Dangling it over the edge. He
signals to his men not to fire.
DANA
(terrified, but
thinking)
You shoot me, this'll fall.
Malik advances slowly, his eyes glistening ferally. She backs
up a step with each of his, moving along the edge of the roof.
Malik keeps his pistol aimed at her chest.
DANA
Don't come any closer. I'll drop
it! I swear to God.
MALIK
If you drop it, I will have no
reason not to kill you.
He advances, calling her bluff. She backs away from him along
the edge.
MALIK
Come on, child. Give me the key.
(smiling)
Don't you want to live? I give
you my word.
DANA
No way you whacko.
She reaches the corner of the building. Her back touches
something. it is the boom of a small crane, used for lifting
building supplies. Careful to keep the key dangling over open
space, Dana climbs up on the lattice-work boom and moves out
beyond the edge of the building, never taking her eyes off
Malik. She is hyperventilating, terrified, but thinking
clearly.
Malik steps up on the crane, crawling out after her. He knows
she will not drop the key as long as he has the gun. It is a
game which will end when she reaches the end of the boom. Dana
puts the key between her teeth so she can hang on better. It
is windy and the boom is swinging.
306 INT. 20TH FLOOR - DAY
The Crimson Jihad warriors hear a thunderous, shrieking roar
and look toward the window.
307 EXT. HIGH RISE - DAY
RISING INTO VIEW, LIKE A GARGOYLE FROM HELL, IS THE HARRIER.
It fills the windows completely, hovering only a few feet
outside. The terrorists raise their AK-47s to fire just as
Harry hits the 20mm nose-cannon.
308 INT. / EXT. HIGH RISE - 20TH FLOOR - DAY
Glass explodes into glittering mist, and terrorists explodes
into bloody spray as Harry pivots the plane and the cannon
sweeps the floor clear from side to side. The Crimson Jihad is
vaporized.
309 EXT. ROOF - CRANE BOOM - DAY
Malik hears the thunder of the jet and the firing, but from
where he is he can't see what's going on. He focuses on the
key. He must have that key.
310 EXT. ROOF - NEAR HELICOPTER - DAY
Malik's TWO REMAINING MEN run to the helicopter, gesticulating
to the pilot to get ready to take off. The pilot revs the
turbine and the rotor whirls faster. The two men jump in,
picking up M-60 machine guns.
311 EXT. ROOF - CRANE BOOM - DAY
MALIK IS STILL ADVANCING out the crane boom. Dana slips as she
backs up, toppling off the boom. She is hanging now by her
hands over a 20 story drop.
Malik is almost to her. He needs a hand free to grab her. He
sets his gun down on the girder. He grabs for her wrist.
312 EXT. ROOF - OVERLOOKING EDGE - DAY
ANGLE LOOKING DOWN. Malik, Dana, the street far below. With
an unbelievable roar the Harrier sweeps in beneath Dana,
FILLING FRAME.
313 EXT. CRANE BOOM / OVER EDGE - DAY
Harry has the canopy up. Malik sees Harry, ten feet below.
His eyes narrow with an all-consuming rage. He glances at the
pistol on the beam. Back at the girl, the key in her teeth--
So close.
Harry maneuvers the cockpit directly under Dana.
HARRY
(shouting)
Let go baby! I've got you!
Daddy's got you!
314 EXT. ROOF / HARRIER - DAY
Malik lunges for her wrist. She screams and lets go-- Dana
drops and hits the windshield of the hovering jet-- Harry grabs
her with his left hand, right hand still on the stick-- He
holds her until she can get a grip. She is lying across the
nose of the plane. Harry starts to bank away and--
315 EXT. CRANE BOOM - DAY
Malik shrieks in rage. He grabs his 9mm pistol and leaps off
the crane--
316 EXT. HARRIER - DAY
Onto the back of the plane. He starts crawling toward the
cockpit. Dana screams and Harry looks back, but just then--
317 EXT. BUILDING - DAY
The Aerospatiale swings around the building right in front of
them-- The door-gunner OPENS FIRE.
318 EXT. HARRIER - DAY
Harry banks hard, taking the hits under the wing. He pivots
and slides sideways around the building, playing tag with the
copter.
He can't do anything radical enough to dislodge Malik without
tossing off his own daughter.
319 EXT. BUILDING - DAY
The helicopter appears around the corner, guns blazing in the
doors. Harry pivots the plane and FIRES THE NOSE CANNON. The
helicopter is riddled. It tilts and plummets, auto-rotating
out of control.
320 EXT. BUILDING - ANGLE AT STREETLEVEL - DAY
As the copter hits the ground and explodes. Fortunately the
police had created a cleared perimeter.
321 EXT. HARRIER - DAY
THE HARRIER dips and slews, half out of control. Malik is
taking aim with the pistol, right at Harry's head. Harry grabs
his daughter with his left hand, holding her with all his
strength and he-- Jinks the stick hard, just as-- Malik opens
fire, but-- The plane tilts wildly and Malik topples, screaming--
He slides along the wing, and falls over the leading edge--
Only to catch himself on the only available hand-hold-- The
last Sidewinder missile.
322 EXT. HARRIER / SIDEWINDER - DAY
Harry and Malik lock eyes for one long second. Then Harry hits
the FIRING STUD. The Sidewinder drops away and ignites.
Carrying Malik out over Miami Beach. It explodes a mile out to
sea.
323 INT. HARRIER - COCKPIT - DAY
HARRY PULLS DANA into the cockpit, settling her on his lap.
HARRY
Don't touch the stick, baby.
She stares at her father in amazement. He banks away from the
building, accelerating the jet. He grins at her. Raises one
eyebrow. Woggles the plane's wings.
HARRY
Hi, pumpkin.
ONE YEAR LATER
324 INT. TASKER HOUSE - NIGHT
Dinner at home, and everybody's there. We come in on the end
of some story that everybody thinks is hysterical.
HELEN
... you should have seen your
father, standing there all
covered with spaghetti sauce. He
looked like such a dope.
HARRY
I told the guy---
(snorts, it's too
funny)
I told the guy, this isn't even
my order.
Dana is laughing too, a part of it. They are happy. They are
a family. Dana gets up, her meal half-eaten as usual.
DANA
I'm done.
She heads for the front door.
HARRY
I seem to remember something
about a history project that's
due tomorrow.
DANA
( busted)
Dad. You just think you know
everything, don't you?
Dana trudges off to her room to do her homework. The phone
rings. Helen answers.
VOICE
Boris and Doris?
HELEN
(calmly, signalling
Harry with her eyes)
Go ahead.
325 INT. EMBASSY PARTY - NIGHT
It is a black tie affair. Very glitzy. CAMERA SWOOPS over the
guests, sipping champagne and dancing. It is an embassy crowd,
very international. HARRY AND HELEN work their way through the
crowd. He is in tux, hair slicked back, looking rakish. She
is elegant in a low-cut gown and diamond choker.
Harry scoops two glasses of champagne off a passing tray and
hands her one.
326 INT. VAN - NIGHT
VERY CLOSE ON GIB, hunches in a dark van someplace nearby. He
speaks into his headset mike.
GIB
So, what's the scoop, team? You
see your contact yet?
327 INT. PARTY - NIGHT
HELEN AND HARRY smile and nod as if they know people. Speaking
very low, Helen answer Gib via SUB-VOCAL transceiver.
HELEN
Not yet. But we'll find him.
HARRY
Dance?
He whirls her across the floor and the CAMERA PULLS BACK AND UP
as they dance.
FADE OUT
The END
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