{"train":"BLACK Sounds of a train rolling to a halt, a shrill whistle. EXT. CAMP DAY UP ON the door of a weathered cattle car as a German soldier steps into frame wearing that familiar gray of the all too familiar era. He throws the door to reveal a mass of huddled and frightened people inside. The words are not necessary. The language is not ours and the images say enough. Men, women and children are herded off the train like cattle toward a large open yard. There they huddle until the Germans begin to shout and shove through the mob. FENCE CORRIDOR DAY We are looking up at rows and rows of fences topped with barbed wire all designed to create a separator for the thousands of Jew who pour through each day. Then we see the eyes themselves that look up at them. A LITTLE BOY. A boy who will not die this day. A boy who will live to see the end of the war and the world of the future. He stares at the metal wire with an unusual fascination. The boy looks up at HIS WORRIED PARENTS a sturdy looking couple who try to smile and comfort him. The corridor comes to a junction where it splits in several different directions. Soldiers here push the mob using rifles as pikes, screaming and terrorizing the lot of them. Suddenly it is clear what they are doing. They are dividing the mob into smaller groups. Soon, the groups themselves become evident. Men from women. Children from adults. The family tries to stay together, clinging to one another dearly, until finally, they are put upon by a number of gray uniforms and pulled apart. The boy is dragged screaming his feet no longer touching the ground. Two soldiers carry him as they follow the back of a large column of children being led through a gate of barbed wire so dense, it resembles wool. The gate closes and the boy looks back to see his parents along with many others being restrained by a number of soldiers. The screaming is deafening. And the boy s can be heard above it all. The soldiers seem to be having a hard time carrying such a frail child. The farther they get from the fence, the heavier he seems to get, until they are literally pulling him as though he were anchored to something. His outstretched fingers claw at the thin air and he screams until the blood in his face is blue. The soldiers are literally pulled back a step and they begin to slip in the mud. They look at one another and then over their shoulders as they hear a sound. A groaning, creaking sound. And then the unmistakable twang of wire stretched to snapping. The fence. The gate that separates the parents. It bows toward them like iron filings to a magnet, and several of the strands of barbed wire have given way. The boy continues to scream as all the other faces simply freeze and wonder. One of the soldiers pulls a wooden baton from his belt and brains the boy violently. He slumps and the soldiers carrying him spring forward as through a rope that was holding them back has been cut. They nearly fall, looking at one another with some concern, some confusion.... Then they follow the line of children that has gotten ahead of them. The boy s parents watch him as he as they, are taken away. The rest of their story is as you would expect. SKY DAY Bright, bright blue framing a blinding white sun. PAN DOWN AGAIN TO REVEAL  The cracked, drought stricken soil of nowhere. KENYA A group of children at play. Tribal children who, without the help of the titles, could be from any age. They run through a tiny village of tents, playing. Every child holds a long reed like stick and they chase each other playing their version of tag. As each child is tapped, they chase the others. Each trying to avoid being it , though never going far enough away to miss the fun. One girl in particular. A PRETTY GIRL OF , with unusual white hair, is tagged and immediately shunned. She chases kids this way and that, but to no avail. She is not strong enough, nor agile enough, to win. She tumbles and lands on her stick, snapping it. She stands and, when the children see that her stick is broken, they begin to giggle. The giggles become laughter and the laughter becomes a taunt, and before we even realize, the inherent cruelty of children let loose becomes evident. They have now formed a circle, at first avoiding her touch with distance, but now growing tighter with menace. In the unspoken manner of children at prey, the group begins to chant in their native tongue a song we have not heard but sung in a way none too inviting. They begin to poke at her with the reeds, driving her back. The girl now moves to the center of the circle, no longer wishing to tag anyone. ONE DEVIOUS CHILD seems to get an idea. He takes his stick and smacks it across her shoulder. She turns to face the child and another swings his stick across her back with a solid THWACK. Before long, mob rule gives way and all the kids are swinging at her and laughing. It grows to the brink of frenzy, the laughing and the shouting not too unlike the noise of the previous scene. So much so, we may miss the first flake of snow. The children certainly do. It is snowing for a good ten seconds before the last of them stops. By then, the snow is thick as flies and wafting down to melt instantly on the hot African soil that has never seen snow before. Adults come out of their huts and in from the fields and the whole of the village is soon gathered around the little girl, staring up from the clear blue sky and the snow that falls from nowhere. From nothing. One by one, all eyes fall on the little girl and the looks of curiosity become looks of fear. Of superstition. Punctuated by a solid thump. And then another. AN OLD MAN looks down at his feet and sees a tiny, misshapen ball of ice, no bigger than his eye. He looks at it, bites it, then pops it in his mouth breath turning to steam. Another such chunk of ice pops him on the head. THE CROWD LAUGHS. They look up again and see that mixed with the snow are tiny pellets of hail, seeming to increase in number as the snow mysteriously wanes. And the pellets are getting larger. Until they land as hunks. The white haired girl drops to the ground and covers her head as hailstones the size of baseballs plow into the Earth. Before long, tents are collapsing and panic ensues. And all along the white haired girl sits huddled in the dust, crying. As hailstones fall in a circle around her, never coming closer than then a few feet or so. INT. HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM NIGHT ONE MORE SKY. This one a backdrop. Cheap paint and tissue paper hung with hooks on a wall just behind the basket on a full court. As we pull back, we see the skyline of New York, crudely made out with its silhouette buildings of dark gray and black windows of yellow. Among the famous landmarks represented is the Statue of Liberty, complete with a real light bulb burning in the torch. We are at a prom. The theme is RHAPSODY IN BLUE and the decor has made tragic efforts to show it. The tablecloths are blue, the napkins are blue far too many of the tuxes are powder blue, and the blue eye shadow is as heavy as expected. Peter Gabriel s In Your Eyes gives painful indication of the era, but here it is, nonetheless SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MOVE ACROSS THE FLOOR and through the swaying, clutching, sweating dancers to the bathroom. Through the door to the usual BOYS BATHROOM NIGHT Several boys are here, bow ties undone unclipped in most cases. Smoking, drinking from whatever inventive container was used to smuggle in booze. Breath freshener and Visine are the chaser. Some of the guys are rolling joints while others make the sad effort to wave smoke away. Who are they kidding? It s a fog in here. MOVE DOWN THE ROW OF TOILET STALLS to one in particular. Here we find A FRECKLED KID standing in front of mirror, clearly holding himself up from the effect of God knows what. He talks to his friend in the he stall behind him. FRECKLED KID Man, what s the matter with you? His friend is on the toilet with his head in his hands. He seems to be in some pain. He is SCOTT SUMMERS AGE . FRECKLED KID Dude. Lighten up. She s just a girl. You just gotta SCOTT No, my eyes... my eyes are killing me. The Freckled kid offers a small plastic bottle. FRECKLED KID You want some Visine, man? SCOTT My... eyes... The freckled kid looks and sees that Scott s eyes are watering so badly that tears are literally streaming through his fingers. He goes back to the mirror to look at his own. SCOTT ... they re burning... The freckled kid turns back to him. FRECKLED KID Dude, how much did you smoke? SCOTT I didn t smoke anything. Scott looks up, taking his hands away, revealing for an instant that his eyes are merely bright red embers in his head. Featureless but for the color. Freckles takes a step back. GYM OUTSIDE BOYS ROOM NIGHT A blinding flash of light shows through the frosted glass in the double door and cuts through the crack into the dark of the gym. All who see it are stunned. Frozen. A lingering moment of confusion, then BOOM, the doors to the Boys Room burst open and the occupants scatter into the gym. GYM STALL NIGHT Freckles is still there, legs locked. FRECKLES P.O.V. He looks at Scott who is now crying meekly in the stall, covering his eyes again afraid to open them. The door of the stall across from him swings closed TO REVEAL A HOLE, PUNCHED THROUGH THE STALL DOOR framing Scott s face perfectly. Pull back to reveal that the hole continues through the wall, into the girl s bathroom next door. In the corner several girls huddle together, they are afraid. SENATE HEARING ROOM DAY Packed with reporters and photographers. There s a dais a raised panel of senators and a second, lower panel. This is where the experts are testifying. Panning across the faces of several G.O.P. creeps as they watch something with varying degrees of interest. TITLES WASHINGTON D.C. THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE A woman s voice holds over the proceedings. It is the voice of JEAN GREY whom we will soon meet. As she is speaking, we come to a large screen television at one end of the room. JEAN In every organism on Earth there exists a mutator gene the X factor, as it has come to be known. It is the basic building block of evolution the reason we have evolved from homo habilus... FOOTAGE REFLECTS THE VARIOUS STAGES OF HUMAN EVOLUTION. Accompanying it is a GRAPH with a DIAGONAL LINE indicating the ascent of the human being as we know it. Accompanying the graph are evolving images of the evolution of man. JEAN ... to homo erectus, to homo sapiens Neanderthals, and, finally, to homo sapiens. The animated demo on the screen zooms in on the lowest order of human depicted homo habilus a primitive, ape like humanoid covered in hair. As he is singled out, the terrain of his time appears, along with the harsh signs of his winter. JEAN Taking it s cues from the climate, terrain, various sources of nourishment, the mutator gene tells the body when it needs to change to adapt to a new environment. The process is subtle, normally taking thousands of years. As the graphic changes and depicts WARMER CLIMATE, the HAIR STARTS TO DISAPPEAR ON THE MAN s BODY gradually evolving into the human we now know as ourselves. Now the terrain is modern, the weather pleasant. The image pulls back and places this man back in line at the front of evolution. JEAN Only in the last few thousand years did mankind begin to make clothes for himself, build shelters, use heat and grow food in large quantities. With this man made environment remaining relatively stable, the X factor became dormant. early huts, early clothing; then early homes, later homes, air conditioning, cars, modern high rises, etc. PULL BACK WIDER JEAN Until now. On the room, the reactions, and on JEAN herself. A strong, attractive woman in her early s. A simple placard before her JEAN GREY. GENETICALLY ENHANCED RIGHTS ASSOCIATION. The screen shows the words PRESENT DAY, where the evolution line has resumed its rise. JEAN For reasons still not known to us, we are seeing what some are calling the beginnings of another stage of evolution A MICROPHONED VOICE interrupts. Bearing down is the flamboyant SENATOR SCOTT FRANK KELLY, a conservative from Florida, and the hearing s Chairman. Just behind him sits his aide HENRY GUYRICH mid s, typical government cog. KELLY You re avoiding the question I posed to you at the beginning of the hearing, Ms. Grey. Three words Are mutants dangerous? JEAN I am avoiding a question that is decidedly loaded, Senator. The wrong person behind the wheel of a car can be dangerous. Another SENATOR (LUCINDA ROWEE) speaks into her microphone SENATOR ROWEE Well, we do license people to drive. JEAN But not to live. Kelly raises a hand, continuing his tirade. KELLY Ms. Grey you work at a school for mutants in Westchester, New York. Can you tell the members of this committee what exactly you are teaching these mutants? JEAN Math. History. Science. English. Athletics KELLY You wouldn t happen to be teaching them how to use their powers to JEAN Control, Senator... we teach them control. Kelly raises a blown up photograph a grainy, super zoomed, somewhat obscured image of a CAR ON A FREEWAY which appears to have melted. Now he s really playing to the crowd. KELLY This was taken by a state police officer in Secaucus, New Jersey. A man in a minor altercation literally melted the car in front of him. I don t know where you come from, Ms. Grey, but where I come from, you don t go melting people s cars when they cut you off. You do it the old fashioned way you give em the finger. (laughs from the crowd) But what you presume to tell this committee JEAN I presume nothing, I am here to tell you that in time, the mutator gene will activate in every living human being on this planet. Perhaps even your children, Senator. KELLY I can assure you, there is no such creature in my genes. The room LAUGHS. Kelly mistaken thinks it is for him, until the double meaning occurs to him. He is momentarily embarrassed, but he quickly recovers. KELLY Ms. Grey, we are not here to weed out mutants. The Registration Act is designed merely to assess their potential threat if any to national security. The crowd reacts loudly in support of the Senator. Some cheer, some roar, some yell obscenities at Jean. Jean stands and walks out, pushing her way through reporters now moving in for her response. All the while, Kelly is delivering his last words. KELLY Mutants are very real. They are among us. We must know who they are. And above all, we must know what they can do. AS THE SHOUTS OF THE MOB RISE AND GIVE WAY TO CAPITOL BUILDING WASHINGTON D.C. DAY An angry mob outside the Senate hearing. Voices roar in dissent when Jean emerges, coming down the steps without hesitation. She sees signs condemning mutants, a scarce few supporting them. A group of reporters are behind her and more meet her in front, closing her in. Microphones are shove in her face. REPORTERS VARIOUS Dr. Grey, how do you feel about the Senator s Statement How is the mutant community reacting? Is it true that mutants are dangerous? Is there a mutant plot to overthrow the government? She ignores them all, trying to push through. A KID IN THE CROWD holding a full can of Coke. Smiling to his friend beside him. He fires it over the heads of everyone toward Jean. Perfect trajectory. Closing fast. Suddenly Silence falls over the crowd. A total silence. An absolute silence. All eyes watch in awe at the can and its liquid trail, frozen in mid air a few inches from Jean s face. It simply hovers there. JEAN We re not the ones to be afraid of. Using telekinesis she slowly lowers the can to the ground. She shakes her head, almost ashamed of the display. Almost as if to say ìI didn t want to do that.î The can rolls down the steps. People move away from it as though the can itself were dangerous. The crowd steps back in genuine fear. Jean simply moves ahead now, unimpeded, still shaking her head. CABIN IN THE SNOW COVERED WILDERNESS DAY Smoke curling from the chimney, warm light emanating from the window. A well worn pick up truck parked axles deep in the snow, the back filled with a cord of cut wood. A hand painted scrawl on the door reads Firewood for Sales A slope, just behind the cabin leading to a frozen lake. PUSH IN SLOWLY TOWARDS THE CABIN. Ten beers sit cooling in the snow outside the door. We hear LED ZEPPELIN S ìBLACK DOG.î CABIN DAY Music thunders, quite a contrast to the surroundings. A cosy little abode, showing signs of neglect, as though decorated with a gentler touch that passed not too long ago. A large shelf replete with books. An electric mix from Sun Tsu s The Art of War to Mark Twain s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. A fire burns in the fireplace. On the mantle sit a few old black and white photos of a slightly younger Logan posing with a group of HARD CASE MILITARY TYPES in a heavily wooded area. We can not tell if they are true Military or simply mercenaries. In the wall above the mantle, a sketch of a beautiful woman. And finally we come to the occupant of the house, sitting at the only table in the center of the room. His back is to us. His hair is coarse and black, sprouting wildly from his head. He is LOGAN. We will come to know him well. As well as we can. Despite the loud, pounding music, he is working with the meticulousness of a watch maker. At the same time, he smokes a thick cigar. A tall bottle of beer on the floor next to his chair. A SINGLE, SILVER DOG TAG hangs from his neck from a battered chain. As we get closer, we look over his shoulder and see what he is working on so intensely. Pencil rubs against paper furiously. He is sketching, what we cannot see. But he is definitely caught up in his own minds eye. HIS HEAD SUDDENLY TURNS. He listens to something we cannot begin to hear. A momentary pause, and he goes back to sketching. Just as he seems to be settling back into the details again. WHACK He reaches over and shuts off the music coming from the box beside him. He listens. He stands, turning around slowly in a circle. He drops the sketch pad on the chair. Only the crackle of logs in the fire. LOGAN S We follow his gaze around the room. Past the fire which sounds suddenly like a blazing inferno, past the clock which ticks as loud as clapping hands, past the simmering tea kettle which hisses like a seething cauldron. Finally, he glances at the cigar which we hear crackling nearly as loud as the fire. Logan s senses are amplified many times more then ours, he walks to the door. His nostrils flare. He raises his fist beside his face. For a moment, it seems as if he is just chinking. Then SHOOK THREE STEELY CLAWS some nine inches long, emerge inexplicably from the skin just above Logan s knuckles. Logan barley turns his head before. BOOM THE WINDOW EXPLODES, letting in freezing wind and billowing snow. Logan is hit from behind. The attack is so ferocious that we are unable to make out the attacker. Whatever it is, it is HUGE. We can hear it snarling and see flashes of its claws as it slams Logan back. CABIN DAY The front door SMASHES OPEN. The two combatants roll madly down the hill obscured by flying snow. Finally, we see Logan separate from his attacker and CRASH THROUGH THE ICE of the frozen lake. A MASSIVE CLAW LIKE HAND lifts into frame the SHINING DOG TAG hanging from it. The tag s chain slides off and too the ground. UNDER ICE Logan struggles, already short of breath. As he struggles water starts to fill his lungs. His skin goes pale. He is drowning. ABOVE ICE DAY We hear an angry grunt as the thing starts to hunt for Logan. It stalks across the ice, searching. We catch a glimpse of shoulder, a CLAWED FOOT, a MANE OF HAIR. UNDER ICE Logan s struggle has decreased somewhat as his strength wanes. CRACK The ice above Logan shatters as a clawed hand reaches through. ABOVE ICE DAY A violent YANK. The ice gives way to the soaked and half frozen Logan. The creature picks Logan up by his face, CUTTING DEEPLY into his cheek, and holds him up like a rag doll. The two are face to face. This is called SABRETOOTH. The reasons are obvious. Teeth like said animal and cat s eyes to match. A mutant, certainly a member of a class remote in the extreme. And then it speaks. SABRETOOTH It s not gonna be that easy. Logan, half drowned, opens his eyes and looks right at Sabretooth as though he s going to say something. Instead, a LUNG FULL OF WATER comes shooting out. With that, Sabretooth ROARS, as he hoists Logan up and throws him. Logan flies nearly ten yards. He lands head first. Sabretooth skulks over to him. With the sound of Sabretooth s breathing comes the rising of the wind... Snow from the ground begins to swirl in the bitter cold air. Sabretooth is nearly upon Logan now and the wind rises further, until he must shield his eyes from the bitter icy air. As he approaches, we see a fresh cut on Logan s face HEALING BEFORE OUR VERY EYES, leaving not so much as a scratch. THEN A SUDDEN FLASH OF LIGHT Lightning. No. Lightning is not red. Sabretooth looks around, puzzled, then down at Logan s motionless body. Then to his feet where a hole in the ice sprouts bubbling water. The wind blows so violently now that he nearly misses two figures standing only a few yards away mere silhouettes in the icy haze. A closer look tells us it is a man and a woman, THEY WEAR STRANGE UNIFORMS of form fitting material the man wears a reflective visor that hides his eyes. The woman s face is care revealing dark skin, penetrating eyes and unusual white hair. ANOTHER FLASH one that seems to come from the man s visor itself. An intense beam of red light. Sabretooth looks down and sees the ice at his feet has broken away. He plunges through the ice like a mark in a carnival dunking tank. His massive weight and hairy coat quickly suck him down. The TWO FIGURES CYCLOPS (Scott Summers) AND STORM (Ororo Munroe) obviously two of the children we saw earlier now grown move over the hole and calmly watch Sabretooth gather himself and swim back to the surface. Storm looks down at the hole, concentrating her intense gaze. The wind whips further and the water in the hole begins to freeze over. UNDER THE ICE Sabretooth wisely concedes. With one last look at the two mysterious figures now nearly obscured by the ice, he turns his body and swims away with the same agility he had on land. ABOVE THE ICE THE SNOW AND WIND ARE NOW VIOLENTLY RAGING Cyclops and Storm walk over to Logan and look down at him curiously. LOGAN S They look at one another, wondering. Above them, a black shape looms into frame, bringing with it the whining of jet engines. This is the X JET and it is like no other plane we have seen before. Logan s eyes begin to close as they obscure the last of all perceptible detail. CAVERNOUS ROOM NIGHT CLOSE UP ON The Periodic Table of Elements. A chart made up of blocks depicting the elements and their chemical symbols. Among the standards like Gold (Au) and Iron (I) and Oxygen (O ) is a new square on simple red construction paper tacked to the top. It contains simply a large letter ìA.î TRACKING SHOT THROUGH We are in a laboratory of sorts, quite different from any we have ever seen and so are its occupants. MORTIMER TOYNBEE, a dim, loyal thug whose agile leaping ability and superhuman strength have earned him the name TOAD. Across the room, JOHN ALLERDYCE, a wiry redhead whose ability to control fire with his fingers has earned him the name PYRO. In the corner we see BLOB, no explanation needed, devouring a BUCKET of cereal, preariously balanced on his huge belly. They are a bestial and sinister bunch. Toad and Pyro are working on A MACHINE A fantastic device which occupies a hallowed space in this lab. It is meticulously designed, and with its intricate circuitry, wires, and power boards, it resembles most closely (and only resembles, because truly it s like nothing we ve ever seen before) a combination of an upright torpedo and a fantastic light source only far more dark and foreboding. Pyro holds a stick of solder in one hand. He lights a lighter with the other, then drops it. Strange thing the flame remains hovering about his finger. Quickly the flame intensifies and turns blue, melting the solder over a small circuit board. Then, the flame is gone. He sticks out his hand like a surgeon. PYRO Hand me the dykes. Toad, both hands occupied, flicks his long tongue and grabs a pair of pliers which he rests in Pyro s hand, leaving them slicked with SLIME. The flame in his finger goes out. The slimy coat over the pliers quickly HARDENS, freezing their action. PYRO I asked you not to do that. Blob laughs. Toad shrugs. In the background, almost ignored by them, something is on the television. The news. NEWSCASTER Preparations are nearly completed for the upcoming anniversary gala celebrating the formation of the United Nations. With nearly every invitation confirmed, the occasion promises to be the largest single gathering of world leaders in history. The image in the screen is a helicopter shot of ELLIS ISLAND, with Liberty Island and the famous Statue in the background. NEWSCASTER Ellis Island, once an arrival point for thousands of immigrants crossing the Atlantic with the hopes of a better life, will open its doors again. Only this time it will be to leaders and their families from over nations. Blob belches his skepticism deafeningly. TRACK FURTHER THROUGH THE LAIR AND OUT THE DOOR as the Newscast drones on. CORRIDOR OFFICE NIGHT WE MOVE through subterranean corridors and past dozens of projects that share some similarity to the machine we have seen, including crude designs that have been rejected or stripped of their good ideas. FAINTLY we become aware of a clicking sound. Almost like a stopwatch very far away, always growing louder. The newscast has faded and another voice is getting closer from somewhere down the hall. Sabretooth emerges around a corner heading towards us, turning just as we get to him. The clicking is loud and clear now. Sabretooth enters an office and we follow him. Seated at a desk in the center of the room is MAX LENSHERR age somewhere after sixty, but strong and vital for his years. He is more often called MAGNETO. The clicking is from the sound of an executive pendulum thingy on his desk. The six steel balls hang onto one another from string supports in formation depending on how many are let to fly from either end. One ball strikes one and one ball swings out from the other. Two balls and two, and so on. Slight difference. There are no strings supporting the balls, thus defying gravity. A chess set all of its pieces made of beautifully crafted iron sits on the far end of the desk. He is watching television, or more accurately listening his eyes looking off into space, deep in thought. INTERVIEWER ...and the leading voice in the call for Mutant registration is Senator Scott Frank Kelly, of Florida, who claims to support the constitutional rights of the genetically enhanced, but whose crusade to register mutants is gaining popularity. Now Kelly is on the screen. Magneto shakes his head. MAGNETO Not this one again. When Sabretooth clears his throat, the clicking balls instantly freeze and hover there. The volume on the television drops, though no remote is in sight. Magneto notices Sabretooth s apparent exhaustion, his torn clothing, including the slashes in his side. His look asks ìwhat happened?î Sabretooth crosses the room and places the shining dog tag on the table. The one he ripped from Logan s neck. He sits at the desk, puzzling over it. MAGNETO Your expression tells me the news is not good, brother. SABRETOOTH I lost him. MAGNETO How? SABRETOOTH It was Xavier s people. They knew. Frustrated. Magneto inspects the dog tag. MAGNETO I want him. That is all they know because that is all you know. Nothing odd about the tag at a glance, military dog tag, weathered and beaten, but certainly plain, Canadian Military, Logan s name, rank, and a faded serial number. His thumb feels the indention of the word at the bottom of the tag that does not seem to fit here. WOLVERINE We hear the voice of Senator Kelly on the TV. Kelly is on the screen giving good face. As he turns up the television, and again, we don t see how, he places the dog tag on his desk, thinking. KELLY I think the President s pre occupation with international affairs has drawn his attention away from this problem. American s deserve the right to decide whether they want their children to be in school with mutants. To be taught by mutants. They also have the right to know the dangers. That s the purpose of registration. And mark my words, if the President isn t strong enough to do what needs to be done... As the Senator continues we PULL BACK and see Magneto watching this. He begins speaking over Kelly s diatribe. MAGNETO And you may mark my words, Senator Kelly. All your plotting, all your hatred. I have plans for you. I ve seen you come, and I will see you go. As Magneto turns Logan s dog tag between his fingers, we can t help but notice FADED PURPLE SERIAL NUMBERS TATTOOED IN HIS ARM. He then drops the dog tag on the desk, Magneto stands and heads for the door, Sabretooth follows. The television shuts off and Magneto waves a hand as though beckoning someone to follow. Or some thing. He stops and looks back at the dog tag on the desk and waves again. A paper clip just next to the dog tag skips off the desk and into Magneto s hand. He drops it, annoyed and tries again. A slight rattle, then nothing more, as though the dog tag were held down by an unimaginable weight. He walks over and picks up the dog tag, inspecting it, then trying to bend it. Nothing. MAGNETO Can it be..? He puts it back on the desk. Now Magneto concentrates sending a wave of magnetic force that ripples the air around it. The tag trembles, but does not budge. He looks at Sabretooth and smiles. SABRETOOTH Is that what you re looking for? MAGNETO A piece. Only a piece. SABRETOOTH Is it enough? MAGNETO Enough for a test. And as Magneto looks up at Kelly on the television we PAN OVER TO A BULLETIN BOARD on the wall beside him. To a periodic table, smaller than the first. But still with that red square and added letter ìAî. WHITE HOUSE PARKING LOT DAY Kelly and Guyrich walk out of the White House on their way to their limousine. KELLY I can t believe the President can t see it. I wouldn t be surprised if he has a mutant on his staff. Kelly and Guyrich climb into the limo and slump back in their seats. LIMOUSINE DAY GUYRICH Have you thought of a demonstration of some kind? Maybe use the UN Summit to our advantage. The whole world will be watching. KELLY I m not interested in the whole world, Henry... I m interested in America. Let the rest of the world deal with mutants their own way. GUYRICH Where to? Kelly rubs his eyes. KELLY Home. Guyrich leans to address the driver. GUYRICH Dulles Airport. LABORATORY DAY Medical monitors beep, keeping track of the vital signs of Logan, who lies in a bed in the middle of a medical lab. In the wall beside Logan s bed is a light board on which hang Logan s X rays. Logan s skeleton seems to be more the creation of a Deco architect than of nature. Streamlined, refined... almost manufactured. He is asleep, recovering. Jean Grey enters the lab. She walks over and examines the X rays, fascinated by their unique structure. She notices what appears to be an unusually complex network of bones in the forearm. Jean looks down and runs her fingers over the traces of three incisions on the backs of Logan s hands. Jean s eye moves across his body. His rippling muscles. Jean uncaps an IV needle and moves to the middle of Logan s arm. We cannot help but notice a diamond ring on her left hand. Jean starts to put an IV in Logan s arm. Just as she is sticking the needle in his arm HE JOLTS VIOLENTLY. SNAP Logan s hand reaches up quickly, breaking the needle off in his arm. He grabs a startled Jean by the throat. He is out of bed. She is unable to speak, choked silent by his grip. He places his fist near her face. We see the three faint scars just above his knuckles. Hesitation. Logan looks at her for a moment. Taken by her beauty. Then he is on his feet. Jean is on the floor, gasping for breath. Logan realizes something is missing. He reaches to his chest and feels for the dog tag. Gone. He stifles a curse. LOGAN Where is it? He looks at Jean who recoils from him in terror. Logan thinks, then bolts. HALLWAY DAY Logan comes out into an empty hall. Strange. Deathly quiet. It is very sparse and modern, matching the lab we have just left. Logan runs and goes through the first door he comes to, to keep Jean from seeing where he has gone. READY ROOM DAY He looks around and sees he is in some sort of locker room. A row of lockers run along one side of the wall. And hanging from the other side in a row, are UNIFORMS, much like the ones Cyclops and Storm were wearing in the snow. He starts to rummage through the lockers, coming up with a shirt and pants that almost fit. A pair of sneakers as well. He hears the sound of approaching foot steps coming from the hallway. He spots another entrance on the far side of the room and, carrying his clothes, he staggers out, still in considerable pain. HANGER DAY Logan rushes through the door, looking behind to see if he has been seen. He closes the door and leans back to catch his breath... which stops momentarily as he looks around the massive hanger he has entered. The X Jet, the stealth plane we saw in Alaska, now sits parked and quiet. Logan walks to the plane and stops listening. We hear a strange THUMPING. He listens for a second. The sound picks up in speed and we realize that we are listening to the SOUNDS OF A BASKETBALL GAME coming from above. As Logan tries to digest this, the door that he had just come through begins to open, letting in a shaft of light. Logan looks around wildly for a moment, looking for a place to hide when BING. An elevator door opens in the wall of the hanger ten feet from where Logan now stands. He whips around and runs for it. There is a button marked ìG.î He presses it. HALLWAY DAY The elevator opens on a hallway that doesn t match the rooms we have already seen at all. It is plush and stately, the hallway of a great mansion. He hears a voice coming from a room. As he gets closer to it, we can begin to hear VOICE ... until the Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity. With that one act, history was changed. The Christians who were once prosecuted and fed to the lions, became accepted. Now the voice is clear as a bell, coming from a room with the door slightly ajar. CLASSROOM DAY Logan peeks in and sees in front of a chalk board, a massive blue furry creature called BEAST. Besides two arms and two legs, the only remotely human thing on his ape like face is a pair of wire spectacles. He addresses a class of kids between the ages of and . Besides the occasional physical alterations, there is an overall oddness to the group, giving way to the fact that in some way or another these are all mutants. BEAST So as their leaders went, so did follow the hearts and minds of the people of the Roman empire. Which made for some very happy Christians. Now he sees Logan standing in the door, looking back at him in mute shock. BEAST Can I help you? All the students turn to see Logan, standing in a hospital gown with a mean case of bed head. They start to giggle. Logan turns and heads down the hallway to the left. HALLWAY DAY Logan hears footsteps and quickly does a one eighty back down the hallway. He turns a corner, hugging the wall. He halts. A large oak door stands down the hall. He smells something, taking in a deep breath, his head cocking to the side listening. He turns and looks behind him. More foot steps. Someone is about to enter the hall. He turns again, ready to run the other way when he sees the SHADOWS of two more people coming from the other direction. Logan is trapped. He lunges for the large oak door and bursts through. XAVIER S OFFICE DAY Logan shuts the door and leans his head back against it, exhausted. VOICE Good morning, Logan. Logan, still clutching his stolen clothes, opens his eyes and sees a man sitting behind a large mahogany desk PROFESSOR CHARLES XAVIER, an intense and intelligent man just to look at him. XAVIER Would you like some breakfast? Logan, who was prepared for anything but this, just stares. XAVIER I m sorry, allow me to formally introduce myself I am Professor Charles Xavier. This is my school. LOGAN How do you know my name? Xavier taps the side of his head with his finger. XAVIER You re not the only one with gifts. When he speaks, his lips do not move. We realize Logan ìhearsî the voice in his head. In addition, the voice is accompanied by the FAMILIAR SOUND OF FOOT STEPS indicating that perhaps Xavier had herded Logan through the mansion with his mind. He does not like it. Xavier comes out from behind his desk. We see that he is in a MOTORED WHEELCHAIR. Realizing that he is safe for the moment, Logan begins putting on his stolen clothes. LOGAN What am I doing here? XAVIER I brought you here so that you would be safe from Magneto. LOGAN Who? XAVIER A very powerful mutant who for some reason has taken an interest in you. I m not sure why, but until we find out, I must ask you to stay. Logan looks Xavier over. He is obviously a kind man who is offering his help. Logan is silent for a moment. LOGAN No thanks. Logan goes to the door. Xavier, disappointed, just watches him go. FRONT HALL DAY Logan sees a grand entrance with two huge oak doors and brightly polished steel knobs that scream ìexit.î He starts in that direction when the doors begin to open. A moment of traffic, laughing, chatter... then they are all gone. He gets to the doors and pushes them open. Bright white sunlight floods in, nearly blinding him. MANSION DAY The first thing he sees through the haze is wings GIANT WHITE, FEATHERY ANGEL WINGS. A young boy, no more than fourteen, has them sprouting from his back. He is stretching not only his limbs, but his unusual appendages in the morning breeze. Sensing something the boy turns, and sees this shambling ruin of a man in the doorway. Off Logan s expression, we hear the flapping of wings and see his awestruck face following the boy onto the sky. This only holds his attention for a moment. Logan looks across an expanse of grounds that house the Mansion. A high, wrought iron gate surrounds the entire property. He watches as several children play basketball across a large court. Logan shakes his head and is out the closing door. Xavier simply watches from his window. MANSION FRONT GATE DAY Logan heads for the gate. SHOOK Logan pops his claws. Suddenly, the gate slowly opens Inviting him to leave. He pauses, momentarily confused. He takes one long look back at the mansion. And then leaves. Stay for a moment. Watch him go. Then pan across a sign which reads PROFESSOR CHARLES XAVIER S SCHOOL FOR THE GIFTED Westchester N.Y. PANNING slowly across the road to the thick woods on the other side of the street. SOMETHING MOVES in the trees, catching our eye. Someone is watching. It is Toad, camouflaged amidst the trees and branches. SKY DUSK A helicopter streaks across the sky. HELICOPTER DUSK Kelly sleeps fitfully in the large seat. A bump of turbulence. He wakes suddenly and looks out the window seeing the ocean below. Kelly looks out the window again and sees water. They are flying low. He looks at Guyrich, who sleeps as well. He wakes him. KELLY Where the hell are we? Guyrich looks out the window and looks at Kelly, puzzled. He stands and goes to the door to the cabin of the helicopter. GUYRICH Pilot? No answer. Guyrich tries to open the door. It s locked. GUYRICH Pilot? Kelly looks out the window now and sees the helicopter is closing in on an island where, is anyone s guess. What is known is that the place is no pleasure resort. It is in fact some sort of refurbished island fortress, complete with turrets, built right into the side of the cliffs. ISLAND HELIPAD DUSK A clearing in the middle of a ring of trees at the base of a rocky rise. The helicopter touches down. THE PILOT, wrapped from head to toe in a flight suit and helmet, gets out and opens the side door, exposing Kelly and Guyrich to the intense wind of the rotors. They cover their eyes, cowering. KELLY S Two figures come out of a hole in the mountain. One seems extremely larger than the other. Guyrich and Kelly step out. As they get closer he can make out Magneto and Sabretooth. KELLY Dear God... Dear... God. The Pilot removes his helmet to REVEAL Pyro, smiling. KELLY What the hell is this? Kelly is utterly confused. As Magneto nears, Guyrich steps forward to greet him, putting arms around Magneto s neck and kissing him deeply. Then Magneto looks deep and lovingly into Guyrich s eyes. And with that GUY SHAPE SHIFTS into a beautiful woman who herefore will be known as MYSTIQUE. Her body is covered in iridescent blue scales, which complement her lovely, solid yellow eyes. Kelly, of course, is shocked. Mystique shows a little hip, raising the scales at her mid section mockingly, as the last of what we thought was Guyrich slips underneath. KELLY You... wha... Who are you... Where is Henry? MAGNETO Mr. Guyrich has been dead for some time Senator. KELLY You mutant bastards... Pyro grabs the Senator as he runs back for the helicopter in vain. KELLY Whatever you do to me... no matter what you ll make me right. Every word I have spoken will be confirmed. MAGNETO Gosh, I hope so. As Kelly struggles against all hope. KELLY People like you are the reason people like me exist. And with that, Mystique walks up. MYSTIQUE And people like you are the reason I was afraid to go to school as a child. With that, Mystique punches Kelly. Knocking him out cold. BLACK MACHINE ROOM MAGNETO S LAIR NIGHT Kelly comes to. Magneto walks past him, holding Logan s dog tag. His thumb crushes one last time over the curious ìWolverine.î PULL OUT TO REVEAL Kelly is strapped to a metal chair, bound impossibly tight. He struggles. Mystique watches from the far side of the room. MAGNETO Are you a ìGod fearing man,î Senator? Kelly s reaction tells him he is certainly afraid of something right now. MAGNETO That term always confused me. As if there were something to fear. Kelly looks around wildly, terrified. MAGNETO God after all, is often defined as all forgiving. A description I rather like. I think what you really are afraid of... Magneto uses his mind to move Kelly s chair a little closer. Kelly nearly loses it. MAGNETO ...Is me and my kind. The Brotherhood of Mutants. He touches Kelly s face and Kelly recoils. MAGNETO And this law. Your mutant registration act is only the beginning. KELLY The intention of registration act MAGNETO INTENTION? Intention, Senator? We are talking about mankind here. His fear. It is only a matter of time before mutants will be herded into camps. Studied for weaknesses. And eventually wiped off the face of the Earth. Kelly shakes his head. There is nothing he can say to sway this man. Magneto turns and admires his machine. MAGNETO Well, we re much more giving than that. We simply want to share with you... To help you understand. KELLY What is it you intend to do to me? MAGNETO (smiling) Let s just say, God works too slowly. Magneto moves to the machine. MAGNETO You re a leader, Senator Kelly you set an example. And if more of you... were like more of us? Well, you ll see. Kelly watches as Magneto takes Logan s dog tag and places it atop a tube at the bottom of a large spire in the center of the room some thirty feet high. He walks toward the opposite side of the room and watches as the tag is raised to the top of the device, through the shaft. MAGNETO Don t fear God, Senator. And certainly most certainly... don t fear me. A beat. MAGNETO Not any more. MAGNETO raises his arms and a series of metal rings up from the machine platform that holds the dog tag. With a slight motion of his hand, the rings begin to spin slowly gaining in speed as Magneto controls it with his power. The air around it ripples, gaining in intensity. WAVES OF MAGNETIC ENERGY POURS from Magneto s hands toward the machine. Now, Magneto has the rings spinning around the dog tag at such speed, the rings themselves are no longer visible merely a blur around the stationary tag. Magneto lowers his hands. The machine is now working on its own. Kelly s eyes grow wide with fear as the metal dog tag begins to glow. Dull at first... the brightly... too brightly. The deafening whine of the machine builds louder and louder. Suddenly SILENCE FIVE SECONDS OF ABSOLUTE SILENCE. The sphere vanishes, enveloped in a light so white, it defies description. But I ll try A light that seems to ooze rather than radiate. A light that fills the room as it expands outward and engulfs everything in sight. It is liquid light. Creeping and unstoppable. From outside the room, Pyro and Sabretooth watch through the window. It comes through, first casting its shadows darkly against the wall, then erasing them as it swallows them as though they were never there. HALLWAY NIGHT From under a door, the light leaks in, filling the room. All through the lair, air vents, keyholes, drainpipes and the like, the liquid light fills the lair to the gills. MAGNETO S LAIR NIGHT THROUGH THE TURRET ATOP THE LAIR, the light beams up into the night sky, shinning like a beacon for miles. Then the white light obscures all. Fueled by this tiny piece of metal, the light extends like an ever growing bubble, out and up over the ocean. PULL BACK FROM THE SMALL ISLAND The bubble of white light is easily five miles across. MACHINE ROOM NIGHT Kelly grits his teeth, barely visible in the whiteness. Then it is gone. He hangs his head in exhaustion. Magneto himself is a bit overwhelmed. He looks at his own skin no apparent change. He shakes his head, blinks his eyes. Sabretooth and Pyro are also a bit struck by the display and they also seem a bit dazed. Magneto walks over and reaches into the still steaming metal device. His hand comes out holding the dog tag actually its remains. A frazzled, blackened wire, warped and spent. Nothing more. And this turns to dust in his fingers. Magneto has amazed even himself this time. The silence is shattered by a phone ringing. Sabretooth picks it up. He listens, then hands the phone to Magneto. SABRETOOTH We ve found him. Magneto puts the phone to his ear. He smiles. MAGNETO Where? ANGLE on Kelly, his skin glistening slightly, almost luminescent. Pinker (healthier?) then it was when he came in. KELLY Oh... Oh God... what have you done to me? Magneto hangs up the phone. He crosses to Kelly, leans in and whispers in his ear. MAGNETO Welcome to the future... brother. Magneto stands, looks at his machine, then back at Kelly. MAGNETO Now if you ll excuse me... I have a train to catch. TRAIN NIGHT The silver Amtrack moves speedily through the dark countryside. TRAIN NIGHT A CONDUCTOR makes his way through a half filled car of commuters taking tickets. He passes a restroom and exits the car. He takes a seat. Logan emerges from the restroom, having avoided paying his fare. A few seats in front of him, in a grouping of seats that face one another, sit four large guys, early twenties They re the guys from your college named Brad that used to get drunk and try to drown freshmen in the toilets. We ll call them BRADS , , , and . They are drinking from beer cans in paper bags. Across the aisle from them sits a lone oddly pretty twenty year old girl. Her name is ROGUE a dark eyed and somewhat distant creature. From the shawl around her head to her boots, layers of odd clothing wrap every inch of her body, except her face and hands. She looks worn, it is the face of a runaway. Next to her, a dirty duffle bag. The Brads are staring at Rogue, making lewd comments about her. They have obviously been drinking for awhile. BRAD Hey. Rogue looks at him, then quickly looks away. BRAD Hey... Hey I m talking to you. The Brads laugh amongst themselves at her reaction. BRAD (looking at her duffle bag) Where are you going? BRAD Awww... look guys she s shy. BRAD Maybe that s why she s alone. Is that why you re alone? Brad , who is closest to Rogue, leans toward her. BRAD I ll keep you company. Rogue is silent and turns her back on him, trying to ignore him. BRAD Hey... I m talking to you. Rogue continues to ignore him. This gets Brad angry. The other Brads watch his failure and laugh. BRAD (louder) I said I m talking to you! Logan, his ears picking up everything. Rogue looks down trying not to look at them. Brad will not be ignored. He reaches out to the one place which is not covered by clothing that he can reach  Rogue s hand lying at her side. BRAD (louder still) I said...! He grabs her hand. Suddenly, Brad s eyes open wide as if he s in shock, an instant later, he COLLAPSES. Rogue reels back. Brad s , , and stand up, they are angry. BRAD Hey, what did you do? ROGUE Don t touch me. Rogue stands, frightened and confused. Brad blocks her in. BRAD Hey Brad, she s a mutant! Rogue moves to get away, but Brad shoves Rogue. Rogue falls to the floor of the train, right next to Logan s feet. Brad moves toward her. Suddenly, Logan steps in front of Brad . LOGAN How about you sit down and leave the kid alone, alright? BRAD She s a mutant. LOGAN Yeah, well, nobody s perfect. Rogue, she gets up and huddles toward the rear of the train. BRAD (who is considerably larger than Logan) I think you should take a seat little fella. He shoves Logan backward. Logan gathers himself. Brad is very weak but regaining consciousness. Brads and stand to back their friend against Logan. It s now three against one. All the passengers are watching LOGAN Listen I don t want any trouble. BRAD Well you got trouble. Brad slams his fist into Logan s stomach. Logan grabs the man s fist and lifts him up and over, slamming him into the train floor. Brad grabs a commuter s briefcase and smashes it on Logan s head. Bursting open, its contents fly everywhere. Logan turns. Brad stares wide eyed as the gash on Logan s head starts to heal. Suddenly, Brad is up. He grabs Logan around the neck from behind. He holds Logan in his head lock while Brad and start punching him in the stomach and face. Logan is taking quite a beating and naturally the entire train of people are doing nothing. Logan s eyes, his pupils are getting smaller. His brow furrows like a wolf. A low guttural GROWL. Suddenly rage PRIMAL RAGE Logan s feet kick out, his left foot strikes Brad in the face knocking him backward, while his right foot hooks around Brad s head dragging him forward. With his left hand Logan grabs Brad by the throat, squeezing the esophagus. Brad is paralyzed. His eyes roll up as the oxygen is cut off. Brad collapses. Brad running out of the car with the other passengers. A TRANSIT COP pushes past the fleeing passengers, into the car. Brad still bear hugs Logan from behind. Logan reaches pushing his knuckles against Brad s leg. Suddenly SHOOK the sound of metal extending. Brad howls in pain. SHOOK the sound of metal retracting. Brad releases Logan and stares down at three punctured holes in his leg. Logan wheels around, kicks him to the floor, and punches him. All eyes in the train are on Logan, as he raises his fist. SHOOK Logan extends his claws. Logan is at the peak of his rage. The passengers stare in disbelief. Even Rogue is astonished. TRANSIT COP Freeze... transit police. Drop your weapon. Logan pauses, only for a second. Brad is wailing for his life. But rage has taken over. Logan raises his blades to finish what he started. Suddenly, THE TRAIN LURCHES VIOLENTLY. Logan goes flying backward. TRAIN NIGHT The train has been brought to a sudden stop but the wheels are still turning. Finally, they are shut down. TRAIN CAR NIGHT The lights are out. Everyone gathers themselves. Then comes a low grinding creak. The sound of metal bending. Rivets popping. TRAIN NIGHT Like the top of a sardine can, the entire side wall of the train car is peeled off. Revealing the terrified passengers inside and Magneto, Sabretooth, Mystique Toad and Pyro on the outside. With a final thrust, the air RIPPLES and Magneto tosses the car wall to the side. Passengers from the other cars stare wide eyed out their windows. The train has stopped at a railroad crossing, the gates are down. MAGNETO You can come out now, Logan. You re among friends. The transit cop rises to his feet, brandishing his pistol. TRANSIT COP Freeze! With a turn of his finger, Magneto draws the pistol to him. The cop holds tight and is yanked off the train, onto the ground. With another twist of his hand, Magneto makes the gun leap from the cop s grasp and HOVER, pointing at the cop s head. MAGNETO You Homo Sapiens and your guns. The gun cocks. XAVIER That s enough, Max! All turn to see Xavier, seated in his wheelchair flanked by Cyclops, Jean and Storm. All, save Xavier, are in uniform. THUNDER RUMBLES ACROSS THE SKY Storm, a GUST OF WIND. MAGNETO I ll never understand your regard for them, Charles. XAVIER And I ll never understand terrorists. MAGNETO I am trying to save our kind, Charles. You should do the same. XAVIER Not at the cost of lives, Max. Xavier s metal chair is gripped by magnetic forces. It shakes and begins to inch towards Magneto. MAGNETO Magneto. The chair is pulled closer to Magneto. Cyclops steps forward. Xavier need not turn to know help is coming. Magneto sees and respects Cyclops s power. The chair stops moving. XAVIER (to Cyclops) It s alright... it s alright. Magneto glances at Storm, then Cyclops. MAGNETO The two in Alaska. Just how do you people manage to be in the right place at the right time? Still tinkering with Cerebro? XAVIER (referring to Logan) What do you want with him? Magneto smiles now, tapping his METAL HELMET. MAGNETO Can t read my mind? Xavier s expression falters. It appears as if the helmet has been made to block Xavier from doing just that. MAGNETO I ll tell you something, Charles, we are more alike now than we were when we started. XAVIER Is that so? MAGNETO Still trying to make the world safe for our kind. Still trying to find a way to introduce ourselves definitively. XAVIER You definition of definitive was always a bit extreme for me, Max. What is it like these days? MAGNETO Let s just say that I am out to make some radical changes. Now come on Charles. For old times sake, for your sake... Leave him to me. Logan slowly rises from the huddled passengers. Sabretooth fighting the urge to move on him. Logan glares back at Sabretooth. MAGNETO Ahh... there you are brother. I believe you possess something I am very much in need of. Just then, SABRETOOTH ROARS UNCONTROLLABLY and punches Toad in the stomach, doubling him over. Oddly Toad is laughing. He stands upright. TOAD Do it again. Another roar and another punch. Toad is crying and laughing at the same time. TOAD Oh God it hurts. Do it again. Magneto watches this, momentarily stunned. Suddenly, Pyro grabs hold of his face. PYRO I M BLIND. And Mystique MORPHS into a small child and begins tugging at Magneto s pant leg. MYSTIQUE I have to go to the bathroom. Magneto looks at the cause of it all XAVIER, HIS EYES CONCENTRATING, HAS ALL OF MAGNETO S MINIONS UNDER HIS PSYCHIC CONTROL. Cyclops cannot help laughing. Storm and Jean smile. Magneto is furious. MAGNETO If I could make you understand. If you could just be made to see it the way I do. The way it s going to be. XAVIER The way what is going to be? MAGNETO I m going to change the world with or without you as a witness, Charles. (Points to Logan) And this one gets a front row seat. XAVIER What do you mean to do? And Magneto steps back a little further. His oddly behaving consorts follow. MAGNETO This checkmate goes to you. I didn t want to hurt anyone. But you leave me no choice. XAVIER WHAT DO YOU MEAN TO DO? Sabretooth and Toad walk away, still with the punching and asking to be punched. Magneto takes the little girl Mystique by the hand and the blind Pyro by the arm and leads them away, humiliated, to their waiting helicopter. Xavier turns back to Logan, still standing in the train car, amidst all the huddled passengers. Suddenly, all the passengers except Rogue lay on the floor and seats and go to sleep. A few of them even snore. XAVIER Now will you come back with us? A look crosses Logan s face. Uncomfortable. LOGAN Look, I appreciate your concern. But, I do better on my own. Xavier indicates the wreckage of the train. XAVIER You got less than sixty miles today. I ll make you a deal. Two days. If we haven t figured out what Magneto wants with you by then... I ll bring you back myself. Logan looks up at Xavier suspiciously, hating that he is making sense. Xavier moves closer. Logan looks over at Rogue, covered in her layers of clothes. Storm is helping her off the train, yet taking care not to touch her skin. LOGAN What are you going to do with her? Xavier looks to Rogue. A warmth comes over his face. An look of understanding. At a glance he has read her mind. He knows her pain her struggle. Rogue looks to Xavier. Their eyes meet. XAVIER Rogue is a beautiful girl, with an extraordinary power. One that even her own family isn t able to accept. She s been on her own for weeks now, searching for a home. A place to belong. Xavier turns to Logan. XAVIER We re going to give her that. Logan looks at rogue, contemplating this. Then to Xavier. LOGAN Forty eight hours, old man. But if you cross me, I won t feel any guilt about what I do to you. XAVIER Deal. Logan eyes the rest of the gang until he settles his gaze on Jean. He offers a faint seductive smile. This is not lost on Cyclops. MAGNETO S LAIR CELL LATER NIGHT A cell with bars, but no visible door. Kelly is hunched over his toilet, heaving. His suit is rumpled and dirty, showing signs that time has passed. There is a television just outside the door We see SEVERAL NEWS HELICOPTERS circling a platform built against the backdrop of the main entrance to Ellis Island. We see massive security measures, the likes of which have never been attempted, being prepared. (Voice plays over the rest of the scene) NEWSCASTER (V.O.) Is there such a thing as too much security? A possible complication adding to the United Nations Anniversary is the sheer number of security personnel for what will be the largest single summit in the history of the planet. He walks towards the cell and tries to look down the hall, pressing his face to the bars. NEWSCASTER (V.O. CONT D) While the Secret Service has never had difficulty handling one or even several world leaders, it has never had to handle the daunting task of watching over all of them. It is only then that he hears a slight crack and his head squeezes between the bars like a soft shelled egg. He gasps in pain, but more from shock. He pulls his head back with some difficulty and POP, it squeezes right back through. KELLY What have you bastards done to me? Kelly is horrified. Disgusted. He paces the cell, unable to comprehend what has happened to himself. It is only when he hears the sound of a HELICOPTER IN THE DISTANCE that he reacts. He starts to panic, then collects himself. Then he goes over to the bars again. He pauses, afraid... then He pops his head through again. He turns his shoulder toward the bars and begins to push. His feet slip in the floor and his fingers stretch and crack inside, then his ribs begin to pop one by one with the brittleness of undercooked spaghetti. It is agonizing, but Kelly finally manages to pull his horribly altered body through the bars. HALLWAY NIGHT Kelly s whole chest and pelvis are slightly flattened beneath his clothes, but with a hideous crunching sound, they seem to inflate again back to normal. Kelly looks at his body with a mixture of fascination and disgust. VOICE HEY. Kelly turns and screams. Blob has just walked into the room and lunges, grabbing him by the arms. Kelly is enveloped in this fat, hulking mass. He manages to keep one hand free and all he can do is push it against Blob s face. It is futile. Until... Steam begins to come off Blob s face. And Blob SCREAMS IN PAIN. HELIPAD NIGHT Senator Kelly s helicopter, which has obviously been pilfered for Magneto s use, lands. Magneto, Sabretooth, Pyro, Mystique (no Toad) all climb out, having returned from their ill fated attempt to get Logan. HALLWAY ELSEWHERE NIGHT Kelly peers down the hall where we first went on our way to meet Magneto. Kelly, with only that way to go, does so, passing once again the odd assortment of machines, very reminiscent of the one he was exposed to. He hears voices coming toward him and he looks around wildly, wondering what to do. Shadows foretell the arrival of the brotherhood headed this way. Kelly turns to run back from where he cam from. HALLWAY ELSEWHERE NIGHT Magneto and Sabretooth come walking from the other end of the hall and pass the very spot where we just saw Kelly. No sign of him. CELL NIGHT From which Kelly has escaped. The bars bend to make room for Magneto as he walks into the room. MAGNETO How are we feeling today, Senator? Advanced, I hope... But he freezes when he actually enters the room. First, he sees that Blob is laying on the floor with a purple, welt like hand print across his face. It is blistered and hideous. Blob is gasping for air. Magneto looks and sees the cell is empty. He looks at Sabretooth. MAGNETO I want him alive. SABRETOOTH I ll find him. MAGNETO ALIVE. And Sabretooth bolts back from where they came. MAGNETO S LAIR NIGHT Kelly hits the fresh air, looking around wildly. He runs for the edge of a cliff high over the ocean. He raises his hands, we see his palms are covered with those wicked spines and they are dripping a venomous fluid not too different in color from the wound on Blob s face. But then suddenly, something is wrong. Kelly buckles, clutching his stomach again. He squelches what would have been a scream of agony. He looks at his palms and the spikes are gone. Kelly hears footsteps. Suddenly out of the darkness Sabretooth barrels toward him. Kelly turns and LEAPS. Sabretooth comes to the edge of the cliff. When he looks over, Kelly s body has vanished. Swallowed by the sea. Only his clothes remain on the rocks below. LOGAN S ROOM NIGHT Jean shows Logan the simple dorm cube with a bed and a small desk. Jean opens the door for Logan and he inspects the sparse surroundings grimly. Cyclops stands just outside the door eavesdropping. JEAN Anything else I can get you? LOGAN Some cigars. Case of beer. JEAN There s no smoking or drinking on the school grounds. LOGAN I won t light the cigars how about that? JEAN I ll see what I can do You should get some sleep. Even with your healing ability, you re going to be hurting for a while. LOGAN What if I like the pain? Jean doesn t know what to make of that. She is about to leave, then pauses. JEAN The Professor said you were a solider. Actually, I believe he used the word mercenary. LOGAN Yeah? Well I don t like to talk about my past. JEAN Maybe, the Professor could help you with that. LOGAN By reading my thoughts? JEAN If necessary. LOGAN (smirks) What if they re naughty? Jean smiles politely at his knowing glance. JEAN Get some shut eye, slick. She shuts the door. HALLWAY NIGHT Jean hesitates at the door, thinking. Smiling. She turns and only then does she realize Cyclops is standing there. She is startled. JEAN Scott.. I CYCLOPS I don t like him being here. JEAN What are you talking about? CYCLOPS You saw what happened tonight. You think Magneto won t come after him again. You think he won t come here if necessary. This is a school, for God s sake. JEAN If Magneto is planning to use Logan for some terrible purpose it s our responsibility to do something. Cyclops shakes his head. JEAN What s wrong? There s something else bothering you. Cyclops gets closer to Jean. She puts her hand on his chest. CYCLOPS I have a bad feeling about this. Jean leans in slowly and kisses Cyclops just beside his mouth JEAN You know I love you, Scott. Cyclops pulls her close. The hold each other. LOGAN S ROOM NIGHT Logan s ear. His super sensitive hearing has picked up the whole conversation. Logan looks over on the bed and sees a new sketchbook and several pencils. A small note is attached. I hope you don t mind. I understand this helps you relax. X Logan shakes his head. XAVIER S OFFICE LATER NIGHT A white light board. Beast s blue furry hand slides a long, full body x ray in place. Beast is showing Logan s x rays to Cyclops, Storm, Jean and Xavier. BEAST Adamantium. Until today I thought it to be a myth. Impenetrable, unbendable, resistant to the most extreme heat, cold, indestructible. Beast points to the x ray. BEAST (CONT D) It s been grafted to his entire skeleton. XAVIER He also has accelerated healing abilities uncharted regenerative capability, making his age impossible to determine. He could very well be older than I am. STORM Is the Adamantium part of his mutation? XAVIER No. Someone put it there, relying on his healing abilities to keep him alive. CYCLOPS What do you think Magneto wants with him? Xavier wheels himself to the window, starring out, deep in thought. XAVIER I m not entirely sure it s ìhimî that Magneto wants. X ray of Logan s Adamantium skeleton. MANSION NIGHT Rogue. The waifish young thing who hides so well in the shadows seems more comfortable to be moving through the mansion at night. She passes through the halls and rooms not making a sound in her strangely swathed body suit. LOGAN S ROOM NIGHT She creaks a door open slowly, letting a shaft of dim light slice the darkness. The light shines across a nightstand. Rogue stares down at the notepad, a sketch it. It is of an animal, small but fierce a wolverine. She walks in to a figure laying in the bed and stands over him. Over Logan. He lays under a single sheet, sweating, his eyes moving quickly this way and that in R.E.M. His hands twitch. Rogue leans closer. PUSH IN ON LOGAN S EYES AS THEY MOVE UNDER THE LIDS. FLASH DREAM SEQUENCE MILITARY LAB THE PAST NIGHT Like none we have ever seen thus far. In fact, judging by most of the instruments here, we are looking at a laboratory some fifty years old. Logan looks down and we can see his body, naked, strapped to a table. A hand puts a mask over his mouth and BLACK He awakens STILL LOGAN S He struggles weakly with restraints as doctors in lab coats and thick, red rubber gloves stand over him taking notes, paying very little attention to him at all. On the other side of the room is a huge vat filled with some kind of molten metal. At the base of the vat is a giant electromagnet generating a huge gyroscope which created enormous friction energy the apparent source of the intense heat for melting the metal in the vat. AGAIN THE MASK PUTS HIM UNDER AND BLACK Awake again, but this time sinking into water restrained completely now. Logan looks down and gets only a glance of his body, seeing that he is a series of incisions from head to toe literally split open the flesh held back with hundreds of clamps. HE SINKS INTO THE STRANGE LIQUID LIKE WATER BUT THICK AND VISCOUS. And the sound of a DROWNING SCREAM. AND THE METAL IS POURED IN AFTER HIM. THE SOUND OF MOLTEN METAL HITTING LIQUID IS UNNERVING. Mixed with screams, it is unbearable. LOGAN S ROOM NIGHT SCREAMING Logan s screaming as he comes to. Logan s eyes FLASH OPEN. He looks up and sees a figure looming over him. In a flash he reacts. THUD. Nothing more. Then silence. The door bursts open and Cyclops stands in the doorway shocked. Frozen. Jean is next and finally Storm. They can only stare. Logan sits upright in bed, CLAWS EXTENDED, INTO ROGUE S CHEST. She is literally frozen at the end of his arm. Finally, Cyclops breaks the silence and moves to grab her. STORM DON T TOUCH HER. Cyclops freezes. Logan finally pulls his claws free and retracts them. Rogue staggers, she pitches forward and touches his face gently with her hands, as though she would like him to be the last thing she sees on this Earth. Logan and Rogue, locked in a fatal moment of tenderness snaring a look of loneliness that only they can understand. But suddenly, Logan seems to change. And before he can say another word, he begins to tremble, then he starts to howl in pain. Rogue SNAPS BACK, mouth open in a gaping, silent scream. What sound comes out does not match the expression at all. Merely a gasp, like steam escaping. Through the huge slash in her clothes, we see the wound on her chest slowly vanish. Before long, she transforms back into a healthy young girl with no sign of injury. Then, her escaping breath begins to accelerate, much in the way Logan s did too much like Logan s did. It is as if she has taken in his trait of berserker rage. Soon she is smashing things all around her. One hand rakes the wallpaper like claws. Finally, she gets a hold of herself, becoming the introverted Rogue we all know so well. Then she stands slowly, looks at the others. And she runs from the room. Storm runs after her. The rest turn to Logan, who lays on the floor, convulsing. Jean goes to help him. She looks back at Cyclops. His expression makes it clear that his worst fears about Logan have come to pass. PUBLIC BEACH DAY A familiar scene of suburban escapism. Crowded enough that most people can move about unnoticed. In fact, most people do not notice the very large jellyfish shooting through the water at remarkable speed. And only a few notice the COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT MAN emerging from the water. It is Senator Kelly, and he resembles in many ways a jellyfish. His skin and innards are clear and gooey. It is only when he comes completely and naked out of the water that he returns to somewhat normal. He walks up to the beach and people recoil from the very sight of him. Pointing, whispering. Then just laughing at the naked man. Kelly grabs a towel off an empty chair, a Hawaiian shirt off another. Suddenly, he buckles, grabbing his stomach and lurching away in terrible pain. He barely pauses when he hears a child s voice in semi whisper CHILD S VOICE Mom, is that a mutant? HALLWAY DUSK Storm and Logan walk down the hall. Logan is wearing sweats. He has obviously just woken up. The sun is low in the horizon and the hall is suffused with an orange glow. Students pass by them. By now, the students have heard rumors about what happened the night before. They watch Logan fearfully as they pass by him. LOGAN Why is everybody up at sunrise? STORM The sun is setting, Logan. You ve been asleep for nineteen hours. LOGAN What did she do to me? STORM She borrowed your power to save her life. When she touches someone, she absorbs their strengths their gifts. In your case your ability to heal. That s why she keeps her body covered. LOGAN I felt like she almost killed me. STORM If she held on any longer she could have. LOGAN And you think it helps calling her Rogue? Storm shakes her head, but remains patient. STORM We ve learned to embrace what we are rather than hide it like an affliction. For some, it has become their identity. You mock the names these people choose but they wear them as badges of pride. They arrive at the door to the gym. LOGAN Inspiring Now what am I doing here? CYCLOPS I wanted to talk to you. Logan turns and sees Cyclops. CYCLOPS Storm, would you excuse us please? STORM Of course. She exits. CYCLOPS Let s take a walk. Cyclops begins to walk away in the other direction. Logan just watches him go. After a moment, he decides it might be more interesting to see where this is going. He follows. They walk across the hall to GYMNASIUM NIGHT On first glance, the gym looks really average. A fairly standard boxing ring in the middle. A fairly standard weight set nearby. Then you notice the weights themselves are abnormally large. . . . pounds. All the way up to . And that is just one stack. Cyclops enters first with Logan coming in behind him. CYCLOPS How long have you been in Alaska? LOGAN I don t remember. Is that what you wanted to ask me? Logan is barely through the door when Cyclops whips around on Logan and thumps his finger into his chest. CYCLOPS I just wanted to make you clear on something. Personally, I don t care what Magneto wants with you. He can take those claws of yours and use them for Barbecue skewers. What I do care about is the safety of this group. The Professor is in charge, and after the Professor, there s me. So, for the remainder of your time here, you re going to keep that killer instinct of yours locked down so no one else gets hurt. Beat. LOGAN (smirks) I ve served with men like you before. Methodical. Systematic Naive. You know what happens to those men in a real fight? CYCLOPS You know, you LOGAN Shut up. I got no interest in you, Xavier, (he points mockingly at the X s on Cyclops uniform) or your... X Men. Logan takes him in for a moment. LOGAN And I don t think this has anything to do with my ìkiller instinct.î You just don t like the way I m looking at your girl Or maybe you don t like the way she s looking back. And maybe you think you re man enough to do something about it. Cyclops is enraged. A red light begins to glow around the edge of his visor and the ruby quartz lens brightens. We can faintly hear the low hum of immense power that is now barely contained. Before Cyclops can even react, Logan puts his fist against Cyclops throat. SHOOK! Logan extends one claw up one side of Cyclops neck. He smiles. LOGAN C mon sport. You think you can blow the meat off my bones before I gut you? Let s find out. The air is now charged with tension. The two men are about to attack when XAVIER Cyclops! Logan whirls and sees Xavier regarding them sternly. Logan turns his building anger on Xavier. LOGAN I have a question for you, Chuck. What s the point? Xavier sits calmly as Logan, claws still extended, marches over to him. XAVIER The point of what? LOGAN This. This whole God damn thing. (derisively, at Cyclops) Making yourselves into some sort of ìteamî of super powered freaks. Teaching wayward mutants about classical literature. For what? Logan continues to advance on Xavier. Cyclops moves to stop Logan, but Xavier waves him off. XAVIER The point is to step into a more evolved position of social responsibility. To recognize that there is a world out there and that we mutants are as much a part of it as normal human beings. LOGAN What if it never happens? What if they re so afraid of us that we become the enemy? This place is gonna be one giant cemetery. Xavier has heard this argument before. XAVIER Now that s Magneto talking. LOGAN No. That s me talking. And you know what? It s only been thirty two hours and you still have no idea what this guy wants with me. XAVIER I believe he wants you for your Adamantium. Logan raises his hand to his chest grasping for something that no longer hangs from his neck. XAVIER You re thinking of your dog tag. It was made of Adamantium wasn t it? JEAN Professor. Logan turns and sees Jean walking towards them. XAVIER What is it? JEAN Rogue s missing. Logan looks at Jean with concern. CORRIDOR NIGHT A long, dark subterranean corridor with gleaming walls and floor. Well lit and strangely echoless. Logan follows Xavier, who are in turn followed by Storm, Cyclops and Jean to a thick steel door at the end of the hall. LOGAN Where are we going? XAVIER To find Rogue. LOGAN How? XAVIER The brainwaves of mutants are quite different than those of the average human being. At Xavier s eye level is a black screen with a chin rest like you see at the eye doctor. Xavier rests his head in it and the screen lights up. XAVIER Cerebro amplifies my power. It allows me to browse the world s consciousness and find the genetically enhanced. A vertical beam scans across his eye and a picture of Xavier s retina appears on the screen next to a computerized image of the same. The two images overlap and match perfectly. XAVIER This is how I found you. A small beep and a loud KNOCK of tumblers rolling and the vault door opens. They walk inside. CEREBRO CONTINUOUS NIGHT They come into a room with a high sphered ceiling entirely black. In the center of the room is a huge for lack of a better term device. Part computer, part super structure, it is the sort of precision tangle of metal and wire that would make Da Vinci weep. It has a space in the bottom that seems to fit Xavier and his chair perfectly. Suspended above its center a web of wires, tubes, and cables all connecting to the heart of the device a CHROME SKULLCAP. Logan slowly circles the device. Logan looks at Xavier, perhaps even a little impressed. LOGAN You designed this yourself? XAVIER Actually, Magneto helped me put it together. LOGAN He helped you? XAVIER We were friends once... But that was a long time ago. Jean, Logan, Cyclops and Storm watch as Xavier fits his wheelchair into the huge machine, and the chrome skull cap lowers onto the Professor s head, fitting like a second skin. It comes to life. What was dark and menacing is now a brilliant explosion of colored lights. CLOSE UP ON XAVIER into and through his eyes and SPACE NIGHT Closing in rapidly on the planet Earth. Passing into its atmosphere, making a few orbits, all the while hearing the deafening voices of billions. Every country, every city, every town, berg, hamlet and village. Every language. Every thought. The voices descend to a sizeable crowd of millions, then thousands, gradually working their way to one. SKY OVER WESTCHESTER NIGHT Down a tree lined road and around a corner into a parking lot. Single out a figure that by the clothes can only be Rogue. Close in faster and faster, lower and lower until we go right through the back of her head to BLACK SILENCE ROGUE I don t belong... I don t belong... I m sorry... so sorry... there s nowhere... CEREBRO NIGHT Xavier s eyes open. XAVIER I ve found her, Westchester Mall. LOGAN I ll go. CYCLOPS No... I ll go. Logan looks over to Jean. LOGAN O.K. sport... you go. WESTCHESTER MALL NIGHT A mother and child wander in a typical shopping daze. PULL OUT TO REVEAL Crowds of shoppers mill about, a typical crowded evening at the mall. Rogue comes up the escalator, wandering through them all. She walks under a high sphered glass ceiling, revealing the night sky outside. She walks over to a Victoria s Secret store and looks up at the mannequins in the windows who wear almost nothing at all. Quite a contrast from her own, stifling garb. She touches the glass as though trying to reach them, then she moves on. ROGUE S She looks all around the mall at the many oblivious people here. Children playing tag on one side. A young couple holding hands. Human contact all around. She walks past a small child, her hand nearly brushing the girl s hair. Rogue takes a seat on a bench, alone. A figure comes into frame. STORM Rogue. Rogue looks up and sees Storm standing right in front of her. Her eyes dart around, looking for a way out. STORM You don t have to run. Finally, Rogue surrenders. ROGUE I m sorry. I m not like the rest of you I m tired of hurting people. She starts to cry now. STORM It s okay. ROGUE Why did I have to be like this? What purpose does it serve? And when Rogue looks up, she sees another figure this one filling the frame behind Storm. A huge clawed hand grabs Storm around the throat and lifts her up as she struggles in vain. MALL LOWER LEVEL NIGHT Cyclops looks up and sees Storm is being CHOKED BY SABRETOOTH, her feet not touching the ground. Rogue is frozen with fear. He tries to get a shot with his visor, but too many people are in the way. MALL UPPER LEVEL NIGHT Sabretooth smiles as Storm struggles to turn. He whispers in her ear. SABRETOOTH Scream for me. CLOSE UP ON STORM S EYES as the life is being squeezed out of her. XAVIER S OFFICE NIGHT MIRROR SHOT OF XAVIER S EYES Suddenly, Xavier touches his throat, then raises a shaking hand to his head. XAVIER Dear God. Xavier wheels himself from the room. MALL LOWER LEVEL NIGHT Cyclops has a clear shot now. His eyes start to glow brightly. Suddenly, a familiar movement on the pedestal behind him. Toad has been camouflaged the entire time. He comes down and FLICKS HIS LIZARD LIKE TONGUE, snatching the visor from Cyclops face. Deep red light far greater than anything we have ever seen before comes blasting out of cyclops eyes without any sort of control, as if a fire hydrant had been ripped from the ground. His head comes back and the light blows the whole of the glass ceiling to smithereens, bringing it down on panicking shoppers who scatter. Toad leaps to the second level and then again out of sight. MALL UPPER LEVEL NIGHT Sabretooth reacts, surprised by the sudden shift. This gives Storm one last chance to breath. We notice now that something is happening to her body. MALL LOWER LEVEL NIGHT Cyclops stumbles helpless, his eyes are shut to prevent further destruction. CYCLOPS GET OUT OF THE WAY. GET OUT OF THE WAY. MALL UPPER LEVEL NIGHT Storm, nearly lifeless now, struggles with what little strength she has to get free of Sabretooth. He relishes the slow kill. But suddenly ALL THE HAIR ON HIS BODY STANDS ON END. Sabretooth is momentarily confused. Storm s eyes open wide as her body convulses. BOOM A huge bolt of lightning shoot from her body into Sabretooth s chest, knocking him back in shock. Storm falls to the ground, not breathing. Sabretooth, stunned and scorched, gets to his feet and smiles at his handiwork. He is about to move in and finish them both when the rumble of a helicopter can be heard above. He looks up and sees SENATOR KELLY S HELICOPTER passing over the hold in the roof. Sabretooth leaps up and pulls himself out of the opening. Toad is a leap behind. Rogue rushes to Storm, struggling with how to give her mouth to mouth, CPR, anything to resuscitate her without touching. She is starting to panic now. She looks around, but anyone still left in the mall is running for the doors. ROGUE SOMEONE HELP ME. SHE S NOT BREATHING. MALL LOWER LEVEL NIGHT Cyclops stumbles blind and helpless, covering his eyes. He hears Rogue screaming. CYCLOPS ROGUE? ROGUE HELP ME. STORM ISN T BREATHING. Cyclops tries to find a way up, but he trips over all the debris, helpless. CYCLOPS YOU HAVE TO COME AND GET ME. I CAN T SEE. STREETS NIGHT Xavier is in a specially designed car that enables him to drive solely with his hands. He races towards the mall. MALL UPPER LEVEL NIGHT Rogue is talking, walking backwards towards Storm, trying her best not to lay a hand on Cyclops. ROGUE Here, here, here... a little left. Careful. Cyclops drops to his knees, the sprinklers still gushing. His eyes are tightly shut. He feels for Storm s face and touches her lips. CYCLOPS Oh God. He immediately begins mouth to mouth, though it may have been too long. MALL NIGHT Xavier fights the rush of traffic people fleeing madly from the mall. As he pulls up to the front doors, he sees Cyclops emerging, carrying Storm. She is conscious, but her breathing is shallow. His eyes are shut tightly and he must follow Rogue s direction. Sirens wail in the distance. Xavier looks at the lot of them waifish Rogue, blind Cyclops, unconscious Storm and his wheelchair bound self as their guardian. XAVIER But why would they do this? Then a look of realization... MANSION MEANWHILE NIGHT Rogue hurries past several students. She runs up to the large front doors of the school, but they are locked. She looks around and then runs toward the side of the building. LABORATORY NIGHT Beast, continuing his research into Magneto s plan, is analyzing the x rays of Logan s skeleton. Several books about metallurgy are scattered across the table. LOGAN S ROOM NIGHT Logan is sketching quietly. He chews a cigar, keeping it politely unlit. He hears something. He stands, goes to the door and opens it. He cocks his head... listening... smiling... We hear it too, sharing his ears. It is a woman breathing, groaning. He smiles and follows the noise. MANSION NIGHT Rogue climbs through a student s open window. MANSION NIGHT She darts down a hallway and around a corner, looking around, staying low. GYMNASIUM NIGHT Jean is working out on an average sized set of free weights, sweating, pushing hard. Obviously the sound Logan heard. She is on her back doing presses. Suddenly, she looks up and sees Logan standing over. She is startled and starts to drop the bar. He catches it. LOGAN You should always work with a spotter. JEAN He s busy right now. Logan cannot help but glance at her left hand, still clinging to the bar. The shimmering diamond on the third finger. LOGAN I was thinking maybe you and me could go into town. JEAN Were you now? LOGAN What do you say? JEAN Not interested. Logan shrugs, starts to take his hands away. Jean is not ready to take the weight of the bar. It almost comes down on her when he catches it again. JEAN Let go. LOGAN Suit yourself. And he does. And so does Jean at the same time. She gets up and faces Logan the bar simply hovers in mid air. Logan smiles. LABORATORY NIGHT Beast looks at his watch. It s stopped. He puts it to his ear shakes it. Then his ears perk up. He hears something. He glances at the wall. All things METAL picture frames, chairs, objects on tables, etc. start to move one after the other. It is as if some magnetic force is moving past the wall, just outside the lab, heading for the open door. Beast, sensing the danger, makes a run for the metal door. Just as he reaches it, it SLAMS closed knocking him back across the room. Beast CRASHES into the wall on the opposite side of the lab. His leg badly hurt, Beast tries to crawl toward the door. But as he does this, METAL OBJECTS from around the lab fly in front of it sealing him in. CORRIDOR NIGHT Rogue moves quietly down the corridor that leads to Cerebro. She comes to the retinal scanner she brings her eye to the screen. It lights up and scans her eye. A PICTURE OF XAVIER S RETINA appears on the screen. A SINGLE WORD APPEARS ON THE SCREEN beneath it ACCESS DENIED The scanner scans again. ON ROGUE S EYE Something is wrong. The eye not being scanned is a familiar yellow. It is Mystique. Her other eye changes in the light of the scanner. The retina reshaping itself in minute ways. The screen ACCESS GRANTED CHARLES XAVIER The door to Cerebro opens. Rogue or rather Mystique, rushes in. She goes to a small panel on the side of Cerebro. She opens it. She reaches in. SHE REMOVES A COMPUTER CHIP No more than three inches wide. HALLWAY NIGHT The black boots of a man, walk down a hallway, as students peer from their sleeping quarters, terrified. GYMNASIUM NIGHT Jean is casually wiping sweat from her brow. Logan s eyes possess a certain focus intent. LOGAN He s uptight. JEAN He takes his work seriously. LOGAN He takes himself seriously. JEAN What is it you re failing to get at? Are you interested in me? JEAN I m just interested. Holding out her left hand. JEAN Logan, do you see this ring? LOGAN I ve seen a lot of rings. JEAN Yeah, I ll bet you have. Before he can reply, Rogue is standing in the doorway looking at them. JEAN Rogue, where have you been? ROGUE Logan. The Professor wants you to come with me right away. on Logan s nose. His nostrils flare... sensing... Logan squints the tiniest bit. We know he knows something is wrong, but he is hiding it. LOGAN (to Rogue) Hey Rogue, tell Jean what you were telling me last night. Rogue pauses. Confused. ROGUE The Professor Logan walks towards her. LOGAN You remember. About women. He moves closer. ROGUE Logan LOGAN Whatever you say about them being the same... SHOOK. The claws are out. HE LUNGES. LOGAN No two women smell alike. He grabs Rogue by the throat. JEAN Logan, what are you doing? Jean, seeing Logan threaten Rogue with his claws for the second time, RAISES A VAULTING HORSE INTO THE AIR. LOGAN This ain t Rogue! He keeps his claws pointed at her face. ANGLE TIGHT Logan s left hand is wrapped around Rogue s throat but part of it is TOUCHING THE EXPOSED SKIN OF HER FACE WITH NO ILL EFFECTS. Jean realizes that Logan is right. ROGUE MORPHS INTO MYSTIQUE. MAGNETO Telekinesis. Jean spins around and sees MAGNETO. Without hesitation, the vaulting horse FLIES AT MAGNETO. Simultaneously, one of the thousand pound weights flies from the weight set and smashes the vaulting horse aside. MAGNETO Fascinating. What I wouldn t give for that. Alas, metal is all I m good for. But it seems to serve me well enough. Jean is completely unaware of the huge set of lockers rising behind her. LOGAN Jean! WHAM. The lockers hit her in the back, sending her flying. Jean lies motionless on the floor, unconscious. The heavy lockers are floating above her, wavering between a few feet and a few inches. MAGNETO I do love a good check mate. LOGAN What do you want? MAGNETO Come with me and I ll let her live. LOGAN You think I care about her? I m the only one who s sure to walk out of here. Pause. MAGNETO Then why don t you kill her. This catches Logan a little off guard. MAGNETO Go on. Kill her. You can do it quicker than I will. Maybe I ll just cripple her. The lockers now stand upright, hovering over Jean s knees. MAGNETO So do her the favor. Show her mercy. Logan thinks for a moment looks at Jean still unconscious on the floor. Then Logan retracts his claws. Mystique has morphed back into her natural state with the exception of ONE OF ROGUE S POCKETS, which still clings to her hip. Mystique produces a large syringe from the pocket and sticks it in Logan s neck. Logan s legs weaken instantly. MAGNETO (to Mystique) Call the others and tell them we have what we came for. MANSION LATER NIGHT The fence that surrounds the property has been bent and buckled violently. MANSION HALLWAY NIGHT Xavier wheels down the hallway, pajama clad students are milling about the halls. Their faces showing that they are afraid to go back to their rooms. One GIRL, younger and smaller than the others, seems particularly upset. Xavier wheels over to her and gently touches the side of her face. XAVIER It s going to be alright. She manages a faint smile. Then Xavier looks to the other students their frightened faces. LABORATORY LATER NIGHT Beast reclines in his lab chair, a splint on his leg. Jean stands with Cyclops who watches through a new visor. Rogue sits off to the side, bearing the guilt. While Storm, her neck badly bruised, stands near her. For the first time we have seen Charles Xavier is angry. STORM When Rogue left the mansion, they must have followed her. Xavier shuts his eyes furious. XAVIER Yes... they wanted me out of the way. If I had been here... I... Xavier opens his eyes and sees Rogue sitting on a chair in the corner. She is visibly upset. Xavier wheels over to Rogue. Xavier reaches out and softly touches her clothing covered shoulder. XAVIER This was not your fault. I knew there was a danger, I should have never left the school. And with that he turns his wheelchair to the door. XAVIER I am going to find Logan. Xavier leaves. CEREBRO NIGHT Xavier enters and wheels himself into the giant machine. It immediately comes to life lighting the room. The chrome skull cap descends onto Xavier s head. Xavier closes his eyes as the machine powers up. ON XAVIER S EYES They fly open. And then a terrible noise. The sound of a well tuned machine suddenly going horribly wrong. Xavier is in terrible pain. His back arches and he falls from his chair onto the floor. He struggles to reach for a fire alarm on the wall. His fingers stretch until finally he pulls it. Warning bells wail. Xavier falls unconscious, convulsing. Cyclops and Jean as they burst into the room. LABORATORY LATER NIGHT Xavier lies asleep in a hospital bed. Several electrodes are taped to his head. A screen next to the bed monitors his erratic brain waves. Jean and the splinted Beast stare at the monitor following its rhythm. Storm and Rogue stand at the foot of the bed. They are each trying to hide their fear, and not doing a very good job of it. Cyclops looks on, the stress shows on his face. CYCLOPS What s wrong with him? JEAN His vital signs are weak and getting weaker. BEAST I m in the process of running more tests. But it seems that every minute that goes by he gets weaker. All are silent. Rogue looks to Beast with desperate eyes. ROGUE Can you help him? BEAST I don t know. Xavier lies in bed, motionless. FRONT HALL DAY Two huge wooden front doors morning light shines through the jagged holes in the wood where the knobs had been pulled off. The antique steel knobs lay twisted and mangled on the floor. The small girl from last night kneels in front of the door with a dustpan, sweeping up the mess. Something catches her eye. She sits up and leans in closer to the jagged hole in the door. The little girl light from the hole washes over her face. Then suddenly the light is cut off, as if something is blocking the hole. DOLLY IN as the small girl steps back, a look of fascination comes across her face. As if she sees something coming through the hole. CEREBRO DAY Cyclops, Jean and Storm stand before the device. Beast rises awkwardly on his splinted leg, his back to the open control panel. BEAST It s gone. The neuro filter, someone removed it. Jean stands. STORM What does that mean? BEAST The neuro filter acts like a surge protector, regulating the infinite flow of information from Cerebro to the Professor s mind. It s what keeps him from being crushed by the consciousness of millions. Cyclops steps away, pondering Beast s words. He understands the ramifications the damage that has been done to Xavier. CYCLOPS Can the Professor repair his own mind? BEAST I m afraid without Cerebro s help, he won t have the strength to heal himself And without the neuro filter... there s no Cerebro. Jean is noticeably upset. JEAN He s already losing control of his vitals. Respiratory. Cardiovascular. Unless we manage to replace the filter by tomorrow morning, I m afraid. CYCLOPS We have to find Magneto. He exits. Jean follows him. HALLWAY DAY Cyclops is standing, motionless. JEAN Are you all right? CYCLOPS No. I m... I don t know if we can do this without Charles. Jean puts her hand lovingly to his face. Cyclops takes her hand. JEAN He put you in charge for a reason, Scott. She goes to kiss him. SMALL GIRL Dr. Grey?... The small girl stands alone in the hallway. SMALL GIRL Someone is here to see you. Jean s eyes widen and around the corner steps Senator Kelly, wearing the clothing he had taken from the beach. He trembles as though from a high fever. His body is covered with a layer of sweat. KELLY Dr. Grey. JEAN Senator? CYCLOPS How did you get in here? KELLY Your front door was damaged... there was a hole... Kelly makes a hole with his hands that is not much larger then that of a coffee can. KELLY ... I squeezed through. Kelly buckles in pain, but then catches himself. Jean and Cyclops rush to help him. Beast crutches himself out to see what s happening. Kelly notices Beast. KELLY What in God s name are you? BEAST I m Beast. KELLY Of course you are. LABORATORY LATER DAY Xavier is in bed, eyes closed. Rogue holds vigil at his side. Kelly is in the bed next to him, trembling, burning up from what seems to be a bad fever that keeps getting worse. Jean has a syringe in her hand and is swabbing some alcohol on Kelly s skin. KELLY I m sorry to come here, Ms. Grey. I was afraid if I went to a hospital, they would... JEAN (interrupting) Treat you like a mutant? We are not what you think. Not all of us. KELLY Tell it to the ones that did this to me. Jean looks closer at his hands. JEAN I don t see these spikes you re talking about. I m going to give you an antibiotic for the Oh my God. Jean and Kelly both look as the cotton swab ignites like flash paper in her hand. Everyone is shocked. Jean pauses and takes the bottle of alcohol from the shelf. She pours a small amount on Kelly s arm and it instantly catches fire. LABORATORY LATER DAY Rogue is still sitting in a chair, next to Xavier s bed Xavier s opens his eyes. He looks at Rogue and smiles softly. XAVIER Hello, Rogue? Rogue almost jumps out of her chair with excitement. ROGUE Hold on, I ll get the others. Rogue exits. Xavier slowly looks over to Kelly lying in the bed next to him. Both men are weak and getting weaker. XAVIER Senator... Kelly? KELLY Yes... Who are you? XAVIER I am Charles Xavier. This is my school. Kelly tries to speak, but his strength is waning. The two men are a pitiful sight, both slowly coming apart. XAVIER Can you tell me what happened to you? Kelly is in pain. It s a struggle to speak. KELLY (weak, delirious) I was kidnapped... They killed GUYRICH... mutants... There was a light... a bright... light. Xavier turns to Kelly, looking deep into his eyes. He begins to PROBE KELLY S MIND. EXT. VARIOUS FLASHBACK DAY NIGHT FLASH The following is an audio visual collage of Kelly s perspective from throughout the film, coming back to us in a new order. THE CAGE OF SENATOR KELLY in Magneto s lair. NOW HIS as seen by Xavier. Vision fades in and out in a sedated haze. He is laid out of a gurney. KELLY (V.O.) Whatever you do to me... no matter what you ll make me right. Every word I have spoken will be confirmed. He looks up and sees Mystique wheeling the gurney, smiling down at the Senator. MYSTIQUE (V.O.) And people like you are the reason I was afraid to go to school as a child. FLASH Kelly is looking around a large, sphered room. In the center is the MACHINE. JEAN (V.O.) The mutant gene tells the body when it needs to change. KELLY (V.O.) I can assure you, there is no such creature in my genes. FLASH The DOG TAG as it is elevated into the machine. JEAN (V.O.) In every organism on Earth there exits a mutator gene The X factor. The beginnings of another stage of evolution. SLOWLY BUILDING LIGHT, growing brighter and brighter. MAGNETO (V.O.) God works too slowly. Pull back as if the camera is pulling back through his eye, into his head A MICROSCOPE S VIEW OF HIS CELLS, suddenly and violently disturbed. KELLY (V.O.) What have you bastards done to me? CHILD S VOICE (V.O.) Mom, is that a mutant? Kelly s reflection in the metal of the sink in his prison. MAGNETO (V.O.) You re a leader Senator Kelly, you set an example... Blob s face, burned by Kelly s hands. Over the cliff. GUYRICH (V.O.) ... A Demonstration of some kind? The venomous spike emerging from Kelly s hands. MAGNETO (V.O.) Because if more of you... were like more of us... like more of us... GUYRICH (V.O.) ... the UN summit... the whole world will be watching. KELLY (V.O.) What is it you intend to do to me? The woman staring up at him on the beach. KELLY (V.O.) Oh... Oh God... what have you done to me? The boy on the beach. JARRING FLASH KELLY (V.O.) Dear God.... dear... God. NEWSCASTER (V.O.) ... the largest single summit in the history of the planet. JEAN (V.O.) ... the mutator gene will activate. MAGNETO (V.O.) Welcome to the future... brother... The brotherhood of mutants. A VIOLENT COLLISION OF NOISE, IMAGE AND LIGHT AND THEN Xavier s eyes burst open. LABORATORY NIGHT Rogue leads Storm, Jean, Beast and Cyclops quickly into the lab. Xavier is lying in his bed. Jean looks up at the screen above him and sees Xavier s brain waves have dropped severely. Kelly lies unconscious in his bed, his heart monitor weakening. Beast limps over to Xavier. Xavier struggles to speak. Beast bends down so that Xavier can whisper into his ear. Xavier s lips move as he tells Beast what he knows. LAB LATER NIGHT Jean, Storm, Beast and Cyclops talk while the news plays silently on the TV in the background. BEAST It appears as though Magneto has built a machine which somehow triggers the mutator gene in normal human beings. And he is using Adamantium as its core. CYCLOPS Its core? Beast grabs a wax pen and draws a lightbulb on a glass drawing board. BEAST Thomas Edison knew how to make the light bulb. He had the energy source. He had the vacuum. But he didn t have the filament. He tried metal after metal but nothing would hold to power. STORM (nods now understanding) ... until he found tungsten. Beast finishes his lightbulb by drawing the filament. BEAST Correct... Apparently, Adamantium is the only metal strong enough to hold the energy this machine produces. He used the Adamantium in Logan s dog tag to test it on the Senator. And I assume now he plans to use the rest of Logan s skeleton for a larger demonstration. CYCLOPS For what purpose? BEAST Yes Only there s a problem. The mutator gene is not responding to the radiation the way it would in mother nature. It s forcing the body s cells to replicate thousands of times faster than they re accustomed to. The Senator s body is literally burning itself out. Scott this machine kills people and I don t think Magneto realizes it. CYCLOPS So where do you think he s planning this larger demonstration? Jean looks down and sees Xavier pointing with a trembling hand, trying to speak. Xavier is pointing to the television. XAVIER There... He is looking at yet another report on Ellis Island. Cyclops and Jean walk over. All they see on the TV is an aerial shot of Manhattan, slowly coming around toward the harbor. The television image is from the of a helicopter circling Ellis Island, taking in all the security and construction. The grand main hall to Ellis Island and finally, what the helicopter sees as it comes around for one more pass. SUDDENLY The sound of Kelly s heart monitor begins to PICK UP SPEED. Jean rushes to Kelly and touches his pale neck. She draws her hand back quickly as if burned. The heart monitor keeps speeding up until it is racing faster than a human heart could possibly produce. Jean backs away helplessly. The sheet that covers Kelly s body begins to flatten out. The sweat covering the hapless Senator s body thickens into a viscous, clear liquid and begins to run off the table. Kelly is literally melting away. Cyclops holds Jean as she turns away. THE TV the gathering leaders of the world, the water clogged with boats, and the thousands of onlookers on Manhattan Island. All well within range. READY ROOM NIGHT Storm finishes preparing to leave in another section of the ready room. Beast stands by on his Beast size crutches feeling useless. BEAST I wish I could go. STORM We all do. BEAST Storm. Try to look for the highest vantage po From what I can figure, he ll need to gain as much altitude as possible to blanket the island. It is my feeling that Magneto has to STORM Beast. Beast looks at her. STORM We ll be fine. LAB NIGHT Cyclops stands looking down at Professor Xavier. He starts to walk away but he is stopped. He looks down and sees that the Professor has weakly grabbed his sleeve. Cyclops looks at Xavier but he is still unconscious. His hand falls back to the bed. CYCLOPS You can still hear me... can t you. Xavier lies still. CYCLOPS I want to thank you for taking me in. Taking us in... You have taught me everything in my life that is worth knowing. Cyclops grimly regards Xavier. CYCLOPS And I want you to know that I ll take care of them. READY ROOM NIGHT Cyclops and Jean get into their uniforms. Jean is about to go to the hanger when Cyclops stops her. CYCLOPS Hey. I m sorry. About Logan. I was jealous. JEAN (putting her arms around him) Well, I think that s perfectly understandable. CYCLOPS I ll tell you one thing though. JEAN What s that? CYCLOPS He calls me sport one more time, and I ll blow a watermelon sized hole through him. She smiles and kisses him. CYCLOPS Now let s go get him. X JET NIGHT Cyclops, Storm, and Jean board the X Jet. They find ROGUE, strapped into a seat, ready to go. HANGER NIGHT ROGUE stands outside the jet, obviously having been kicked off. X JET NIGHT Jean reaches out a hand. Cyclops takes it. They squeeze tight. The X Jet s engines begin to fire up. HANGER NIGHT The hatch slowly starts to swing closed. From where she stands Rogue debates, and then runs, dashing inside as the hatch to the X Jet closes behind her. BASKETBALL COURT NIGHT A basketball sits on the ground near the middle of the court. Suddenly the asphalt starts to vibrate and the basketball rolls a few inches. THEN There is a grinding noise and the surface begins to separate at the half court line. The basketball falls through the widening hole and bounces off the wing of the rising X Jet. LIFT OFF. The jet turns and clears the hanger before blasting off into the night sky. ELLIS ISLAND NIGHT An aerial shot showing us the whole of the event. Security of every kind covers every inch of the island. Helicopters are coming in at the rate of about one every minute to deliver dignitaries and their families from all over the globe. ELLIS ISLAND BRIDGE TO NEW JERSEY NIGHT A steady flow of limos pour onto the island over a simple two lane bridge from New Jersey. A NEWSCASTER IN THE FOREGROUND. NEWSCASTER With the ceremonies beginning shortly, it looks as though the last of the dignitaries have landed at Newark and Teterboro airports and will be arriving momentarily. It would seem the United Nations has had their wish tonight. There doesn t seem to be an empty seat in the house. BATTERY PARK NIGHT The pier of the Ferry to Liberty Island. A great many families have come to watch curiously the going on. MANHATTAN HARBOR NIGHT The harbor is filled with police and Coast Guard vessels watching the water closely. NEW YORK CITY APARTMENTS VARIOUS NIGHT A series of shots showing the many folks gathering to watch the historic event on television. In some of these apartments, Ellis and Liberty islands can be seen from their windows in the distance. SECURITY CONTROL CENTER NIGHT The OPERATING COMMANDER monitors the countless video screens that display nearly every crevice of Ellis Island as well as other parts of New York Harbor as well as the network news feeds of the event... ELLIS ISLAND MAIN ENTRANCE NIGHT The front of the Great Hall of Ellis Island, where once immigrants poured into the new world by the millions. A huge military band off to one side plays music from the different countries to help with the milling about and shaking of hands. The PRESIDENT himself is in the crowd, meeting and greeting, a mob of Secret Service always right there. Follow him into ELLIS ISLAND MAIN HALL A YASSAR ARAFAT TYPE, who we will call Yassir Arafat, comes up to the President and smiles. The President introduces his WIFE AND CHILD as more delegates approach. The two men LAUGH and then HUG to the flashing of a million bulbs. Smattering of ass kissy applause. Arafat and the President wave to press and the like. OBSERVATION DECK ELSEWHERE NIGHT We are looking down on what APPEARS TO BE a deserted part of the island. Away from the action. PAN ACROSS THE EDGE OF THE ISLAND Every fifty feet or so, uniformed Secret Service agents keep tight watch on the island. One Secret Service guy in particular. PUSH IN FROM ABOVE We realize we are pushing in unusually fast, as though we are falling. WHAM. A sickening crunch. Toad lands on top of the Secret Service guy. We have been watching from his The Secret Service man is tumbled into a heap. A real frog rabbits O.S. Toad looks around quietly, listens... THEN LEAPS out of frame. Hold on the body of the Secret Service guy. LONG PAUSE. ANOTHER SICKENING CRUNCH OFF SCREEN. LIBERTY ISLAND NIGHT Two Secret Service guys approach one another. One is holding a smoke, the other is producing a lighter. Just as his smoke is about to hit the flame, the flame dodges to one side. He moves the smoke to follow it, and the flame dodges the other way. The guy with the smoke looks at the guy with the lighter as if to say ìknock it off.î The guy with the lighter shrugs as THE FLAME INSTANTLY GROWS TO A RAGING INTENSITY, ENGULFING THEM. As they are incinerated and their ashes fall to the ground, Pyro climbs into view from the seawall below, dripping wet. He has come dressed to make trouble tonight. Strapped to his back is an impressive looking flame thrower. A three tanker. SEAWALL NIGHT A Coast Guard boat crawls into view just off shore. A Secret Service man in the foreground waves to the boat as it passes by. COAST GUARD BOAT DECK NIGHT A thirty footer. Fast and sturdy. The PILOT OF THE BOAT, a man in his late forties, waves back. SEAWALL NIGHT As the Secret Service guy waves, he jolts upright, his face contorting in impossible pain. Slowly, he is lifted off the ground. COAST GUARD BOAT DECK NIGHT PILOT S Sabretooth holds the last Secret Service man aloft, impaled on his claws. He waves now, the body swaying this way and that before he casually throws it to the ground. The Pilot turns to the wheel of the boat as he MORPHS INTO MYSTIQUE and turns the boat toward the island. BOTTOM OF THE SEAWALL BOAT NIGHT Man made rocky shore. The boat bumps and grinds on the rock. Sabretooth jumps down to the deck and meets Magneto coming up from below. They nod to one another and walk toward the front of the boat. On the deck is something covered with a tarp. Sabretooth pulls back the tarp to reveal Logan, still unconscious from the drug. ANOTHER, MUCH LARGER OBJECT is on the back of the boat under another tarp, but we cannot see what it is. Magneto steps off the boat and looks up up at someplace we cannot yet see. ELLIS ISLAND GREAT HALL NIGHT The dignitaries take their seats as the ceremony commences. X JET NIGHT Cyclops pilots the plane as Manhattan comes into view. They bank to the south. Cyclops checks his monitors. CYCLOPS Radar Stealth Mode checks out. All right, there ll be less security north of the George Washington Bridge. I m taking her down. JEAN Into the Hudson? CYCLOPS (smiles) Uh huh. HUDSON RIVER NIGHT The X Jet slows to a hover. It s Harrier Jet engines tilt back until they are vertical to the water. The engines cycle down and the plane lowers until it is hovering a few feet off the surface. X JET NIGHT CYCLOPS V.T.O.L. off. HUDSON RIVER NIGHT The Jet s engines cut and the plane splashes down into the water. It floats there for a moment and then sinks below the surface. BELOW RIVER SURFACE NIGHT As the X Jet sinks, the hatches close off and the wings retract to transform the plane into a submarine. The engines pull tight to the body of the craft and begin to propel it forward. HUDSON RIVER NIGHT AERIAL VIEW The water ripples as the submersed aircraft passes under the bridge and into the harbor. SMALL ROOM NIGHT C.U. on Logan. He wakes. His arms are cuffed behind his back. He is delirious and weakened from the drug. He looks around and sees that he is in an oddly shaped room with barely enough space for him and Magneto, who smiles at him in the half darkness. LOGAN (very weak) Where am I? MAGNETO You re backstage at the encore of creation. He looks at his watch. MAGNETO Three minutes to curtain. LOGAN What are you going to do? MAGNETO In the road to survival, there is always sacrifice Logan. We are the future... not them. We must protect ourselves. After tonight, when the leaders of the world return home They will return as brothers, as mutants... and our cause will be theirs. This is survival, I know you understand that, Logan... or is it Wolverine? He steps out of the hatch and closes it. LIBERTY ISLAND NIGHT Magneto who looks down. From atop what, we cannot tell. Magneto comes to stand on a railing outside from his high perch, overlooking the island. From here we pull out to reveal at last where he is. HE IS NOT ON ELLIS ISLAND AT ALL Instead, he stands on the catwalk around the torch of the Statue of Liberty, about a mile away. He has his back to it s gold translucent flame, looking over at the activity on Ellis Island, hearing the band and inhaling the cool evening breeze. MAGNETO Give me your tired, your poor... And he turns to the bright lights of Manhattan and it s millions of inhabitants. MAGNETO ... Your huddled masses. He brings a radio to his lips. MAGNETO Lights. POWER STATION NIGHT Sabretooth is tearing the padlocks off of the generator shed that powers the island. POWER STATION NIGHT Sabretooth grabs a hold of a fuse lever marked ìLiberty Display Lightsî and pulls it down. Turning it off. TORCH NIGHT Logan is now in darkness. He frantically pulls on his binds. No use. X JET NIGHT Cyclops is monitoring the area above water on a video screen. JEAN (points to the monitor) The lights on the Statue of Liberty are off. STORM Beast said that he would have to take a high vantage po Cyclops, motioning to an open area of water next to Liberty Island. CYCLOPS Let s dock over there. Cyclops pulls a lever. The X Jet begins to surface. CYCLOPS Storm, give us some cover. APARTMENTS VARIOUS NIGHT Televisions all over the city show the Statue sitting dark to countless curious viewers. X JET NIGHT The water level outside the X Jet lowers as the plane surfaces. X JET NIGHT The plane rises until it is nearly flush with the surface of the water Not a hundred yards from an obvious Coast Guard cutter. Out the jet s window, the Statue rises away into the fog that is now rolling in over the Harbor. SECURITY CONTROL CENTER NIGHT The OPERATIONS COMMANDER raises a radio to his mouth. OPERATION COMMANDER Liberty One, Liberty One, this is Horizon, do you copy. AN AGENT S VOICE RESPONDS. AGENT S VOICE Go, Horizon. OPERATION COMMANDER (on radio) Liberty, what s the situation with the lights, over? LIBERTY ISLAND NIGHT IT IS MYSTIQUE. The lower part of her face and the whole her neck are that of a stocky man. MYSTIQUE AGENT S VOICE Uhhh, Horizon, we ve seem to have had a shutdown at the generator, we re five by five. There now, checking it out. Everything is fine other wise. OPERATION COMMANDER (on radio) Roger Liberty one. Horizon out. She MORPHS back into her full self and smiles. MYSTIQUE Darling... We re clear. SEAWALL NIGHT Jean, Cyclops, Storm and Rogue step off the wing tip of the X Jet onto the island. They climb over the fog encased seawall and stand staring up at the Statue and the desolate island. TORCH NIGHT Magneto takes this moment in the darkness to point his hands and all of his concentration on the bottom of the torch. The air RIPPLES with magnetic energy as the cap like end piece of the torch begins to vibrate, metal groans, twists... WITH A CRACK OF METAL, it comes free, dropping to the ground. TORCH NIGHT Logan stares down through the hollow torch as the cap falls away into the fog. STATUE BOTTOM NIGHT The foursome are deciding how to proceed. CYCLOPS We should check out operations, see if the Secret Service is still around. Storm is surveying the layout of the island. She looks up at the Statue. STORM LOOK OUT. They all look up. The cap of the torch is SCREAMING DOWN towards them out of the sky. It crashes down as they leap out of the way. CYCLOPS I m going to assume that means that the Secret Service is out of commission. Jean, can you raise me up there? JEAN It s too far. CYCLOPS (assessing the situation) Storm, Rogue, you take the south entrance. (pointing to the main entrance) Jean and I will go in here. Storm and Rogue start for the south entrance. CYCLOPS (to Storm and Rogue) I ll see you both soon. TORCH NIGHT Magneto prepares to execute the next stage of his plan when he looks out over the island. A DENSE FOG has rolled in, obscuring his view of the bottom half of the Statue. He looks out towards Ellis Island and sees that the fog is localized over Liberty Island. MAGNETO (into radio) Be careful everyone... I think we may have company. SEAWALL NIGHT The Coast Guard boat Magneto came in on. The giant tarp on the boat and what is under it. IT RISES IN THE AIR, standing upright. The tarp slides to the deck to reveal THE MACHINE. The one Kelly and Xavier saw. The air ripples as it rises higher in the air. MUSEUM NIGHT Storm and Rogue quietly enter the Statue s museum. It is filled with scale models and full size displays documenting the history of Lady Liberty. One display showcasing the METAL STRIPS which line the Statue for support. They quickly head for an exit on the far side of the room. SUDDENLY The lights go out. Darkness. A low guttural CROAK echoes in the void. STORM (whispering) Rogue... run. Rogue runs into the darkness, heading for the exit. She dashes past a six foot copper replica of the Statue and out the door. As soon as Rogue is past, the Statue s HEAD TURNS and watches her go. The replica blinks and the eyes turn Mystique yellow. TORCH NIGHT The machine is rising. Logan yanks at the manacles in an attempt to pull his hands free. OLD TORCH ROOM NIGHT A giant room that welcomes the many visitors to the Statue. In the center is the old torch, placed there after the Statue s restoration. The only light in the room is a soft red glow that emanates from the old torch. Cyclops notices a map of the Statue on a pedestal. CYCLOPS Over there. Cyclops and Jean study the map, looking for the way to the torch. In front of them is the old torch. It s eerie red glow is growing brighter. STATUE TORCH NIGHT THE MACHINE rises up and into the bottom of the torch itself. TORCH NIGHT The machine is now almost on him. Logan s struggles turns to rage. SHOOK He pops his claws and frantically cuts at the wall behind him, as the machine draws closer. MUSEUM NIGHT We hear an ominous LOW RUMBLE, as you hear on an overcast day just before a thunderstorm. SHEETS OF HEAT LIGHTNING begin to roll across the ceiling, lighting the room in sporadic bursts. Toad darts around the room. FLASH Reptile eyes DARKNESS. FLASH A WEBBED CLAW closer DARKNESS. FLASH leaping body closer DARKNESS. Silence. Darkness. The heat lightning continues to expose the room in rolling flashes. Silence. Darkness. Suddenly, behind Storm the sound of ELEVATOR DOORS OPENING. Storm spins and unleashes a BOLT OF LIGHTNING. The lightning strikes an empty GLASS HYDRAULIC ELEVATOR SHAFT. No TOAD. OLD TORCH ROOM NIGHT The map of the statue. Cyclops watches as the dim red glow turns brighter and brighter. He turns to look up at the old torch it glows FIERY RED HOT. CYCLOPS Get down! THE TORCH EXPLODES. A RING OF FIRE wipes across the room. Cyclops and Jean duck behind the marble map pedestal as fire whips around them. Move up through the CEILING OF FIRE to reveal Pyro at the center of the old torch. His eyes wide, manipulating the fire like an orchestra conductor. HALLWAY OUTSIDE THE MUSEUM NIGHT Rogue runs down the hallway, she stops. The sound of footsteps echo from behind her. The footsteps quicken from walking to running. Rogue runs to get away as the footsteps of her pursuer get closer. MUSEUM NIGHT Darkness. Silence except for the sound of Storm s own breathing. Storm s eyes dart around the room, her senses are in overdrive. Suddenly, SLIME drips onto her cheek. A low guttural CROAK. Storm looks up TOAD clings to the ceiling. WHAM. Webbed feet slam into Storm s chest sending her flying into the elevator shaft. She crashes helplessly to the bottom stunned. Toad s head peers through the open elevator doors to the level below, looking down on the helpless Storm. Toad SMILES. His webbed finger presses the elevator button. The elevator doors above her close, sealing her in the glass tubular shaft. The ROAR of the hydraulic engine coming to life, the elevator begins its crushing descent down toward Storm as she lies at the bottom of the shaft dazed. OLD TORCH ROOM NIGHT C.U. on Jean and Cyclops both pinned down. Fire sweeps around the map pedestal. Cyclops turns. BOOM He fires a series of OPTIC BLASTS blindly through the fire, blasting the ceiling. Chunks of debris from the ceiling shower down onto Pyro. The inferno stops. Smoke fills the room, Jean tries to catch her breath. Cyclops stands and heads toward the old torch trying to draw a bead on Pyro. Cyclops doesn t see him. When A COLUMN OF FIRE erupts from the thick smoke, rocketing at Cyclops. Cyclops dodges, flipping a heavy wood table with flaming pamphlets on it using it as a shield against Pyro s fiery onslaught. TORCH BACK NIGHT ANGLE FROM DIRECTLY OVERHEAD Magneto on the side of the torch s flame raises the huge machine while on the other side LOGAN PUSHES HIMSELF THROUGH THE HOLE his hands still bound behind his back, and slams against the outer railing of the torch. Logan looks around in shock. He realizes where he is. He looks out at all the activity on Ellis Island, drawing a greater understanding of Magneto s plan. TORCH FRONT NIGHT With a MAGNETIC RIPPLE of the air Magneto drives the machine right up through the bottom of the torch like batteries in a flashlight. TORCH BACK NIGHT Logan turns his back to the hole he has just emerged from and braces his cuffs against the rising machine. The machine pushes against Logan s wrists driving his cuffs up against the top of the hole. CRACK. The pressure leaves the cuffs apart. ELEVATOR SHAFT NIGHT Storm s eyes open, looking straight up. The elevator continuing its crushing descent. Storm struggles to her feet. Her hand presses against the thick glass elevator shaft, it surrounds her like a coffin. LIGHTNING strike the glass to no effect. Storm frantically searches for a way out. She looks up to see the elevator closing fast. Storm raises her hands above her head. WIND begins to lift Storm s hair. The wind picks up and starts swirling violently against the sides of the elevator shaft. Wildly, the wind whips around causing a CYCLONE within the glass shaft buffeting upwards against the elevator. The elevator groans as the hydraulics fight the unrelenting vortex of wind. Smoke begins to pour from the hydraulics, which whine in protest. At the center of the tornado stands Storm, a force of nature. As the elevator continues its descent the cyclone pushes outward. Small cracks start to appear on the glass walls. She is now forced almost to the ground. The elevator is now inches from Storm s head. The floor is made of a thicker version of the same Plexiglas and we look up through it, the massive elevator looming over Storm. BOOM. The glass walls explode outward, showering the museum. Storm partly rolls and is partly blown from the shaft to safety. The pressure of the cyclone released, the elevator SLAMS to the bottom. OLD TORCH ROOM NIGHT Jean, having caught her breath, looks over to C.U. on Cyclops. He s pinned down as fire wraps around the table the fire is burning through. Jean, seeing Cyclops defenseless, stands up from behind the marble podium. She quickly scans the room and spots, on opposite walls near the old torch, TWO LARGE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. Jean stretches out her fists and focuses her telekinesis. Pyro spots Jean with one hand continuing to blast Cyclops, he uses the other to unleash an ARM OF FIRE toward Jean. Jean focuses as she brings her outstretched fists closer together. Suddenly the two fire extinguishers crash through their glass holders. Like two gunslingers in a showdown. The extinguishers bullet toward Pyro. The arm of fire rockets closer to Jean. Suddenly, the EXTINGUISHERS COLLIDE EXPLODING in front of Pyro. Inches from Jean s face, the ARM OF FIRE disappears. The COLUMN OF FLAMES against Scott VANISHES. The flames once covering the room are gone, a choking smoke is all that remains. Through the smoke, at the center of the old torch, Pyro lies dead, covered in a sea of white foam. Jean starts choking on the smoke. Cyclops stands and motions for her to get out of the smoke filled room. TORCH FRONT NIGHT The machine finally locks into place. Magneto raises a walkie talkie to his face. MAGNETO Lights on. POWER STATION NIGHT Sabretooth grabs a hold of the lever for the ìLiberty Displayî power breaker and pulls up. Turning it on. ELLIS ISLAND GREAT HALL NIGHT The lights of the Statue come back on. The crowd of dignitaries burst into enthusiastic applause as if it is part of the proceedings. SECURITY CONTROL CENTER NIGHT The Statue now lit up in the monitors. OPERATION COMMANDER Roger. We see the lights. TORCH FRONT NIGHT Magneto turns and opens the hatch. Magneto sees the hole Logan is gone. TORCH BACK NIGHT Magneto walks over and stares at the hole, clearly out by Logan s claws. Magneto looks at his fingers after wiping the edge of the hole. Logan s blood. Magneto looks down and sees Logan s claw marks down the arm of the Statue, marking his escape. Magneto scans the island from his high perch. He does not see Logan. STATUE MAIN ENTRANCE NIGHT The doors to the old torch room burst open SMOKE BILLOWS OUT. Jean runs out coughing violently. Suddenly, Toad lands in front of Jean, grabs her head and before she can react, his tongue launches at her face. His tongue covers her face with an ADHESIVE SLIME. Jean falls to the ground. Toad looks back at the main entrance, sees Cyclops emerging and LEAPS up, out of frame. Cyclops stumbles out of the smoke filled building. Seeing Jean lying on the ground, he runs to her. Cyclops turns Jean on her back, ready to perform CPR. He is shocked, the slime has now hardened to Jean s face. She is suffocating. He desperately tries to pry it off. The camera quickly pulls higher and higher revealing TOAD S OBSERVATION DECK NIGHT Toad looks down, perched on top of the railing surrounding the base of the Statue the same position he had before crushing the Secret Service agent. Toad arches his back ready to spring downward. He will kill two birds with one crushing leap. The sound of WIND. C.U. Toad s face static, his eyes slowly look to the side. His head twists, looking over his shoulder. Storm stands behind him. Toad turns and hops off the railing towards Storm. C.U. on TOAD S FACE. Which is horrible. TOAD Don t you people die? Suddenly the wind picks up violently. Toad moves closer fighting the wind. Storm is MAD. A face we remember seeing on a young girl in Africa. Toad fights the gale force winds, his webbed feet adhering to the ground. He inches closer to Storm. Toad bares his FANGS. STATUE MAIN ENTRANCE NIGHT On the ground Cyclops notices the wind howling with rage above him. He frantically pulls on the encrusted slime suffocating Jean. OBSERVATION DECK NIGHT Storm s eyes widen. HURRICANE force winds blast Toad. Try as he might to use his sticky feet to hold on, Toad is blown back off his feet, catching the deck with his hands. The piece of the deck TEARS LOOSE still attached to Toad s hands. He flies off the deck, past the metal railing. Toad s tongue LASHES OUT AND ATTACHES TO THE RAILING. For a moment, Toad just flaps there like a flag. Storm RAISES HER ARMS. CRASH A huge BOLT OF LIGHTNING strikes the railing. Toad is blown off the railing in a flash of electricity and HARBOR NIGHT Toad lands in the water. He disappears below the surface leaving nothing but bubbles. OBSERVATION DECK NIGHT Storm moves to the railing. She looks down at Cyclops and Jean. Suddenly, the metal railing on which her hands rest BEGIN TO BEND TOWARD HER. STATUE MAIN ENTRANCE NIGHT Cyclops continues to pull on the slime. Jean s struggles are becoming more panicked. Cyclops stops and puts his hands on Jean s shoulders, pinning her down. CYCLOPS Jean. Jean stop. Stop moving. Jean continues to struggle for a moment. She starts to calm down, her chest still hitching involuntarily for air. CYCLOPS Jean, trust me. Don t move. He takes a hold of her chin and grips it tightly. He FIRES A THIN, FOCUSED OPTIC BEAM INTO THE ENCRUSTED SLIME, splitting it in half. He pulls the remains away from her face. Jean GASPS for air. Then she looks up. Her face turns to horror. Behind Cyclops, towering over him is Sabretooth. WHAM! Sabretooth smashes down. BLACK HALLWAY OUTSIDE THE MUSEUM NIGHT Rogue turns the corner of the hallway and trips, tumbling to the ground. Rogue watches from the floor as the shadow of her pursuer bends around the corner. The sound of their footsteps get closer. The shadow is upon her, turning the corner. It is LOGAN. LOGAN I didn t mean to scare you. ROGUE Thank God. Logan... we have to help Storm we have to. Logan looks around to make sure it s clear. LOGAN I ll go back, but first let me find you a safe place. Logan extends his hand. LOGAN Here, take my hand. Rogue looks at Logan confused. Logan grows impatient. LOGAN Take it! Over Logan s shoulder. On the back of his neck we see some BLUE SCALES. Logan is not Logan, Logan is MYSTIQUE. STATUE HEAD NIGHT on Magneto s belt, which is lined with METAL STRAPS. Magneto s hand comes into frame holding CYCLOPS VISOR and places it against one of the straps. The strap WRAPS ITSELF BACK AND AROUND, pinning the visor to the belt. He brings a radio to his mouth. MAGNETO (into radio) Mystique... Mystique, where are you? Magneto turns to Sabretooth. MAGNETO Find Logan. Sabretooth exits as Magneto turns to reveal Jean and Cyclops, without his visor, are trapped in a hideous tangle of metal (taken from the Statue s steel bracing) forcing the two to face each other. Two sharp points of metal rest on either side of Cyclops head, locking it in position. Cyclops is close enough to feel Jean s breath if he opens his eyes, he will destroy everything in his path, including Jean. Storm is also encased in a myriad of sharp metal bands, pinning her to the wall. Razor sharp pieces of metal warp and close on her throat. All in all, they are completely disabled. Jean struggles to free them with her telekinesis, to no avail. CYCLOPS (whispering) Jean... can you? JEAN (whispering) I m sorry. I m not strong enough. Magneto stands next to Storm. Close. MAGNETO (whispering) If the temperature changes a single degree... (looking at Jean) I only need one hostage. Magneto stares icily at Storm. As if to accentuate the threat, a piece of metal pokes ever so slightly into the side of Storm s throat. MAGNETO (raising his voice) Now if you can hear me Logan... SEAWALL NIGHT We find Logan The real Logan. He has made it off the Statue and is about to jump off the seawall. He stops suddenly. of his ear. His powerful hearing enables him to hear Magneto. MAGNETO (V.O.) ... and I know you can It is a five minute run from the furthest distance on this island. If you are not back in this time... I will kill these friends of Xavier s. Including the young lady from the gymnasium. I think they came here to ìrescue you.î STATUE HEAD NIGHT Magneto looks to his hand the CHIP from Cerebro. MAGNETO I also have a small piece of Cerebro that might be of interest to you, if you hope to save Charles Xavier. SEAWALL NIGHT MAGNETO (V.O.) Xavier is dying you know. Five minutes Logan. Logan s face shows the frustration. Again, he is forced to make a decision. STATUE HEAD NIGHT Magneto pulls out the chip taken from Cerebro and walks over to Jean. MAGNETO Here Xavier s life. He tucks it in an exposed part of her uniform. MAGNETO If I get what I want, you can try and save him... for old times sake. Magneto turns to Storm. MAGNETO Now... shall we talk about the weather. ELLIS ISLAND MAIN ENTRANCE NIGHT The President addresses the audience. We move across all the world s leaders sitting with their families. Men, women and children of every race, color and creed that the planet Earth has to offer. STATUE HEAD NIGHT JEAN Magneto. I ve seen the results of your machine. I ve seen Senator Kelly. MAGNETO Ahhhh, so the good Senator survived his fall? And the swim to shore? He is stronger than I ever could have imagined. JEAN The experiment was a failure. Kelly didn t make it. Yes, you were successful in activating his mutator gene, but you failed to take into account the rest of his body it wasn t ready for the strain. Kelly was dead within hours. Your machine kills. MAGNETO Quiet... Magneto pauses. Shock registering on his face that he could be wrong. Thinking. Considering what Jean is telling him. His mind races and calculates the possibility. Then MAGNETO I don t believe you. JEAN You don t understand. Magneto gets angry squeezing the metal surrounding Jean s head. Jean gasps. This drives Cyclops crazy, but he is helpless to stop it. CYCLOPS (yelling) Stop it! MAGNETO Why can t you see what I am trying to do? Why do you stand in my way? Magneto s anger is boiling over. THUD the sound of footsteps, then another and another. The faces around the room look at the stairs as the footsteps get closer and louder. MAGNETO Check and mate. PAUSE. SUDDENLY SHOOK Logan s claws shoot up through the floor, and through Magneto s feet. Magneto howls. The claws retract and Magneto falls. Magneto, writhes in pain, rolling onto his stomach. Logan quickly comes up the stairs and into the Statue s head. He stands over the crippled Magneto. Logan turns to Jean who is still pressed eye to eye with Cyclops. He is relieved to see her alive. Storm. She sees something. Several of the steel bands that support the top of the Statue s head begin to move. STORM Logan! THREE METAL BAND peel off the ceiling, coming to life with magnetic energy. They leap across the room and wrap around Logan. Forcing his fists to press against his chest. Should he so much as extend his claws, he will rupture his own vitals. The metal bands wrap behind his back. Magneto raises his hand and MAGNETIC WAVES RIPPLE. Metal groans as Magneto peels open a gaping hole in the top of Lady Liberty s head. Magneto looks up at the torch. The wind howls. The AIR RIPPLES again as Magneto levitates the steel bands holding Logan, lifting Logan off the ground and out the hole in the Statue s head. STATUE HEAD NIGHT MAGNETIC WAVES thrust Logan through the air and TORCH NIGHT WHAM THROUGH the metal skin of the flame. Logan lands in the center of the sphere on top of the machine. Inside the sphere is a metal structure resembling the model of an atom. Its rings expand as it receives Logan. Logan looks through the hole in the frame, down into the hole in the Statue s head, at Magneto. STATUE HEAD NIGHT Magneto struggles to his feet, pulling himself up by his hands. Magneto stares at Logan, impatient. Magneto stands with a hand raised up toward the machine. Then a slight motion of his wrist TORCH NIGHT The rings start revolving just as it did with Kelly, back at the lair. Spinning slowly, then gaining in speed. The air around it RIPPLES, gaining in intensity. STATUE HEAD NIGHT MAGNETIC ENERGY POURS from Magneto s hands toward the machine, behind him Jean and Storm watch helplessly. TORCH NIGHT The rings are spinning around Logan at such a speed, the rings themselves are no longer visible merely a blur around the stationary Logan. Logan yells. Unthinkable pain, his skeleton beginning to glow through his skin. His eyes look down, through the hole in the torch, into the Statue s head, searching for Jean. The deafening whine builds louder and louder. STATUE HEAD NIGHT Magneto looks at the incredible displays as MAGNETIC ENERGY flows from his hands continuing to charge the machine. Mystique emerges from the stairwell behind Magneto. Her eyes widen in awe. MAGNETO Ahh, there you are. Mystique walks slowly toward magneto. Storm and Jean watch the torch in horror. JEAN (to Mystique) You have to stop him, the machine... it kills people... Mystique ignores Jean. She stops behind Magneto. She looks up and sees Logan staring back in agony. JEAN ... Please do something. Magneto tilts his head slightly, acknowledging Jean, but not moving from his task. MYSTIQUE Don t listen to her... it s a trap. Magneto turns. MAGNETO What is? MYSTIQUE This is. And she grabs the sides of his face and kisses him deeply. There is an awkward moment. Until MAGNETO CONVULSES. Once, then again. Then he struggles to be set free. And MYSTIQUE TRANSFORMS INTO ROGUE. It has been her all along, using SHAPE SHIFTING powers borrowed from the real Mystique. Magneto fights to get free, but his power is being drained from him. JEAN ROGUE, DESTROY THE MACHINE! Rogue goes to pull away, BUT MAGNETO WON T LET HER GO. Magneto grabs hold of Rogue s throat CHOKING HER. TORCH NIGHT Logan looking down, through the hole in the Statue s head for Jean, sees Rogue and Magneto struggle. Logan watches helplessly as MAGNETO STRANGLES ROGUE. LOGAN YELLS THE WHITE LIGHT BEGINS TO EMANATE FROM HIS BODY. His flesh starts to SMOLDER. STATUE HEAD NIGHT Magneto is strangling Rogue, who clings to his face drawing his powers. The walls GROAN as magnetic energy RIPPLES through the Statue s head. Rogue, choking to death, looks frantically at Cyclops for help. She raises one of her hands and uses Magneto s stolen power to BEND BACK THE METAL POINTS so that Cyclops is able to move his head again. Without his visor however, he is still unable to open his eyes. Magneto, feeling the last of his power draining from him, grabs Rogue tightly and SLAMS her into the wall. Rogue slumps in Magneto s arms and the two collapse to the ground. TORCH NIGHT The sound from the machine is DEAFENING. SUDDENLY SILENCE. ABSOLUTE SILENCE. At the silence, all eyes turn to the torch. It is too late THE MACHINE IS FULLY CHARGED. Logan s eyes tense. He clenches his teeth. Logan does the unthinkable. SHOOK. The glowing white claws extend through Logan s chest and out his back cutting three metal straps binding him. Logan ROARS in pain as he Pulls his claws from his chest. SLASH his claws rip through the inside of the machine  cutting apart the rings spinning around him. The translucent torch of the Statue is CUT TO PIECES BY THE FLYING METAL. ELLIS ISLAND GREAT HALL NIGHT The President and the dignitaries turn. Secret Service rush to the window. A wave of panic sweeps the crowd. SECURITY CONTROL CENTER NIGHT The flaming torch lights up one of many screens. OPERATION COMMANDER Liberty one this is Horizon... I repeat... do you copy? Liberty one this is Horizon ... I repeat... do you copy? STATUE TORCH NIGHT Where the flame of the torch once stood, now stands Logan, his skeleton cooling down. Logan leans on the torch s railing, his chest bleeds from the six claw wounds. Logan is exhausted. He looks down at his comrades still trapped by the metal bands. And Magneto lying powerless on the floor. SUDDENLY, from below A MASSIVE CLAWED HAND strikes Logan s chest. The blow sends Logan sailing back to the far end of the torch. Logan lies against the railing. Opening his eyes he sees TWO CLAWED FEET following upward to a very angry, very large Sabretooth, towering over him. Sabretooth leaps at Logan. Against the New York skyline THEY GO AT IT, SLASHING AND HOWLING. MANHATTAN HARBOR NIGHT Several Coast Guard cutters head full speed toward Liberty Island. Their decks covered with armed Secret Service. TORCH NIGHT Sabretooth picks up Logan over his head and throws him like a rag doll into the railing on the other side of the torch. Logan struggles to his feet dazed. Suddenly, Sabretooth, running at full steam, tackles him. Slamming Logan into the railing. The metal railing bends. Sabretooth holds Logan by his wrists, trying to push him over the edge. It is several hundred feet to the ground below. Logan is weakening. Sabretooth is in complete control, he leans down near Logan s ear. SABRETOOTH (whispering) Your girlfriend is next. With all his might, Logan pushes his clenched fists as close to Sabretooth s face as he can. SHOOK! The claws pop. Sabretooth springs back to protect his face. LOGAN KICKS WITH ALL HIS MIGHT AND SABRETOOTH flies back to the other side of the torch. LOGAN leaps up and running at full speed, tackles Sabretooth like a train plowing into a stalled car. The metal railing snaps and they both go flying through the air. STATUE HEAD NIGHT CRACK. Sabretooth and Logan slam onto the top of the Statue s head. Logan rolls off the back of the Statue s head and falls. Sabretooth stands and looks over the edge nothing. All he can see is the Statue s body curving away towards the ground. He smiles, and turns back to the hole. STATUE HEAD NIGHT LOGAN Hanging from the ear of the Statue, the claws of his right hand embedded in the lobe at the end of three sets of long claw marks. He looks up. A look of brutal determination crosses his face. Straining, he pulls himself up by his right arm. The cords stand out on his neck as he tries to get to shoulder level. He aims his left claw a little further up on the ear and THUNK. He drives it in. STATUE HEAD NIGHT WHAM Sabretooth s feet as he lands on the metal floor. He quickly takes in the situation, Magneto and Rogue are still unconscious. He walks towards Storm. The air in the room starts to CRACKLE and Sabretooth s hair begins to stand on end as it did when these two last confronted each other. SABRETOOTH I don t think so. Sabretooth backhands Storm across the jaw, knocking her out. As her head drops, he draws his claws and slashes it down. It STOPS, just before tearing open Storm s throat, HELD BY AN UNSEEN FORCE. He turns and sees that Jean has focused her power in his arm. He smiles. He walks to Jean and tears off her bonds. He reaches out to grab her neck but his claw is stopped again in mid air. Sabretooth just smiles wider and forces his hand forward. The outcome never really in doubt, the claw wraps around Jean s neck. She begins to choke. CYCLOPS Jean! Sabretooth lifts Jean by the neck and walks away from Cyclops as he chokes her. SABRETOOTH Sorry about this sweetheart, but I made Logan a promise. Jean struggles desperately against Sabretooth s unbreakable grip, the life draining from her. Then LOGAN Hey, ya big pussy. Sabretooth whips around, still clutching Jean to see LOGAN Bleeding, beaten and panting, and yet still standing defiantly over Magneto s unconscious body. LOGAN I ain t finished with you yet. Sabretooth looks at him, disbelieving that this man can still be standing, let alone challenging him... and he starts to laugh. SABRETOOTH You? Logan grins. LOGAN Not just me. And with that he extends ONE CLAW from his right hand, squats down, and cuts the piece of metal holding Cyclops visor to Magneto s belt. He lifts it up and it slides down his claw to his hand. He casually throws it in the air. LOGAN Jean? Logan looks at the visor and it freezes in the air. It flies across the room, right past Sabretooth s head. He lunges at it with his free claw but just misses it. The visor lands square on Cyclops eyes, and attaches itself to Cyclops face. He turns. BOOM! A focused OPTIC BLAST hits Sabretooth like a FREIGHT TRAIN. He drops Jean and SLAMS THROUGH THE WALL. STATUE NIGHT We see the side of the Statue s head. Suddenly, Sabretooth BLASTS THROUGH THE EYE. For a moment Cyclops beam continues to fire through the eye as if the Statue itself is imitating Cyclops power. SEAWALL NIGHT Magneto s boat still sits quietly next to the seawall. CRASH. Sabretooth s body SMASHES THROUGH THE ROOF of the boat. The tarp flies up and drifts back down to rest over Sabretooth s body. STATUE HEAD NIGHT Logan s breathing is strained, a blood stain in the middle of his shirt, but he is in control. Logan looks up, his eyes met by Jean s. He walks over to Storm and Cyclops and SHOOK! cuts them loose. Jean and Cyclops catch Storm, who begins to come around. Cyclops smiles. Logan kneels down beside Rogue. He wants to comfort her but cannot touch her. She opens her eyes and sees Logan. ROGUE Hey... There you are. (sudden apprehension) Is it really you? LOGAN (not quite sure what she s talking about) Yeah, it s really me. CYCLOPS Come on, let s get out of here. Logan stands. He takes a couple of steps before collapsing in Cyclops arms. LOGAN (sliding to the ground) I m o.k. I m o.k. CYCLOPS Sure you are, sport. LIBERTY ISLAND DOCK NIGHT Several Coast Guard cutters and police boats reach the island. Men run across the dock as we pull up LIBERTY ISLAND NIGHT The Coast Guard, Secret Service, and FBI descend upon the island. OLD TORCH ROOM NIGHT Security enters the smoldering remains of the old torch room. The walls blackened by a past inferno. At the center, Pyro lies motionless in a sea of foam. MUSEUM NIGHT Push in on MYSTIQUE who is tied up. Across her feet a crack of light as the door begins to open. Swish pan over to the NYPD entering the room. Swish pan back. Mystique has taken the form of a Secret Service agent. AGENT MYSTIQUE Hey, could somebody untie me! SEAWALL NIGHT A Secret Service spots the wreckage of Magneto s boat and the large tarp which covers it. He pulls his gun. SECRET SERVICE MAN # (to other agents) Hey! Over here. Three other agents pull their guns and aim at the tarp. The first agent pulls it back to reveal... nothing. Sabretooth is gone. STATUE HEAD NIGHT NYPD and Secret Service rush up the stairs and into the head. Magneto lies unconscious on the floor. The lead guy, an NYPD OFFICER in a flak jacket, holding a shotgun, stares up at the ceiling. He peers out through the gaping hole. Beyond the damaged torch the star filled sky is momentarily eclipsed by a aircraft the X Jet. The officer turns to say something, but stops wondering if his eyes were merely playing tricks on him. MANSION DAY Cyclops, Jean, Storm, Rogue and about two dozen students all sit in front of a wide screen TV watching the Special Report on the Mutant Registration Act vote. As the Anchorman speaks we move over the concerned looks on all of their faces. ANCHORMAN Even after last weeks terrorist vandalization of the Statue of Liberty by an unidentified mutant organization, the outcome of the vote was to in opposition to the Mutant Registration Act. A LOUD CHEER as the room erupts into celebration. CYCLOPS Quiet. Quiet everybody. ANCHORMAN This narrow defeat was probably due in large part to the surprising last minute reversal by Senator Scott ìFrankî Kelly, who until today provided the loudest voice in the cry for Mutant Registration. Earlier today, Kelly had this to say The TV cuts to a shot of Kelly being grilled by reporters as he walks down the Capitol steps. KELLY (struggling to get through) If we can not go into the future together, the divisions of fear and prejudice will tear this country apart. As he is speaking, we cut to CAPITOL BUILDING WASHINGTON D.C. DAY Kelly pushing past reporters. KELLY No more questions. Please, no more questions. The back of Kelly s neck as he passes. A BLUE SCALE is visible above his collar. LOGAN S ROOM DAY The FAINT CHEERS are heard through the walls. HAZY THEN FOCUS INTO light pushes through blinds. A gentle breeze moves them slightly. Logan sits up in his bed, his chest bandaged. VRRRIP the sound of blinds being pulled open. Bright sunshine fills the room, washing across a box and a card sitting on a bureau. the card as Logan reads it. LOGAN WELCOME HOME. It is signed simply, X. Logan reaches in the box, pulling out a UNIFORM. He lays it on the bed. He pulls on one of the gloves, stretching his fingers in it. Perfect fit. SHOOK He pops his claws through THREE METAL RINGLETS on the back of the glove clearly it was made specifically for him. Logan looks down into the box for him. LOGAN S ROOM LATER DAY From behind Logan we see him finish putting something on over his head. Logan turns into frame, he is wearing a dark blue MASK. It fits his head neatly. The sides arch up shadowing his ears, giving him a wolf or fox like appearance. The shape is reminiscent of Logan s sketch the wolverine. Logan stands facing a mirror. The mask looks good on him and he seems to know it. Xavier is in the doorway. Logan pulls off the mask, embarrassed. LOGAN Don t you knock? XAVIER They re all asking how you re doing. Are you feeling up to saying hello to everyone? LOGAN (pulling the glove off) Actually I m feeling up to leaving. Logan walks over to the closet and pulls out a shirt. He puts it on. XAVIER (surprised) Why? You have a home here now, if you want it. Everyone will... LOGAN What?... miss me? Charley, I m gonna walk out the front door and trust me, it won t be soon enough for everyone here. Logan pulls a duffle bag out of the closet. LOGAN Can I, umm? XAVIER Of course. Everything in this room is for you. Logan seems genuinely touched by the gesture. LOGAN Thanks, I ll pay you back. Logan shoves some clothes into the bag, but not all. XAVIER Well if you re going to leave then you at least owe them a goodbye. Logan smirks. He picks up his bag. They exit the room together. MANSION DAY The celebration continues unabated. The newscaster on the defeat of the Mutant Registration Act muted, in the background Storm, Jean, and Cyclops all sit around a table chatting. Rogue sits on the couch with other students, trying on a new pair of leather gloves. XAVIER Excuse me. (louder) Excuse me. Xavier is in the doorway. XAVIER Everyone, Logan would like to say... Logan steps into the doorway. Everyone can see him now. Before Xavier can finish his sentence he is interrupted by APPLAUSE simple, genuine, applause. Students slowly stand up. Proud of Logan. For he is one of them. He is a mutant. And he is a hero. As the unconditional applause echoes around him, Logan seems sincerely touched by their spontaneous outpouring. He is almost choked up almost. The applause quiet. XAVIER Well, Logan. All eyes are on Logan. Logan pauses. He looks to Xavier, then back to the room. LOGAN What s a guy gotta do to get a beer around here? Logan puts his duffle bag down. He walks over to the table with Storm, Cyclops and Jean. Jean smiles at him, so does Cyclops his arm around the back of her chair. Logan sees them together, they are happy, and finally he offers a smile. Xavier holds for a moment at the door. A look of pride on his face, the pride a father has for his children. PLASTIC PRISON DAY A CLEAR PLASTIC HALLWAY That s right, PLASTIC. Everything we can see walls, ceiling, floor is made, entirely, of thick, clear plastic. DOWN THE HALL TO A THICK PLASTIC CELL There, in the middle, at the clear plastic desk, with two clear plastic cups filled with the only thing of color other than the two men in the room. Xavier and Magneto. They play a friendly game of chess. Magneto is notably without his trademark helmet. Two casts encase his legs from his Logan inflicted injury. Xavier is on a modified plastic chair with plastic wheels. MAGNETO I wouldn t really have let you die, you know. I just needed... XAVIER (interrupting) I know. Magneto thinks for a while; then MAGNETO Doesn t it ever wake you in the middle of the night? The feeling that some day, some day very soon, they will pass that foolish law or one just like it and they will come for you and your children? Take you all away? XAVIER It does indeed, Max. MAGNETO And what do you do when you wake up to that? XAVIER I feel a great swell of pity for the poor soul who comes to that school again looking for trouble. He stares right at Magneto. Xavier makes a move, Magneto counters. Xavier moves again. MAGNETO But you know that it is a war, old friend. And to win a war it takes the will to fight it at all costs, by any means necessary. And for that reason, I will always have the advantage. No matter how you trap me, how I am contained Chess pieces seem to visually mimic their conversation Xavier s white pieces slowly surrounding Magneto s Black King. MAGNETO I will always find an escape. XAVIER And I will always be there, old friend. And with that, Xavier places his queen gently down, taking away a knight. XAVIER Check. Just then, the door to the cell opens. A Guard waits. Magneto and Xavier stare at one another before Xavier turns and wheels himself out of the room. The door closes behind him, leaving Magneto alone with his plastic chess set in his plastic cell. And Magneto looks at the pieces before him. Something occurs to him. He smiles a wicked smile. And his rook LEVITATES, despite its properties, moving across the board and toppling Xavier s king. MAGNETO And mate. A BLINDING WHITE SCREEN, under which we hear an ominous low end Dolby THX Big Screen rumble. We re not in television land anymore, Toto. As the rumble builds, TWO BLACK FIGURES appear on what now has resolved into a distant horizon. From their movements we can shortly see that the figures are men. Moving along a windswept ice sheet in an otherwise featureless land. A LEGEND appears  NORTH TEXAS, , B.C. CLOSER ON THE TWO MEN Continuing toward us, we can now see that they are dressed in crude garments made of animal skins. If we squint we can see their hair is long, their jutting foreheads significant of primitive Homo Sapiens. They continue toward us, the wind beating against them, CAMERA IS CRANING DOWN to the snow that lies before them. To LARGE THREE TOED TRACKS. FOLLOWING THE PRIMITIVES As they track the three toed prints to a rocky crevice in the hard pack ice. The prints stop here, and so do the men. Dropping down into the crevice in pursuit of their quarry. ICE CAVE Dark in here, except where the sunlight penetrates the thick, glassy ice walls. The silhouettes of the Primitives stark against the glistening cavern. The sound of flint being struck, then A TORCH CATCHES FIRE, illuminating their faces. And  A CREATURE Deeper in the cave. Fleeing the light and the men. We get only a brief glimpse of it in the torch light, seeing that it moves upright on two legs and has gray, dinosaur like skin. And large black eyes. But it moves quickly enough away that any other identifying feature is lost in the deeper shadows. THE PRIMITIVES Removing crude weapons made of sharpened bone from under their thick fur garments, and scrabbling into the constricting cavern, giving chase. Following them as they moves with animal like agility through the tightening space. Predatory hunters. Their torchlight catching  THE CREATURE As it disappears into a tight opening in a smaller crevice leading off the main one. The Primitives entering frame after a moment, only a few steps behind. The LEAD PRIMITIVE dropping to the cave floor, pulling himself into this same tight fissure in pursuit. Splitting off from his partner who exits frame still on the run. SMALLER ICE CAVE HIGH ANGLE DOWN The fiery torch comes through first, held by the lead man. Throwing dancing shadows on the walls of what appears to be a box cavern. CLOSE ON LEAD PRIMITIVE Rising quickly to his feet. Not seeing what the torch illuminates just behind him  The face of a dead Primitive Man, his body frozen into the ice. He does finally notice this, turning to see it, when he s ATTACKED VICIOUSLY FROM BEHIND. The torch falls to the floor so that the fight is difficult to see, but it is loud and cruel. The creature squealing wildly as the grunts of the Primitive now turn to the sounds of painful struggle. Until  THE SECOND PRIMITIVE MAN Suddenly appears, driving his bone weapon into the body of the Creature. Again and again, until the Creature is driven away into the shadows. The Second Man grabs the torch now, not to see if his hunting mate has survived, but in pursuit of the Creature. In the light we see that he and his weapon are covered with spatters of OILY BLACK BLOOD. As is the First Primitive whose body lies heaving on the floor. The Second Primitive stepping over his hunting mate, stalking the Creature into the shadows, where it has collapsed. The torch finally landing, for the first time, on its face. When the torchlight hits its face, the Creature attacks. But the Primitive prevails. He drops his torch and dispatches the already wounded Creature with strong hard stabs of his weapon, one of which penetrates the Creature s eye. LOW ANGLE ON THE DEAD CREATURE The torch, which lies on the ground, illuminates the dead creature s face. Its wounds are flowing with the oily black blood, which, oddly now, BEGINS TO POOL. As if it has intelligence, sentience. Pooling and traveling into a fissure in the cave floor. And disappearing. ANGLE ON THE SECOND PRIMITIVE Watching this, unknowing. His chest heaving from the fight, as the spots of Oily Black Blood which have spattered onto him begin to crawl. Crawling toward his eyes and mouth. Causing him to let out grunts of fear. Which are the sounds we hear as the CAMERA SLOWLY CRANES UP past the struggling Primitive to the roof of the cave, where the dancing shadows of the torch FADE AWAY with the sounds of struggle. Moving into darkness and silence. But only for a moment. Until  SUNSHINE BREAKS THROUGH THE ROOF OF THE CAVE PRESENT DAY Along with the spade of a shovel. And then the earthen cave ceiling gives way and A BOY wearing Nikes and an old t shirt falls through it. Falling PAST CAMERA. We hear a YELL, then a THUD, and a CLATTERING of the shovel that s fallen in with him. Then a pained GASPING. Then SEVERAL HEADS appear in the opening. These are BOYS of ten to eleven, staring down into the cave. Hot sunlight blazing in. We have traveled far, far forward in time. ND BOY Hey, Stevie. You okay? CAVE PRESENT DAY THEIR POV OF STEVIE On the floor below covered with dirt, in his nose and mouth. Spitting out. All these boys have Texas in their voices. STEVIE I got...I got....I got.... straining ....the wind knocked out of me. This draws no sympathy from above, only LAUGHTER. THE BOYS UP ABOVE Staring excitedly. RD BOY Looks like a cave or something. ND BOY What s down there, Stevie? Anything? OVER THE BOYS ABOVE Stevie has gotten up, moving out of the patch of sunlight. Disappearing from view for a moment. Then reappearing, still spitting out dirt. But holding  STEVIE Human skull. One side partially missing from the cranium. But it brings WHOOPS of delight from the boys above. RD BOY Toss it up here, dude. STEVIE No way, buttwipe. I found it. It s mine. ANGLE UP ON STEVIE The other boys looking down at him. Stevie looking at the skull. Strangely, the light shines through it. It is milky, opaque, as if it s bone that s turned somehow glassy in places. Then  STEVIE Anyways, there s bones all over the place down here. Stevie looks down at his feet. CAMERA FOLLOWING HIS LOOK DOWN to where there are indeed more human bones. And something else. He takes a couple of steps in place, standing in a familiar BLACK, OILY substance which is climbing up his tennis shoe from the rock floor, over the edge of the shoe and down into the shoe itself. Then the SKULL drops in the frame, clattering on the hard floor of the cave. CAMERA SLOWLY RISING UP FROM STEVIE s SHOES Following SUBCUTANEOUS WORMS which have begun locomoting aggressively up his legs. As his whole body is WRACKED by a shivering seizure of some kind. CAMERA RISES, following the path of the worms as they move up the legs of his shorts. Some appearing on his bare arms, but the great majority continuing up to Stevie s neck, toward his face. Stevie stands paralyzed. Letting out guttural sounds not dissimilar to when the wind was knocked out of him. RD BOY O.S. Hey, Stevie.... But Stevie cannot answer him. CAMERA CONTINUING UP to the boys above. Looking down at their friend. Their eyes go wide. ND BOY You okay? But what they see next answers that question for them. THEIR POV OF STEVIE His face suddenly alive with the subcutaneous worms. Moving toward his eyes which begin filling with BLACK OIL. Looking much now like ALIEN EYES. CLOSE ON THE BOYS ABOVE Freaked by what they see. And doing what any kid would do now. RD BOY Hey, man. Let s get outta here. And they do. Bolting from the hole in the top of the cave. CAMERA PUSHING UP THROUGH THIS HOLE to REVEAL we are  EXT. SMALL DIRT FIELD NORTHERN TEXAS DAY In a dirt hole that was being dug by the three kids. RISING UP out of the hole to REVEAL the parched dirt patch where THREE KIDS are running away from us, as fast as their feet will take them. Toward A NEW HOUSING TRACT five floorplans to choose from, including the model home. Disappearing into the neighborhood. A LEGEND appears  NORTH TEXAS, . CAMERA CONTINUES RISING ABOVE THE ROOFTOPS to see the surrounding expanse of empty Texas flatland. And in the distance, the DALLAS SKYLINE. As CAMERA SETTLES, there are a few moments of nothing but the sound of the wind gently whistling across the landscape. In which we bury a short TIME CUT. EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD NORTHERN TEXAS DAY Then we HEAR it, before we see it  FIRE ENGINES pulling into the neighborhood, sirens WAILING. CAMERA DROPPING AGAIN as the lead engine pulls up. FIREMEN are hopping off, moving to the hole the boys dug. LOW ANGLE UP FROM BELOW GROUND LEVEL, IN THE DUGOUT HOLE TWO firemen carrying a ladder clamber down PAST CAMERA, THREE OTHERS appearing on their heels. The other two firemen clamber down, too. THE CAPTAIN at the edge of the hole watching them. Holding a radio. FIRE CAPTAIN This is Captain Miles Cooles...we ve got a rescue situation in progress... CAVE CONTINUOUS As the LEAD FIREMAN steps down the ladder into the cave. He scans the darkness, illuminated only by the shaft of light permitted by the hole above. As the ND FIREMAN drops down next to him. The both stand motionless now, as if sensing something. THEIR POV Stevie s feet are just visible on the floor of the cave, a short distance away. RESUME FIREMEN LOW ANGLE They start cautiously toward Stevie. CAMERA FINDING their feet. Tracking through the same OILY, BLACK SUBSTANCE we saw bleeding from the creature thirty five thousand years ago. As they move into the shadows, we HOLD ON THE SUBSTANCE....and see it MOVE. It s alive. TIME EXT. DIRT FIELD SHORT TIME LATER CAMERA RISES out of the dirt hole, finds A GROUP OF NEIGHBORS  Concerned PARENTS, KIDS, including Stevie s friends. They re held at a distance by the remaining firemen. Everyone turning their concerned gazes skyward. Looking at  A MED EVAC CHOPPER Coming off the sun setting horizon. Moving toward us at high speed. The WHOP, WHOP of its blade soon shaking the neighborhood as it banks in and around and hovers just over the dirt field. Landing gently on the parched hard scrabble. The side door flies open and FIVE HAZ MAT RESCUE PARAMEDICS jump out carrying a bubble litter. CAMERA PANS THEM to the dirt hole past THE FIRE CAPTAIN. The Haz Mat Paramedics moving down into the hole. The Fire Captain watches this, then stares toward DR. BEN BRONSCHWEIG in shirtsleeves, tie , exiting the chopper, following up the rear. The Captain meeting him in route. BRONSCHWEIG over the chopper Keep those people back. Get them out of here. FIRE CAPTAIN to his men Move them all back. dogging Bronschweig I sent four men down after the boy. They re not responding. Dr. Bronschweig s focus is elsewhere, though. He s making a bee line to the earthen hole where young Stevie is being pulled out and lifted into an enclosed QUARANTINE BUBBLE LITTER by the rescue squad. Bronschweig watches with great concern. Getting a good look now at Stevie s paralyzed body as it passes him. ANGLE ON CHOPPER As Stevie s body is loaded aboard, the side door is slid shut. The engine throttles up and the chopper takes flight again, almost as quickly as it arrived. The prop wash blowing  DR. BRONSCHWEIG And the gathering crowd. Bronschweig watches the chopper bank away, then turns his look to  THE NEIGHBORHOOD Where A SERIES OF UNMARKED CARGO VANS, TRUCKS are rolling in. A fleet of vehicles, driven by what looks like MILITARY PERSONNEL. Most conspicuously TWO WHITE UNMARKED TANKER TRUCKS. There are NO MARKINGS on these vehicles. RESUME BRONSCHWEIG As the Fire Captain moves around to face him off. FIRE CAPTAIN What about my men? DR. BRONSCHWEIG brusquely We re doing all we can. And he moves off toward the approaching trucks where the MILITARY PERSONNEL are pulling out tents, tent poles, scientific equipment. Leaving the Captain to wonder what the hell s going on. Watching the first of many REFRIGERATION UNITS being unloaded. The personnel carrying it paying him no mind as they blow past him. Moving RIGHT TO CAMERA and plunging us into BLACK. HOLD. Then OVER BLACK, a familiar sound again. The sound of a chopper auguring in. As we FADE UP, revealing we are  EXT. TOP OF A SKYSCRAPER DAY The chopper is banking over the side of the building, preparing to touch down on the rooftop where FIFTEEN FBI AGENTS in dark ID windbreakers are standing. A LEGEND appears  FEDERAL BUILDING, DALLAS, TEXAS. ONE WEEK LATER. The chopper touches down and, again, the side door is thrown open. But now only one man exits  SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE S.A.C. DARIUS MICHAUD. Michaud moves with the measured pace of authority, approaching the waiting FBI Agents. One of whom steps up. FBI AGENT We ve evacuated the building and been through it bottom to top. No trace of an explosive device or anything resembling one. S.A.C. MICHAUD Have you taken the dogs through? FBI AGENT Yes, sir. S.A.C. MICHAUD Well, take them through again. This is given as a non negotiable order, to the somewhat weary FBI man. Who turns back to his charges, Michaud does not register this attitude, though. Something else has caught his attention. Causing him to walk to the edge of the building. CAMERA FOLLOWING HIM, seeing what he sees now. On an adjacent skyscraper is what appears to be AN FBI AGENT in an ID windbreaker exiting onto the roof. CAMERA CONTINUING AROUND into A CLOSE UP PROFILE of S.A.C Michaud. Staring at this, his jaw set. He doesn t like what he sees. And what he sees is  EXT. ROOFTOP OPPOSING SKYSCRAPER DAY CONTINUOUS Special Agent Dana Scully is coming out the door leading onto the roof. The door slams shut behind her. She, too, is dressed in an FBI windbreaker. She s dialing her cell phone as she moves around the rooftop looking for something. Dialing the number of  SCULLY Mulder it s me  MULDER FILTER Where are you, Scully? SCULLY I m on the roof. MULDER FILTER Did you find something? SCULLY impatiently No. I haven t. MULDER FILTER What s wrong, Scully? SCULLY I ve just climbed twelve floors. I m hot and thirsty and I m wondering, to be honest, what I m doing here. MULDER FILTER You re looking for a bomb. SCULLY I know that. But the threat was called in for the Federal Building across the street. MULDER FILTER I think they have that covered. WE ARE TRACKING WITH SCULLY. SCULLY impatience Mulder... when a terrorist bomb threat is called in, the logical purpose of providing this information is to allow us to find the bomb. The rational object of terrorism is to promote terror. If you d study model behavioral pattern in virtually every case where a threat has turned up an explosive device. If we don t act in accordance with that data if you ignore it as we have done the chances are great that if here actually is a bomb we might not find it. Lives could be lost Scully, engrossed in her own argument, realizes she s been the only one speaking for the last short while. She stops walking. SCULLY Mulder...? MULDER What happened to playing a hunch? Scully almost JUMPS out of her own skin. The voice has come not over the phone, but from two feet away where  ANGLE TO INCLUDE AGENT MULDER Standing in the shadow of a large air conditioning unit. Cracking a trademark sunflower seed between his teeth. Clicking his cell phone off. Moving out. SCULLY Jesus, Mulder... MULDER The element of surprise, Scully. Random acts of unpredictability. If we fail to anticipate the unforeseen or expect the unexpected in a universe of infinite possibilities, we find ourselves at the mercy of anyone or anything that cannot be programmed, categorized or easily referenced... Mulder has moved to the edge of the building where he sails his sunflower seeds into the air. Dusting his hands off as if lost in a wistful through for just a moment. MULDER What are we doing up here? It s hotter than hell. And he s on the move. Scully moving to catch up. NEW ANGLE Mulder is moving toward the stairs, Scully catching him. Mulder allowing her to lead him up the steps. SCULLY I know you re bored in this assignment, but unconventional thinking is only going to get you into trouble now. MULDER How s that? SCULLY You ve got to quit looking for what isn t there. They ve closed the X Files. There s procedure to be followed here. Protocol. MULDER What do you say we call in a bomb threat for Houston. I think it s free beer night at the Astrodome. Scully gives him a look. It s no use. She reaches the door first, grabs the knob but... it won t open. Turning to Mulder. SCULLY Now what? MULDER suddenly nervous It s locked? She wiggles the knob again. SCULLY So much for anticipating the unforeseen... Scully squints into the sun, staring at Mulder. But he s quick on the draw, and realizes what she s up to. He grabs for the door and... it opens. Looking to Scully whose hard look of mock scolding has become a smirking smile. SCULLY Had you. MULDER No you didn t. SCULLY Oh yeah. Had you big time. And that s how it continues as they re enter the stairwell, the door slamming shut behind them. BUILDING LOBBY DAY As an elevator DINGS and the doors open. Scully and Mulder exit into the lobby where people move in and out. Heads turn due to their FBI jackets. Included atmosphere  a GROUP OF KIDS on a field trip, being led into an elevator by THEIR TEACHER. SCULLY I saw your face, Mulder. There was a moment of panic. MULDER Panic? Have you ever seen me panic, Scully? SCULLY I just did. You re buying. Mulder fishes for change, but more out of sportsmanship. MULDER Alright... what ll it be  Coke, Pepsi? A saline IV? SCULLY Something sweet. Scully flashes a thin victory smile, as Mulder heads off. HALLWAY OUTSIDE VENDING MACHINE ROOM CONTINUOUS Mulder moving to a door with a small shingle above it which says SNACKS BEVERAGES. As he approaches, sorting through the change he s fished up, the door opens and A MAN IN A VENDOR s UNIFORM appears. He makes casual and ever so brief eye contact with Mulder as he brushes past him. Mulder making no note of this as he moves to catch the door before it closes. SNACK AREA AND SODA VENDING MACHINE ROOM DAY Mulder takes a few steps down into the windowless room. Moving past the snack machines to a LIGHTED soda machine. Finding the correct change and plunking it in. Hitting a button, but... nothing comes out. MULDER Oh, come on. He beats his fist a couple of times on the front of the machine. Nothing. He finds more change. Plunking it in. Hits the button. Nothing. He stares at the machine a minute, then BEATS IT HARD with his fist. Nothing. Moving around to the back of the machine, looking for  ANGLE ACROSS BACK OF MACHINE Mulder s face peering in on the slim space between the machine and the wall. Reaching down and lifting the PLUG on the end of the electrical cord. It isn t plugged in. Realizing now why the machine hasn t spit out his sodas. RESUME FRONT ANGLE ON MACHINE As Mulder appears, stepping very lightly in front of the machine that he was just pounding away on. Looking at it, then moving quickly to the door he entered through. Grasping the knob, but finding it... LOCKED. He jiggles the knob, pulls on it. But there s no two ways about it, he s locked in. BUILDING LOBBY DAY Scully stands looking at her watch. Wondering where Mulder is. When her CELL PHONE starts ringing. She answers it. SCULLY Scully... MULDER FILTER Scully, I found the bomb. SCULLY thinks he s joking Where are you, Mulder? MULDER FILTER I m in the vending room. Scully is on the move, but she doesn t believe him for a second. HALLWAY OUTSIDE VENDING MACHINE ROOM CONTINUOUS Scully appears, heard A POUNDING. Following this noise to the door Mulder is obviously on the other side of. Tries the door. SCULLY Is that you pounding? SNACK AND SODA VENDING MACHINE ROOM DAY Mulder holds his phone to his ear, using his other hand to pound. MULDER Scully, get somebody to open this door. SCULLY FILTER Nice try, Mulder. CAMERA FOLLOWING MULDER as he steps back, revealing now that he s gotten the hinged front of the coke machine open. But we can t yet see what s inside. MULDER Scully listen to me. It s in the coke machine. You ve got about fourteen minutes to get this building evacuated. HALLWAY OUTSIDE VENDING MACHINE ROOM CONTINUOUS Scully is shaking her head. Tries the door again. SCULLY C mon. Open the door. His response to this is MORE HARD POUNDING. SCULLY Mulder? Tell me this is a joke. MULDER FILTER Thirteen fifty nine, thirteen fifty eight, thirteen fifty seven... As he is doing this, Scully is bending to see  THE KEYHOLE It s been freshly soldered over. SNACK AND SODA VENDING MACHINE ROOM DAY Mulder stands pacing in front of  AN ELABORATELY ENGINEERED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE Wired with circuit boards, electric belts and generally looking like it would take an expert a good long time to figure out where to even start. A lot longer than the   that reads on the digital read out. MULDER ...thirteen fifty six... SCULLY FILTER Hang on. I m gonna get you out of there. The line goes dead. And off Mulder s deepening anxiety, we  BUILDING LOBBY DAY Scully enters like General Patton, taking charge. Barking at the security guards who sit behind their security console. SCULLY I need this building evacuated and cleared out in ten minutes! I need you to get on the phone and tell the fire department to block off the city center in one mile radius around the building  SECURITY GUARD In ten minutes.....?! SCULLY DON t THINK! JUST PICK UP THE PHONE AND MAKE IT HAPPEN! And she s moving, dialing her cell phone now. SCULLY into phone This is Special Agent Dana Scully. I need to speak to S.A.C. Michaud. He s got the wrong building EXT. BUILDING DAY UNMARKED FBI VANS, CARS are pulling up out front. Agents in windbreakers are exiting, moving at a run to the building. Among them S.A.C. Darius Michaud. Moving to  ANGLE ON SCULLY Exiting the building. Behind her, WORKERS are beginning to stream out of the building, as well as the young FIELD TRIPPERS. Michaud meeting up with Scully mid plaza. As the windbreaker Agents move past them, entering the building. S.A.C. MICHAUD Where is it? MOVING WITH THEM now, back toward the building. As FIRE TRUCKS are pulling up out in the street out front. Suddenly this has the distinct feel of a situation veering out of control. SCULLY Mulder found it in a vending machine. He s locked in with it. SNACK AND VENDING MACHINE ROOM DAY THE DIGITAL READ OUT hits   . Pull back to REVEAL MULDER staring at it. If he wasn t sweating enough on the roof, he s certainly sweating now. When his cell phone RINGS. Answering it. MULDER Scully? SCULLY FILTER Mulder. Move away from the door. We re coming through it. No sooner is this said than the CAMERA WHIPS OFF MULDER to the door, where A GAS PLASMA TORCH FLAME is sizzling along the hinges. HALLWAY OUTSIDE VENDING MACHINE ROOM CONTINUOUS Where Michaud himself, wearing a Kevlar vest now, is wielding the torch. Expertly cutting the metal while Scully and TWO AGENTS and TWO DALLAS BOMB SQUAD men look on. In the b.g. BUILDING EMPLOYEES are streaming out. Michaud finishes and shuts off the torch. Yelling  S.A.C. MICHAUD Go. The other Agents kick the metal door in sending it crashing to the floor. Mulder stands on the other side. Watching Michaud pick up a heft tool kit, stepping over the downed door. Scully right behind him. Along with the Agents, Bomb techs. ANGLE OVER MULDER AND THE SODA MACHINE BOMB As Michaud steps in next to him, sizing up the time on the ticking digital readout    . And just exactly what kind of defusing work he s got cut out for him. MULDER Tell me this is just soda pop in those canisters. S.A.C. MICHAUD No. It s what it looks like. A big I.E.D. ten gallons of astrolite. studying the bomb Okay, get everybody out of here and clear the building. MULDER Somebody s got to stay with you  S.A.C. MICHAUD I gave you an order. Now get the hell out of here and evacuate the area. SCULLY Can you defuse it? Setting his tool kit down, opening it. As the other Agents heed his word, exiting the room. S.A.C. MICHAUD I think so. MULDER You ve got about four minutes to find out if you re wrong. Michaud turns on him with unexpected intensity. S.A.C. MICHAUD Did you hear what I said? SCULLY Let s go, Mulder. Scully starts out. Mulder stares at Michaud for a moment, but Michaud s focus is on the bomb now. He won t meet Mulder s look. Finally Mulder moves off, following Scully. CAMERA HOLDS ON MICHAUD, just staring at the bomb. Just staring. EXT. PLAZA OUTSIDE BOMB BUILDING DAY CONTINUOUS The last of the building occupants are being hauled off in CITY BUSES which have moved in curbside. As these buses pull away, so do the fire trucks that have positioned themselves out front. And the police squad cars. As Mulder and Scully exit the front door. Moving quickly, until Mulder hits mid plaza and slows. Scully not realizing this for a few steps, then turning. SCULLY What are you doing? off his non response Mulder One last windbreakered Agent is exiting. Moving past them to the last cop car other than the car waiting for Mulder and Scully. LAST AGENT OUT All clear. Mulder has stopped and is looking back to the building now as Scully hustles back the few steps separating them. MULDER Something s wrong. ANGLE OVER THEM TO THE WAITING CAR As the Last Agent Out s car zooms away. Leaving only their car and the man driving it  a WINDBREAKERED AGENT. WINDBREAKERED AGENT What s he doing? The plaza is desolate now, void of life. MULDER Something s not right... SCULLY Mulder! Get in the car! Scully is pulling him now. Pulling him toward the car and the obviously impatient Windbreakered Agent. SCULLY There s no time! SNACK AND SODA VENDING MACHINE ROOM DAY CLOSE ON BOMB. The seconds ticking off now, as it passes the   mark. CAMERA PULLING BACK, ADJUSTING to Michaud. His tool chest is closed up, and he is sitting on it improbably. Still staring at the bomb, then pulling his head down in what appears to be resignation. As the seconds tick away. CUT BACK TO  EXT. PLAZA OUTSIDE BOMB BUILDING DAY CONTINUOUS Mulder has relented now, against his better instincts. Moving with Scully to the car, faster as they go. The Windbreaker Agent standing in the open door of the driver s side. Getting in behind the wheel... CUT BACK TO  VENDING MACHINE ROOM CONTINUOUS S.A.C. MICHAUD Sitting motionless in front of the bomb as the seconds tick down.    HARD CUT BACK TO  EXT. PLAZA OUTSIDE BOMB BUILDING DAY CONTINUOUS Mulder and Scully getting in the car. TRACKING BACKWARDS with them now as the Agent driving pulls away, getting only thirty, maybe forty yards when  the BOMB DETONATES and the building EXPLODES. And this is no fatwa symbolic little terror strike. This is Oklahoma City. Or do we say, Independence Day. REVERSE ANGLE ON CAR As all the windows blow out and the car is lifted up, slamming into the corner of a parked car. The air so quickly full of debris that it would seem the whole city has been destroyed. RESUME BUILDING As the debris starts to clear somewhat, much of it still floating to the ground, though. We see the fires raging on every floor. That most of the front of the building has been torn away and we can see right into many floors. RESUME ANGLE ON CAR Where it sits half cocked against a parked car. The air is full of debris, particulated matter. The rear door of the squad car opens now and Mulder gets out, covered with glass. Moving to the front passenger door, opening it for Scully. MULDER with darkest irony Next time you re buying. EXT. AERIAL SHOT OF WASHINGTON D.C. DAY HIGH ABOVE the U.S. capital, the entire beltway. With a LEGEND, to establish. LOWER AND TIGHTER NOW On the J. Edgar Hoover Building, FBI Headquarters. Descending low on the three sided monolith and its large interior courtyard. As another LEGEND appears, under  WOMAN s VOICE V.O. In light of Waco, and Ruby Ridge... FBI OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL REVIEW DAY A formal hearing. Several ASSISTANT DIRECTORS sit at a head table, going over documents. NAME PLACECARDS in front of them. PANNING the group, the sound of papers shuffling, the occasional clearing of a throat creating a stale air of importance, under  WOMAN s VOICE V.O. ...there is a heightened need at the Attorney General s office to place responsibility as early as possible. CAMERA LANDING ON ASSISTANT DIRECTOR JANA CASSIDY A no nonsense year old lawyer cum FBI Agent. CASSIDY ...for the catastrophic destruction of public property and the loss of life due to terrorist activities... Next to Cassidy is Assistant Director WALTER SKINNER, Mulder and Scully s former superior on the X Files. Looking ruefully at  AGENT SCULLY At a small table, the chair next to her conspicuously empty. CASSIDY Many details are still unclear; some agents reports have not been filed, or have come in sketchy, without a satisfactory accounting of the events that led to the destruction in Dallas. But we re under some pressure to give an accurate picture of what happened to the Attorney General, so she can issue a public statement. The door to the room opens behind Scully now, and Mulder enters, his manner that of a man who knows he s late to a function. RESUME A.D. CASSIDY She looks up at Mulder and Scully with a stern glare. CASSIDY We now know that five people died in the explosion. Special Agent in Charge Darius Michaud who was trying to defuse the bomb that had been hidden in a vending machine. Three firemen from Dallas, and a young boy. OVER MULDER AND SCULLY Mulder pulls out his chair to sit down, but remains standing. They trade a look. This is new news to them. MULDER Excuse me the firemen and the boy they were in the building? CASSIDY Agent Mulder, since you weren t able to be on time for this hearing, I m going to ask you to step outside so that we can get Agent Scully s version of the facts. So that she won t have to be paid the same disrespect. MULDER We were told the building was clear. CASSIDY You ll get your turn, Agent Mulder. Please step out. Mulder trades looks with  A.D. SKINNER Who stares at him evenly, but not unsympathetically. He s been here with Mulder on many occasions. Seen Mulder run up against the Bureau and its stiff conventions. Always in the middle. MULDER It does say there in your paperwork that we were the ones who found the bomb... CASSIDY Thank you, Agent Mulder. We ll call you in shortly. RESUME MULDER, SCULLY As Mulder slides his chair in. Scully watching him exit. HALLWAY OUTSIDE OPR HEARING ROOM DAY Mulder sits by himself in a chair, head down. When the door to the hearing room opens. Mulder rising as A.D. Skinner exits. SKINNER Sit down, they re still talking to Agent Scully. MULDER About what? SKINNER They re asking her for a narrative. They want to know why she was in the wrong building. MULDER She was with me. Skinner studies Mulder, shaking his head. SKINNER You don t see what s going on here, do you? off Mulder s look There s four hundred million dollars in damage to the city of Dallas. Lives have been lost. No suspects have been named. So the story being shaped is this could have been prevented. That the FBI didn t do its job. MULDER And they want to blame us? SKINNER Agent Mulder we both know that if you and Agent Scully hadn t taken the initiative to search the adjacent building, you could have multiplied the fatalities by a hundred  MULDER grasping the irony But it s not the lives we saved. It s the lives we didn t. SKINNER reciting the dictum  if it looks bad, it s bad for the FBI  MULDER if they want someone to blame, they can blame me. Agent Scully doesn t deserve this. SKINNER She s in there right now saying the same thing about you. MULDER I breached protocol. I broke contact with the S.A.C. I ignored a primary tactical rule and left him alone with the device. SKINNER Agent Scully says it was she who ordered you out of the building. That you wanted to go back. Mulder doesn t get to respond, because the door opens again and Agent Scully exits. She looks like she s been through it. SCULLY to Skinner They re asking for you, Sir. Skinner gives one last look to Mulder, then re enters. Leaving Mulder and Scully alone. Scully wearing a pained look. MULDER Whatever you told them in there, you don t have to protect me. SCULLY All I told them was the truth. MULDER They re trying to divide us on this, Scully. We can t let them. SCULLY They have divided us, Mulder. They re splitting us up. MULDER beat What? What are you talking about? SCULLY I meet with the OPR day after tomorrow for remediation and reassignment... MULDER Why? SCULLY I think you must have an idea. They cited a history of problems relating back to . MULDER They were the ones that put us together. SCULLY Because they wanted me to invalidate your work, your investigations into the paranormal. But I think this goes deeper than that. MULDER This isn t about you, Scully. They re doing this to me. SCULLY They re not doing this, Mulder. off his look I left behind a career in medicine because I thought I might make a difference at the FBI. When they recruited me they told me women made up nine percent of the bureau. I felt this was not an impediment, but an opportunity to distinguish myself. But it hasn t turned out that way. And now, if I were to be transferred to Omaha, or Wichita or some field office where I m sure I could rise, it just doesn t hold the interest for me it once did. Not after what I ve seen and done. MULDER You re... quitting? SCULLY There s really no reason left for me to stay anymore. off his look Maybe you should ask yourself if your heart s still in it, too. The door opens to the hearing room again now. A.D. Skinner steps part way out, gesturing to him. SKINNER Agent Mulder. You re up. SCULLY regretfully I m sorry. Good luck. Mulder rises. Scully studying his poorly disguised hurt. Before he turns and goes into the room. Scully watching the door close behind him. Her feelings poorly disguised, too. DOWNSCALE D.C. BAR NIGHT CLOSE ON A SHOOTER OF TEQUILA being poured. CAMERA ADJUSTING to reveal the ATTRACTIVE BARMAID tipping the bottle. Pushing it across the bar to where TWO EMPTY SHOOTERS sit, making the exchange. BARMAID I d say this about exceeds your minimum daily requirement. The person she s talking to us  MULDER He sits by himself on a stool, staring down at the bar. Staring at the shooter which he spins with his fingers. BARMAID Gotta train for this kind of heavy lifting. Mulder tosses back the shooter anyway. She watches him as she retrieves the small shot glass, intrigued by his dark silence. BARMAID Poopy day? MULDER Yup. BARMAID A woman? Mulder shakes his head no Work. Mulder nods, pointing to the tequila bottle again. The Barmaid agrees to pour another one, reluctantly. ANGLE OVER TO A MAN AT THE END OF THE BAR Staring at Mulder intently. He s older than Mulder, dressed in an old Brooke Brothers light summer suit. Mulder notices him, feels his gaze, but doesn t give it thought. RESUME BARMAID, MULDER BARMAID What do you do? MULDER What do I do. off her curious look I m a key figure in an ongoing government charade. An annoyance to my superiors. A joke among my peers. Spooky,' they call me. Spooky Mulder. Whose sister was abducted by aliens when he was a kid. Who now chases little green men with a badge and a gun, shouting to the heavens and anyone who ll listen that the fix is in. That our government s hip to the truth and a part of the conspiracy. That the sky is falling and when it hits it s gonna be the shitstorm of all time. She stares at him for a moment, startled by his drunken screed. She pulls back the shooter she s just poured Mulder. BARMAID I think that about does it, Spooky. MULDER Does what? BARMAID Why don t you go home to the old lady  MULDER Sorry. Don t have one. Mulder slides off his stool, noticing  MULDER s POV The Watchful Man is gone. RESUME MULDER He feints toward the door, then reverses direction. Heads to the back of the place. REAR OF DOWNSCALE BAR NIGHT CONTINUOUS Mulder appears, moving to the bathroom door. Only to find an OUT OF ORDER sign on it. He moves to the woman s room, but it s locked. Gathering what s left of his wits, Mulder does what any red blooded man would do in this situation. He goes to the back door of the bar and exits into the alley. EXT. ALLEY BEHIND BAR NIGHT Mulder has found a place against a wall, between two dumpsters. Jerking around in surprise at the sound of a VOICE. WATCHFUL MAN s VOICE That official FBI business? MULDER startled What? ANGLE TO INCLUDE THE MAN FROM THE BAR He s not far from Mulder. His name is KURTZWEIL. KURTZWEIL Bet the Bureau s accusing you of the same thing in Dallas. Mulder s weirded out as the stranger moves to him un threateningly. MULDER How s that? KURTZWEIL Standing around holding your yank while bombs are exploding. Kurtzweil enjoys a little laugh over this. MULDER Do I know you? KURTZWEIL No. I ve been watching your career for a good while. Back when you were just a promising young agent before that. Mulder stares at this man as he finishes, zipping up. MULDER You follow me out here for a reason? KURTZWEIL Yeah, I did. Kurtzweil unzips his own pants now. There is a moment; one of those awkward moments where Mulder s not sure what s about to happen. But Kurtzweil s just relieving himself, too. Shuffling up to the wall, Mulder takes this as an opportunity to head back toward the bar. But Kurtzweil hails him again. KURTZWEIL My name s Kurtzweil. Dr. Alvin Kurtzweil. MULDER I know the name. Why? KURTZWEIL Old friend of your father s. Kurtzweil continues peeing. Knows this got Mulder s attention. KURTZWEIL Back at the Department of State. We were what you might call fellow travelers, but his disenchantment outlasted mine. beat I never believed in the Project. Mulder stares at Kurtzweil now. He s being toyed with. He turns, opens the door into the bar. As Kurtzweil gets a little louder. KURTZWEIL Oh, come on. Don t pretend you don t know about the Project. Your father died for it. Your sister was taken because of it. Kurtzweil finishes nature s call. Zips up. Heads after Mulder. DOWNSCALE D.C. BAR NIGHT Mulder is coming from the back. Kurtzweil moving to catch up. And he does, at the coat stand. The place has pretty much cleared out, except for the Barmaid and some help. MULDER How d you find me? KURTZWEIL Heard you come here now and again. Figured you d be needing a little drinky tonight. MULDER You a reporter? KURTZWEIL I m a doctor, but I think I mentioned that. OB GYN. MULDER Who sent you? KURTZWEIL I came on my own. After reading about the bombing in Dallas. MULDER Well, if you ve got something to tell me, you ve got as long as it takes me to hail a cab... Mulder starts out the door, but Kurtzweil grabs his arm. KURTZWEIL They re going to pin Dallas on you, Agent Mulder. But there was nothing you could ve done. Nothing anyone could ve done to prevent that bomb from going off. Because the truth is something you d never have guessed; never have predicted. Mulder pulls away from Kurtzweil, but Kurtzweil dogs him to  EXT. STREET OUTSIDE DOWNSCALE BAR NIGHT The street is empty, the hour is late. Mulder moves to the curb. MULDER And what s that? KURTZWEIL S.A.C. Darius Michaud never tried or intended to defuse the bomb. MULDER rhetorical disbelief He just let it explode. KURTZWEIL What s the question nobody s asking? Why that building? Why not the Federal Building? MULDER The Federal Building was too well guarded. KURTZWEIL No. They put the bomb in the building across the street because it DID have federal offices. The Federal Emergency Management Agency had a provisional medical quarantine office there. Which is where the bodies were found. But that s the thing... Mulder s got his hand up for a taxi coming. It s pulling over as Mulder steps from the curb, stepping away from Kurtzweil. KURTZWEIL ...the thing you didn t know. That you d never think to check. Mulder s got the taxi door open, turning to Kurtzweil. KURTZWEIL Those people were already dead. MULDER Before the bomb went off? KURTZWEIL That s what I m saying. Mulder stares at Kurtzweil for a moment. MULDER Michaud was a twenty two year veteran of the bureau  KURTZWEIL Michaud was a patriot. The men he s loyal to know their way around Dallas. They blew that building to hide something. Maybe something even they couldn t predict. MULDER You re saying they destroyed an entire building to hide the bodies of three firemen...? KURTZWEIL And one little boy. Mulder gets in the cab, closes the door. Rolls down the window. MULDER I think you re full of shit. KURTZWEIL Do you? Kurtzweil raps the top of the roof and steps away from the car. As the taxi takes off. WE STAY WITH KURTZWEIL, watching Mulder s cab speed away. NOTE  This should also be covered from inside the cab with Mulder, to play the scene out on him. AGENT SCULLY s BEDROOM NIGHT Scully is in bed, lying awake. Staring at the ceiling. When she reacts to a POUNDING AT HER DOOR. SCULLY s APARTMENT NIGHT CLOSE ON THE FRONT DOOR. Scully peeks in the peephole. Then she removes the safety chain, opening the door. MULDER strangely intense I wake you? SCULLY No. MULDER Why not? It s three AM. Scully gets a whiff of his breath. As he moves past her into the apartment. Radiating a kind of manic intensity. SCULLY Are you drunk, Mulder? MULDER I was until about an hour ago. SCULLY Is that before or after you got the idea to come here? Mulder looks at her curiously. MULDER What are you implying, Scully? SCULLY frowning I thought you may have gotten drunk and decided to come here to talk me out of quitting. MULDER Is that what you d like me to do? Scully hesitates. Long enough to indicate her own wavering heart. SCULLY Go home, Mulder. It s late. MULDER Get dressed, Scully. SCULLY Mulder what are you doing? MULDER Just get dressed. I ll explain on the way. EXT. TEXAS FLATLAND NIGHT The moon is rising over the horizon, across the curvilinear distance of endless scrub and sagebrush. When FLYING OBJECTS cross between it and us, their forms unidentifiable in the rising heat waves off the earth. But they are moving towards us, SILHOUETTES in the background of the moon. They move silently, their size INCREASING as they move closer. And then we hear them, moments before they arrive at our position, UNMARKED HELICOPTERS just overhead. Hugging the ground as they blast across the dark Texas night. UNMARKED BLACK HELICOPTERS NIGHT Flying at dangerously low altitude over the almost featureless night landscape. Heading for something that we see ahead in the distance. What looks like a LARGE GLOWING DOME surrounded by the lights of a residential area we ve already seen, on the edge of suburban Dallas sprawl. EXT. SMALL DIRT FIELD CENTRAL TEXAS NIGHT The field where the kids had been digging has been transformed into some kind of worksite. A LARGE WHITE DOMED TENT has been erected over almost the entire patch of ground, surrounded by the CARGO TRUCKS that we saw earlier, and more unmarked vans and trucks. There are men in black fatigues moving about, and scientists in haz mat suits. As the UNMARKED BLACK HELICOPTERS bank overhead. Coming in for a landing in the glow cast from the tents. CAMERA MOVING TOWARD one of the helicopters as it lightly touches down and its black door swings open. A man stepping out, and as CAMERA PUSHES UP INTO HIS FACE we recognize him as The Cigarette Smoking Man. The figure that we ve come to know as an assassin and a model of modern self interest and amorality. One of the central protagonists in the conspiracy to keep the truth from the American people about the existence of extraterrestrial life. Something known only as  The Project.' He walks out from under the whirring prop, just far enough to get a flame from his lighter, to get a cigarette lit. As we  LARGE WHITE TENT NIGHT CONTINUOUS A SCIENTIST in a haz mat suit is moving through the maze of clear plastic tubing that divides work areas within the tent. Areas where scientists are working at tables doing what appears to be some kind of high tech archeological work. It is a hive of activity within, as the Scientist leads us past the REFRIGERATION UNITS to the earthen hole where Dr. Bronschweig we ve met him earlier, coming out of a med evac chopper that landed when the tent city was erected appears out of the earthen hole, which is reason for all this excitement. Climbing out A CLEAR HATCH which has been fashioned to cover the hole. Seeing  THE CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Now suited up himself. Bronschweig approaches him. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN You ve got something to show me. DR. BRONSCHWEIG nervous excitement Yes. ICE CAVE CONTINUOUS What we originally established as icy, and what later became the unfrozen Texas field where the boys discovered the human skull, has been turned to its previously icy state. Thanks to two large vents that Dr. Bronschweig is pointing at  DR. BRONSCHWEIG We brought the atmosphere back down to freezing in order to control the development, which is nothing like we ve ever seen. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Brought on by what? DR. BRONSCHWEIG Heat, I think. The coincident invasion of a host, the fireman, and an environment that raised his basic body temperature above ninety eight point six. They step over to a section of the cave which has been draped with more plastic, the lights from inside this are giving off a cool blue light passing by TWO PORTABLE DRILLING RIGS which have been erected, their pumps moving up and down like rocking horses. Bronschweig pushes away the plastic, revealing A MAN lying on a gurney draped in plastic. he is hooked up to various and sundry machines which are monitoring his life signs. His skin has turned almost translucent, the veins and capillaries now clearly visible, as is his pulse. His heartbeat sending life sustaining blood and energy through his body. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN This man s still alive. DR. BRONSCHWEIG Technically and biologically, though he ll never recover. The CSM is shaking his head in nervous, uneasy wonder. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN How can this be? DR. BRONSCHWEIG The developing organism is using his life energy, digesting bone and tissue. We ve just slowed the process. Bronschweig redirects a light so that it shines hard into the man s face and; then we see it. Movement. CLOSE ON MAN s FACE Though the man s eyes still blink occasionally, we can actually see through his tissue and the bones in his skull to see something IS LIVING INSIDE HIM. ANGLE UP ON CSM AND BRONSCHWEIG The Cigarette Smoking Man s mind is working intently on all the possibilities, and consequences. DR. BRONSCHWEIG Do you want me to destroy this one, too? Before it gestates? CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN No. No...we need to try our vaccine on it. DR. BRONSCHWEIG And if it s unsuccessful? CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Incinerate it. Like the others. DR. BRONSCHWEIG This man s family will want to see the body laid to rest. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Tell them he was trying to save the young boy s life, and that he died heroically like the other firemen. DR. BRONSCHWEIG Of what? CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN They seemed to buy our story about the Hanta virus. You ll make sure the families are taken care of financially, along with a sizeable donation to the community. beat Maybe a small roadside memorial. He watches the CSM exit, then back to the prostrate fireman. CLOSE ON PROSTRATE FIREMAN There is more movement within his body. Within his chest and neck, as if the creature gestating inside is continuing to stretch and grow. So that now we can see one of its BLACK EYES staring from through the clear flesh of the fireman. An eye which BLINKS at us. As we  BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL NIGHT Mulder and Scully appear at the end of a long hall. Moving TOWARD CAMERA where a YOUNG NAVAL GUARD sits in f.g. As a LEGEND appears, to establish. Mulder and Scully moving the long distance to the Guard s station. Where the Guard looks up at them with military scrutiny. YOUNG NAVAL GUARD ID and floor you re visiting. They both show their FBI IDs. MULDER We re going to the morgue. YOUNG NAVAL GUARD That area is currently off limits to anyone other than authorized medical personnel. MULDER On whose orders? YOUNG NAVAL GUARD General McAddie s. Mulder doesn t miss a beat. MULDER General McAddie is who requested our coming here. We were awakened at three AM and told to get down here immediately. YOUNG NAVAL GUARD I don t know anything about that. MULDER Well, call General McAddie. YOUNG NAVAL GUARD I don t have his number. MULDER They can patch you in through the switchboard. The Guard is nervous about this, checking his watch. He picks up the phone, going through a large directory. MULDER Hey! We don t have time to dick around here watching you demonstrate your ignorance in the chain of command. The order came direct from General McAddie. Call him. We ll conduct our business while you confirm authorization. Mulder is already directing Scully past the Naval Guard who tentatively picks up the phone again. YOUNG NAVAL GUARD to their backs Why don t you go on ahead head and I ll confirm authorization. MULDER Thank you. LEADING Mulder and Scully, moving they ve pulled off a con. MULDER Why is a morgue suddenly off limits on orders of a general? BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL MORGUE FREEZER NIGHT TRACKING TABLE HEIGHT across gurneys where white sheet wrapped bodies lie. CAMERA LANDING ON Scully. Standing next to Mulder who is undoing the peculiar ropey stitching on the sheet used to secure the bodies. SCULLY This is one of the firemen who died in Dallas? MULDER According to this tag. SCULLY And you re looking for? SCULLY I can tell you that without even looking at him. off Mulder s look Conclusive organ failure due to proximal exposure to source and flying debris. Scully pulls out an autopsy report that was laid on the gurney under the body of the sheet wrapped corpse. SCULLY This body has already been autopsied, Mulder. You can tell from the way it s been wrapped and dressed. Undeterred, Mulder works to get the sheet off. The first thing we notice is that he s still in his fireman s uniform. His face looks familiar to us, not because we know him, but because of the translucency of skin we saw in the other fireman. We will also notice he s missing an arm, a leg and large part of his torso. MULDER Does this fit the description you just read me, Scully? Scully comes around, reacting to what she sees. SCULLY Oh my God. This man s tissue... Scully is quickly removing a pair of latex gloves, stretching them on to palpate the man s tissue. MULDER It s like jelly. SCULLY There s some kind of cellular breakdown. It s completely edematous. She palpates the spongy skin on the man s face, neck. Unbuttoning the uniform now, seeing  SCULLY And there s been no autopsy performed. There s no Y incision here; no internal exam. MULDER You re telling me the cause of death on the report is false. That this man didn t die from an explosion, or from flying debris. SCULLY I don t know what killed this man. I m not sure if anybody else could claim to either. Off Mulder s reaction to this  MORGUE PATHOLOGY LAB NIGHT MINUTES LATER The gurney with the fireman is pushed through a pair of swinging doors into the darkened lab. Scully flips the lights on, looking around at the giant facility. SCULLY pushing him You knew this man didn t die at the bomb site before we got here. MULDER I d been told as much. SCULLY You re saying the bombing was a cover up. Of what? MULDER I don t know. But I have a hunch what you re going to find here isn t anything that can be categorized or easily referenced. SCULLY Mulder, this is going to take some time, and somebody s going to figure out soon enough we re not even supposed to be here. beat I m in serious violation of medical ethics. MULDER We re being blamed for these deaths. Scully, I want to know what this man died of. Don t you? Scully stares at Mulder, then back down at the body. How can she refuse, given the finality and the personal appeal of the request? After a moment s hesitation, she turns to the body, and to the tray table of tools nearby. Resigned, if not resolved. EXT. WASHINGTON D.C. NIGHT A LEGEND appears  WASHINGTON D.C., DUPONT CIRCLE.   AM. The street is fairly empty, save for a garbage truck picking up the stacks of green garbage bags laid out on the sidewalks. Then A TAXI turns off a main street, MOVING TOWARDS US. WASHINGTON D.C. STREET TAXI NIGHT OVER MULDER to the street  Where the taxi is moving forward toward a spot where two ARLINGTON PD cruisers are pulled up to the curb. Mulder checks the address he has written down. MULDER to the Cabbie I think this is it up here. EXT. SIDE STREET NIGHT The taxi pulls over and Mulder exits, starting up the steps of a walk up where the door is open. KURTZWEIL s APARTMENT NIGHT There are UNIFORMED OFFICERS inside, and a DETECTIVE. Mulder steps into an office. FOUR PAIRS of eyes give him the once over. The Detective stepping over to him. MULDER Is this Dr. Kurtzweil s residence? DETECTIVE suspiciously You got some kind of business with him? MULDER I m looking for him. DETECTIVE Looking for him for what? Mulder pulls out his ID, flashes it at the Detective. DETECTIVE to his partners Feds are looking for him, too. turns to Mulder Real nice business he s got, huh? MULDER What s that? DETECTIVE Selling naked pictures of little kids over his computer. Mulder nods, though this is news to him. He steps in a little further, noticing a shelf lined with books. Their spines all have the author s name written large  DR. ALVIN KURTZWEIL. Mulder picks up one of these books, with the title  THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE GLOBAL DOMINATION CONSPIRACY. DETECTIVE You looking for him for some other reason? MULDER Yeah, I had an appointment for a pelvic examination. They stare at Mulder like he s a sicko. He smiles and they break into RAUCOUS LAUGHTER. DETECTIVE You want a call if we turn up Kurtzweil? MULDER No. Don t bother. Mulder puts the book back among the others on the shelf. And exits. Onto  RESUME EXT. KURTZWEIL s APARTMENT NIGHT Mulder starting up the street when he notices  MULDER s POV Kurtzweil has stepped from between two apartments. He s staring at Mulder, nodding furtively to him. Then stepping back. RESUME MULDER Slows, then speeds up. EXT. SPACE BETWEEN TWO APARTMENTS NIGHT Mulder appears at the end of the narrow walkway, finding Kurtzweil tucked a few yards in. KURTZWEIL See this bullshit...? Somebody knows I m talking to you. MULDER Not according to the men in blue. KURTZWEIL What is it? Kiddie porn again? Sexual battery of a patient? I ve had my license taken away in three states. MULDER They want to discredit you for what? KURTZWEIL For what? Because I m a dangerous man. Because I know too much about the truth. MULDER You mean that apocalyptic trash you write? I knew your name was familiar. I just didn t know why. KURTZWEIL You know my work? MULDER pointedly Dr. Kurtzweil, I m not interested in bigoted ideas about race or genocide. I don t believe in the Elders of Zion, the Knights Templar, the Bilderburg Group or in a oneworld Jew run government  KURTZWEIL I don t either, but it sure sells books. He says it with an ironic smile. Causing Mulder to turn and start off. But Kurtzweil hurries to grab him, to prevent this. KURTZWEIL I was right about Dallas. Wasn t I, Agent Mulder? MULDER How? KURTZWEIL I picked up the historical document of the venality and hypocrisy of the American government. The daily newspaper. MULDER You said the firemen and the boy were found in the temporary offices of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Why? KURTZWEIL According to the newspaper, FEMA had been called out to manage an outbreak of the Hanta virus. Are you familiar with the Hanta virus, Agent Mulder? MULDER It was a deadly virus spread by field mice in the Southwest U.S. several years ago. KURTZWEIL And are you familiar with FEMA? What the Federal Emergency Management Agency s real power is? FEMA allows the White House to suspend constitutional government upon declaration of a national emergency. To create a non elected government. Think about that. beat What is an agency with such broad sweeping power doing managing a small viral outbreak in suburban Texas? MULDER Are you saying it wasn t such a small outbreak? Kurtzweil is getting intense now. KURTZWEIL I m saying it wasn t the Hanta virus. They are both given a start when a POLICE CRUISER rolls by on the street, giving a burp of its siren. It rolls past as the two men tuck in tighter. MULDER What was it? KURTZWEIL When we were young men in the military, your father and I were recruited for a project. They told us it was biological warfare. A virus. There were rumors about its origins. MULDER What killed those men? KURTZWEIL What killed them I won t even write about. I tell you, they d do more than just harass me. They have the future to protect. MULDER I ll know soon enough. KURTZWEIL worked up What killed those men can t be identified in simple medical terms. My god, we can t even wrap our minds around something as obvious as HIV. We have no context for what killed those men, or any appreciation of the scale in which it will be unleashed in the future. Of how it will be transmitted; of the environmental factors involved. MULDER A plague? KURTZWEIL The plague to end all plagues, Agent Mulder. A silent weapon for a quiet war. The systematic release of an indiscriminate organism for which the men who will bring it on still have no cure. They ve been working on this for fifty years. While the rest of the world was fighting gooks and commies these men have been secretly negotiating a planned Armageddon. MULDER Negotiating with whom? KURTZWEIL I think you know. The timetable has been set. It will happen on a holiday, when people are away from their homes. When our elected officials are at their resorts or out of the country. The President will declare a state of emergency, at which time all federal agencies, all government will come under the power of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA, Agent Mulder. The secret government. MULDER And they tell me I m paranoid. KURTZWEIL Something s gone wrong something unanticipated. Go back to Dallas and dig. Or you re only going to find out like the rest of the country, Agent Mulder. When it s too late. Kurtzweil turns, starts off. Mulder stares after him. Then  MULDER How can I reach you? KURTZWEIL You can t. Mulder moves to catch up to Kurtzweil, pulling out his cell phone. Kurtzweil stops, turns. Truly and intensely paranoid. Mulder makes him take the cell phone. MULDER No calling Hawaii. Mulder turns and moves back out onto the street. MORGUE PATHOLOGY LAB NIGHT Agent Scully wears a surgical mask, latex gloves. Working on the body of the fireman...when she reacts to a NOISE. Doors opening, closing somewhere o.s. CAMERA MEDIUM WHIPS to a door where she and Mulder entered the morgue. Where...the Young Naval Guard and TWO MPs push through and enter. They stand looking at  THEIR POV Where Scully stood moments ago, there is now just an unattended gurney. A sheet over the fireman s body. Scully is gone. RESUME YOUNG NAVAL GUARD, MPs Tense. Listening, watchful. Moving into the room. BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL MORGUE FREEZER NIGHT Scully enters the space where she and Mulder found the fireman s body. Trying to quietly click the door shut. Standing now near the door, tense, listening. When the CHIRPING of her cell phone breaks the tense silence. She pats frantically at her coat, trying to get it answered before it rings again. Unsuccessfully. Finally getting a hold of it and hitting the send button. Scully sits breathing heavy, nervous breaths waiting for the Young Naval Guard to come running in. MULDER s VOICE FILTER Scully...? She puts the phone slowly up to her face. SCULLY low whisper Yeah. INTERCUT WITH  PHONE BOOTH WASHINGTON D.C. MORNING Mulder s at the pay phone. MULDER Why are you whispering? SCULLY I can t really talk right now. MULDER What did you find? SCULLY Evidence of a massive infection. MULDER What kind of infection? SCULLY I don t know. MULDER Scully listen to me. I m going home, then I m booking a flight to Dallas. I m getting you a ticket, too. SCULLY Mulder  MULDER I need you there with me. I need your expertise on this. The bomb we found was meant to destroy those bodies and whatever they were infected by. SCULLY I ve got a hearing tomorrow  MULDER I ll have you back for it, Scully. Maybe with evidence that could blow that meeting away. SCULLY Mulder I can t I m already way past the point of common sense here Scully hears VOICES in the hall outside the freezer. MULDER MULDER Scully...? Hello...? But the line OFF, goes dead. Mulder hangs up the phone, frustrated. Exits the booth in a hurry. BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL MORGUE FREEZER NIGHT The door opens and the Young Naval Guard steps inside, followed by the MPs. Moving into the room. LOW ANGLE TRACKING with the Naval Guard s feet as they pass by the rolling carts on which bodies are laid. TRACKING to find SCULLY, where she hides under one of the carts. Huddled and cold. The Guard s feet stop near here. He stands motionless for a moment, then moves off. HOLD her until the door slams shut. FBI OFFICE DALLAS MORNING MULDER enters a forensics lab with a FIELD AGENT. A LEGEND reads  FBI FIELD OFFICE, DALLAS     AM. FIELD AGENT You re looking for what amounts to a needle in a haystack. I m afraid the explosion was so devastating there hasn t been a whole lot we ve been able to put together just yet. They are walking amid BOXES of evidence. STACKS of debris. There are FORENSIC TECHS sorting through this material. It looks like the most tedious and painstaking job in the world. MULDER I m looking for anything out of the ordinary. Maybe something from the FEMA offices where the bodies were found. FIELD AGENT We weren t expecting to find those remains, of course. They went right off to Washington. MULDER Was there anything in those offices that didn t go to D.C.? FIELD AGENT Some bone fragments came up in the sift this morning. We thought there d been another fatality, but we found out FEMA had recovered them from an archeological site out of town. MULDER Have you examined them? FIELD AGENT No. Just fossils, far as I know. Mulder is nodding, when both men look off at something that s caught their attention o.s. MULDER I d like this person to take a look, if you don t mind. THEIR POV AGENT SCULLY Standing in the doorway to the lab. She looks at Mulder as if she s come in spite of her misgivings. Moving toward them now. FIELD AGENT Let me just see if I can lay my hands on what you re looking for. The Field Agent nods to Scully as he passes, exiting deeper into the room. Leaving Mulder and Scully by themselves momentarily. MULDER You said you weren t coming? SCULLY I wasn t planning on it. Particularly after spending a half hour in cold storage this morning. But I got a better look at the blood and tissue samples I took from the firemen. MULDER What did you find? SCULLY voice lowering pointedly Something I couldn t show to anyone else. Not without more information. And not without causing the kind of attention I d just as soon avoid right now. off Mulder s look The virus those men were infected with contains a protein coat I ve never seen before. What it did to them it did extremely fast. And unlike the AIDS virus or any other aggressive strain, it survives very nicely outside the body. MULDER How was it contracted? SCULLY That I don t know. But if it s through simple contact of blood to blood, and if it doesn t respond to conventional treatments, it could be a serious health threat. Mulder s reaction is postponed, or at least subdued by the reappearance of the field agent. FIELD AGENT Like I said, these are fossils, and they weren t near the blast center, so they aren t going to tell you much. SCULLY May I? He offers Scully the small glass vials in which the bone fragments have been separated. She takes them, looking at them on her way over to the microscope. Tapping out a tiny fragment onto the viewing bed. She puts her eyes down to the stereoscope eyepieces, then almost immediately looks up at Mulder who translates this look almost instantly. MULDER You said you knew the location of the archeological site where these were found. FIELD AGENT Show you right on a map. Off Mulder and Scully s traded looks  EXT. SMALL PUBLIC PARK WEST TEXAS DAY The domed white tent is still in place, the fleet of trucks and equipment surrounding it unmanned. Several large sound dampened generators still hum away, but the work being done here would be a mystery to anyone who didn t have access to the tent. DOMED TENT DAY An electric Bobcat like bulldozer maneuvers a very high tech looking CLEAR CONTAINER to the edge of the earthen hole. The container has monitors and gauges on it, oxygen tanks and what looks like a circulation refrigeration unit. A self contained life support system. The inside of the container is covered with a thin layer of frost. When the small bulldozer gets the container over near the hole, several technicians lift it down off the shovel, hand carrying it toward the hole opening. As Dr. Bronschweig APPEARS, moving to a ladder that leads down into the hole. He s dressed in a haz mat suit, with the hood off. DR. BRONSCHWEIG I need to have those settings checked and re set. I need a steady minus two Celsius through the transfer of the body, after I administer the vaccine. The men nod to Bronschweig, begin checking the settings as Bronschweig puts his hood on, starts down into the hole, through the clear hatch. SMALLER ICE CAVE DAY The refrigeration vents are still pumping in arctic air when Dr. Bronschweig appears descending a fixed ladder. It is dark in here, save for the ice blue glow of light coming from the plastic draped area where we saw the fireman acting as an incubator host for some kind of organism growing inside him. Bronschweig steps over to this area, moves aside the plastic drapery to enter. ANGLE INSIDE, PLASTIC LINED AREA Where the body of the fireman is still inside the quarantine bubble litter in f.g. Bronschweig takes out of his pocket a SYRINGE and an AMPULE. Turning now to the body. Stepping to it. Moving a work light, as he had done for the Cigarette Smoking Man, so that it shines on the face of the fireman. But when he does this, Bronschweig nearly JUMPS, his breath stolen away. Reacting to  ANGLE ON FIREMAN s BODY The chest and torso have imploded. It has been turned into a muddy mass of blood stained jelly; bone and tissue melted into an oozing mass which has sunken due to the fact that the creature which was inside is now gone. CAMERA WHIPS from Bronschweig to the wall. To the temperature gauge which reads about degrees Celsius. WHIPPING BACK to Bronschweig who is now panicked. INTERCUT WITH  DOMED TENT DAY ANGLE DOWN ON EARTHEN HOLE, where the Technicians Bronschweig was speaking to minutes ago react to Bronschweig s MUFFLED VOICE. He s down below them in the cave, looking up. Pulling his haz mat hood off. Yelling up to them. DR. BRONSCHWEIG It s gone! TECHNICIAN It s what? OVER THE TECHNICIANS TO BRONSCHWEIG DOWN BELOW DR. BRONSCHWEIG It s left the body. I think it s gestated Bronschweig is starting up the ladder when something stops him. RESUME ICE CAVE CREATURE s POV OF BRONSCHWEIG He stands frozen on the ladder, squinting into the darkness. DR. BRONSCHWEIG Wait I see it BRONSCHWEIG s POV In the shadows there is movement, the creature edging into the light cast from the draped area. We see it is fully formed a replica of the Creature we saw at the opening of our story. Though it does not make any kind of aggressive move. As if, newborn, it is tentative. RESUME BRONSCHWEIG CREATURE s POV He remains standing on a rung of the ladder for a moment, then takes a gentle step back down to the ground. DR. BRONSCHWEIG nervous wonder Oh my god. Oh my god. TECHNICIAN You see it? DR. BRONSCHWEIG Yes. It s...amazing. You want to get down here sotto to himself Jesus Lord...so much for little green men. Dr. Bronschweig moves shakily to put the syringe in the ampule again...when, suddenly, the Creature STRIKES. CAMERA RUSHING FORWARD TO BRONSCHWEIG. MATCH OVERHEAD ANGLE OVER THE TECHNICIANS As the Creature slams into Bronschweig, knocking him out of the line of sight from the top of the earthen hole. There are SCREAMS OF PAIN from Bronschweig, then they abate. RESUME ICE CAVE Bronschweig can be heard, but not clearly seen. He is in the shadows himself now. Trying to pick himself up, and when he manages to do this, teetering back into the light we see that he is bloodied. He is hurt, injured. Making his way back toward the patch of light that comes from the hole above. Hoping to see that help is on its way, while keeping a watchful, wary and worried eye on the shadows, for another attack by the Creature. DR. BRONSCHWEIG Hey I need help. But the Technicians looking down on him offer him nothing of the sort. All they do is quickly close the clear hatch that seals Bronschweig inside the cave. DR. BRONSCHWEIG Hey! But he gets no answer, climbing the ladder shakily. A moment later the first Bobcat shovel full of dirt falls onto the clear hatch and partially obscures the light. They are burying Bronschweig alive. DOMED TENT DAY ANGLE DOWN ON BRONSCHWEIG through the glass hatch. His SCREAMS continue. ADJUSTING to the small bulldozer which is quickly hauling the mound of excavated earth into the hole from which it came. While, all around, there is a hive of activity. Men running everywhere. RESUME ICE CAVE Bronschweig reacts in silent horror now, only to turn in further horror when he feels the impending attack of  THE CREATURE Right behind and just below him. Its grotesque features in momentary high resolution, BEFORE IT ATTACKS CAMERA. Over and over, savaging Bronschweig in a violent fury. Its hideous teeth tearing at his flesh AT CAMERA driving him off the ladder where the attack continues in momentary glimpses of teeth, of bloody flesh, and of OILY BLACK BLOOD being spattered about. At the height of the violence we hear Bronschweig SCREAM. Matching the wound of this, as we  EXT. ESTATE SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE LONDON EARLY EVENING A CHILD s SCREAM OF JOY. ENGLISH CHILDREN are playing tag or some kind of children s game in the well manicured garden of a man who the CAMERA FINDS IN F.G. the man we have come to know as THE WELL MANICURED MAN. He is also a member of the syndicate running The Project', though his venality is cloaked in civility and statesmanship. Right now he s watching the children from the back steps of his mansion, charmed by their game. When he is called by someone o.s. VALET s VOICE Sir you have a call. The Well Manicured Man turns to see  HIS VALET Holds the door. After a moment the W.M.M. enters past the Valet. As the screams of the children continue to rise and fall. SUBURBAN LONDON ESTATE A BEAUTIFUL STUDY EVENING The Well Manicured Man enters, picks up a blinking line. Through a window he can still see the children playing. WELL MANICURED MAN Yes. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN FILTER We have a situation. The members are assembling. WELL MANICURED MAN Is it an emergency? INTERCUT WITH TIGHT CSM AT KENSINGTON BUILDING NEXT LOC. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Yes. A meeting is set. Tonight in London, to determine a course. WELL MANICURED MAN Who called this meeting? CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Strughold. He s just gotten on a plane in Tunis. This pronouncement has the power of ending any further questions. An immediate sense of gravity of the situation. The W.M.M. hangs up, moves to the window where he sees some of the HELP is running from the house. The children have all gathered around a BOY who seems to have hurt himself. He s lifted and being carried by the man who s called the W.M.M. into the house. Off the Well Manicured Man s concern, we  EXT. LONDON STREET NIGHT A discreet Town Car pulls up out front an understated building in a better West End neighborhood. A driver exits coming around for the Well Manicured Man who is already exiting, moving to the building. As a LEGEND appears  KENSINGTON, LONDON    PM. KENSINGTON BUILDING NIGHT The Well Manicured Man is admitted by a Valet. The interior has the well heeled look of money, or a finely appointed residence that no one lives in. The Valet takes the W.M.M. s coat. WELL MANICURED MAN Has Strughold arrived? VALET They re in the library. He leads the W.M.M. down a hall, to  LARGE STATELY LIBRARY NIGHT A GROUP OF MEN are standing, looking at something on a TV monitor. A surveillance video. They turn when the W.M.M. enters. CAMERA FAVORING A SMALL LEAN MAN with close cropped hair. He is at once elegant and imposing with eyes that hold you with laser like acuity. He is CONRAD STRUGHOLD. The others are of various ethnicities, tailored and dignified. This might be a collection of U.N. delegates. Indeed some are. Their business here, however, doesn t represent anyone s interests but their own. As tipped by the attendance of a GROUP ELDER from the U.S. who we ve come to know. But, more importantly, by the Cigarette Smoking Man who holds the VCR remote. He pauses the picture. STRUGHOLD We began to worry. Some of us have traveled so far, and you are the last to arrive. WELL MANICURED MAN I m sorry. My grandson fell and broke his leg. The non response to this has the same effect as a reprimand. But the W.M.M. will not apologize of kowtow. STRUGHOLD While we ve been made to wait, we ve watched surveillance tapes which have raised more concerns. The Well Manicured Man glances to the TV, sees the frame paused. HIS POV OF TV MONITOR Where Mulder and Scully s faces are seen in a hallway that we recognize as the Bethesda Naval Hospital. RESUME WELL MANICURED MAN WELL MANICURED MAN More concerns than that? STRUGHOLD We ve been forced to reassess our role in Colonization by new facts of biology which have presented themselves. GROUP ELDER speaking up The virus has mutated. WELL MANICURED MAN On its own? CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Its effect on the host has changed. The virus no longer just invades the brain as a controlling organism. It s developed a way to modify the host body. WELL MANICURED MAN Into what? STRUGHOLD A new extraterrestrial biological entity. It takes a moment to sink in. The weight of this fact. WELL MANICURED MAN My god... STRUGHOLD The geometry of mass infection presents certain conceptual re evaluations for us. About our place in their Colonization. WELL MANICURED MAN This isn t Colonization, it s spontaneous repopulation. All our work... if it s true, then they ve been using us all along. We ve been laboring under a lie! ND ELDER It could be an isolated case. WELL MANICURED MAN How can we know?! STRUGHOLD We re going to tell them what we ve found. What we ve learned. Turn over a body infected with the gestating organism. WELL MANICURED MAN In hope of what? Learning that it s true?! That we are nothing more than digestives for the creation of a new race of alien lifeforms?! STRUGHOLD Let me remind you who is the new race. And who is the old. beat What could be gained by withholding anything from them; By pretending to ignorance? Our knowledge may forestall their plans to step up the timetable. To start Colonization early. WELL MANICURED MAN And if it doesn t? By cooperating now we re but beggars to our demise! Our ignorance was in cooperating with the Colonists at all. STRUGHOLD Cooperation is our only chance of saving ourselves. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN They still need us to carry out their preparations. STRUGHOLD We ll continue to use them as they do us. If only to play for more time, to continue work on our vaccine. WELL MANICURED MAN Our vaccine may have no effect! STRUGHOLD Well, without a cure for the virus, we re nothing more than digestives anyway. All eyes go to the Well Manicured Man. He is respected, if not the odd man out in this room. But he is all restrained anger now. WELL MANICURED MAN My lateness may have well been absence. A course has already been taken. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN There are complications. He turns back to the TV monitor where Mulder and Scully remain frozen on the screen. WELL MANICURED MAN Do they know? CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Mulder was in Dallas when we were trying to dispose of evidence. He s gone back there again. Someone has tipped him. WELL MANICURED MAN Who? CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Kurtzweil, we think. STRUGHOLD We ve allowed this man his freedom. His books have actually helped us to facilitate plausible denial. Has he outlived his usefulness to us? WELL MANICURED MAN No one believes Kurtzweil or his books. He s a toiler. A crank. STRUGHOLD And Mulder? ELDER Our new situation makes us vulnerable. If he learns information as we do, he could jeopardize the Project s secrecy. ND ELDER Control of information means control of Mulder. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN I can control Mulder. I ve always controlled Mulder. STRUGHOLD This may take another approach. He says this, casting his look toward the Well Manicured Man. A look of cold malevolence. The W.M.M. s reaction is disdain. WELL MANICURED MAN You can t kill Mulder. He s got too much light on him. STRUGHOLD You need not kill a man to destroy him. WELL MANICURED MAN personalizing the inference No, you need only take away what is most precious to him. HARD EXT. SMALL PUBLIC PARK CENTRAL TEXAS DAY AGENT SCULLY She stands against a backdrop of Texas flatland, squinting into the sun. Shaking her head. SCULLY I don t know, Mulder... We are  WIDE ANGLE REVERSE, TO INCLUDE MULDER, standing in the middle of a park, replete with jungle gyms, playground equipment. All brand spanking new. They are standing right where there had once been a hard scrabble, parched and barren little field. Where the earthen hole had been dug by the young boys. And what had later been the site of so much activity by the group of scientists. But where there s now a park, thick green grass covering the parch of ground, including the spot where the hole had been. SCULLY He didn t mention a park. MULDER This is where he marked on the map, Scully. Where he says those fossils were unearthed. SCULLY I don t see any evidence of an archeological or any other kind of digsite. Not even a sewer or a storm drain. Mulder scans the area, confounded. Shaking his head as they walk. MULDER You re sure the fossils you looked at showed the same signs of deterioration you saw in the fireman s body in the morgue? SCULLY nodding The bone was porous, as if the virus of the causative microbe were digesting it. MULDER And you ve never seen anything like that? SCULLY No. It didn t show up on any of the immunohistochemical tests Mulder is listening to all this while looking down at his feet  MULDER This looks like new grass to you? SCULLY It looks pretty green for this climate. Mulder stops, kneels, touches the thick green carpet of turf. He digs around, lifting up a corner of a new square. MULDER Ground s dry about an inch down. Somebody just laid this down. Very recently, I d say. SCULLY looking off All the equipment is brand new. MULDER No irrigation system. Somebody s covering their tracks. They both turn, looking at something that s caught their attention on the street where their rental car is parked. Three kids, all of whom we recognize from earlier. Stevie s friends'. Tooling down the street on new BMX bikes. Reacting to Mulder s loud WHISTLE. This stops them, staring at Mulder blankly across the distance. MULDER Hey! They don t answer. Just keep staring, squinting into the sun. Mulder and Scully start walking toward them. SCULLY Do you live around here? ND BOY Yeah. As the Agents approach. MULDER You see anybody digging here? The kids don t answer quickly. ND BOY Not supposed to talk about it. SCULLY You re not supposed to talk about it? Who told you that? RD BOY Nobody. MULDER Nobody. Same nobody who put this park in? That new equipment... off the boys guilty looks They buy you these bikes? The kids shift uncomfortably. SCULLY I think you better tell us. ND BOY We don t even know you. SCULLY Well, we re FBI agents. ND BOY You re not FBI agents. MULDER How do you know? ND BOY Cause FBI agents wear like suits and goofy ties. And dresses like my mom wears to church. Like on that one show. Mulder and Scully pull their badges. The kids mouths drop. MULDER Maybe you ve been watching too much TV. RD BOY They all left twenty minutes ago. TH BOY Going that way. The kids all pointing in the same direction. EXT. CENTRAL TEXAS HIGHWAY LATE DAY As Mulder and Scully s rental car RACES by at high speed. MULDER AND SCULLY s RENTAL CAR DAY CONTINUOUS Mulder at the wheel, foot to the floor. Scully s got a map out. The mood is urgent, tense. MULDER Unmarked tanker trucks... what are archaeologists hauling out in tanker trucks? SCULLY I don t know, Mulder. MULDER And where are they going with it? SCULLY That s the first question to answer, if we re going to find them. CUT BACK TO  EXT. CENTRAL HIGHWAY LATE DAY Mulder slows down to a stop. They ve come to a three way intersection in the middle of absolutely nowhere that offers them three choices. The car sits idling for several beats. RESUME RENTAL CAR Mulder s got his hand on his face rubbing his eyes. MULDER What are my choices? SCULLY About a hundred miles of nothing in each direction. MULDER Where would they be going? SCULLY We ve got two choices. One of them is wrong. They are both looking in different directions. The car idling. MULDER You think they went left? SCULLY I don t know why I think they went right. A few moments of silence. Then Mulder steps on the gas and goes straight. Heading out onto the only unpaved road. Accelerating away. Scully looks at him, wondering. As they bump along at speed. Mulder won t look at her for a few moments. Then, turning to her  MULDER Five years together how many times have I been wrong. DISSOLVE TO  EXT. TEXAS HIGHWAY NIGHT HEADLIGHTS appear in the distance on a long, dusty stretch of road. GROWING as they approach, then coming to a stop in a cloud of dust as they move into f.g. Where a LINE OF FENCEPOSTS, BARBWIRE blocks their path. As the car brakes, the passenger door opens and Scully exits. A hot Texas wind blows. A dog is BARKING somewhere. Scully walks into the headlight wash, looking at a sign on the fence. After a moment, the driver s door opens and Mulder exits. MULDER Hey, I was right about the bomb, wasn t I? SCULLY This is great. This is fitting. REVERSE ON SCENE On the fence sign, painted in crude letters, are the words  SOME HAVE TRIED, SOME HAVE DIED. TURN BACK NO TRESPASSING. MULDER What? SCULLY I ve got to be in Washington D.C. in eleven hours for a hearing the outcome of which might possibly affect one of the biggest decisions of my life. And here I am standing out in the middle of nowhere Texas, chasing phantom tanker trucks. MULDER We re not chasing trucks, we re chasing evidence  SCULLY of what exactly?! MULDER That bomb in Dallas was allowed to go off, to hide something  bodies infected with a virus you detected yourself. SCULLY They haul gas in tanker trucks, they haul oil in tanker trucks they don t haul viruses in tanker trucks. MULDER Yeah, well they may this one. SCULLY What do you mean by haul? off his reaction What are you not telling me here? MULDER This virus it... afraid to say SCULLY Mulder  MULDER It may be extraterrestrial. SCULLY I don t believe this. I don t fucking believe this. reaching her limit of impatience Y know, I ve been here... I ve been here one too many times with you, Mulder. MULDER Been where? SCULLY Pounding down some dirt road in the middle of the night. Chasing some elusive truth on a dim hope, only to find myself standing right where I am right now  at another dead end As she says this A BELL starts to sound. A flashing light hits Mulder and Scully. They both turn to see  HIGH ANGLE OVER A RAILROAD CROSSING SIGN Sitting all by its lonely self. No swinging arms or gate. Just one little sign between Mulder and Scully and their car. CAMERA PANNING to the light of a locomotive speeding toward us. WIDE ANGLE OVER TRACKS TO MULDER AND SCULLY They move toward their car, but the train is coming fast. Mulder and Scully stop and wait, watching the train. As the engine breaks frame, eclipsing Mulder and Scully from view. And as it passes by we see TWO VERY FAMILIAR WHITE TANKERS loaded piggyback atop flat bed cars. The train, which is not much longer than this, passes. And Mulder and Scully make a mad dash for their car. The lights come on and Mulder swings the vehicle into a hard accelerating turn, taking the spoke of the intersection that parallels the tracks. As the car hauls ass after the train, we  DISSOLVE TO  EXT. OPPOSITE END OF MOUNTAIN PASS NIGHT The rails come up a grade where they appear out of a long bending turn. Exiting the mountain pass near the summit of the mountain. And now HEADLIGHTS appear, bouncing toward us. It s Mulder and Scully s rental chugging up the grade. And now pulling to a stop as it REACHES CAMERA. Then the car doors open and Mulder and Scully exit. Putting jackets against the cold desert night. Running over the gravel on the rail bed into sharp f.g. SCULLY What do you think it is? MULDER I have no idea. They start out toward it anyway, whatever it is. But the image that we see next might cause us to ask the same question. REVERSE ANGLE MULDER AND SCULLY s FORMER POV The Agents are moving off the tracks now, picking their way toward the horizon where, at the edge of the great plateau that lays out before them, there are TWO GIANT GLOWING WHITE DOMES. It is otherwise pitch dark out, almost giving the impression that the domes are floating. It would give the distinct impression of otherworldliness, if we hadn t seen a similar, smaller glowing dome over the dirt field where the boys found the skull. And if we could not see the lights of the TRAIN rolling to a stop near the mysterious domes. EXT. GREAT PLATEAU NIGHT HIGH WIDE ANGLE SLOWLY CRANING DOWN as Mulder and Scully move through the low scrub of the high desert. Moving towards us as CAMERA CONTINUES ITS SLOW CRANE DOWN, REVEALING in f.g. the tops of CORN STALKS yes, corn stalks. What is the perimeter edge of  REVERSE CRANE DOWN TO MATCH Acres and acres of corn fields, laying out before us in the dark night. Running all the way to the WHITE DOMED TENTS in the b.g. Mulder and Scully enter the perimeter edge, disappearing into  EXT. ACRES OF CORN NIGHT TRACKING WITH Mulder and Scully as they move through the field. SCULLY This is weird, Mulder. MULDER Very weird. SCULLY Any thoughts on why anybody d be growing corn in the middle of the desert? MULDER Not unless those are giant Jiffy Pop containers out there. CONTINUE TRACKING as they move through the tall uniform rows. ANGLE BEHIND THE AGENTS Shooting down the long straight rows. CRANING UP to REVEAL DOMES once again. Like space ships that have landed. OPPOSITE PERIMETER OF THE FIELD OF CORN The Agents exit the edge of the crop field. They have come upon the glowing tents now. Tall and pillowy against the dark sky. There is no evidence of anyone about. No sound, no signs. Mulder and Scully stand at the edge of the field for a moment. Then move cautiously across an open area to one of the domes. WHITE DOME TENT NIGHT Mulder pulls open the steel door leading in. It opens with a SUCKING SOUND which suggests the interior is pressurized. And as he and Scully step in they both JUMP when LARGE FANS just overhead hit them both with hard blasts of air. Stepping quickly out of the downward blasting air, into the still silence of the space beyond. SCULLY Cool in here. Temperature s being regulated. MULDER For the purpose of what? HIGH OVERHEAD ANGLE Our view is down through the crosswires and cables that create the tension support. The effect is a combination of simplicity and perfect function. Stark and high tech. The flooring is gray and flat, featureless. But we don t yet see from this angle exactly what the white domed tent houses. Though the air is still and there is no movement of any kind, there is a sound that permeates the interior. A STEADY HUM. Almost electrical hum, but different. Mulder and Scully move together toward the middle of the space. WIDE ON TENT MULDER AND SCULLY s POV Laid out in a grid, low to the ground, are what look like BOXES. Fixed in place like roof vents, except these are on the floor, no more than three feet tall, and about the same measure square. NEW ANGLE TRACKING WITH MULDER AND SCULLY As they continue to move cautiously, walking out into the grid of box shaped objects. Coming to the center of the capacious, arena sized space. Standing over one of the mysterious boxes, which we now see have LOUVERED TOPS. The louvers, however, are shut so that whatever is inside the boxes cannot be seen. SCULLY I think we re on top of something. I think these are some kind of venting. Mulder lays his head and ear to the top of the box. MULDER You hear that? SCULLY I hear the humming. Like electricity. High voltage maybe. MULDER Maybe. Maybe not. Scully looks skyward. SCULLY What do you think those are for? Mulder takes his ear off the box, looking up now, too. THEIR POV At the top of the dome are two LARGE corresponding LOUVER VENTS. RESUME MULDER AND SCULLY Looking up at these vents. WHITE DOME TENT NIGHT HIGH WIDE ANGLE OVER MULDER AND SCULLY, staring up JUST PAST CAMERA at the louvered vents at top center of the tent. When A LOUD METALLIC NOISE makes them jump. AGENTS POV THE LOUVERED VENTS ABOVE THEM One of the vents is opening automatically, its large metal louvers straining from their flat closed position into an up and down open position. When this is complete, the SECOND LOUVER does the same. The straining sound of galvanized metal on metal. LOW ANGLE ON MULDER AND SCULLY As Mulder turns his look from the ceiling back down to the mysterious box they re standing next to. Something occurs to him. Something frightening. MULDER Scully....? SCULLY Yeah...? MULDER Run. Mulder grabs her hand, pulling her along. Though she doesn t know why. Or what s about to happen. TRACKING FAST WITH THEM as Mulder leads her back toward the door they entered, which is a good hundred yards away. SCULLY yelling, on the run What are you doing? MULDER yelling back Come on! When the LOUVERED VENTS on all the low grid arranged boxes OPEN IN DOMINO LIKE SUCCESSION out of them pouring THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF BEES, rapidly filling the atmosphere of the domed space. As if the insects are being shot out of non stop cannons. HIGH ANGLE THICK STREAMS of bees head RIGHT AT CAMERA, flying for the open louvers at the top of the dome. As Mulder and Scully run for it down below. TRACKING WITH MULDER AND SCULLY Scully s hand slipping from Mulder s as she pulls her jacket up over her head. Mulder doing the same now, ducking his head inside his own jacket. The Agents are slowed by the bees but still make their zigzag way toward the door bees clinging to their clothes. But motion seems to be the key. As Mulder RUNS TOWARD CAMERA where the downward blast of air knocks all the bees off him. In the b.g., we see that Scully has fallen behind. Still running, but losing her way in the process, losing her bearings as the thickening swarm of bees descends. CLOSE ON SCULLY When Mulder enters frame, jacket pulled over his head again. Taking Scully by the back of her coat and swinging her toward the direction of the door. Whipsnapping her the rest of the distance to the doorfans. Following right behind her as the fans BLASTING them and the Agents continue right out the doors. To  EXT. WHITE DOMED TENT NIGHT Scully and Mulder comes blasting out themselves now, but they haven t even had time to catch their breaths when they react to MOVEMENT. Something coming at them in the night. THEIR POV s STRAIGHT DOWN THE ROWS OF DOMED TENTS Where BRIGHT BEAMS BLAST ON, moving fast toward them. The RUSHING WHIR of the turbine engines of the unmarked choppers. The bright beams skimming across the ground toward Mulder and Scully, traveling right along the edges of ends of the white domed tents. Threatening to spot the Agents, unless they RUN. And they do bolting just as the beams and the helicopters blast over the spot they held just moments before. Running to  EXT. ACRES OF CORN NIGHT MULDER AND SCULLY VARIOUS HANDHELD Running flat out now, knocking away the stalks and leaves that block their way. Following and leading shots. POVs and Tracking shots. And chasing angles, as the Agents run through the only cover they ve got. As  ANGLE JUST OVER THE TOP OF CROPS The unmarked helicopters swoop right overhead, their BRIGHT SPOTLIGHTS searching and cutting through the cornrows. As the Agents zig and zag just out of the discovering beams. As the choppers zoom right over their heads. REVERSE ON CHOPPERS Traversing the field, then doing sharp banking turns and swooping back over the field now in low drifting hovers. The wash from the blades knocking the corn stalks down so as to reveal anything hidden within. The bright spots making sure that nothing might escape detection. LOW ANGLE CAMERA SEARCHING AND FINDING SCULLY as she runs up INTO FRAME. She s lost sight of  SCULLY Mulder?! ANGLE ELSEWHERE ON MULDER As he too runs to a stop. Hearing his name. MULDER Scully?! RESUME SCULLY Reacting to the sound of her name, but there s no time to find her bearings on Mulder. Not before she has to take flight again. As one of the choppers appears overhead, hovering into view. Knocking the corn down in a path moving straight toward her. CAMERA LEADING HER as she runs from the oncoming craft. PASSING CAMERA to the left, as the chopper passes CAMERA RIGHT. TRACKING FAST WITH MULDER Beating his way through the corn like Bomba through the jungle. Matching this action, as Mulder runs toward us. When one of the unmarked helicopters BREAKS INTO FRAME in an intersecting path, its BEAM passing right over Mulder and ILLUMINATING HIM. But while it doesn t slow Mulder down, the helicopter maneuvers into a hard banking turn, sweeping over the far end of the corn field and heading RIGHT BACK AT MULDER AT US. NEW LOW ANGLE ON EDGE OF CORN FIELD Where Mulder bursts out of the perimeter, turning on a quick dime and running an out pattern, just before the chopper BURSTS into frame overhead, its search beam narrowly missing Mulder. NEW ANGLE ON MULDER Running the corner of the field, looking frantically down each corn row until he comes to a stop. No sign of  MULDER Scully?! Mulder reacting to the sound of her response  SCULLY distant o.s. Mulder! NEW ANGLE ON SCULLY She s exiting the field behind him. Running toward him, and when she gets to him they both break into a run across the desert. CAMERA FOLLOWING THEM as they sprint away. FOLLOWING THEM until they both start to slow. Slowing to a stop in the darkness. Turning to see  THEIR POV The helicopters have disappeared. RESUME MULDER AND SCULLY Reacting to this. SCULLY Where d they go? MULDER I don t know. Then they both turn again and continue running. As fast as their feet will take them. Back towards the bluff where their car is parked. EXT. BLUFF OVERLOOKING CORN FIELDS NIGHT Where Mulder and Scully s car is parked. Stillness, until Mulder and Scully s heads appear as they climb up from the direction of the corn fields. They get in their car and start it quickly. Mulder turns the ignition, but the car doesn t start immediately. He turns it over and over but it won t kick. As he does this, unbeknownst to the agents ONE OF THE BLACK HELICOPTERS rises up from below the bluff, appearing in their rear windshield. Hovering just behind the car like a giant bumblebee. Just as... ...Mulder gets the car started, throwing the transmission in gear and spinning the tires. As they head off back in the direction they came, without their lights on. As they do this, the black chopper continues to hover for a moment, then BANKS OFF AND AWAY. Into the night. Mulder and Scully speed off in the opposite direction. As we  DISSOLVE TO  FBI OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL REVIEW DAY CLOSE ON A FILE Being leafed through by a woman s hands. CAMERA TILTING UP to Special Agent Cassidy, the woman we met earlier running the OPR hearing. She takes a quick glance at her watch, looking up when  THE DOOR TO THE ROOM opens. A beat, then Skinner enters with a wearied look. SKINNER She s coming in. Skinner ducks his head back out to look at  INTERCUT WITH  HALLWAY OUTSIDE OPR HEARING ROOM DAY Where Scully stands looking into the glass of a display case, trying to put her hair and clothes and person together. She s still in the same clothes we saw her in. Seeing Skinner now moving toward him. RESUME OPR HEARING ROOM Scully enters past Skinner. Though she has straightened them, and her hair, there is no mistaking that she s been to the dust bowl and back to get here. Her manner is chastened. Scully tries to keep her eyes on the table where she ll be sitting. Venturing only a brief, polite look to  ANGLE TO INCLUDE CASSIDY AND THE OTHER PANEL MEMBERS They reshuffle their papers, pulling up their chairs. Ready to get down to business now. CASSIDY Special Agent Scully  SCULLY I apologize for making you wait I ve brought some new evidence with me  CASSIDY Evidence of what? CLOSE PROFILE ON SCULLY Reaching into her satchel, pulling out an evidence bag. Whatever she s reaching for she s reluctant to present with confidence. SCULLY These are fossilized bone fragments I ve been able to study, gathered from the bomb site in Dallas... As Scully speaks we see A BEE crawl out from under the collar of her suit jacket, crawling toward the back of her neck. Crawling slowly, as if stretching its legs from its long journey. CAMERA DOLLYING around Scully as the bee does, moving into an OVER to  CASSIDY You ve been back to Dallas? SCULLY Yes. CASSIDY Are you going to let us in on what exactly you re trying to prove  SCULLY That the bombing in Dallas may have been to destroy the bodies of those firemen, so their deaths and the reason for them wouldn t have to be explained  CASSIDY challenging  those are very serious allegations, Agent Scully  SCULLY Yes. I know. There is a hush of murmured responses to this, the panel members speaking to one another. Assistant Director Skinner shifts uneasily in his chair. He s been here before with Agents Mulder and Scully. He s sensing something outrageous. CASSIDY And you have conclusive evidence of this? Something to tie this claim of yours to the crime  SCULLY grudgingly Nothing completely conclusive We have returned to the OVER ANGLE on Scully, where we see the BEE just below her jacket collar on the back of her neck. It CRAWLS back under her collar, DISAPPEARING from sight. SCULLY I hope to. We re working to develop this evidence  CASSIDY Working with? SCULLY Agent Mulder. Off Cassidy s knowing nod, a general shifting in chairs, we  DOWNSCALE D.C. BAR LATE DAY Mulder pushes through the front, scanning the room for  ANGLE ON KURTZWEIL Sitting at a booth at the dark rear of the establishment. Mulder enters frame, sitting down across from him. Kurtzweil is jumpy, but he sees from Mulder s expression that something s up. KURTZWEIL You found something? MULDER Yes. On the Texas border. Some kind of experiment. Something they excavated was brought there in tanker trucks. KURTZWEIL What? MULDER I m not sure. A virus  KURTZWEIL You saw this experiment? MULDER What did it look like? MULDER There were bees. And corn crops. Kurtzweil smiles at Mulder, laughs with nervous excitement. Mulder doesn t quite realize it yet, but this is news to him. MULDER What are they? Kurtzweil slides from his seat, rising. KURTZWEIL What do you think? MULDER A transportation system. Transgenic crops. The pollen genetically altered to carry a virus. KURTZWEIL That would be my guess. MULDER Your guess? But Kurtzweil doesn t respond to this. He s moving toward the back of the bar. Mulder slides out, pursuing him. ANGLE ON BARMAID The few PATRONS sitting at the bar, all turning in reaction to this sudden flurry of activity. REAR OF DOWNSCALE BAR NIGHT CONTINUOUS Near the bathrooms. Mulder catches up to Kurtzweil. MULDER What do you mean, your guess? Kurtzweil doesn t stop. So Mulder must physically stop him. MULDER You told me you had answers. KURTZWEIL Yeah, well I don t have them all. MULDER You ve been using me  KURTZWEIL I ve been using you?! MULDER You didn t know my father  KURTZWEIL I told you he and I were old friends  MULDER You re a liar. You lied to me to gather information for you. For your goddamn books. Didn t you? Mulder is getting heated, rough with Kurtzweil. When, unexpectedly A MAN suddenly exits the bathroom. REACTING to this scene. Kurtzweil uses the moment to break from Mulder. Slipping out the back door. Mulder takes a beat, then goes after him. Pushing out the back door into the blinding brightness. EXT. ALLEY BEHIND BAR DAY Mulder busts out the back door, chasing Kurtzweil. MULDER Kurtzweil! Kurtzweil turns to him. With restrained ferocity. KURTZWEIL You d be shit out of luck if not for me. You saw what you saw because I led you to it. I m putting my ass on the line for you. MULDER Your ass? I just got chased across Texas by two black helicopters. KURTZWEIL And why do you think it is you re standing here talking to me? These people don t make mistakes, Agent Mulder. And with that he turns now, striding off. Leaving Mulder to deal with the excellent logic of this. When suddenly Mulder reacts to A NOISE. Somewhere above him. MULDER s POV Up on a fire escape, A MAN is moving. Mulder can only see his feet and legs from this angle, but it is clear he has been watching Mulder. Upon being spotted, the figure slides away and disappears. ANGLE FROM INSIDE FIRE ESCAPE BUILDING We get a glimpse of the man who was watching him. A face we recognize as that of the man who brushed past Mulder coming out of the vending room, not long before the building in Dallas blew. He is moving quickly now, disappearing into the shadows. CAMERA TILTING DOWN to find  MULDER. He stands staring up, but only for a moment until he turns and hurries off in the opposite direction Kurtzweil disappeared in. MULDER s APARTMENT MAGIC HOUR ANGLE OVER MULDER s DESK at the far end of the living room. The sound of keys in the door, then Mulder enters his apartment in a hurry. Moving to the desk and going at this pace through the drawers. Looking for... A PICTURE ALBUM. Which he takes now, leafing through it. Flipping the pages, looking for  ANGLE OVER MULDER Finding old pictures of young Fox Mulder with his SISTER, Samantha. With his father and mother. The plastic covered page is peeled back and one of these photos is removed. It is an old family snapshot. A picnic possibly. Mulder stares at the picture. INSERT PHOTO In the b.g. of the picnic, his head turned to camera, is a young KURTZWEIL. Mulder studies the photo intensely, when there s a KNOCK at his door. Mulder turning to see  SCULLY In his haste, Mulder had neglected to lock his door. Scully is pushing it open. She s still in the same clothes. She looks beat. Her eyes meeting Mulder s. A gaze that says bad news. MULDER What? What s wrong? SCULLY Salt Lake City, Utah. Transfer effective immediately. Mulder is shaking his head. Not wanting to hear this. SCULLY I already gave Skinner my letter of resignation. MULDER You can t quit, Scully. SCULLY I can, Mulder. I debated whether or not to even tell you in person, because I knew  MULDER We re close to something here we re on the verge  SCULLY You re on the verge, Mulder please don t do this to me  MULDER After what you saw last night after all you ve seen you can t just walk away  SCULLY I have. I did. It s done. MULDER Just like that  SCULLY I m contacting the state board Monday to file medical reinstatement papers  MULDER I need you on this, Scully  SCULLY You don t Mulder you ve never needed me. I ve only held you back. beat I ve got to go. And with that she exits his apartment, the argument too painful, and her ability to be persuaded too clear to herself. HALLWAY OUTSIDE MULDER s APARTMENT NIGHT WIDE ANGLE FROM END OF HALL where we see Scully, leaving Mulder s apartment. Moving at a hurried clip to the elevator TOWARD CAMERA. As if anticipating her own impulse to turn around and go back. As she moves into f.g. Mulder exits his apt. door. MULDER You re wrong He hurries to catch her. As she turns on him. SCULLY Why was I assigned to you? To debunk your work. To reign you in. To shut you down. MULDER You saved me, Scully. off her look As different and frustrating as it s been sometimes, your goddamn strict rationalism and science have saved me a thousand times; have kept me honest and made me whole. I owe you so much, Scully, and you owe me nothing. beat I don t want to do this without you. I don t know if I can. If I quit now, they win. She is silent, moved. In spite of all her desire not to be. She moves to Mulder, holds him. They break slightly and she looks up at Mulder with deep respect, admiration and... kisses him on the forehead. When... ...suddenly a physical intimacy we ve never seen. A heat and passion that can t be denied. The opportunity for the inevitable has presented itself. The moment of truth has arrived. Mulder is staring at Scully as she s looking back at him. His head moves slightly toward hers as one of his hands moves up to her neck, drawing her to him. Where there is hesitation on her part, there is also desire. When  SCULLY OUCH!!! Scully pulls away from Mulder, RUBBING at her neck where his hand had been. MULDER What? What happened? SCULLY I think... something stung me. Scully s hand comes out with THE SQUIRMING BEE, which she holds in her hand while Mulder moves around her, checking her neck. MULDER It must... But he doesn t finish his sentence before he has to catch Scully from falling. Her head bobs and she has to catch it. MULDER Scully... SCULLY Something s wrong... fighting for clarity I m having lancinating pain my chest. My... motor functions are being affected. I m... Mulder lays her down on the floor during this. Scully continues to speak, though her eyes are not focusing. She is limp in Mulder s arms. SCULLY ...my pulse feels thready and I ve got a funny taste in the back of my throat. MULDER I think you re in anaphylactic shock  SCULLY No it s Her voice is getting thin now, too. MULDER Scully  SCULLY I ve got no allergy. Something... this... Mulder... I think... I think you should call an ambulance. And Mulder is on his feet in a flash, running for  MULDER s APARTMENT NIGHT CONTINUOUS CLOSE OVER PHONE as Mulder races into the apartment, dashing TOWARD CAMERA, picking up the receiver, dialing. HOLDING ON THE PHONE during this action. TILTING UP for  MULDER This is Special Agent Fox Mulder. I have an emergency I have an agent down HALLWAY OUTSIDE MULDER s APARTMENT NIGHT SCULLY HANDHELD Picked up and one two three loaded on a gurney by TWO PARAMEDICS. ST PARAMEDIC Can you hear me? Can you say your name? Scully is trying, but the words won t come out. ST PARAMEDIC She s got constriction in the throat and larynx are you breathing okay? He lays his head down to her mouth. ST PARAMEDIC Passages are open. Let s get her in the van NEIGHBORS are in the hall now, along with Mulder. Who is moving beside the Paramedics as they hustle the gurney down the hall. ST PARAMEDIC Coming through people here we go. Coming through EXT. MULDER s APARTMENT NIGHT CONTINUED HAND HELD The Paramedics bang out the front door, stutter stepping the gurney down to the walk, to their EMT VAN which sits at the curb with the LIGHT BAR FLASHING. Mulder following close by. MULDER She said she had a taste in the back of her throat there was no pre existing allergy to bee stings the bee that stung her may have been carrying a virus ND PARAMEDIC A virus? ST PARAMEDIC Get on the radio, tell them we have a cytogenic reaction, we need an advise and administer They get her to the back of the vehicle, guiding the gurney in with experienced hands. Scully s eyes are on Mulder as she s slid into the brightly lit interior. The st Paramedic blocks Mulder somewhat as he steps toward the van, anticipating that he s going with them to the hospital. But the doors are closing on him before he gets an opportunity. FOLLOWING MULDER around to the driver s side of the van now, moving to the driver s window where THE DRIVER can be seen in the rear view mirror, his eyes watching Mulder. ON MULDER A moment of vague recognition a catch in his step. RESUME As Mulder s momentum carries him to the driver s window where se see again the man from the vending room, who was also surveilling Mulder. And he has a HANDGUN pointed at Mulder, which he FIRES THROUGH THE WINDOW. The glass shattering. RESUME MULDER Throwing himself away backward, but the bullet catches him in the head. Blood and glass spraying onto the side of the van. He goes down to the ground as the paramedic van accelerates fast away. LOW ANGLE REVERSE ON MULDER Lying in the street, his head bleeding profusely. While in the b.g., A SECOND AMBULANCE IS SPEEDING TO THE SCENE. As it skids to a stop and TWO NEW PARAMEDICS jump out, we  DISSOLVE TO  EXT. WASHINGTON NATIONAL AIRPORT NIGHT A MEDIUM SIZED PRIVATE JET is taxiing down an alley off the main runway where a is speeding toward takeoff. The private jet turning TOWARD CAMERA and nosing into f.g. NEW ANGLE ON TARMAC Where MEN IN FAMILIAR BLACK FATIGUES are unloading something from an unmarked cube truck that is also familiar  the very high tech looking CLEAR CONTAINER, with its monitors and gauges, its oxygen tanks and refrigeration unit. A self contained life support system. The inside of the container is covered with a thin layer of frost, through which we can see AGENT SCULLY. She lies as if in a state of paralysis, but a blink of her eyes is enough to tell us that she is... alive. TRACKING WITH THE MEN moving the container. As they hustle it to the waiting jet. As The Cigarette Smoking Man is descending the steps of the plane onto the tarmac. Watching as the container is moved to the cargo hold and loaded inside. The hold is closed and the jet engines wind back up. As the Cigarette Smoking Man reboards the aircraft and it taxis away. FADE SLOWLY TO BLACK HOSPITAL NIGHT Voices fade in slowly, inaudible at first. For regular viewers of the show, they will recognize the voices of the Lone Gunmen. Three nerdish paranoiacs who publish a magazine which charts and cataloged conspiracies past and present, among other government malfeasance. They are Langly, Byers and Frohike. BYERS I think he s coming out  LANGLY He s coming to. FROHIKE Hey, Mulder... FADE UP, as if our eyes are blinking open. We are in Mulder s POV, and the face right above us is Frohike s. FROHIKE Mulder...? Behind Frohike, looking down at Mulder, are Byers and Langly. REVERSE ON MULDER Staring at the diminutive Frohike, the long haired Langly and the courtly Byers with dawning recognition. MULDER Oh god... LANGLY What s wrong? MULDER to Byers, then Langly Tin Man. Scarecrow. to Frohike Toto. Mulder sits up now, rubbing his face, feeling the BANDAGE he s got on his head. MULDER What am I doing here? BYERS You were shot in the head. The bullet broke the flesh on your right brow and glanced off your temporal plate. MULDER woozy Penetration but not perforation. LANGLY Three centimetres to the left and we d be playing the harp. Mulder is still shaking out the cobwebs. BYERS They gave you a craniotomy to relieve the pressure from a subdural hematoma. But you ve been unconscious since they brought you in. MULDER When was that? FROHIKE Two days ago. Your guy Skinner s been here with you around the clock. LANGLY We got the news and made a trip to your apartment. Found a bug in your phone line. FROHIKE And one in your hall. Byers holds up the first small device. Frohike holds up a vial containing A BEE. Mulder realizing  MULDER Scully had a violent reaction to a bee sting  BYERS You called . Except the call was intercepted. MULDER sitting up They took her Mulder pushes the covers off. Swinging his legs to the ground. As A.D. Skinner enters the room. Surprised to see Mulder up. SKINNER Agent Mulder  MULDER Where s Scully?! As he says this he loses his balance slightly, has to hold onto one of the Gunmen. Struggling with his faculties. SKINNER She s missing. We ve been unable to locate her or the vehicle they took her in. MULDER Whoever they are this goes right back to Dallas it goes right back to the bombing  SKINNER I know. off Mulder s reaction to this Agent Scully reported your suspicions to OPR. On the basis of her report, I sent techs over to S.A.C. Michaud s apartment. They picked up PSTN residues on his personal effects consistent with the construction of the vending machine device in Dallas. MULDER reeling How deep does this go? SKINNER I don t know. Mulder sees A MAN IN A SUIT passes by the small window in the door, casting a furtive glance in, then moving off. He turns his look back to Skinner. MULDER Are we being watched? SKINNER I m not taking any chances. Mulder nods. Pulling now at the bandage on his head. Peeling it away and revealing the wound beneath. MULDER I need your clothes, Byers. BYERS Me? SKINNER What are you doing? MULDER I ve got to find Scully. FROHIKE Do you know where she is? MULDER No. But I know someone who might have an answer. Who better. Mulder is undoing his hospital gown now, his white buns gracing the screen for the first time in history. As he ducks into the bathroom. As the men left standing in the room all look to Byers, reluctantly removing his duds. Off this  HOSPITAL HALLWAY NIGHT ANGLE OVER MAN IN A SUIT standing with his back to Mulder s room, reading a section of a newspaper the rest of the paper sitting on a chair, as if the man s possibly set up here. As the door to Mulder s room opens in the b.g. and Frohike appears. Frohike keeps his eyes on the Man as Langly appears now, followed by...Byers? We can t see clearly as the other two block our POV and the third man out doesn t show us his face. The threesome starts down the hall, their footsteps drawing the attention of the Man in a Suit. ANGLE OVER MULDER AND THE OTHER GUNMEN As they head TOWARD CAMERA. Walking at a pace. In the b.g. the Man in the Suit is drifting toward Mulder s hospital room. ANGLE ON MAN IN SUIT Suspicious. He moves to the door, looks in the little glass window. Seeing...Byers, the sheets pulled up to his nose to hide his beard and mustache. Skinner standing next to him, talking on the phone. The Man in the Suit looking down to the end of the hall again. RESUME ANGLE OVER MULDER AND THE GUNMEN As Mulder and his two flankers MOVE RIGHT TO CAMERA. Mulder is taking a cell phone being handed to him by Frohike. Dialing on the move. EXT. ALLEY BEHIND DOWNSCALE D.C. BAR NIGHT A FIGURE appears at the end of the alley, moving toward us. It could be Mulder from this distance, but as the figure comes closer we recognize him as Kurtzweil. Moving into the f.g., checking behind him, ahead of him. Jumpy. He takes a cautious beat, then moves to the door leading into the bar established , reaching for the knob. Opening it, finding the Well Manicured Man standing there. WELL MANICURED MAN Dr. Kurtzweil, isn t it? Dr. Alvin Kurtzweil? KURTZWEIL Jesus Christ. Kurtzweil is shaken by the sight of this man. Backpedaling a bit, looking around and behind him for an ambush. WELL MANICURED MAN You re surprised. Certainly you ve been expecting some response to your indiscretion. The W.M.M. steps out of the doorway, following Kurtzweil. WELL MANICURED MAN I m quite sure whatever you told Agent Mulder, you have your good reason. It s a weakness in men our age; the urge to confess. stopping his walk I forgive you that. Kurtzweil is thrown by the words, and the delivery. Stopping his backward progress. Studying this upright and civil man. KURTZWEIL What are you doing here? What do you want from me? WELL MANICURED MAN You must try to understand, what I m here to do is only to protect my children. You and I have but short lives left. I can only hope the same isn t true for them. On this note, Kurtzweil turns and hoofs it back in the direction from which he came. TRACKING BACK WITH HIM until HEADLIGHTS hit his face. REVERSE ANGLE A TOWN CAR has pulled into the alley behind him. Accelerating fast down the narrow corridor. Effectively trapping Kurtzweil in. As he squints into its headlights, then turns back with fear in his eyes to the W.M.M. EXT. STREET OUTSIDE DOWNSCALE BAR NIGHT Where a figure is coming down the street toward us. Running, it s Mulder, going balls out. Running to the entrance of the bar and yanking open the door. DOWNSCALE D.C. BAR NIGHT Moderately crowded as Mulder enters, stopping to catch his breath. Moving to the back of the bar. Looking for  THE BOOTH WHERE HE MET KURTZWEIL EARLIER It s empty. RESUME MULDER Moving through the bar real panic in his expression. He heads to the back. REAR OF DOWNSCALE BAR NIGHT CONTINUOUS Mulder passing the bathrooms, moving to the door where we saw the Well Manicured Man standing just a short bit ago. But there is no one back here now. Mulder moves to the back door, the one leading to the alley, pushing it open and finding  The Well Manicured Man stands with HIS DRIVER closing the trunk on the idling Town Car which has been turned around. The W.M.M. turns to see  WELL MANICURED MAN Mr. Mulder. MULDER What happened to Kurtzweil? WELL MANICURED MAN He s come and gone. The W.M.M. moves to Mulder, who doesn t trust him for a second. Mulder is still breathing hard, sizing up this scene. MULDER Where s Scully? WELL MANICURED MAN I have answers for you. MULDER Is she alive? WELL MANICURED MAN Yes. Mulder stares at the W.M.M. measuring him. WELL MANICURED MAN I m quite prepared to tell you everything, though there isn t much you haven t guessed. MULDER About the conspiracy? WELL MANICURED MAN I think of it as an agreement. A word your father liked to use. MULDER I want to know where Scully is. The Well Manicured Man suddenly reaches into his jacket pocket, without warning or explanation. Mulder tensing slightly. He removes a thin felt envelope. WELL MANICURED MAN The location of Agent Scully. And the means to save her life. off Mulder s look Please... He gestures toward the car where the Driver stands with the back door open. Mulder hesitates, then steps from the doorway. Moving past the W.M.M., sliding in. The W.M.M. gets in after him, closes the door. The car pulls away. LIMOUSINE NIGHT CONTINUOUS WE SEE MULDER in the back seat, reflected in the rear view mirror. Where we also see the eyes of the DRIVER watching him. Mulder is handed the felt envelope by the W.M.M. MULDER What is it? WELL MANICURED MAN A weak vaccine against the virus Agent Scully has been infected with. It must be administered with ninety six hours. MULDER beat You re lying. WELL MANICURED MAN No. Though I have no way to prove otherwise. The virus is extraterrestrial. We know very little about it, except that it is the original inhabitant of this planet. MULDER dubious, to say the least A virus? WELL MANICURED MAN A simple, unstoppable lifeform. What is a virus but a colonizing force that cannot be defeated? Living in a cave, underground, until it mutates. And attacks. MULDER This is what you ve been conspiring to conceal? A disease? WELL MANICURED MAN No! For God sake you ve got it all backwards. This outburst comes suddenly, unexpectedly. WELL MANICURED MAN Aids, the ebola virus on the evolutionary scale they are newborns. This virus walked the planet long before the dinosaurs. MULDER What do you mean, walked? WELL MANICURED MAN Your aliens, Agent Mulder, your little green men, first landed here millions of years ago. Those that didn t leave have been laying dormant underground since the last Ice Age. In the form of an evolved pathogen. Waiting to be reconstituted when the alien race from which it came returns to colonize the planet. Using us as hosts. Against this we have no defense. Nothing but a weak vaccine. beat Do you see why it was kept secret? Why even the best men men like your father could not let the truth be known? The force and conviction of his delivery leave Mulder shaken. WELL MANICURED MAN Until Dallas, we believed the virus was simply a controlling organism. That mass infection would make us a slave race. MULDER That s why you bombed the building. The infected firemen, the boy  WELL MANICURED MAN Imagine our surprise when they began to gestate. My group has been working cooperatively with the alien colonists, facilitating their programs. To give us access to the virus. In false hope we might be able to secretly find a cure. So that we might save ourselves, as the last of the species. beat Your father wisely refused to believe this, choosing hope over selfishness. Hope is the only future he had  his children, beat, then self revealing The only future any of us have. This draws a look back in the mirror from the Driver. MULDER But... he sacrificed his own daughter. My sister, Samantha. WELL MANICURED MAN The only true survivors of the viral holocaust will be those immune to it  those vaccinated against it and human alien hybrids. Your father arranged for your sister s abduction. He allowed her to be taken to an alien hybrid program, so that she would survive. As a clone. beat He had different hopes for you. That you would uncover the truth about the Project. That you would stop it. That you would fight the future. Mulder sits stunned by this. As if somehow his destiny has been validated, if not pre ordained. Or maybe just justified. MULDER Why are you telling me this? WELL MANICURED MAN I thought it only fair you should know, given how hard you ve worked. MULDER What happened to Kurtzweil? WELL MANICURED MAN As your father knew, things need to be sacrificed to the future. MULDER Where is he? WELL MANICURED MAN Dr. Kurtzweil is in the trunk. Mulder stares at the W.M.M., at his cold blooded expression. MULDER Let me out. Stop the car. WELL MANICURED MAN motioning Driver. Mulder reaching to this as the limo pulls to a stop. Trying the door, but the door is locked. When he turns back to the W.M.M. he has produced a handgun, which is now pointing at Mulder. Laid casually across a folded arm. Mulder reacts on seeing it. WELL MANICURED MAN The men I work with will stop at nothing to clear the way for what they believe is their stake in the inevitable future. I was ordered to kill Kurtzweil. A necessary action to protect my grandchildren s lives. beat I might just as easily kill you. Mulder is recoiling as he says this. Then, without hesitation in one quick move, he SHOOTS the Driver in the head. The blood spattering on the front windshield and on Mulder who has barely had a chance to react. WELL MANICURED MAN Trust no one, Mr. Mulder. Mulder looks at The Well Manicured Man, expecting to be next. And for a moment, we do too. But the W.M.M. simply opens the door and steps out of the car. Holding the door open for Mulder who is still frozen by the actions that went just before. EXT. DESOLATE D.C. STREET NIGHT Mulder steps out of the car, holding the felt envelope. The Well Manicured Man stands with a sober, intense look. WELL MANICURED MAN with quiet force You have precious little time. What I ve given you the alien colonists have no idea exists. You hold in your hand the power to end the project. MULDER How? WELL MANICURED MAN The vaccine you hold is the only defense against the virus. Its introduction into an alien environment may have the power to destroy the delicate plans we ve so assiduously protected for the last fifty years. beat Or it may not. MULDER What alien environment? WELL MANICURED MAN Find Agent Scully. Save her. Only her science can save the future. MULDER What about you? WELL MANICURED MAN My life is over. beat Go. Mulder stands speechless for a moment. Until the W.M.M. points the weapon he s still holding at him. WELL MANICURED MAN Go now! And Mulder does. Moving away from the car, looking back over his shoulder. As the Well Manicured Man gets back into the limousine, closes the door. A moment later... THE CAR EXPLODES INTO FLAMES, knocking Mulder to the ground. ANGLE ON MULDER The felt envelope has been jarred from his grasp. Its contents loosed from inside  a piece of paper with COORDINATES on it and an AMPULE and SYRINGE. Mulder gets up, looks back. Then he picks up the envelope and its contents and begins to run. Running as fast as he can go. Until, far down the block, he disappears. As the SCREEN DISSOLVES TO WHITENESS under which we hear an ominous low end Dolby THX Big Screen rumble. The same sound that opened our story. Then there is movement, as the curvilinear line of a horizon becomes visible, bi secting the screen between the white of the earth and the white of the sky. We are  EXT. POLE OF INACCESSIBILITY ANTARCTICA Across the expanse of whiteness, a DARK IMAGE appears on the long flat horizon. Moving toward us. As a LEGEND appears, to establish. CLOSER ON A SNOW TRACTOR Crawling across the harsh frozen land like a domed insect. SNOW TRACTOR Agent Mulder sits behind the controls of the enclosed cabin, several days growth on his face. Dressed in thick, bundled outerwear. He maneuvers the vehicle to a stop. Reaching for a handheld GPS monitor to check his position. Catching his breath for a moment all movement is exertion in this climate. Mulder stares hard out the front window, the wipers beating time, but there is nothing out there but whiteness. He wipes the fog from a side window with his gloved hand, seeing nothing but more whiteness. Checking the GPS device again, then reaching for the door latch. RESUME WIDE EXTERIOR Agent Mulder exits the vehicle, hopping down onto the snowscape crust. Setting out on foot with the GPS device held before him. In this forbidding environment he might as well be taking a space walk without the security of a lifeline. Which is the impression we get as his tiny figure trudges across the ice, increasing the distance between himself and the snow tractor. MOVING WITH MULDER Up a gentle grade, the snow tractor now behind him. Moving into tight f.g. where he stops, seeing something now which allows him to pocket the GPS device. Dropping instinctively to his knees, so as to avoid being seen by  MULDER s POV In the distance is an ICE STATION. A row of interconnecting WHITE DOME TENTS, whose design is now familiar to us. There are what look like snow tractors and other snow vehicles parked alongside the structures. RESUME MULDER Pulling a compact pair of binoculars from one of his deep jacket pockets. Training them on  THE ICE STATION BINO MATTE PANNING across the domes and vehicles, where there is no sign of personnel until MULDER PANS off the building, finding in his field glasses AN APPROACHING SNOW TRACTOR. Moving across the landscape toward the ice station. When it pulls to a stop, A MAN exits out of one of the domes  THE CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN. Moving to the vehicle and getting in. The vehicle reverses now, transporting the CSM back away from the ice station. CLOSE ON MULDER Taking the field glasses away from his eyes. The excitement he feels expressed now in his breathing, which has become harder and shallower. Mulder rises, beginning to move the still great distance between himself and the ice station. WIDE ON SCREEN Mulder moving slowly across the white horizon toward the domed tents. LOW ANGLE ON MULDER s FEET Moving cautiously, and with effort on the snowscape crust. CAMERA RISING up to Mulder s face, determined and watchful. FOLLOWING MULDER The ice station still several hundred yards in the distance, when MULDER SUDDENLY FALLS OUT OF FRAME, disappearing into a hole in the snowscape crust that just moments earlier had been stable footing. HARD SNOW ICE BUBBLE CONTINUOUS Where Mulder s body falls through a ceiling of snowscape crust, landing on his back with a THUD on a hard surface. It takes him a moment to catch his breath, somewhat reminiscent of Stevie at the beginning of the picture. Wincing through the pain. Until he turns over, regaining his wits, and his bearings. NEW ANGLE Mulder has fallen on a hard, narrow metallic structure. Its dull black color a stark contrast to the white ice it s encased in. The bubble has been created by air coming out of vents in the structure, carving out corresponding patterns in the ceiling; softening the ice and snow above. CLOSER ON MULDER rising to his knees, the AIR from one of these vents blowing onto his face. Pulling off the hood of his jacket, looking deep into the vent which is open, ungrated. And big enough for a man to crawl into. Which, after considering the hole he s fallen through high above him, is really Mulder s only choice. RIBBED CORRIDOR DUCT CONTINUOUS Mulder pulls himself forward through the ribbed corridor duct with his elbows, moving lizard like into the constricted darkness. UPPER RIBBED CORRIDOR CONTINUOUS Above a frozen ice lith, Mulder s head appears, squeezing his shoulders and body out of a venting. With effort, Mulder slides out of the small space, using some architecture above as a handhold. Pulling his legs free and dropping onto the floor. MULDER s POV It is dark in here, the features of the corridor ill defined. RESUME MULDER WIDER Mulder pulls a flashlight from a pocket in his parka, snicks it on. Its beam reflecting off tall frozen liths of ice regularly spaced on both sides of the corridor. NEW ANGLE ON MULDER Training the light down the corridor, which curves away in both directions. Then pointing it at something right in front of his nose  something that gives him a start. Reaching up with his hand to brush away frost from the lith. Finding A MAN FROZEN IN ICE. Naked, his eyes staring into some long forgotten distance. His hair is dark, his flat features familiar to us. He is the prehistoric hunter from the opening scenes of the movie. His flesh has the opaque, see through quality that we ve seen before. Inside of which, frozen along with the man, is an EMBRYONIC CREATURE. REVERSE ON MULDER Reacting to this sight, then moving off down the corridor, his pace quickened. EXT. POLE OF INACCESSIBILITY ANTARCTICA LOW ANGLE on the great white expanse. Across which a snow tractor is moving. PANNING with the vehicle to... Mulder s snow tractor, where the first tractor stops, its headlights trained on Mulder s ride. A beat, then the discovering machine moves out again, following the tracks that Mulder has left, which brings it STRAIGHT TOWARD CAMERA. As it passes us, we can see the DRIVER and the Cigarette Smoking Man sitting in the cabin. As we  CUT BACK TO  UPPER RIBBED CORRIDOR CONTINUOUS MULDER comes to the end of the dim ice corridor where soft light is penetrating through several low, arched openings. Mulder has to drop down to his knees to see into the openings. ANGLE FROM OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE BALCONY PASSAGEWAY Where Mulder is seen looking TOWARD CAMERA. The Balcony passageway is short. Mulder drops to his stomach again, pulling himself through, toward us. When he reaches the opposite end, Mulder pokes his head out, looking up in wonder at  CENTRAL THEATER BALCONY CONTINUOUS WIDE ON A STADIUM SIZED DOME  CGI SET EXTENSION Imagine a domed sports arena this is the scope and scale of the space that Mulder has penetrated. We see him as only a small speck on a balcony midway between floor and ceiling. Pulling himself out of the balcony passageway, which is like countless other passageways. Which are actually ventilation ports. ANGLE OVER MULDER Pulling himself to his feet. Beholding the space before him. Looking down to the center floor where a large central theater gives off a light different from elsewhere in the dome. An icy, bright glow. Leading down to the central theater far below are several LARGE TUBULAR SPOKES. One of which leads up right next to Mulder s position. ANGLE ON MULDER Reacting to this. Then something captures his attention. MULDER s POV There on the floor, far down below, is THE BUBBLE LITTER Scully was transported in. NOTE* Scully s clothes are still in the bubble litter. Standing out as a rather human artifact against the otherwise dull gray bulwarks and architecture surrounding it. CENTRAL THEATER BALCONY CONTINUOUS WIDE ON MULDER looks beside him where the joint that connects two sections of one of the long tube spokes is designed with an allowance a separation that might allow a man to slip through the joint into the tube. Which is what Mulder does here. TUBULAR SPOKE CONTINUOUS WIDE ANGLE FROM INSIDE TUBE TERMINUS Mulder squeezing through into the tube, looking down past what looks like a chair lift like track, on which the chairs are actually empty cryopod mechanisms; the same structures Mulder saw in the ribbed corridor in which bodies were encased in ice. Except these cryopods are empty. Mulder begins to creep down TOWARD CAMERA, picking his way around the empty cryopods. REVERSE ANGLE ON MULDER Creeping away from us. Heading toward  LOWER CRYOPOD CORRIDOR Where Mulder pops out at the lower tube terminus. Which leads into this bulwarked corridor at the base of the large stadium structure. Where  REVERSE ON THIS CORRIDOR Where Mulder is walking past frozen CRYOPODS hanging on a track. Each icy pod containing a HUMAN BODY frozen within. Partially visible behind clear blue ice. But these are modern men, and women. Their expressions a confused horror, as if they have been somehow frozen alive. They are slowly tracking. Walking along the slowly moving carousel of frozen humanity. Stopping, turning, almost as if having sensed  NEW ANGLE OVER OPPOSITE CRYOPOD PUSHING IN ON MULDER s FACE. Recording the horror and fear he s experiencing, on seeing  CAMERA RISING UP A FROSTY WALL OF BLUE ICE Where a woman s body is encased, its naked features hidden behind the opacity of the newly frozen blue crust. But whose face is unmistakable as that of Agent Scully s. Frozen in a similar expression of far away horror, her eyes cast slightly heavenward. MULDER hurries to get his jacket unzipped. Removing the FELT ENVELOPE, removing the syringe body, the needle and the AMPULE. Hastily putting the syringe together, getting the needle poked into the soft rubber cap of the ampule. Bleeding the syringe now, the substance inside squirting out of the end of the needle onto the floor of the ship. And the moment it does, the whole floor SIZZLES like water being dropped onto a hot skillet. Spreading out from Mulder in every direction. A VIOLENT CHEMICAL REACTION, as predicted by the man who gave him this substance. A moment later the entire structure Mulder is in SHUNTS. Shuddering violently and setting up a low end RUMBLE. Causing Mulder to accidentally drop the syringe. LOW CLOSE ANGLE on the floor, where the syringe hits and bounces, but does not break or leak. Mulder scrambling into frame to re collect it. Seeing the floor where the liquid from the syringe hit where it has been ETCHED AWAY by the substance. EXT. HULL OF SPACESHIP ICY BUBBLE CONTINUOUS Where Mulder crawled into the duct. Condensed air is streaming out of all the ducts now. The ice and snow above beginning to melt from the force and heat of the blasting all. CUT BACK TO  EXT. ICE STATION CONTINUOUS We can hear low end rumble and vibration. TWO DOZEN MEN are streaming out of the dome tents. Moving to their carious snow tractors and starting the vehicles. A small exodus, the tractors pulling out of camp in a rush. Heading off in various directions. CAMERA FINDING THE CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN moving to his tractor, with THE MAN WHO SHOT MULDER. Taking the last drag of his cigarette before throwing it into the snow. He stares down at it a moment, as if caught in the grip of some emotion conflicting with duty. The Man who shot Mulder inside the tractor now, throwing open the door for the CSM. MAN WHO SHOT MULDER C mon. It s all going to hell. He climbs up onto the vehicle, gets in and closes the door. And the vehicle pulls away as we  CUT BACK TO  LOWER RIBBED CORRIDOR CONTINUOUS AGENT MULDER Back on his feet, SMASHING now at the crust of brittle blue ice that encases Scully. BASHING, SMASHING and then finally breaking through the hard outer later, its inner slushy contents spilling out of the puncture that exposes Scully s face and shoulder. Watery aqua tinted liquid drains from her mouth and nose. But Scully is not conscious, and there is no indication she is even alive, her face frozen in a blank, almost beatific expression. OVER MULDER TO SCULLY As he plunges the needle into Scully s arm at the front of her shoulder. To which there is an immediate reaction as if given a shot of adrenalin. Her eyes blinking away the cold moisture. MULDER Scully Scully s lips move goldfish like as she tries to suck in air, an almost fearful expression overcoming her like a swimmer who s been held under too long. But no words are coming out yet. MULDER Breathe can you breathe?! Scully is straining to do just that when liquid suddenly SPEWS from Scully s mouth. And she begins to cough and gag taking big gulps of air as her eyes focus on Mulder as if on a phantom, or a miracle. Finally faint words ushering forth, whispering breaths that Mulder cannot discern. MULDER What? CLOSE ON MULDER AND SCULLY As he leans into her, putting his ear up to her mouth. As the softest sound comes out in Scully s frosty breath. SCULLY Cold... MULDER Hang on. I m going to get you out of here. As she continues to suck air. EXT. HULL OF SPACESHIP ICE BUBBLE CONTINUOUS The hot air blasting from the ducts is causing the ice pack above to melt and collapse. EXT. ICE STATION CONTINUOUS WIDE As the ice tractors head away in all directions from the domed structures. A misty fog now emanating from the seams of the domes. Heat and condensation. CUT BACK TO  UPPER RIBBED CORRIDORS CONTINUOUS Filling with misty condensation, too. The small beams of light that lighted Mulder s way earlier are now small shafts piercing the gathering interior cloud. Illuminating  THE PREHISTORIC MAN Frozen in his icy pod, the hard semi translucent surface of which is now etched with small streams of water running to the floor. Everything is melting and in motion. Including the CREATURE which is vaguely visible inside the frozen man. It TURNS slightly inside the body, like an animal in utero. Its eyes now looking at us, blinking. As it presses against its own fleshy container, the body of its human host. CUT BACK TO  LOWER RIBBED CORRIDOR CONTINUOUS It, too, is filling with misty condensation. VARIOUS SHOTS Of the ice encasing the human forms sweating and melting. CAMERA ADJUSTING UP TO REVEAL Mulder pulling Scully along in a fireman s carry. She is dressed now in Mulder s snow parka and the outer nylon pants he was wearing. Scully s legs are weak beneath her. Her body limp, but not lifeless. Mulder laboring to get her up the INTERIOR of the steep curving cylinder spoke, as the air fills with mist. LONG TUBE TERMINUS NEW ANGLE ON MULDER AND SCULLY LOOKING DOWN THE TUBE Moving toward along the now halted cryopod carrier hanging from the transport track. Mulder struggling against his own fading energy, pulling Scully up toward  ANGLE ON BALCONY CATWALK Mulder pushing Scully up, though she seems to have at least some limited ability to do this on her own. The DEEP, LOW RUMBLE we heard in the open frames of the movie reaching full volume now. The whole environment vibrating as Mulder boosts Scully up on the catwalk. Climbing up over the prostrate body. Picking her up from the floor, pulling her back into the fireman s carry. LOWER RIBBED CORRIDOR CONTINUOUS Where the bodies are all beginning to melt. VARIOUS SHOTS of rivulets of water forming on the icy liths that encase the bodies. The water from them seeping onto the circular central floor. The condensing mist thick and swirling. CLOSE ON PODS Where the body it houses seems to move. Though AS CAMERA PUSHES IN we see that it is the creature inside this body moving, as if the heat and the defrosting are bringing the embryos to life. UPPER RIBBED CORRIDOR CONTINUOUS ANGLE DOWN CORRIDOR Scully s head pokes through now, as she s pushed through the opening that Mulder used earlier to get into the vaulted arena. Pushed in fits and starts until she s all the way through. Mulder now straining and squeezing to do the same on his own. The corridor is filled with heavy condensed mist now as Mulder finally slips out of the low passageway, trying to get his bearing now as he huddles low over Scully. Turning his attention to her as she COUGHS HOARSELY in some kind of acute spasm of pain but alive. MULDER We ve got to keep moving. SCULLY weakly Where are we? MULDER You got me. But I think I know what they did with Jimmy Hoffa. Scully is struggling now as Mulder tries to pull her to her feet again. In real physical pain. SCULLY I can t... Scully can t finish speaking, her voice becoming a hoarse cough. SCULLY barely a whisper I can t go any farther. MULDER Yes you can. You re going to make it, Scully. Mulder hauling Scully up off the floor AWAY FROM CAMERA now. NEW ANGLE ON RIBBED CORRIDOR CAMERA MOVING THROUGH SPACE in the empty corridor, moving at a speed equal to Mulder and Scully s as they round the semi circular ribbed corridor to meet us. Coming out of the mist, Scully back in the fireman s carry. Approaching the place where Mulder slipped down into the corridor. Mulder stopping and seeing  THE BODY IN THE MELTING ICE LITH As it too moves, the embryonic creature inside it turning slightly, as if coming awake. REVERSE ON MULDER Reacting to this and then to Scully who suddenly starts GASPING FOR BREATH. Falling now from Mulder s grasps as her legs buckle and she goes down. LOW ANGLE ON SCULLY Her face is going red, straining for air. Her eyes rolling, seeking relief. As Mulder drops down beside her. MULDER Shit But she is unable to answer. Mulder hastening to unzip her his jacket. To get to her neck and find a pulse. MULDER Scully Mulder cannot find a pulse. Scully straining harder now as Mulder reaches his fingers into her mouth, clearing her passageway. Moving on top of her now, and pumping forcefully on her chest trying to get air into her. One two three. And putting his mouth down to hers FINALLY! , breathing his life into her. Pulling away from her to see that he is unsuccessful at this that Scully is continuing to strain. Pumping her chest again  MULDER You re not dying on me now godammit godammit godammit As he pumps her chest. Placing his mouth over hers again and BREATH BREATH BREATH. Lifting his mouth from hers, feeling for a pulse again, putting his eat down to her mouth, praying he ll feel the breeze of a breath. Nothing. While  ANGLE OVER HIM TO THE CREATURE IN THE ICY POD As it moves again, MORE VIOLENTLY NOW. As the ice around it continues to melt and fissure. RESUME MULDER His hands going to a pocket on the inside of the jacket Scully is wearing his jacket finding again the syringe that he used on Scully. It is still partially full of vaccine. Mulder finding this, getting ready to use it when  Scully s body suddenly comes back to life beneath him. Labored breaths which turn into a coughing spasm. Mulder breaths relievedly for a moment, watching Scully coughing, coming back to life. Her eyes trying to focus on him, finding him. Seeing his labored relief. The panic melting away. SCULLY weakly, pained whisper Mulder... She wants to tell him something. He leans down next to her. SCULLY continued weak Had you big time. Mulder has but a moment to savor this weary victory though when he REACTS to something, that causes him to WHIP HIS HEAD AROUND. MULDER s POV DOWN RIBBED CORRIDOR Through the condensed mist he can see CREATURES BEGINNING TO HATCH, sprouting from the melted ice encased bodies they have gestated in. Their THREE FINGERED HANDS beating at the soft ice. Their powerful feet kicking at it, too. RESUME MULDER Looking the other way down the corridor, seeing MORE CREATURES The slushy material that makes up the inner core spilling out with them as the creatures KICK out of their tombs. RESUME MULDER Lifting Scully up with all his strength he has left in him. He s got to get her overhead now, back up the venting that he slipped down from. She is weak and of little help. Mulder gets her propped up on his strength so that he can use the power of his legs to boost her toward the opening. Which puts him face to face with THE EMBRYONIC CREATURE. Its eye looking directly at him, blinking, before it goes into another FITFUL SPASM inside its host body. ANGLE DOWN FROM VENT Where Scully is boosted up TOWARD CAMERA. Her hands reaching feebly for something to grab onto. Finding a handhold. MULDER Keep breathing, Scully. She utters something guttural, unintelligible as the next thrust up from Mulder gets her head and shoulders into the opening of the vent. RESUME MULDER Beneath her, pushing with all his might. His hands under her shoes now, forcing her up into the vent like a rolled carpet into the rafters. RESUME SCULLY Struggling with her arms and elbows, barely conscious, but somehow able to manage herself forward. RESUME MULDER Pushing Scully up the last little way. Then reaching up to find a handhold for himself. Grabbing hold and lifting himself as one of his feet kicks at the ice where the creature he was just face to face with BURSTS from its icy pod. One hand, then the other shooting out of the ice where they have broken through the host. Ripping open the front of the body, including the man s face. Making a slimy, gaping tear in what was formerly flesh. Its hands grabbing at Mulder as he thrashes to free himself from it getting a grip. As Mulder struggles to pull himself up, fighting off the creature which he cannot see beneath him. RESUME CREATURE As it emerges from the ice, still grasping and TEARING at Mulder s legs with its claws. But as it BURSTS COMPLETELY from its place, Mulder is able to pull himself up and into the vent in one athletic movement. ANGLE FROM INSIDE THE VENT SCULLY lies motionless in the ducting, her body forced forward by Mulder s in this last surging move. TIGHT ANGLE ON MULDER Drawing his legs up quickly inside. Not wasting a moment shoving Scully s butt forward in front of him. MULDER Scully you breathing? RESUME SCULLY Letting out another low, guttural sound which STRAINS out of her with each push forward. EXT. SNOW ICE BUBBLE CONTINUOUS Scully s head and arms push up through the vent where Mulder first entered. The ice and snow surrounding it, which had created the bubble structure, have melted and fallen. So that above Scully s larger hole has opened up to the surface. The air is full of condensation, swirling around them. ANGLE FROM ABOVE THROUGH THE HOLE IN THE ICE Where, through the swirling steam we see Mulder push Scully clear of the vent. Climbing free himself now. When the surface they are upon SHUDDERS AND QUAKES. As if it has come unloosed, destabilized. And with this comes A MIGHTY FORCE OF STEAM from the vent Mulder and Scully just crawled from. Blasting up past them with terrible HISSING FORCE. Causing Mulder to throw Scully away from its superheated energy. Pulling her up the now climbable embankment created by the melting snow; pulling her toward the surface of the ice sheet. EXT. POLE OF INACCESSIBILITY ANTARCTICA WIDE Where a wide radius of steam rises from similar and regularly spaced holes in the ice sheet, defining a circular structure beneath. The White Domed Tents of the ice station are in the center of this, dwarfed by the enormity of the melting radius. RESUME MULDER AND SCULLY Mulder pulling her up the softened and collapsed snow. The hot steam blasting up with hideous force behind them. The sound DEAFENING. NEW ANGLE OVER MULDER AND SCULLY Pulling her to the surface of the ice sheet where behind them in the distance the ICE STATION can be seen through the atmosphere of condensed air. When suddenly the ice beneath it gives way and the ice station falls away, caving in to the center of the radius. Which is what begins to happen to the rest of the ice sheet that spreads out to where Mulder and Scully are standing. Causing Mulder to realize  MULDER over the din We ve got to run! She is weak, but is able to find her footing. Dragged behind Mulder as the ice behind them begins to break away, falling down into an ever expanding center and sending up magnificent geysers of steam created by the superheated surface below. WIDE ON SCENE Mulder and Scully running AT CAMERA just ahead of the collapsing center. The mass of ice around them beginning to break up. Steam vents erupting instantaneously everywhere. HIGH ANGLE ON SCENE A black dome is becoming visible through the giant circle of steam, in the ever widening center hole that Mulder and Scully are running from. Which is chasing them to the edge of the radius. ANGLE FOLLOWING MULDER AND SCULLY As Mulder struggles to pull Scully fast enough to outrace the icy debris that is tumbling away just behind them. Large chunks falling and bouncing off the superheated surface below, blown back up like water being dropped onto a hot skillet. EXTREMELY HIGH AND WIDE The Agents mere specks fleeing the circle of churning ice and steam. As it cascades away in three hundred and sixty degrees. From here the deafening sound if absorbed into the vastness, tricking us of the reality of the massive movement of frozen material down below. ANGLE LEADING MULDER AND SCULLY As Scully loses her footing, falling to the ground. Mulder dragging her back up to her feet, though, maintaining forward momentum. While behind them the thundering force of the superheated melting snow and ice is moving in on them. And then suddenly MULDER AND SCULLY are gone! The radial edge of the falling snow continuing only a few feet beyond where they disappeared. The violent upheaval of snow abating but slightly. Beat, beat... THEN THE AGENTS APPEAR AGAIN. Thrust upward by a RISING BLACK PRECIPICE which catapults them off its leading edge. As they fall the distance to the sheet of ice below. LOW ANGLE ON ICE SHEET Where the Agents hit hard on the ice sheet. The rain of ice chunks pounding all around them. As the monolithic wall of the craft continues to rise. Mulder trying to get to Scully in this hail of debris which he shields his face from. WIDE ON LEADING EDGE Rising faster now out of the earth as it begins to increasingly shed and break free of the frozen weight it carried. Until the bottom of the edge of the wall appears, lifting clear of the ice sheet and the crater that held it. EXTREME HIGH WIDE ANGLE ON SPACE SHIP Where now we see the scope and shape of the ship, which is breathtaking. The domed center sloping off to a gentle gradient, which is the surface that Mulder and Scully were running on. The ship is now slowly rotating as it moves upward in a gently rising hover. Mulder and Scully are on the ice sheet below. RESUME MULDER AND SCULLY Scully face down on the ice. Mulder lifting his head when THE HEAVY SHADOW of the ship comes over them. Looking up from this position to see  THE SPACE SHIP Moving slowly, laterally just overhead. Thunderously rumbling. The dark detail of its underside visible in this angle. As it continues to rise, the shadow passing over Mulder and Scully. NEW ANGLE OVER MULDER AND SCULLY Scully is still face down on the ice, as Mulder watches the ship s shadow cast over Mulder s SnowCat which is still parked in the distance. Moving up and off. The ship continues up into the Antarctic sky where it rises toward the sky where it begins to get WHITEHOT. Transforming itself into pure energy. It is visible for several moments during transformation. Then it disappears completely. As it does the RUMBLE, which dopplers across the white, barren landscape. Then it is gone. MULDER Watches this then lays his head down on Scully s back. He is spent, at the brink of complete exhaustion. His whole body heaving. But now starting to shiver, and to lose consciousness. Scully s body is motionless beneath him, for a moment we might believe that this is the way it might end. Out here on the ice with Mulder and Scully freezing to death. A chill wind blows off the Antarctic plain, the same LOW RUMBLE, the only taint of silence in vastness of this literal end of the world. Then Scully coughs the same hoarse cough. She s alive. Struggling to consciousness. Her head lifting slightly, TURNING TO CAMERA. Her eyes blink open and she coughs again. Feeling Mulder s weight on top of her, unaware of his condition or even where she is. SCULLY weakly Mulder... There is no answer. Scully struggling to pull herself out from under the weight of his body. Rolling over so that her face is opposite Mulder s now. Seeing that he has lost consciousness. Finding the strength to roll him over, so that she can cradle him and warm him. HIGH WIDE ANGLE ON THIS SCENE With the Snowcat a short distance away, Mulder and Scully in each others arms. The way it should end. FADE TO BLACK Silence. Longer than we would like. Long enough to make us nervous, then certain, then angry. Then...we FADE UP a prelap of the sound of a CRACKLING FIRE. FADING UP ON  EXT. ACRES OF CORN MAGIC HOUR TRACKING LOW WITH MEN IN FATIGUES, moving along the perimeter of the corn field as they set fire to the corn stalks with small handheld butane burners. While other Men in Fatigues are moving between the rows dousing the furrows with accelerant. DISSOLVE TO  FBI FIELD OFFICE DALLAS NIGHT The large room filled with the evidence and debris from the bombing. It is dark. Until A FLASHLIGHT BEAM pricks the blackness, moving toward us into f.g. Carried by the man we now recognize as The Man Who Shot Mulder. He moves with directness, purpose. Finding what he s looking for amid the cataloged material, he finds on a work bench. Next to the microscope Scully had used. It is the BONE FRAGMENTS, held in an evidence container. He pockets them and exits as quiet and directly as he entered. DISSOLVE TO  EXT. ACRES OF CORN WIDE CGI PLATE The sky aglow with orange flames as the crops burn to the ground. We hold on this shot, PRELAPPING the sound of  JANA CASSIDY s VOICE ... in light of the report I ve got before me; in light of the narrative I m now hearing... FBI OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL REVIEW DAY Jana Cassidy sits at the head of the desk, just as when we first met her. She is flanked by the other members of the review board, including A.D. Skinner who sits at the end of the table. Cassidy flips through a file she s referred to before she continues. Looking up with consternation as she resumes. CASSIDY ... my official report is incomplete pending these new facts I m being asked to reconcile. Agent Scully... AGENT SCULLY Sitting where she last sat, at the small table. The seat next to her conspicuously empty. Her face bears the signs of slight frostbite, somewhat healed. Her expression is even, her attitude composed, but her eyes are filled of dark, restrained defiance. CASSIDY ...while there is direct evidence now that a federal agent may have been involved in the bombing... the other events you ve laid down here seem too incredible on their own, and quite frankly implausible in their connection. PANNING THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS curious, bemused like Cassidy. Skinner shifts uncomfortably. SCULLY What is it you find incredible? CASSIDY Well...where would you like me to start? Antarctica is a long way from Dallas, Agent Scully. I can t very well submit a report to the Attorney General that alleges the links you ve made here. Bees and corn crops do not quite fall under the rubric of domestic terrorism. SCULLY No, they don t. CASSIDY Most of what I find in here is lacking a coherent picture of an organization with an attributable motive. I realize you re very lucky to be alive Agent Scully. The ordeal you ve endured has clearly affected you though the holes in your account leave this panel with little choice but to delete these references from our final report to the Justice Department. Until which time hard evidence becomes available that would give us cause to pursue such an investigation. Scully has her hand in her coat pocket now. Moving around the table and approaching Cassidy. Removing something which she puts on the desk in front of her. A small vial. SCULLY I don t believe the FBI currently has an investigation unit qualified to pursue the evidence in hand. Cassidy picks up the vial, studying the contents of this vial  the dead bee that stung Scully. Studying it as Scully turns and moves to the door, without permission, no further adieu. ANGLE TO INCLUDE A.D. SKINNER Watching Scully exit. CASSIDY O.S. Mr. Skinner....? CAMERA PIVOTING TO INCLUDE CASSIDY. Looking at him. CASSIDY Please ask Agent Scully to come back to this hearing. We re not quite finished. As Skinner rises, unsure of the intent behind this directive, we  DISSOLVE TO  EXT. WASHINGTON D.C. DAY We are JUST ABOVE THE TREETOPS. The Capitol Dome is in the far distance. CAMERA CRANING DOWN to find Mulder sitting by himself on a park bench. We are WIDE. There is no one else around. Until the Cigarette Smoking Man appears. Walking through the otherwise deserted park. Joining Mulder on the park bench. CLOSER ON MULDER, THE CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN They do not speak for several moments. A quite tension as the CSM lights up a trademark smoke. Inhaling, exhaling. Then  CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Congratulations on your survival. Your life is worthless now, I hope you know that. MULDER And yours? CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN derisive You think you ve stopped it. What I ve worked for fifty years to create. You haven t stopped it. You can t stop it. takes a drag You re just one man. MULDER You re wrong. WIDE ANGLE Mulder rises from the bench heading TOWARD CAMERA. The CSM rising, watching him. As Mulder continues toward us. ADJUST TO REVEAL Agent Scully in the f.g. Mulder moving to her as the CSM watches from the distance. Their eyes meet, an unspoken restored bond exchanged in this moment. Before Mulder takes Scully by the arm, leads her off. Leaving the CSM standing alone in the distance. As we  DISSOLVE TO  EXT. CORN FIELDS WHITE DOMES TUNISIA DAY TRACKING LOW WITH A PAIR OF FEET The wearer of them sporting peasant sandals. We realize shortly that while the feet are moving across sandy ground, that the foliage in the near b.g. is corn. And that the person we are tracking with is passing row after row of stalks. CAMERA RISING AS IT TRACKS REVEALING A TUNISIAN MAN dressed in peasant clothes. He is carrying a piece of paper. Moving with hasty purpose. Stopping at the end of one of the long rows of corn where CONRAD STRUGHOLD is coming toward him. Making his way between rows of stalks. The Peasant waits patiently as Strughold approaches, handing him the piece of paper. Strughold reads it, his otherwise steely countenance reflecting a disturbance seen only in the slight narrowing of his eyes. He looks up at the Peasant and says something to him in Tunisian Arabic. Said as command, which causes the Peasant to nod dutifully and move off as he came. Strughold stands for a moment, then crumples the paper slightly and drops it. Moving off down the same corn row in which he approached. CAMERA DROPPING TO THE GROUND where we find the paper on which we see a flat section that is not so crumpled we cannot read the words  X FILES RE OPENED. STOP. PLEASE ADVISE. STOP. CAMERA RISING NOW. Rising up past the stalks. Where we can still see Strughold walking. RISING UP AND UP to reveal ACRES AND ACRES OF CORN. Many times more than we had seen previously. Stretched out across the Tunisian Desert, ending only where THREE WHITE DOMES stand on the distant horizon. WHITEOUT Written by Jon Hoeber & Erich Hoeber Based on the graphic novel by Greg Rucka December, SCROLL OVER BLACK Antarctica. Six million square miles of ice. The coldest place on earth. Fortysix countries have competing claims and maintain outposts. The Antarctic Treaty holds these claims in check. There is no regular law enforcement. A single U.S. Marshal is assigned to the territory. END SCROLL ANTARCTICA DAY Snowcovered hills thrust up out of a barren, white wasteland. No buildings, no animals. nothing. CLOSER The hills are more defined. Rows of jagged peaks and a crazed pattern of crevasses. A fine `mist  of windblown snow whips about this jumble of glinting ice. STILL CLOSER We track down through valleys, skirt crevasses, climb peaks and finally pause on a flat stretch of ice. HOLD on this scene of timeless, savage beauty, then. THUD A FACE, hooded and goggled in ECW extreme cold weather gear drops into frame, smashing down on the icy surface with such brutal impact, the shattered goggle shield pops out EYES STARE BLANKLY into locked in death. It s a man. slowly starts to PULL BACK to see his limbs have snapped at unnatural angles, the head grotesquely twisted bright red arterial blood seeps from the corpse and spreads out down tiny cracks in the ice until, with startling speed, it turns dark and freezes. We PULL BACK further and look down on the body, a bizarre shape in a spider s web of frozen blood. And SLOWLY WE PULL BACK. further and further.until all is dazzling white. TITLE WHITEOUT DISSOLVE TO  The sounds of lapping surf and distant seagulls serenades us like a rhythmic lullaby. CU on WOMAN S TOES digging up soft, white sand. The shadow of a palm tree cascading over top. Widen slightly a pair of feminine hands, donning an ANTIQUE SILVER ring on the left middle finger, are slowly applying coconut tanning lotion onto firm, athletic calves. Deep. Soothing. Then O.C. KNOCK KNOCK on a door. The hands stop. Another KNOCK KNOCK. The lapping surf and seagull sounds come to an abrupt halt. WOMAN O.C. slightly annoyed Yeah Widen to meet CARRIE STETKO, late  s. Cargo pants rolled up, and an exercise top. She s kicking back, but she s not at the beach. In fact, she s in an office, sitting on a chair. A NEWLY OPEN BAG OF KITTY LITTER sits next to a plastic tub she s got her feet in. Two FLOOR LAMPS stand like sentinels above her, blasting her with warm wattage. A fake palm tree casts the shadow across her body. She s pulled the earplugs out of her iPod back to the real world. The door opens. Leaning into the room is JAMIE CLARK  s, AfricanAmerican. She s dressed in a flannel shirt, jeans. Carrie doesn t look entirely happy at the intrusion. JAMIE Sorry, a Professor Sapperstein needs to see you in biology. Said it s urgent. CARRIE Alright Jamie leaves. As Carrie gets to her feet, moves away from her, panning around the small office. Halfpacked up boxes lay strewn about the floor. A CALENDER hangs crookedly before a desk. Each day has been marked off with a large X. THREE DAYS REMAIN unmarked. Last space reads WINTEROVER, and in the space next to it, there s a cut out picture of a tropical beach. A dart board is next to it with A PHOTOGRAPH pulverized with dart holes over the Bullseye. It s of a candy striped pole topped with a silver ball, surrounded by international flags the South Pole. Carrie is standing next to the pole, smiling at the, arminarm with SAM MURPHY  s Looks like he s handsome, but his face is a little more obliterated than the rest of him. MCMURDO STATION ANTARCTICA DAY An ugly sprawl of prefab buildings, powerlines and above ground sewage pipes. It looks more like a Siberian work camp than Antarctica s largest research base and logistics hub. In the background, smoke rises from Mt. Erebus. SUPER MCMURDO STATION USA POP TEMP ° An icy wind HOWLS, but the base swarms with PARKACLAD FIGURES shuttling supplies and packing up equipment for winter. We PICK UP CARRIE AND FOLLOW her as she strides down the icy, unmade street. Her hood is pulled up and she s not enjoying the cold. She reaches a row of buildings and checks the names GEOLOGY LAB # ASTROPHYSICS BERKLEY.until she reaches BIOLOGY BUILDING # and pushes through the double doors into. BIOLOGY BUILDING # DAY LONG BENCHES are covered with ANTARCTIC FLORA MOSSES, LICHENS and LIVERWORTS. They are being nurtured and studied by SCIENTISTS who look like homeless people unkempt beards, bloodshot eyes and sundamaged skin. Carrie throws back her hood and unzips her jacket. Approaches one of the scientists with familiarity, who is in the process of EXTRACTING an ICECORE SAMPLE from a stainless steel cylinder. CARRIE SARCASTIC Hey Fred, unlock any secrets of the Universe discover we re Alien life forms FRED Workin  on it. CARRIE Which one s Sapperstein SCIENTIST Deschampsia Antarctica. He indicates with a nod to a bench covered with tall grass samples across the room. PROFESSOR SAPPERSTEIN, young, thin and bearded, is studying them. CARRIE Okay, thanks. She crosses to him CARRIE cont d Sapperstein He looks at her SAPPERSTEIN Yeah. CARRIE Wanted to see me His face tenses this is serious. SAPPERSTEIN Follow me. He leads her to a bench in the corner on which stands a GLASS HERBARIUM containing only STALKS and a few HEAT LAMPS. One of the GLASS PANELS has been smashed. SAPPERSTEIN cont d They took it all. CARRIE All what SAPPERSTEIN Cannabis Sativa. She looks at him SAPPERSTEIN cont d My weed, man. I ve been growing it all summer and they took it. BEAT It was just budding, too. He sends an evil glare across the room to four glassy eyed scientists sitting around a desk, munching on potato chips, candy bars, and drinking beer. Stifling laughter. SAPPERSTEIN cont d GLARING It s not funny Carrie looks back to him can barely stifle a laugh. CARRIE Professor Sapperstein, I d like you to read something for me. She pulls out a small LEATHER FOLD chained around her neck. Opens it up. Puts it in front of his face. CARRIE cont d What s this say He s not sure what she s getting at CARRIE cont d C mon, go ahead, read it. SAPPERSTEIN Carrie Stetko. CARRIE Keep reading. SAPPERSTEIN United States Marshal. She closes the fold, lets it drop around her neck. CARRIE Very good. BEAT Now are you still sure you want to report the theft of an illegal narcotic He actually ponders the question for a moment. Carrie puts an arm around his bony shoulder and steers him away from the others. CARRIE cont d Professor.are you planning on doing the winterover SAPPERSTEIN Not this year, no. CARRIE Good. And how are you feeling right now SAPPERSTEIN You think I m crazy Is that what you re saying CARRIE PACIFYING No, no, not crazy. But this time of year, down here, we re all going a little toasty aren t we How about you plant a little Cannabis when you get home She pats him on the back. MARSHAL S OFFICE MCMURDO DAY Carrie enters. Walks by a mirror. Takes a glance. Is about to fix her hair, then stares at the reflection what s the point We notice a slight scar on her right temple. She steps around the moving boxes to her desk, which is bare except for a thick BINDER labelled,`DAILY REPORTS . She takes a seat, opens a binder and flips past dozens of empty pages reading INCIDENT None. ACTION TAKEN None. On today s page she fills in the blanks with Theft of botany sample. And None. A pencil falls down onto the desk before her. Bounces. Then rolls off. She doesn t even flinch, or look up. Just stares unhappily at the binder. tilts up several pencils are stuck into the cardboard tiles. She closes the binder and puts it on the shelf beside a row of framed photos Carrie in a Marshal s uniform graduation day; crisp, clean uniform. She and two other girlfriends, all smiles, at a bar she s got a birthday cake in front of her. Carrie on a beach somewhere, sitting in a chair, feet in the sand shaded by a palm. As she lifts the frames and moves to pack them in a nearby box MURPHY O.C. You busy She turns to see SAM MURPHY, base commander, the guy on the DART BOARD. There s an awkward beat. CARRIE What do you think BEAT I know you weren t in the area. What s up He sees the photo on the dart board saunters over to it. MURPHY I got a pilot at ASB who thinks he spotted a popsicle out on the ice. CARRIE What flavor MURPHY Don t know. CARRIE And we were doing so well. BEAT Where MURPHY McClain Valley. This throws her. CARRIE McClain Valley What was he doing out there That s no man s land. He takes a closer look at the photo almost seems amused. MURPHY I ve got a plane heading to ASB in an hour with some supplies for Winterover. BEAT Can t get you back until tomorrow. He looks at her with a smile MURPHY cont d You leaving the dart board CARRIE No just the picture. DISSOLVE TO AMUNDSENSCOTT STATION ASB DAY ESTABLISHING The red and white striped ceremonial south pole stands surrounded by international flags. SUPER TITLE South Pole AmundsenScott Station USA P opulation Temperature ° Ice as far as the eye can see. In the background is the base. It s much smaller than McMurdo a few dozen specialist buildings surrounding four circular buildings raised on hydraulic stands, interconnected by tubular shaped walkways. Off in the distance A SNOWCAT mounted with a plow, pushes small drifts of snow off the runway onto a LARGE BERM. It s been busy SEVERAL OTHER BERMS flank both sides of the runway. pans to Carrie with a gear bag in tow, as she deplanes a LC A HALFDOMED HANGAR rises up on the other side of the plane. The main ASB complex is before her. Across the top of the entrance is a huge poster DAYS TO WINTEROVER EVAC. Piles of packed equipment are everywhere. Half a dozen NAKED MEN wearing only boots and face masks blow out the front door screaming and yelling, run around the South Pole, right past her, and back into ASB. Carrie heads in CARRIE Bottom of the frickin  planet. ASB CORRIDOR DAY Music cranks. Carrie knows her way. People come and go as she strides along a corridor decorated with PARTY BALLOONS and signs that read `DON T FORGET THE EVE OF EVAC PARTY  comes to an office door with a small plaque on it that reads MARSHAL. Pushes it open. MARSHAL S OFFICE ASB CONTINUOUS Carrie enters. It s smaller than her McMurdo office with a HOLDING ROOM that has a viewing window in the door. A fine layer of dust blankets a little desk with a computer and lamp on top. A map of Antarctica is spread across a wall with sub station positions marked in block letters. A window gives view to the South Pole. SMALL ROOM RIGHT AFTER Carrie opens the door. Single bed. Tiny dresser. No frills. She tosses her gear bag onto the bed. Closes the door. MEDICAL CLINIC ASB DAY Carrie pokes her head in. An examination table, cabinets with drugs and first aid equipment. A couple of hospital beds. Moving boxes are packed up. CARRIE Doc Another door in the back of the room is open, but the light is off. Carrie turns to leave and MAIN CORRIDOR ASB CONTINUOUS almost bumps right into one of the runners from outside, Aussie RUSSELL KELLER late  s coming down the corridor. He s naked, except for a towel wrapped around his waste. Sports a goatee. Couple tats. Flashes a cocky smile. KELLER Well, hello Marshal. CARRIE Keller. She leaves. He falls into stride with her. CARRIE cont d You seen Doc KELLER Out back. What are you doing here CARRIE Checking the freezer for a popsicle. KELLER No shit CARRIE It got called in this morning. KELLER Who spotted it CARRIE Delfy, one of the pilots here. Keller half smiles. KELLER It s his first year down here. You know how that goes. My bet it was just debris, an old tent or something. CARRIE Yeah probably. KELLER Here s an idea why don t you stay here with me and we ll party, just the two of us. Put those cuffs of yours to work. CARRIE Were you the second guy from the front KELLER Yeah. CARRIE Not interested. They come to the end of the hall. Keller stops. Carrie goes right. OPERATIONS CENTER ASB A large room by base standards. Several windows. A giant map of ANTARCTICA dominates one wall with the International stations and research outposts flagged with pins that have their countries flags on them. A grid of EVAC TIMES of each STATION and OUTPOST is next to it. A Tech is changing a few. Another TECH sits as a console, lined with comm equipment and computers. Others hustle ab Talking into a headset is the Station Manager, RHONDA STEWART  s Silky white skin. Irish. Long red hair tied back. Perfunctory. RHONDA I ll have them boomerang back and pick up the load just have it ready. The Tech at the console turns to her TECH Guys got the science lab all shut down. RHONDA Good, have them check all the pressure levels on the hydraulics, then clear the exterior storage bins. Make sure we re not leaving anything out there. Rhonda sees Carrie coming in the doorway. There s a flash of awkward tension that both mask with professional demeanor. RHONDA CONT D Sam told me you d be coming up how s the sleigh ride CARRIE Fine. I need a plane and that pilot who saw the popsicle. RHONDA I ll have him meet you in the hangar. A moment of silence lingers as neither have anything else to say. CARRIE Yeah, good. Carrie leaves. BACK OF ASB DAY Selecting a putter from a bag of golf clubs is DOC FURY, Looks seasoned. Bearded. Wears the only nonred parka we ve seen it s royal blue, trimmed with black fur and emblazoned with dozens of emblems and patches from years of Antarctic service. DOC In less than three days we begin Winterover. The sky will go completely black and stay that way for six months. pulls back to REVEAL five NEWBIES firsttimers ; an Asian, French, Brazilian, Danish and an American. All are standing on their jackets, shivering uncontrollably in the wind. DOC cont d The sane ninety percent of the population will be leaving the ice. Extreme weather conditions make it impossible for planes from the outside world to land. You have chosen, for your own misguided reasons, to stay. And it is my responsibility to teach you beakers how not to die. Doc lines up on a hot pink golf ball and putts. The ball rolls across the glacier in an impossible, wind driven arc, approaches a flag, and sinks. DOC cont d Time The Asian holds a stopwatch. He stares at it stupidly. ASIAN T. T. Three minutes. DOC Your core body temperatures have fallen to approximately degrees. You are shivering uncontrollably losing basic motor skills. You re having trouble focusing on even the simplest tasks. In short, you are well on your way to dying, and it has only been twohundred seconds. BEAT Put your coats on. The class struggles into their jackets. Doc assists those who, in their diminished capacity, are having trouble figuring out how to put them on. DOC cont d Your life is dependent on your awareness of the weather. So be aware. There is a condition that arises around here known as a white Don t get caught in it. Winds kick up snow that s lain on the ice for thousands of years can t see six inches in front of your nose. Temperature plummets to triple digits. We found bodies less than a foot from safety and warmth. Carrie walks up. Doc s eyes brighten. DOC cont d Class, here we have another of the many hazards found on Antarctica. Say hello to Marshal Stetko. Through a disjointed, chattering chorus CLASS Hello Marshal Stetko. DOC Always a pleasure to see you. Unlike most of the beakerheads down here. BEAT Social visit CARRIE I wish We got a job. I need you to take a ride with me. MORE CARRIE cont d BEAT Might be a body out on the ice. DOC Why s this crap always happen at the end of the season Carrie pulls a Driver from Doc s golf bag. Lines up another pink ball. DOC cont d Too cold for driving. Carrie swings WHACK The ball shatters and pink bits rain down around them. CARRIE So it is. ASB HANGAR DAY Carrie and Doc cross the interior, which houses Three double prop Twin Otters, two Snowcats, and six snowmobiles. Keller and two other employees are busy working on one of the Otters. DOC What s your gut say about this body CARRIE My gut and I don t talk anymore. They continue, after a beat CARRIE cont d I saw your boxes packed up. What was all that BS last month about, I m never going back I ll die here. Scatter my ashes over the pole He takes a beat DOC People change, Carrie. CARRIE Not you. Beat. DOC I got a card from my Granddaughter inviting me to her fifth birthday party. You know, I ve never even met her. CARRIE Or mentioned her. A grandchild Doc, that s great. DOC It got me thinking I need to be a better Grandfather, than I was a father. It s time I deal with my life. I ve been down here a lot longer than I probably should have. They arrive at one of the Otters. BYRON DELFY, a babyfaced, African American pilot leans out the plane s door. CARRIE You Delfy DELFY Yes, ma am. DOC Where the hell they get these thumbsuckers Delfy smiles graciously. DELFY Brooklyn. And unless your wrinkled ass has a heart attack on my plane, I think we ll be all right. Delfy disappears back into the plane. Doc looks to Carrie. DOC I want Keller. He s my pilot. BARKS Keller, get over here CARRIE Delfy s taking us, Doc. He s the one who saw the body. C mon, you ll be fine. I ll even hold your hand if you want. She ushers him in. DISSOLVE TO TWIN OTTER AIRBORNE SAME The plane soars through a cloudless sky, the sun sparkling brilliantly on the endless ice sheet below. Carrie s in the copilot s seat, wrapped up tight in her ECW, just trying to stay warm. Delfy s at the controls. Doc s in the back. CARRIE What were you doing out there DELFY I went to evac a camp. Had to fly off route to get around a storm. Got down low to avoid some turbulence, and there it was. Carrie notices a picture of a young boy, around seven, wearing a Yankees cap dangling from the instrument panel. It s framed in popsicle sticks with I LOVE YOU DADDY written around the perimeter. CARRIE That your son He lights up. DELFY Yeah, name s Nathan. CARRIE He s cute. Has your eyes. DELFY Lucky he got his momma s brain. Kid s smart. CARRIE So why aren t you with him DELFY The bonus pay. Trying to buy a house. Give my boy a yard. His own room. Stuff I never had. He looks at Carrie, all bundled up. DELFY cont d Don t like the cold, huh CARRIE Hate it. DELFY Then why are you down here Carrie s eyes drift out the window CARRIE We all make stupid mistakes. Delfy tips the nose of the plane down. The ice below is broken by jagged hills and yawning crevasses. DELFY It s right up here. He spirals down among the icy hills, visibility is poor. Heavy turbulence suddenly jars the plane sideways Delfy laughs at Doc s nervous reaction. DELFY cont d I don t carry extra panties Doc, so keep it tight. BEAT There it is. He banks the plane and slips down into a valley. DELFY cont d Three o clock. CARRIE Yeah. Got it. It s a popsicle alright. Down below is the body sprawled on the icy ground next to the crevice. CARRIE cont d Red jacket. He s American. ICE FIELD LATER The Twin Otter is in the distant background. Carrie, Doc and Delfy, who has a gear bag slung over his shoulder, weave their way around huge ice boulders skirt small crevasses. Midconversation. DOC It s always different when they freeze. Some curl up. Some stretch Some tear their clothes off. They get delirious. What was that guy s name CARRIE Linger. DOC Yeah. He s lost in a storm. We can t find him, but we hear him on the radio going on and on about the Serengeti heat and his wife, Janet. Next day, we find him frozen solid, wearing nothing but his bunny boots. Delfy stops. Grimaces. Drops the gear bag. DELFY Jesus. The CORPSE is just ahead a frozen display of death. They all stare at it the body in unnatural angles, the spiderweb of frozen blood. Delfy looks nauseous. DOC Never seen a dead guy Delfy slowly shakes his head, no. Carrie moves up to it. Takes a look down the deep crevice four feet away. Can t see the bottom. She walks around to get a look at the face. Blanches slightly. DOC cont d You know him CARRIE So do you. Think his name s Weiss. We Winteredover last year with him. Played cards a couple of times. DOC The guy who cheated CARRIE Yeah. Geologist, I think. Doc takes a look. DOC Damn Carrie pulls out a DIGITAL from a pocket. Shoots a couple of pics. Doc takes a look up behind them. The ice steepens sharply to a vast plateau, scattered with jagged boulders of ice. DOC cont d Looks like he fell from up there. Carrie pauses with her, looks up doesn t seem as convinced. CARRIE Then where s his crampons his gear Doc looks around she s right. DOC Maybe down the crevasse CARRIE Yeah, maybe Carrie glances to Delfy. CARRIE cont d What s the closest camp DELFY Brits about eighty miles west. CARRIE looking at body Soto What the hell where you doing all the way out here Doc reaches down and tries to move the body doesn t budge frozen solid into the ice. DOC Ah Christ he s a sticker. Carrie unzips the gear bag. Digs out ice two axes. TIME CUT TO LATER A pile of chopped ice is off to the side of corpse. Delfy, who looks very uneasy about all this, grabs the feet as Carrie and Doc each grab an arm. CARRIE You going to be alright DELFY No this is the kind of stuff that scars you for life. They all strain to lift the body from the frozen ground. DOC Gonna give myself a Goddamn hernia. They keep pulling and SNAP The arm Doc is holding BREAKS OFF at the elbow. Lands on his ass. Delfy turns away and pukes. CARRIE Oh yeah I m really going to miss this place. A SUBJECTIVE THROUGH HIGH POWERED BINOCULARS is peering down at them from the top of an ice cliff. Widen to see A MAN wearing a white camouflage parka. Lowers the binoculars. Goggles shield his eyes. He moves on. MAIN CORRIDOR ASB DAY LOUD MUSIC. A party is in progress. People are mingling, some have drinks, others dance. The VOLUME of the music dies, replaced by a repetitive SQUEAKING NOISE emanating through the silence. People stop what they re doing, and focus on where the noise is coming from, which is Doc and Carrie ushering a pushcart with Weiss  contorted, frozen body through the middle of the party. His dismembered arm rests across his chest. The festive mood evaporates quickly as all eyes stay glued to the horrific state of Weiss  body. Just as they pass OPERATIONS, Rhonda steps out with the Brazilian and French Newbies at her side to see what s going on. Her eyes immediately go to Weiss, then shift to meet Carrie s. Before she can say anything CARRIE Who manages the Post Stations RHONDA Dinkle. Howard Dinkle. Doc and Carrie keep moving. Everyone else just keeps silent and watching. Squeaky wheel fades. MEDICAL CLINIC ASB DAY CARRIE O.C. One two three. THUMP Carrie and Doc set Weiss  body onto the examination table. CARRIE cont d How long to thaw him out DOC Carrie, let s just bag him and put him on a plane to McMurdo. She moves over to a sink and gets a cup of steaming hot water from a tap. CARRIE It bothers me no one s reported him missing yet. DOC Because maybe no one thinks he is. CARRIE How d he get out there There were no tracks. DOC Sounds to me like you and your gut are talking again. Carrie returns with the water. Goes to pour it on the zipper, but Doc gently puts his hand on hers, stopping her. DOC cont d Let s ask ourselves if we really need to do this. They share a moment, Carrie understanding, but CARRIE Nobody wants to get out of here more than I do, trust me, but right now we re all this guy has. She slides her hand away from his starts pouring the water on the zipper. TIME CU ON CARRIE S HAND TUGGING ON THE ZIPPER Little by little, it starts to move then finally, ZIIIIIIIIIIP. The jacket opens up, barely like sliced skin. Doc watches as she tries to pry it open further, but can t. CARRIE Grab that side. She takes one half, he the other, and begin to pull. The jacket opens up, like bending metal slowly revealing a frozen, but extremely bloodsoaked chest area surrounding A DEEP PUNCTURE WOUND through the shirt. Doc s face sags. Carrie stares at the wound. FLASH CARRIE S MEMORY HIT The well defined chest of a man wearing a tight Tshirt. A BULLET HOLE dead center. BACK TO SCENE Doc looks at Carrie with deep concern he s tuned in. DOC Stirring up a few things CARRIE I ll be alright. Both take a moment looking at the body. DOC You know, this means a Federal Investigation, and we re witnesses. We may get stuck here. CARRIE I know. Doc looks to Carrie, gentle, like a dad would his daughter. DOC We both want to do the right thing Carrie but we also need to get off the ice. Right now we don t have to say a word. When they find something later hey, we didn t know. We were leaving, the body was frozen, we didn t have time to examine it. No one gets murdered in Antarctica. Think about it. Dead is dead. He eyes her pleadingly. CARRIE Exactly, this is the first murder in Antarctica, Doc and I can t just pretend it didn t happen. BEAT I m sorry. DOC Why did I know you were going to say that CORRIDOR SOON AFTER Carrie steps out into the hallway. Takes a moment, leaning against the wall, this whole thing wearing on her more than she s revealed. She tilts her head back. The second it hits the wall THE SOUND OF A GUNSHOT RINGS OUT SMASH HOTEL ROOM NIGHT CARRIE S MEMORY HIT Carrie s beat to shit, soul weary. She s on her knees, full of blood. A man is on the floor between two beds before her. She holds her gun at her side. He s dead. BACK TO SCENE Carrie refocuses. Pulls away from the wall. Leaves the memory behind. DISSOLVE TO CORRIDOR ASB LATER Carrie has a NEXTEL phone walkie to her ear, making her way up the corridor. Moves past a couple of guys loading a dolly with boxes from an adjacent room. MURPHY What camp was he with CARRIE I m on my way to find MURPHY This is all I need right now. CARRIE I m sure his family s thinking the same thing. MURPHY That s not what I meant. BEAT I ll cont the FBI see how they want to handle this. She hangs up. Approaches a closed door. Name plate on it reads Dinkle SUBSTATIONS MANAGER. O.C. MOANING and GROANING great sex. Carrie rolls her eyes. Knocks on the door. No one answers. Moaning continues. She doesn t have time for this. Opens the door to see a large TV playing a lockerroom porno where a quarterback with no pants is giving it to a cheerleader with no top. Half a dozen guys, oblivious to Carrie standing there, CHEER the action. CARRIE I hate interrupting educational programming, but The CHEERING dies as everyone turns to see Carrie standing behind them. Only fake PORNO MOANING remains. CARRIE cont d I need to talk to Dinkle. Everyone gets up, thrilled for an excuse to leave. One of them nods to Carrie on the way LAST GUY Marshal. CARRIE Chaplain. Carrie flips a nearby wall switch. Lights kick on. Small room. English flag. There s a Beckham poster and an x framed photo, turned backwards, hanging on one wall. A large map of Antarctica on another. A proud assortment of tea bags are uniformly lined up along a shelf. One guy remains. HOWARD DINKLE. Thirties. English. Bearded. On the heavy side. DINKLE Am I in some kind of trouble As he crosses to her, he flips the x framed photo back around it s of THE QUEEN MOTHER. DINKLE S OFFICE SOON AFTER A FILE FOLDER drops into frame onto a desktop, which is a map of Antarctica, under glass. File reads DELTA ONE ONE. Widen. Carrie opens it. Three photos are stapled inside. One is of Weiss, the other two have names written under them RUBIN and MOONEY. Mooney is a runty looking guy with a mop of blond hair. Rubin is a skinny, thin faced young guy with a beard that hasn t filled in yet. CARRIE What are they doing out there DINKLE Collecting meteorites. BEAT One One has an extremely old surface with low sediment deposition. CARRIE English, please. DINKLE Means it s a good place to look for meteorites. BEAT It s right here. Dinkle points to a location on the map. Delta One One is labeled. Boasts an American Flag. CARRIE I don t get it Weiss was no where near Delta One One. She looks at Dinkle. CARRIE cont d When are they scheduled for evac DINKLE One sec He refers to a RADIO LOG SHEET hanging off the corner of his desk. Gets uneasy can t find what he s looking for. Finally DINKLE cont d They haven t arranged a pickup yet. CARRIE Isn t that a little unusual this close to Winterover He hates to say it, but DINKLE Yes, it is. Really unusual, actually. SCRAMBLING I guess I should ve contacted them, but CARRIE You ve been a little busy. Yeah, I can see that. She moves over to a LONG RANGE RADIO CONSOLE tucked up against a wall. CARRIE cont d What s their frequency DINKLE Seventeen. Carrie spins a dial to Keys the microphone, drawing it to her face. CARRIE into microphone Delta One One, this is United States Marshall Carrie Stetko, come back, over. Static crackles. CARRIE cont d Delta One One, I repeat, this is United States Marshal Stetko, come in, over. The dull constant static never wavers. She puts down the mic. Thinks for a moment. Suddenly, Carrie s NEXTEL RINGS takes it off her belt. CARRIE cont d Stetko. JAMIE Marshal, it s Jamie. I ve got some guy holding from Vostok who won t give his name, says he has to talk to you. CARRIE Vostok BEAT Patch it through. JAMIE You re on now. CARRIE This is Marshal Stetko, who s this MOONEY John Mooney. She s thrown. CARRIE Mooney MOONEY You know who I am Carrie s eyes shift to his picture on the desk. CARRIE What happened out there, Mooney MOONEY You come to Vostok and we ll talk. Only you. CARRIE Where s Rubin MOONEY Come to Vostok. CLICK. CORRIDOR RIGHT AFTER Carrie is moving at a quick pace. Passes the open door to the clinic. Sees Doc looking through some boxes, a glass of Scotch in hand. She stops. Backs up. CARRIE Getting drunk already DOC Just gearing my liver up in case I have to stay the next six months. CARRIE Murphy s contacting the Feds. He looks over to her. Raises his glass in a somber toast. DOC You re making my day. CARRIE I ll do everything I can to get you off this ice, promise. DOC I know you will. BEAT What s the hurry CARRIE Going to Vostok. He raises a curious brow CARRIE cont d One of the guys from Weiss  team called. Wants to talk. DOC What s he doing in Russia OPERATIONS CENTER DAY Carrie walks in. Rhonda has a phone to one ear, another in her hand. Looks stressed. She s hovering over one of the Techs who is sitting before a computer screen displaying Satellite Weather Imagery think Doppler. His focus is on a VAST STORM SYSTEM that is heading toward ASB, which is marked in RED NEON. Other stations are marked as well. RHONDA We re tracking it now. CARRIE I need a plane to Vostok. Rhonda raises her finger putting her on hold. Carrie doesn t like it. RHONDA into phone I don t control the weather you want to stay the winter, then don t be ready for your evac. She looks to Carrie RHONDA cont d Sorry, can t. All the planes are committed. CARRIE I m not asking. RHONDA What am I supposed to tell the deep drill ice core team getting picked up in four and a half CARRIE Tell them I took their plane. Carrie spins. Leaves. DISSOLVE TO VOSTOK DAY ESTABLISHING Squat Sovietugly buildings, some collapsing, others with boarded up windows, are barely visible through the driving ice. STORM LINES of different colors interconnect all the buildings. Carrie and Delfy, wearing full ECW gear, lean hard into the wind, making their way towards the compound. She s carrying a duffle bag. Can barely see the Twin Otter behind them. SUPER Vostok Station Russian Federation Population Temperature ° VOSTOK HALLWAY DAY Carrie leads the way up a decrepit, dimlylit hall strung with exposed pipes and wiring. Gaunt, malnourished faces look up from the rooms they pass. All stare. Silently. Looks more like death row. DELFY WHISPER What s with this place CARRIE The Russians barely supply Vostok anymore. They have to barter with other bases for supplies. Some of these guys have been rotting here for years. VOSTOK OPERATIONS ROOM DAY Carrie enters a grungy operations room that never made it out of the  s ancient computers and steelcased radios fill one wall. One man welds equipment off to the side. Four more Russians sit at a table playing cards and drinking Vodka. They all take their time looking her over. CARRIE Who s in charge YURI, a big bear of a man in his forties, gets up from the table. Huge arms. Scruffy face. Bloodshot eyes. YURI heavy accent Who s asking CARRIE Stetko, US Marshal. I m here to talk to an American named Mooney. Yuri smiles. YURI So many people come through Vostok. Is hard to remember. CARRIE I figured. Carrie hoists her duffel bag on the table and unzips it. Yuri pulls it open. It s packed with steaks. The Russians re with smiles and the mood lightens. Yuri s grin widens further. Takes out a porno there s a Cheerleader on the cover. YURI Mister Mooney, yes. I remember now. He offers pay us to fly him off Antarctica on our transport. We give him very good price because plane leaves a week ago The Russians laugh. CARRIE Where is he YURI Red storm line. VOSTOK COAT ROOM DAY Carrie is suiting up in her ECW gear, rope harness and crampons. Her jacket s open. Delfy has a steaming cup of coffee in his hand. He looks to her gear belt; cuffs, pepper spray, baton. DELFY You don t carry a gun CARRIE Against the law Antarctica s the only place in the world you can t have one. Part of the Treaty. DELFY Doesn t that make you feel kind of naked CARRIE All this crap on I prefer naked. She zips up her jacket. He glances to a temp readout by the door. DELFY Gettin  worse. Minus eightyone. Wind at a hundred and ten knots. He takes a sip from his hot coffee. CARRIE Do you have to do that in front of me He sees that one of her leg straps on her harness needs to be fastened. DELFY Give you a hand CARRIE Sure. Sets down his coffee on a nearby shelf. As he fastens it, Carrie pulls on her goggles and a face mask. They finish at the same time. DELFY Ever been on a ropeline in a whiteout CARRIE Nope. Thoughts DELFY Yeah, hold on tight. Delfy leaves as Carrie cranks the submarinetype wheel lock in the center of the door. WHAM The door is suddenly yanked from her grasp, slamming open against the building. Wind knocks her back. The storm sings in an even DULL ROAR. A solid white wall of winddriven ice blows past. The light is oddly dim. CRACK The coffee mug Delfy left on the shelf, breaks in half, exposing a cylinder of frozen coffee. It rolls across the shelf, falls, and shatters on the floor. Carrie struggles back to the door and clips a threefoot tether from her harnesses to a RED STORM LINE attached to the side of the building. She steps into the storm. WHITEOUT THE LINE CONTINUOUS Carrie leans into the door, pushing it closed and locking the wheel. Two steps into the storm, the building behind her is gone. Step after step, there s nothing but the guide line and the ROAR of the storm. A gust of wind lifts her off the ground. She s caught by her tether and smacked down on the ice. Slowly regaining her stance, she pushes onward. Finally Carrie runs into something. It takes her a moment to realize she s at a building. She grabs the wheellock and turns, breaking ice, opening the door. OUTLYING BUILDING READY ROOM CONTINUOUS Unclipping from the line, she closes the door on the HOWLING behind her. Pulls off her mask. Teeth are chattering. She spins the wheellock of the door going out of the ready room into the building. OUTLYING BUILDING HALLWAY RIGHT AFTER Carrie hits the lights nothing. No power. Just a sliver of light stabbing in through a window. CARRIE calling out Mooney Hello Only silence responds. The hallway is long and dark, leading away from her in both directions. She draws a flashlight from her pocket. Thumbs the switch, sending a beam out through the dark. Something doesn t feel right. Slides her baton out from her belt. She decides to go left. Walking the hall, she tries door after door. Finally one gives. CARRIE cont d Mooney She cautiously pushes it open four stripped bunks in an empty room. Moves on down the corridor hears COUGHING, like someone trying to clear their throat. Looks ahead, and determines it s coming from behind a closed door at the end of the hall. It s confirmed when she hears it again. Stops at the door. She slowly opens it Now she can hear HEAVY, LABORED BREATHING Sweeps the inside with her light. It s a large lounge type room scattered chairs, tables, and an overturned sofa on the other side where the heavy breathing s coming from. Another cough. She enters the room. INSIDE THE LOUNGE CONTINUOUS Inching forward, she gets to the sofa. Looks over it to see A BODY it s Mooney, lying in a pool of blood. Struggling to breathe through a puncture wound to his esophagus. CARRIE My God. She goes to him. As she kneels, he grabs her, GASPING for air, trying to tell her something. Carrie catches a REFLECTION OF MOMENT behind her in his eyes someone s coming at her. She instinctively rolls back over Mooney just as WHAM An ICE AXE swings down at her. Just misses her head by an inch, but the shaft nails her arm holding the baton that goes clattering across the floor. The killer, wearing ECW gear with hood and goggles, takes another swing. She lunges to the side. Axe misses her, but sinks into Mooney. Game over for him. Carrie slices the floor with her light, looking for the baton, but can t see it. The killer yanks his axe free of Mooney as Carrie bolts around the sofa, heading back out the door. OUTLYING BUILDING HALLWAY CONTINUOUS Carrie blows back into the hallway at a full tilt run, retracing her steps. Her light zigzags. The killer emerges a few beats later on a run. It s going to be close. Halfway down the hall, she hangs a hard right toward the Ready Room. Throws a glance over her shoulder he s right behind. She targets the ready room door the orb of her light getting smaller and smaller as she nears. Gets there. Doesn t even want to look back it s all or nothing. She pulls open the door OUTLYING BUILDING READY ROOM CONTINUOUS Leaping in, she spins the wheellock closed. SMACK The killer HITS THE DOOR from the other side. She SPINS OPEN the outside door wheellock, as the lock on the INNER DOOR behind her starts SPINNING OPEN at the same time. It s a race. CARRIE S door slams open first and the wind hits her hard. She pulls on her mask and goggles just as the door behind her bursts open. WHITEOUT CONTINUOUS Carrie jumps into the whiteout, catching the red storm line and clipping in as she staggers forward. Glancing back, she sees the killer in the doorway, then loses sight of him as she s swallowed in the white She struggles down the line, buffeted by the storm, but HER HAND ON THE LINE moves erratically He s on. She swivels a nervous whirl to see the Killer materializing out of the whiteout right behind her. He s clipped into Carrie s line. He raises the axe. He swings. She jumps back, losing her footing. Hits the ice hard face first. The killer towers over her, raising the axe again. Carrie drives her heel into his knee, knocking him off balance. He drops next to her. He reaches for Carrie, grabbing her mask, pulling it off. She cries out as the FREEZING WIND catches her face. The killer gets to his feet and delivers a ribcracking kick, flipping Carrie onto her back. SOUND FADES from Carrie s world. There is nothing but her strained BREATHING. The killer draws back the axe, shiny with frozen blood. He swings. Carrie UNCLIPS her harness from the tether. THE WIND grabs her, and Carrie SLIDES AWAY the killer disappearing from view behind the swirling wall of white. Sliding across the ice, Carrie SLAMS into a pole. Grabs on. WHITEOUT POLE CONTINUOUS Cinching her hood down, she searches the storm with no idea which way to go. Carrie glances up the post. Barely visible through the blowing ice are signs pointing different directions Moscow, Tokyo, Fiji, Los Angeles, She pulls herself up and heads out, leaning into the wind. Carrie staggers blindly, trying to protect her face. Falling, she gets up, and struggles on. Her drunken gait increases as she continues to lose heat. A rope catches her in the neck. It s another storm line. WHITEOUT SECOND LINE CONTINUOUS Carrie lurches forward, holding the line with one arm. Finally, she bumps into something. It moves. It turns to face her. IT S THE KILLER AGAIN. He swings. She deflects the blow with her free arm, and manages to grab the axe head. The killer tears the axe free, taking Carrie s glove with it. He swings again, but Carrie pulls hard on the rope, throwing him off balance. The axe cuts through the line. The killer hits the ground, and is immediately ushered away in the wind, as Carrie, clinging to the rope, slides over the ice like a pendulum. The line goes tight; she s jerked to a stop. It takes everything she s got to get to her feet. She slowly struggles up the line. EXT STORAGE SHED CONTINUOUS More dead than alive, Carrie stumbles against the door and grabs the wheellock with both hands. Unable to bend the frozen fingers of her left hand around the wheel, she struggles to turn it. Finally it gives. The door swings wide and she stumbles in. But she s caught; her bare hand frozen to the metal. Ripping it free, her SCREAM is lost to the wind. Carrie falls, collapsing against the door. Blackout SMASH CUT TO MOTEL BATHROOM NIGHT CARRIE S MEMORY HIT A single bulb above casts a cone of light down onto Carrie, who s leaning against a sink, staring at herself in a mirror. She looks stressed. Her Marshal s badge dangles around her neck. Wears a shoulder harness. The bathroom door behind her is open. She catches a REFLECTION of a shadow moving across the room behind her. Body tenses. As she turns CARRIE Jack No answer. She withdraws a mm from her harness eases toward the door. Gun ready, she rolls her back around the jam WHAM Carrie s blindsided by a fist that drives her into the other door jam. Before she can recover a guy, dark eyes, unshaven, grabs her by the hair and runs her head first into the bathroom mirror. SMASH. It s brutal. Shards fall into the sink, as Carrie s RIGHT TEMPLE goes bloody. She drops to the floor CARRIE S A BLURRY FIGURE stands over top of her. She s still got some fight in her hands lash out in a frenzy, like a cat in water. CARRIE cont d Jack DELFY O.C. Wo wo wo. It s okay, it s okay. The figure materializes around her. It s Delfy, holding her down. Carrie slowly settles, then she s out again. TIME OPERATIONS ROOM VOSTOK LATER She s lying on a table, wrapped in blankets. An old, WRINKLED FACED RUSSIAN MAN slowly lowers her wounded hand pale white and missing some skin, back into a tray of water next to her. Her silver ring glistens under the florescent lights. A HUGE BRUISE runs across her arm. CARRIE What happened DELFY When you didn t come back we went looking for you. Found a dead guy in the other building that Mooney CARRIE Yeah. Someone got to him before I did. Then went after me. BEAT How long was I out DELFY A couple hours. Carrie s eyes drift to the old man next to her. DELFY cont d He s been looking after you. He flashes a smile of crooked, yellow teeth. CARRIE Thanks. As she starts to sit up, he protests, saying something in Russian. She ignores him. He walks away, mumbling something else. She sits up. Lifts her hand out of the water fingers are slow moving. CARRIE cont d I need to get back in there. OUTLYING BUILDING HALLWAY DAY Delfy and Carrie, with her hand bandaged, both slice the dark with flashlights. She s starting to get her bearings back. DELFY Whoever it was, could have flown out after the storm broke. They walk a few silent beats, then DELFY cont d Who s Jack It s a moment before she responds CARRIE Let it go, Delfy. He lets it go. THEY ENTER THE LOUNGE Same as before. Carrie goes to the overturned sofa. Moves her light around searching. Passes over the blood on the floor. DELFY Until I met you, I hadn t seen any dead people. Now I m at two. Carrie gets on her knees looks under the sofa. Low angles her light. Something reflects. Reaches in. Retrieves her baton OUTLYING BUILDING HALLWAY RIGHT AFTER Just as Carrie and Delfy leave the lounge, her perifocal vision picks up a wisp of light from a flashlight, which bled out from a door s threshold halfway down the hall. Delfy s eyes go wide Carrie s finger goes to her mouth Shhhhh. She instinctively pulls her baton with her left hand, but it hurts. She shifts it to the other. She turns off her light. Delphy does the same. Motions for him to stay put. She heads to the source, keeping her baton ready and her back tight to the wall. Gets to the edge of the door. It s open just slightly looks in. Sees a man in an ECW jacket with his back to her, holding a flashlight in one hand and digging through a duffle bag with his other. Items are strewn. Another bag has been completely turned inside She enters. Baton cocked. CARRIE Unless you want your head cracked, I wouldn t move. His body tenses. MAN Take it easy. CARRIE Let me see your hands. He slowly raises them. CARRIE cont d Now turn around. He does. He s a guy in his  s. Although he s clean shaven, there s a rugged edge about him. CARRIE cont d Who are you Delfy comes up behind her. MAN Robert Pryce. I m a United Nations observer for the Oceanic and Antarctic section. If you relax, I ve got my ID. CARRIE Let s see it slowly. As he reaches into his liner PRYCE You must be Stetko This throws her. PRYCE cont d I was heading to ASB to talk to you about Weiss when I was told you had come up here. He holds out his ID for her. As she reads CARRIE How do you know about Weiss PRYCE FBI notified us. Your base commander called it in. Carrie lowers her baton. He stands. PRYCE cont d I thought I might find answers in his gear, but there s nothing here but clothes. CARRIE This is part of a crime scene. PRYCE I realize that, but considering the time constraints we re up against, let s be honest, taping and bagging everything isn t going to be an option. CARRIE I ll be sure to let the U.N. know if I find out anything. She starts to walk away he follows, he s not done at all. Delfy brings up the rear. PRYCE You heading out to Delta One One CARRIE Maybe. PRYCE I ll grab my bag. She stops. CARRIE Don t take this personally, but I don t need your help. PRYCE If they ve been digging out there, that s a direct violation of the United Nations treaty. We think they were digging. That makes it my business. This stops her digging CARRIE You don t dig for meteorites. PRYCE And you don t get killed for them either. This is now a U.N. matter. I am within my rights to commandeer your pilot and plane if I have to. DELFY He can, you know. She knows and her patience is running thin. CARRIE Fine. But this is my investigation, understand If you obstruct it in any way, I will have you detained. She continues with Pryce next to her. PRYCE Fine. BEAT Mind if I ask you a personal question CARRIE No, but I have the feeling you re going to anyway. PRYCE Why do you smell like suntan lotion DISSOLVE TO VOSTOK CORRIDOR DAY Carrie and Delfy are heading toward the Ready Room. She has her phone to her ear. Two Russians trail behind with Mooney in a bodybag. CARRIE Murphy, listen to me, it s got to be Rubin who tried to kill me. You have to shut down flights leaving ASB and McMurdo search for him. MURPHY That s not possible. We re still bringing people in and resupplying other bases for Winterover. She thinks about it CARRIE Sam, I think these guys found something out there at the camp. I m going to check it Until I find Rubin, no one leaves the ice. Not yet. She clicks off. Carrie opens the door to the ready room to find Pryce standing there with a gear bag typing into a PDA Treo type PRYCE We ready CARRIE Guess so. He finishes entering his text into the PDA. Sends. Puts it away. DISSOLVE TO OTTER DAY Delphy flies the plane over a labyrinth of deep, blue crevices. CAMP DELTA ONE ONE DAY Delfy s Twin Otter has landed beside the camp. There are TWO BIG TENTS and some scattered equipment a SNOWCAT, a CHEST of TOOLS, DRUMS of GASOLINE. The sky is dark with clouds and the wind MOANS. A haze of winddriven snow whips by. Carrie, Pryce and Delfy climb out from the plane and make their way toward the tents. Place looks deserted. CARRIE What time is it Pryce glances to a watch strapped to the outside of his jacket. PRYCE Two thirty. CARRIE A.M. or P.M. PRYCE A.M. CARRIE Wonderful. re tent I ll take this one. She moves toward tent one, Pryce the other. FIRST TENT DELTA ONE ONE CONTINUOUS Carrie peers in. It s too dark to see anything. She goes to pull out her flashlight with her left hand stops herself. Reaches in with her right, extracts it from her pocket. Turns it on. FIRST WORK TENT DELTA ONE ONE CONTINUOUS Her FLASHLIGHT BEAM plays over a litter of personal effects, then picks up a TRAIL OF BLOOD leading to a cot between two others. Someone is huddled in a yellow sleeping bag on it. Her body tightens. CARRIE Rubin She steps into the tent. Moves to the cot. There s a pool of blood underneath. Her heart pounds. She uses her flashlight, touches the sleeping bag. It doesn t move. She pulls at it. and discovers A PAIR OF ECW PANTS the LEFT LEG is soaked in blood. No corpse. She steadies her breathing. She pulls out a small baggie from her pocket. Uses the end of the flashlight to chip away a frozen blood sample from the pant leg. Puts it in the baggie. Takes out her n Starts snapping. Flash goes off. SECOND WORK TENT DELTA ONE ONE RIGHT AFTER Carrie enters with Delfy. Place is lit by a single dim bulb. This is a work space; two tables, instruments on top. Sample containers piled everywhere. Numerous photos of meteorites are stuck to a board. She finds Pryce reading the crew s DAILY LOG. PRYCE Anything CARRIE Someone s left leg took a hit, lost a lot of blood. What do you got PRYCE Their daily work log. Delfy s drawn to a BIZARRE LOOKING PIECE OF EQUIPMENT; it s a red box on wheels with a handle like a lawn mower. A circular antennae sprouts from the front of the box. DELFY Looks like my dad s old lawn mower. PRYCE It s ground penetrating radar. Carrie moves over to a table with a MAP SPREAD OUT ON TOP. The ice field is marked off into sections. CARRIE Looks like they were surveying sections at a time. PRYCE Areas labeled CARRIE Yeah He s flipping back and forth through the pages PRYCE At Sections and, they spent one day. Carrie finds them on the map. PRYCE cont d two days. Carrie finds it. PRYCE cont d seven days. That was a month ago. They look at each other. Carrie finds it on the map as Pryce moves up next to her. CARRIE Looks like they hit some really big meteors. PRYCE How far CARRIE About four miles. PRYCE Let s go see what they found. CARRIE I want to check something out first. TWIN OTTER SIDE CARGO DOOR DAY Carrie has Mooney s bodybag unzipped and is examining his left leg. No cuts. No blood. She thinks on this non discovery for a moment, then zips it back up. SNOWCAT DAY RIGHT AFTER The CAT S tracks CLANK and CRUNCH as it powers across the featureless ice the loneliest place on earth. Pryce is in the backseat, Delfy is driving. Carrie is next to him with the map and her GPS in hand. She stares at a tiny blinking red light on the GPS FLASH HOTEL LOBBY NIGHT CARRIE S MEMORY HIT FLASHING POLICE REDS reflect off the glass of the front doors of a hotel. Several squad cars are nosed up to the entrance. Patrons and bystanders are perched in various locations, watching as A HANDCUFFED Carrie is escorted outside by two uniformed officers. Her eyes are full of tears. She s put into the backseat of one of the cars. As the door closes, she stares out the window where Coroners are loading a body under a sheet into the back of their truck. BACK TO SCENE SNOWCAT DAY Delfy s looking at Carrie like he s waiting for an answer. DELFY I said which way She glances to the GPS. CARRIE North. Pryce sees Carrie pause for a moment, massaging her gloved left hand. PRYCE Hurt CARRIE Yeah, a little. He can see it aches more than she s letting on. PRYCE How long have you been down here, Marshal CARRIE Almost two years. PRYCE What brought you to the ice She pauses, humored. CARRIE SARCASTIC The excitement, mostly. PRYCE Everyone down here is running away from something. CARRIE Some shrink tell you that PRYCE Yeah, and that I should call my mother more often CARRIE And do you PRYCE Every Sunday. CARRIE Where do you plant your boots PRYCE They got me working out of Christchurch, New Zealand. Beautiful country. But this crazy place to make a living. She takes a moment, gazing out the window to the endless landscape of white. CARRIE I came down to fill in for a Marshal for six weeks before Winterover. I met someone, decided to stay. PRYCE He give you that ring I saw Tell you he was going to marry you CARRIE No just gave me a headache. BEAT MORE CARRIE cont d I didn t see a ring on your finger. PRYCE Flattered that you even looked. A faint beeping noise emanates from her GPS. CARRIE This is it. All eyes go ahead as they drive on. Looking. Nothing but an icy plateau. After a couple of beats CARRIE cont d Stop. DELFY There s nothing here. CARRIE Just stop. Delfy pulls to a stop. They exit the cat. ICE FIELD DAY All three get coldcocked by an invisible wind. Carrie steps away from the Cat. Pryce does too. Her eyes scan the ice with cool appraisal. It s completely flat. Desert like. PRYCE You sure this is right CARRIE Section These are the coordinates. DELFY Maybe you wrote them down wrong. Carrie ignores him. Walks further away from the cat. Ice CRUNCHES UNDER HER FEET as she keeps looking then, she stops. Something s not right. Looks DOWN. Kneels to the ice. Scoops some up. Checks it Perplexed. Pryce approaches from behind. CARRIE This is shaved ice. She gets to her feet. Walks further her eyes now paying close attention to the texture of the ice. After a dozen steps, texture changes. Ice is now smooth like it s supposed to be. She turns around. Tries to get the bigger picture. Looks at the ground all around her. Realizes a large area has been blanketed with shaved pieces of ice a few inches thick CARRIE cont d They were digging, Pryce. And they tries to spread the ice to hide it. She heads back across the area. Scans the horizon. Takes another step forward. WHOOSH In an instant, Carrie s gone DISAPPEARS below the ice. Only a four foot wide hole remains, that was covered up with a white, icedover tarp. Pryce and Delfy move toward her each hesitating slightly, unsure of their own footing. Pryce gets to the hole. Looks down. Carrie is precariously dangling in an ICE SHAFT that slopes at a slight angle. She s managed to grasp a protruding piece of ice, but she s fighting the pain in her left hand to hold on. It slips off. Below her nothing but darkness. CARRIE cont d Grab me Pryce lays flat. Reaches his hand down six inches too short. Delfy appears from behind. PRYCE to Delfy Hold my legs Delfy does. Pryce inches closer. CARRIE I m slipping PRYCE Almost got you. CARRIE I m losing my grip. He gets closer. Closer. Moves to within an inch from hers She SLIPS. Falls away. Things become silent. PRYCE Carrie Can you hear me Delfy peers over Pryce s shoulder into the abyss. DELFY YELLING Marshal CARRIE O.C. I m okay. DELFY Saw a rope in the Cat. Delfy springs to his feet. ICE SHAFT SAME Darkness. A flashlight clicks on. Reflects off a wall of ice with a frozen blood trail leading up. Carrie gets to her feet. Sees that she s in a small dug out area. As she slowly turns to get her bearings, her light falls on an ESCAPE HATCH of some kind, maybe three feet high. Carrie shines the light to her feet. The ground beneath her is metal. ICE SHAFT RIGHT AFTER Pryce, with a flashlight in hand, lowers himself down a rope to the bottom of the shaft where Carrie waits. Delfy follows. Both take in the discovery. Carrie moves over to the hatch. Pulls on it. Opens easily. She and Pryce hit the interior with their lights. Find themselves staring into.AN AIRPLANE CARGO BAY CONTINUOUS Off their lights every surface scintillates with ice crystals from the frozen atmosphere, undisturbed except for recent tracks of footprints filing in and out they go forward and aft, disappearing into darkness. Place is tomb silent. Twisted, and strewn with large containers scattered at odd angles victims of an intense IMPACT. The plane is pitched up at the nose, making their footing precarious. CARRIE Cargo plane, but I don t recognize it. DELFY It s an Antanov Russian made late fifties. No one s put these in the air for forty years. Carrie shuffles her way forward into the darkness, heading for the cockpit. Something BRUSHES her leg. She spins. Shines her light which illuminates a HAND, fingers in a clawed position as if in excruciating pain. She whips her light past the hand, up the arm captures the FACE of a man staring at her It takes a moment to realize he s dead, pinned between two large metal crates. Delfy stands still. Staring. Carrie throws a look back over her shoulder CARRIE Guess that makes three. She continues on with Delfy staying close. Her light targets the cockpit door. It s closed. COCKPIT RIGHT AFTER Carrie pushes the door open. The beam of her light reveals frozen blood SPLATTERED across a SHATTERED WINDSHIELD chunks of ice protruding through it. Continues over three dead men in flight suits still strapped into seats, their broken bodies and ghastly expressions perfectly preserved. Each have a sidearm holstered around their waist. DELFY This isn t funny She looks back to Delfy gets confused. CARRIE Where s Pryce CARGO BAY RIGHT AFTER Trailing her beam of light, Carrie and Delfy climb through a thick wall of nylon webbing. Enter a cluttered cargo area. Ransacked Antarctic gear is strewn everywhere in a tangle of ropes and crampons, old ECW gear, and boxes of supplies. Dipping into a case of bottles, Delfy pulls one free, sniffs, and drinks. CARRIE What is that Delfy grins. DELFY Vodka. Carrie continues through the hold. Her FLASHLIGHT BEAM flickers over more chaos of the crash. HUGE STEEL TANKS TAKE UP MOST OF THE MIDSECTION. Spots Pryce s flashlight holding on something just ahead. Moves to it. CARRIE SUSPICIOUS Find what you re looking for Her light hits Pryce, who is focused on a HEAVY STEEL CAGE WELDED INTO THE AIRFRAME. Incredibly strong. And inside it is a STEEL SAFE. Door is open. Pryce takes a beat turns to she and Delfy. PRYCE Just answers. BEAT Those are fuel tanks behind you. This plane was outfitted for long range capabilities. CARRIE And by the looks of that safe, must ve been transporting something pretty important. Carrie moves in closer. Sees that the cage has been breached. Part of it has been damaged by the crash and this weakness has been ruthlessly attacked by the previous intruders until they forced an opening. Discarded tools litter the floor. PRYCE They put some serious work into this. There s a pool of frozen blood near the opening where one of the torn, jagged bars of the steel cage is covered in blood CARRIE Whoever got hurt, they dragged him out of here. There s blood all over the tunnel. She uses her light to examine the interior of the safe more closely the frost on the shelves exposes SIX ROUND RUST RINGS where containers have been removed. Each one roughly measuring a foot tall, four inches wide. The PLANE SUDDENLY TREMBLES. CARRIE cont d What is that The muffled ROAR of a diesel. DELFY It s the Cat CRASH the unmistakable sound of FALLING ICE. CARRIE Go CRASHCRASHCRASH More ICE. They scramble back through the darkness, the flashlight beams swinging wildly about the hold. MORE ICE FALLS. It s getting louder as they re getting closer to the source. Carrie targets ahead with her light illuminates the hatch as A LOAD OF ICE DROPS IN covering it completely. Light fades. DELFY Sonofabitch The continual sound of falling ice grows MUFFLED and DISTANT. Carrie and Pryce both pull out their phones. CARRIE No signal, you Shakes his head no. CARRIE cont d Someone followed us. PLANE AT THE HATCH LATER CHIPCHIPCHIP Ice is flying. Things are desperate as a single flashlight beam propped up on a crate, illuminates Carrie, Delfy and Pryce hard at it frantically chopping away at the ice filled hatch with pieces of scrap metal from the plane. Efforts are big but the progress minimal. PRYCE This isn t going to work, it s like digging through concrete with a spoon. BEAT We re going to suffocate before we get out here. CARRIE How long do you figure we ve got PRYCE Three of us down here, hours at the most. Delfy looks at him with the intensity of a trapped animal. DELFY No way. I m not going out like this. No way. The light from the flashlight slowly begins to fade. Carrie goes over to the crate, slaps it against her leg, trying to get more juice going. Still fading. Light goes out Screen goes black. Can t see a thing. A second later, ANOTHER LIGHT KICKS ON Pryce is holding it. Hands it over to Carrie DELFY cont d And when that one goes we re screwed. Carries mind whirls with her lack of options, then CARRIE What about the Vodka we could make some torches, maybe melt the ice PRYCE Fire will burn the O quicker. CARRIE What choice do we have Pryce knows she s right. Delfy looks to them both. Desperate. DELFY Don t need my vote. Pryce heads to the back, his body becoming barely visible in the dissipating range of light. Carrie takes a sixinch, pearl handled Buck knife from a pocket, unfolds it starts cutting the liner of her coat. Delfy moves to a nearby wooden crate. Goes to lift it, but it s frozen to the floor. Stomps on it. It breaks. Pulls pieces from the siding for torch sticks. Pryce comes back with a couple bottles. Stops dead in his tracks. Carrie looks over to see him staring at two LIFE JACKETS attached to the wall near the hatch. He s thinking. He moves to Carrie PRYCE Hold these. He exchanges the bottles for her flashlight. He shines the light to the ceiling as he heads toward the back, leaving Carrie and Delfy getting swallowed in the dark. CARRIE What re you doing PRYCE All these planes used to have bail out hatches. CARRIE We came in through it. Pryce goes back into the cargo area. PRYCE O.C. Has to be more than one. DELFY It d be on the ceiling in case of an ocean landing. Carrie watches Pryce s flashlight moving about in the cargo area of the aircraft. PRYCE Found it Carrie and Delfy get to Pryce. They follow his beam straight up to expose an ESCAPE HATCH in the roof of the fuselage. PRYCE cont d With the angle of the plane, I don t think we re that far from the surface. Give me a hand. Pryce moves to a large crate starts to push it over. They join, sliding it over below the hatch. He jumps up onto it examines the hatch area. PRYCE cont d These are explosive bolts. If we blow the hatch, maybe it ll smash a hole up through the ice. CARRIE Or, if the ice is too thick the blast will come right back at us. PRYCE We can be blown up, suffocate or freeze to death. Take your pick. Pryce hands Carrie the flashlight. She targets the hatch area as he opens an electrical panel beside it; a crisscrossing maze of wires. As he reaches up to examine the wiring, Carrie catches a GLIMPSE of a SHOULDER HARNESS under his liner. PRYCE cont d This could work give me the battery from your phone. As he looks down, Carrie masks her discovery. Hands over her phone. He extracts the BATTERY. PRYCE cont d When I connect these two wires, hopefully there s going to be a big bang. May want to take some cover. Pryce is nervous himself as he places one selected wire onto the battery, and prepares for another. He looks to Carrie and Pryce who have backed up against the fuselage. PRYCE cont d You guys ready Delfy nods. Carrie is still running that shoulder holster through her head. Pryce touches the last wire to the battery. Nothing happens. Hope freezes. Pryce tries again KABOOM The hatch EXPLODES INWARD, ricocheting around the inside of the cargo hold like a giant bullet coming in and out of their light. SLAM, SLAM, SLAM, until.WHAM, it buries itself edgeon, halfway into the fuselage, missing Carrie by a hair s width. They stand there, deafened and stunned, then a shower of ice rains into the plane where the hatch used to be and a THIN SHAFT OF LIGHT DROPS into the cargo bay like a gift from God. DELFY Hallelujah Pryce drops down. Moves to another crate. PRYCE Delfy, help me with this. We ll need to get up higher. Delfy moves forward to help. The two of them push it over. It s a strenuous lift to get it on top of the other. Just as they finish, Pryce turns to find himself facing Carrie holding one of the RUSSIAN S GUNS TO HIS FACE. CARRIE Don t move. Pryce stares at her in disbelief. PRYCE What s going on DELFY Yeah what re you doing CARRIE Our friend here isn t who he says he is. She reaches into Pryce s liner, pulls out his sidearm from the shoulder holster. Switches it with the one in her hand. Puts the Russian gun in her coat pocket. CARRIE cont d Didn t you know it s a direct treaty violation to carry a firearm down here PRYCE I ve been authorized because of what s happened. CARRIE Stop lying to me She takes out her handcuffs. CARRIE cont d Delfy, cuff him to the wall. She holds out the cuffs. PRYCE Don t do this. DELFY Man, the guy just saved our lives. CARRIE He was saving his own. Do it. Delfy takes the cuffs from her. Cuffs Pryce to some exposed piping. Carrie lowers her gun. CARRIE cont d You know what was in that safe. BEAT Now, who are you She sees a moment of contemplation on Pryce s face CARRIE cont d I swear I ll leave you here to die. Beat. PRYCE CIA. CARRIE Have you got an ID for that too PRYCE Listen to me Forty eight hours ago, we picked up chatter between someone down here and Tahir Soufian, a black market trader in New York. It was all about setting up a buy for cannisters found in an old Russian transport buried in the ice. DELFY Damn, I knew that government eavesdropping was true. PRYCE There s been rumors for years that the Russians had a second base a secret weapons research facility under the ice that supposedly blew up in the late sixties nothing was ever confirmed. MORE PRYCE cont d The f s, before the treaty in ` they were strip mining all over the place down here we believe for uranium and other specialized minerals for weapon s use. It was the Cold War. No one knows half the things the Russian s were up to. This plane could be the link between rumor and truth. And if it is true, what s in those cannisters could be a prelude to another terrorist attack. CARRIE Why did you lie to me PRYCE Look, the U.N. carries a lot of weight down here. Think about it if I had told you I was C.I.A., you would have been on the horn back to Washington in no time. This is a very sensitive matter. News travels fast down here, I don t have to tell you that. BEAT Besides, I didn t know if I could trust you. Carrie wrestles with her emotions. She looks back towards the open safe, the blood staining the airplane floor. Makes a decision. SURFACE DAY Delfy wriggles out from the hole. He reaches back. Helps Carrie to the surface. Pryce follows. They look around. The weather has deteriorated the sky is dark with fast moving clouds. The wind is HOWLING. The Snowcat is parked over the hole, blade lowered. Delfy runs over, jumps onto the CAT. Looks inside the cab. DELFY Keys are still in it Carrie notices a single set of an airplane s ski tracks in the distance. CARRIE Plane could ve gone anywhere. There s fortysix countries here all counting down to Winterover. Rubin could just disappear in the mayhem. Delfy starts up the Cat. Carrie pulls out her Nextel as Pryce takes out his PDA. She depresses the walkie button makes her way to the Cat. CARRIE cont d Rhonda Walkie crackles. RHONDA PISSED Where the hell are you CARRIE Heading back. How many flyins to McMurdo in the last four hours RHONDA You expect me to CARRIE SNAPS How many RHONDA Fifteen. CARRIE I need a list of names. Carrie clicks off. DELFY You think Rubin might try to leave out of McMurdo CARRIE He knows I m on his ass, so he might. Anything s possible. I want to eliminate his options. She massages her gloved hand. Looks to Pryce who s talking on his PDA as he heads toward the Cat. PRYCE INTO PHONE Six cannisters, maybe four inches in diameter, about a foot high find out exactly what the Russians transported in something that size. He looks to Carrie PRYCE cont d You have a photo of Rubin anywhere CARRIE Back at ASB PRYCE to Delfy How long to get there DELFY When we get back to the plane, I ll get ya there in forty minutes. As Pryce climbs into the cat SNOWCAT CONTINUOUS And slides into the back PRYCE into phone I ll scan a picture of him and get it to you. Meanwhile, cont every nonAmerican base down here and put them on watch. He s got some plan to get these off the ice. He hangs up. Carrie climbs in looks back at the plane s ski tracks. CARRIE I know why Weiss was so far from Delta One One. Pryce and Delfy wait for the answer. CARRIE cont d He was dumped from a plane. She closes the door to the Cat. DISSOLVE TO CORRIDOR ASB DAY Carrie strides along the corridor with Pryce. They pass a window where we see that an LC O EVAC PLANE is parked out front it s tail section open like the mouth of a massive beast. Move past several people, balloons and `Eve of Evac  signs. Pryce sees Carrie really cradling her left hand, now. PRYCE You need to get that looked at. CARRIE I ll have the Doc take a peek when we re done. Dinkle s pulling a DUFFLE BAG toward them. Sees Carrie and Pryce about to head up some stairs. DINKLE Murphy s looking for you. Carrie stops. CARRIE Murphy What the hell is he doing HERE DINKLE Came in on the evac. She pulls Dinkle s twoway off his hip. Hands it to Pryce. DINKLE cont d Hey I don t turn that in, I have to pay for it. Carrie ignores him. CARRIE I m on if you need me. Rubin s picture is in a file on my desk. Dinkle shoots Pryce the stink eye as he walks away DINKLE Make sure I get that back. PRYCE Of course. Pryce heads up as Carrie continues on down the main corridor. OPERATION CENTER ASB DAY Murphy and Rhonda are standing next to the COMMS TECH, who is sitting in front of his COMPUTER. The screen revealing the SATELLITE IMAGERY of the storm It s grown and moving closer to ASB. TECH It s packing winds of a hundred thirty knots. Murphy looks stressed. MURPHY Shit we ve got to move up the evac. RHONDA How much MURPHY Six hours at least. RHONDA Jesus, I got crew that s still not in. MURPHY Then get them in Rhonda is thrown off by his tone CARRIE O.C. You wanted to see me Murphy looks over. Sees Carrie coming in through the door. MURPHY Where the hell have you been She doesn t like his tone CARRIE Buried under tons of ice. You MURPHY Do me a favor, you find any more bodies, mind not parading them down the main corridor. I ve got Newbies afraid to winterover, for Chirstsake. They want out on seats I don t have. And next time you want to take a Goddamn plane anywhere, you ask me. CARRIE Sure thing, Chief. MURPHY We don t have enough supplies for all of us to Winterover if we get stuck down here. BEAT And you wonder why it didn t work out between us. CARRIE It didn t work, Sam, because you couldn t keep your hands off every new woman who stepped foot on the ice down here. I was stupid enough to be one of them. Now if you could cut through your red tape for just one second, you would realize that someone s out there with six cannisters, possibly full of Uranium, and he wants to get it into the hands of some very bad people. And I m trying to stop it so fuck asking you for shit, Sam. MURPHY This is ridic THE SOUND OF A LARGE BOOK dropping onto the floor, sends a harsh reverb across the room. DOC O.C. Enough Everyone s attention goes to Doc standing at the door. He s really pissed. Glares at Murphy. DOC cont d What the hell s wrong with you, Murph I ve got bodies piling up in my lab, and she s the only one doing anything about it. MORE DOC cont d BEAT Why don t you try helping her for a change Murphy looks at Doc. Not giving in. Carrie calms down she s had enough. CARRIE You know what Doc, it s alright. Carrie looks to Rhonda CARRIE cont d You got my list Rhonda pulls it from her clipboard. Hands it to her. Carrie walks out with Doc. MAIN CORRIDOR ASB CONTINUOUS A SUBJECTIVE watching Carrie and Doc from behind the crack of a door as they walk down the main corridor and right by. MEDICAL CLINIC ASB LATER Carrie s sitting on the edge of an examination table as Doc slowly unwraps her bandaged hand. She winces from the pain. DOC I m worried about you. Is it going to take another attempt on your life to get you to finally slow down She looks at him warmly CARRIE You worry too much but it s what I like about you. Doc smiles, continues to unravel the gauze CARRIE cont d Doc, did you notice if Weiss had a wound on his left leg DOC I striped him down to put him in a bodybag. There s only the puncture from the axe. No way, I would have noticed it. Why CARRIE Then it s gotta be Rubin. BEAT I don t know. DOC Any word from the FBI CARRIE There s no way they re gonna make it. Not with that storm coming in over the peninsula. The gauze finally comes off, revealing her middle TWO FINGERS have turned COMPLETELY BLACK along with part of the flesh of her palm. Her ring looks strangely out of place. CARRIE cont d Oh God. Doc reaches over to a nearby drawer takes out a sterilized syringe packet. DOC Jesus, Carrie, how long did you let this go He opens up the packet. CARRIE When did I go to Vostok Doc puts the tip of the needle onto her blackened flesh. DOC Feel that He pushes hard penetrates the skin. We see the worry begin to elevate further on Carrie s face. CARRIE No. Doc tries the needle in another location. DOC Now Slowly shakes her head. He holds her gaze evenly. DOC cont d I have to amputate your middle two fingers. CARRIE STUNNED No way. Don t tell me that. DOC The fingers are dead, Carrie. If I don t do it now, gangrene will set in. You ll lose your hand. Carrie is sickened. DOC cont d I m sorry. DISSOLVE TO MEDICAL CLINIC LATER Carrie sits in sullen silence, the room dark around her. The only light bounces in from a sterile, draped area where Doc works on her hand. She can t watch as his CURVED SUTURE and thread, rises and falls with every stitch he makes. Carrie has her attention on BLOODY GAUZE piled up in a tray SMASH CUT TO CARRIE S MEMORY HIT AN IMAGE SHE SAW EARLIER The well defined chest of a man wearing a Tshirt. A BULLET HOLE oozes dead center. This time we stay there a little longer, watching the Tshirt absorb the blood around the wound. As the stain widens, so does the slowly. bringing into picture THE MAN Carrie shot. He s wearing a MARSHAL S BADGE around his neck. DOC O.C. There, finished. BACK TO SCENE Carrie looks at him, sullen, afraid to look down. Then slowly lets her eyes drift to her hand. DOC cont d It s going to be an adjustment. He rises. Goes to a medicine cabinet. Selects a pill bottle. Shakes it. Only a couple inside. He returns with the pill bottle. DOC cont d Should ease the pain. I ll look around, dig some more up for you. She stares at the vacant spot where her fingers used to be. DISSOLVE TO CARRIE S BEDROOM ASB DAY Carrie s bag is open on the bed with the Russian s gun next to it. She s trying to put on a clean flannel over a Tshirt, but can t button it up with only one hand. Her frustration mounts as she fights back every bit of emotion that s trying to get She finally gives up kicks over a nearby chair that sweeps the stuff off her bed. Bag and gun go flying. Carrie slumps to the floor. Silent tears. After a beat she notices Pryce standing in the doorway with some PAPERS in his hand. He s looking at her compassionately. PRYCE I stopped by the clinic. Doc told me. Carrie nods, pulling herself together, swallowing her emotion. CARRIE Pretty tough Marshal, huh He enters. Holds out her ring for her. CARRIE cont d holds up hand with missing ring FINGER If you came to propose, now s not really a good time. He joins her. Hands over her ring. Takes a seat next to her. CARRIE cont d Anything PRYCE Got Rubin s face all over Antarctica, but nobody s seen him yet. They sit in silence together for a moment. Carrie sees the Russian pistol that s ended up on the floor close by. Picks it up. Examines it like a relic. CARRIE You ever kill anyone PRYCE Unfortunately. CARRIE Anyone you ever trusted PRYCE No. Beat. CARRIE I hadn t held a gun in my hand for over two years. LAUGHING Wasn t supposed to need one down here. She looks at him CARRIE cont d You asked what I was running away from.I came down here to forget my partner, Jack. Thought it would be better than any therapy. PRYCE What happened CARRIE We were on a stakeout at a Holiday Inn in Miami, waiting for this buy to go down. I was excited, we d been after this trafficker for a long time. Thought this bust would be my big chance to impress the brass. Anyway, guy s a no show. One hour went by, then two nothing. MORE CARRIE cont d Then Jack starting acting strange. Next thing I knew my face was being rammed into a mirror. My own partner was trying to kill me. Turns out the whole bust was a set up from the start. Jack was dirty, working with the guy we were after. Beat. CARRIE cont d Four years together. I knew things about him that his wife didn t even know. BEAT But he was my partner and I killed him that night. There s no changing that. Pryce takes it all in. Not the story he expected. CARRIE cont d Marshall service cleared me ruled it selfdefense, but I had a real hard time getting over the betrayal how little my life meant to a guy I was willing to take a bullet for. Carrie shifts in her chair. Leans forward. CARRIE cont d Know what the kicker is Jack thought I was close to figuring him Thought this hotel room was the best place to get rid of me make it look like a bust gone bad. Truth is, I had no idea. ANGRY God, I was young and stupid, and in way over my head. She stands. Pryce joins her. CARRIE cont d You asked me why I smell like suntan lotion Jack wore Aramis, this cheap aftershave his wife gave him. Some of the guys down here wear it suntan lotion is the only thing that keeps me from smelling it. She notices the papers he s holding; faxed photos of THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF CANNISTERS WITH RUSSIAN WRITING ON THEM. CARRIE cont d What do ya got there He shows them to her. Onebyone. PRYCE It s what the Russians used to transport weapons grade materials in. They match the dimensions inside the safe. We re looking for six of these. As Carrie studies them PRYCE cont d Langley s thinking it might be Hexafluoride, which is a derivative of Uranium. It s a component for nuclear detonation. CARRIE These beakers where really in over their heads. The RADIO on Pryce s hip crackles. RHONDA Dinkle, it s Rhonda Pryce smirks. PRYCE I better get this back to him. And we have to find Rubin. CARRIE Think you can you help me with these buttons, first PRYCE Sure. He moves closer. Starts to button her up. PRYCE cont d For what it s worth I think you re pretty tough, Marshall. MARSHAL S OFFICE ASB RIGHT AFTER Carrie enters. Light streaming in through the window hits her tired face. She reaches for the light switch on the nearby wall A HAND GRABS HERS AGGRESSIVELY YANKS her away from the open door. It s kicked closed as she s drawn backwards into a man s embrace. A knife s brought to her neck. MAN raspy, deep You Stetko Carrie nods slides her hand toward her pocket. MAN cont d Don t. She stops. CARRIE Who are you He slowly turns her around to face him. it s Rubin, but he looks beat to shit. Deep cracks slice across his bloody, chapped lips. Peeling skin flakes on his face. Desperate, despondent eyes. Shaky, frostbitten fingers. He s having a hard time holding it together as he can barely get the words RUBIN Did Mooney talk to you I didn t hear from him he was supposed to call me after you talked. Carrie s confused. CARRIE Mooney s dead. His eyes well. RUBIN No. CARRIE And so s Weiss. He nods he knew. RUBIN And I m next, I know it. CARRIE It s okay, you re safe, just put the knife down. His shaking hands slowly lowers it she breathes a little easier. He sets it down on an empty book shelf next to him. CARRIE cont d Who s after you Where are the cannisters He stares off blankly RUBIN Weiss didn t want to go through with it. Oh God. How did we let this happen CARRIE Rubin I need you to focus for me. He tries. Looks at her through tired, pinched eyes he s trying. O.C. KNOCK. KNOCK on her door. Rubin is spooked. Glares at her scared. Like a caged animal. DOC O.C. Carrie, it s Doc got those painkillers. CARRIE It s okay, he s a doctor, he can help you. It falls on deaf ears he goes for the knife. She tries to stop him. Rubin shoves her aside, throwing her against a chair. She topples backwards. He whips open the door, driving an unexpected shoulder into Doc, who gets nailed so hard, he goes stumbling back up against the wall behind him. Takes the wind right out of him. Pills all over the floor. Rubin dashes off down the hallway it s an effort. Carrie appears at the door. Catches a glimpse of Rubin disappearing down a set of side stairs. CARRIE cont d You alright Doc nods. She takes off after him, pulling her phone off her hip. AT THE STAIRS She takes two at a time keys the twoway. CARRIE cont d Pryce PRYCE Yeah CARRIE Rubin s here He s on the run. Level one. White Tshirt. Jeans. BOTTOM OF STAIRS LEVEL ONE As Carrie comes off the stairs looks left there s three guys carrying boxes out of a room. Snaps a look to the right Rubin s at the far end, slipping through a doorway that leads into an INTERCONNECTING TUNNEL to another part of ASB. CARRIE cont d into walkie He s heading for the Science Lab. Carrie kicks it into high ASB OUTSIDE CONNECTING TUNNEL SAME A SUBJECTIVE catches interval glimpses of Rubin through the small windows that run along the side of the tunnel as he dashes through. CONNECTING TUNNEL SAME Rubin is moving through to a door at the far end as Carrie enters. It s lined with several free standing, empty bookcases. CARRIE Rubin, wait SCIENCE BUILDING RIGHT AFTER Carrie enters through the connecting tunnel s doorway. Not a lot of light. Slows her pace. It s quiet. Dormant. Vacant lab stations. Room s been shut down for the winter. Eyes scan. Fall upon A DOOR ACROSS THE ROOM. A sign above reads READY ROOM. She takes off again, slaloming her way around the lab stations to get to the door. OTHER SIDE OF ROOM Carrie gets to the door. Pulls on the handle. Won t open. Rattles. Looks in through a viewing window sees a panicked Rubin inside, grabbing ECW gear off a rack mounted to the wall. A DIGITAL READOUT ABOVE THE EXIT DOOR READS He and Carrie exchange glances. CARRIE Rubin I can help you He shakes his head. She tugs harder on the doors. Stuck. Looks through the window to see he s tied them together with some climbing rope. In that same instant a shaft of brilliant daylight floods half the room as the outside door is whipped open. A MAN in full ECW stands in the doorway. He s wearing a FACE MASK and GOGGLES. Holds an ICE AXE poised, ready to strike it s the same guy who attacked her. Rubin bolts back toward the door separating he and Carrie, but SWOOOSH THE ICE AXE is buried into his shoulder, gaffing him like a fish. The pain s excruciating for Rubin, who spins on his attacker like a wild man. BULLDOZES into him, driving him back out the door. Both TUMBLE down a steep set of stairs the exposed end of the ice axe gets stuck in a step s steel meshing on the way down rips out of Rubin s shoulder. READY ROOM BASE OF STAIRS CONTINUOUS Rubin eats the pain as he gets to his feet. Takes off. Runs blindly with panting intensity verging on hysteria. Disappears around the contour of ASB before the other guy can get to his feet. His assailant rises. Goes back up a couple steps to retrieve his embedded ice axe, but finds it wedged so tight, it won t budge. Abandons it. SCIENCE BUILDING SAME Carrie shoulders the door, but still doesn t budge. Hears FOOTSTEPS BEHIND HER. Turns to see it s Pryce. CARRIE Door s jammed Pryce latches on to a heavy SUPPLY CART filled with beakers, microscopes and other gear, that s tucked against one of the lab stations. CARRIE cont d Pryce, it s not Rubin Off his confused look CARRIE cont d Someone s trying to kill him. Pryce picks up speed as he targets the door. Hits it like a freight train, busting it open Cart goes crashing. Contents scatter like buckshot. READY ROOM CONTINUOUS The two of them are hit with icy cold coming in through the open exit door. Carrie throws a look outside bottom of stairs are vacant. Ice axe is still there. CARRIE Shit, Rubin doesn t have any gear on. Carrie immediately closes the outside door. Pryce goes for the ECW wear. Scrambles to get a coat on. Carrie joins. Same thing. PRYCE How long s he been out there CARRIE Thirty seconds. ASB RIGHT AFTER Rubin staggers as he follows a line of storage bins tucked against the base of the main building. The blood from his wound already frozen on his shirt. The cold it s killing him. Body s shaking. The sun s reflection off the ice is blinding. RUBIN S His vision begins to cloud as the corneas are literally being burned by the intense light. He tries to shield them has little effect. He looks over his shoulder gets a BLURRED IMAGE of his attacker not far behind. Rubin trips. Hands go to the icy ground to protect his fall. Still hits hard. Starts to get up, but his palms are frozen to the surface. Doesn t have time to care pulls hard, tearing the skin right off. Stands. Spins around in a panicked whirl he s lost ground. Continues to the end of the storage bins. Moves under ASB, using the enormous HYDRAULIC LIFT COLUMNS to conceal his movement. UNDERNEATH ASB CONTINUOUS Up ahead forty yards away hope. He continues toward some storage containers and the SNOW MELTER on the other side, where TWO PEOPLE, CLAD IN ECW are finishing filling an insulated container with water from an insulated hose mounted to the Melter. A snowmobile is parked next to them. He tries to scream, but only a dull, raspy, muffled voice escapes. RUBIN Help me. The guys oblivious. READY ROOM STAIRS DAY Carrie and Pryce, now bundled up in ECW, exit the room and head down the stairs. Split up go opposite directions around the complex. UNDERNEATH ASB SAME Rubin s pace is slowing he s exerting himself to get to the people as they climb into snowmobile with the container. Frostbite is chewing up his lungs. He s too slow, they take off. He coughs up blood. RUBIN W..wa..wait. He turns around to check on his pursuer. Twenty feet away and closing. Rubin s eyes desperately search for some kind of weapon anything. Sees the insulated hose on the SNOW MELTER. Heads for it. ASB OTHER SIDE SAME Carrie passes a gap between storage containers where several snow shovels are stuck into a mound of snow through their vertical slats, SHE CATCHES A GLIMPSE OF RUBIN at the Snow Melter across on the other side of the main building. Sees the ECW guy closing in. ASB UNDERNEATH SAME Pryce is moving under ASB. Passes a hydraulic support leg. Spots Carrie on the other side moving toward Rubin. Also sees the ECW guy in pursuit. Heads toward them. ASB SNOW MELTER SAME Rubin s frostbitten hand reaches for the hose. Grabs it, but he doesn t have the strength to turn it on. Throws a defeated glance over his shoulder to see THE VILLAIN in ECW gear right on him Shoves Rubin against the tank. Grabs the hose from him. Turns it on SPRAYING him head to toe. Rubin s clothes turn to ice. One eye freezes shut. Lips go cobalt blue. He tries to escape, but several stiff steps away, he slows and finally stops a prisoner in his icelocked clothing. The man moves to Rubin. Grabs his head, and SNAP breaks his neck. Rubin s body topples stiffly to the ground. OPERATIONS ROOM ASB SAME Rhonda crosses the busy room. Reaches for a clipboard hanging next to the window. Something outside catches her attention. RHONDA Sam She looks to Murphy, who is on the phone. Murphy and the others join her at the window. They see Rubin on the ground, but the Snow Melter blocks any view of the killer. SMASH ASB SNOW MELTER SAME The Killer turns to leave the crime scene and WHACK He s blindsided by a SHOVEL to his head. Goggles shatter. He drops. Carrie pulls his parka hood away from his head snaps the goggle from his face. It s KELLER Blood trickles from the fresh wound to his head. The shovel s courtesy of Carrie, who stands over top of him. Holds the shovel to his neck like a guillotine blade. Pryce approaches. Glances to Rubin s frozen body neck askew. Carrie is wound up. Keller s still recovering from the imp KELLER I sh. sh. shoulda killed you at Vostok. CARRIE Where are the cannisters KELLER Go to hell. PRYCE Wrong answer. CARRIE Help me drag him over here. They each take his jacket by the shoulder pull him back over to the Snow Melter. CARRIE cont d Keep him still. She hands the shovel to Pryce, who puts it to Keller s neck. Carrie pulls her Buck knife from her back pocket, then whips off Keller s gloves. Tosses them aside. The cold makes him more coherent. Sees Pryce at this throat. PRYCE Who s Tahir selling it to what s the intended target Keller shifts his attention to Carrie, who s using her knife to SLICE open his ECW jacket and pants, exposing bare arms and legs. KELLER What re you doing, you crazy bitch Keller instantly starts to shake. CARRIE Why did you kill those scientists, Keller Was a fourway split too much for you KELLER Fuck you. Carrie grabs the hose from the Snow Melter. She brutally stomps on Keller s exposed arm, douses him with water from the hose, welding his arm to the ground as it freezes instantly. CARRIE Where is the uranium KELLER almost smug You have no idea what s going on here, do you Keller begins to shiver violently. PRYCE Hit the sonofabitch again Carrie releases more water, freezing more of the arm. He screams. Pain is too much. He caves. KELLER The plane, they re in the fucking plane. Carrie s suddenly grabbed from behind. It s Murphy. Furious. Two other guys at his side. MURPHY Have you completely lost your mind CARRIE Let go of me. She twists free of his grasp. Gets in Keller s face. CARRIE cont d Where in the plane KELLER Find them yourself. MURPHY What the hell s going on She glares at him. CARRIE The cannisters are on the plane. She looks to the guys that came out with Murphy. CARRIE cont d Throw him in the holding cell. The two guys go to Keller, but his arm is stuck to the ground. Carrie kicks it free. It s painful. Keller screams. The guys lift him to his feet. Haul him away. Murphy looks to Pryce MURPHY Who the hell are you Carrie looks at Pryce. PRYCE Name s Pryce. Pryce looks at Carrie. CARRIE He s with the UN. We have to search that plane now Murphy looks to Carrie with an intense glare MURPHY We don t have time. We ll just search it in Christchurch when it lands. Pryce steps in PRYCE It s a twelve hour flight to Christchurch. Anything can happen in that time. Keller is here, so we know it s still on the ground. MORE PRYCE cont d Once that plane is in the air, we ve as good as lost it. Just give us minutes. Murphy looks to Carrie, softens slightly CARRIE Sam, do what is right here. Come on. MURPHY Do what you have to, but that plane takes off in one hour. CARRIE We ll need some help. MURPHY I ll send what I can. He leaves. TIME LC DAY Carrie is near the cockpit, searching under a row of seats. Pryce approaches. A handful of ASB employees tear through every inch of the fuselage and cargo. PRYCE It s clean. Carrie gets to her feet. Pissed off. PRYCE cont d You check the cockpit CARRIE Nothing. That bastard. What the hell are you up to, Keller PRYCE I don t get it, why lie to us we have him either way. He s stuck here. Carrie s suddenly chilled with the ominous reality that CARRIE He s buying time. Carrie races off the plane. Pryce tries to keep pace. CORRIDOR RIGHT AFTER Carrie is slaloming her way through the corridor, which is packed with ASB employees carrying their bags for the evac. Pryce is close behind. CARRIE Out of the way ASB MARSHAL S OFFICE RIGHT AFTER Carrie enters. Pryce at her side. Her face goes white. The door to the holding room is wide open. Keller s GONE. CARRIE Shit PRYCE He s got nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. Then it hits her CARRIE He won t try. He s a goddamn pilot. As the two of them take off for the door ASB HANGAR DAY Delfy walks across the floor. Hangar is minimally lit. Still. Silent. Void of personnel. The Otters are lined up. The Snowcats and snowmobiles on the other side. He heads toward an Otter. TWIN OTTER HANGAR DAY Delfy reaches in and gets his son s picture, which is still hanging on the console. Then, something catches his attention through the windshield of his plane. He sees a FUEL HOSE running to another plane and it s pumping. Curious, he gets out of the Otter. Eyes dart about the hangar. Doesn t see anyone. Heads to the other plane. Discovers that a door is open on the other side. Takes a another look around. Doesn t see anyone. Moves closer. Gets to the plane. Takes a look inside, and THUD He s nailed with a giant Crescent wrench to the head. Stumbles back. Keller leaps out, grabbing hold of a staggering Delfy. Ruthlessly runs him head first into a standing tool chest. Delfy collapses to the ground in a heap. Unconscious. ASB HEADING TOWARD THE HANGAR RIGHT AFTER Carrie and Pryce, dressed in ECW are making their way toward the hangar. LC SAME Employees are trudging up through the back entrance into the plane. Get checked off a list by the LOAD MASTER. Toss their gear into a netted cargo area. Find a seat. Plane is nearly full. TWIN OTTER HANGER Keller has the engine going. It s loud. Preps the console for flight, flipping switches suddenly sees Carrie and Pryce enter the hangar. Guns drawn. CARRIE AND PRYCE Shift their attention to the plane. Blades turning. They stalk forward. Slowly. Carefully. Eyeing for any betrayal of movement. Then, with a nod from Carrie, they move in. Fast. Ready. Look into the plane. It s empty, except for a duffle bag in the back. Carrie nods to Pryce. Motions for him to go one way, she ll go another. INTERCUT CARRIE AND PRYCE Carrie eyeballs a Snowcat. It s door is slightly open. She heads for it. Gun poised. Pryce moves to check the next plane. Eyes dart to every dark corner. Carrie gets to the Cat. Springs toward the door. Inside s empty. Pryce walks under THE WING of the next plane. Spots Delfy just ahead on the ground by the tool chest. Looks like he s stirring into consciousness. Then SWOOSH An ICE AXE swings down from above, embedding in his Pryce s chest. Deep. It sticks. Gun goes flying. Keller drops down from the wing above. Pryce staggers. Keller kicks him hard. Pryce goes down. Keller grabs the gun. Points it right at Pryce before he can shoot BANGBANG Bullets zip by Keller, who rolls for cover behind SOME EQUIPMENT. Another rips into his shoulder. Keller spots Carrie over by the Cat. She fires continually, forcing him to stay behind cover. The shots go wide she s not yet used to firing with the right hand. Keller blindly reaches his gun around the chest shoots back, which Gives Pryce enough time to painfully crawl for cover beneath the plane. He s losing blood quick. Carrie keeps shooting. Bullets PING OFF THE TOOL CHEST. They stop. Carrie has to reload. Keller makes his move. Fires at Carrie and sprints for his plane. Runs right by pole with a large red button attached to it. Slams it. HANGAR DOORS BEGIN TO RUMBLE OPEN The TEMPERATURE immediately begins to PLUMMET as winter is let inside. Keller keeps shooting. Runs out of bullets. Leaps into the idling Otter. Carrie makes her move. Dashes toward him, firing away. Bullets PLANT in the WINDSHIELD, but can t penetrate glass is too thick protection from the cold. Keller throttles. Begins to move the Otter forward toward the opening doors. Carrie dashes to Pryce. Sees Delfy get to his feet. Face bloody. He moves to Pryce. She gets over to the guys quickly, giving Delfy a visual once over. He ll be fine, but things look bad for Pryce. He s bleeding profusely. She kneels beside him pulls the tip of the axe out of his chest. Delfy looks to the hangar doors, which are nearly open. PRYCE I didn t see him. His eyes flutter shut. Carrie slaps his face CARRIE No You stay awake Puts her hand directly on the wound. Applies pressure. Blood continues to ooze. She looks over to Keller just as his plane exits the hangar. Looks back to Pryce s wound won t stop bleeding. CARRIE cont d Damn it to Delfy Come on. We re getting him up. They lift him to his feet. Haul ass to the front of the hangar the best they can. Go outside. HANGAR CONTINUOUS The two of them place the now unconscious Pryce to the ground. Carrie grabs Delfy s hands. Puts them directly on the bloody wound. Surprisingly, he stays focused. CARRIE Press here. Hard. Hard or he will die DELFY It won t stop Looks Delfy right in the eye. CARRIE He s not going to be number four Pryce moans. Carrie rips open Pryce s jacket and liner. Scoops up an armful of windblown ice. Starts packing it around him. Keeps repeating the motion. She keeps shooting looks to Keller s departing plane moving toward the runway. The cold hits Pryce, shocking him awake. PRYCE GASPING What are you doing Get Keller. She holds him down. CARRIE You re bleeding Freezing drops your pulse. We have to slow it down. BEAT You hold on. Carrie snags the twoway off her hip like it s a quick draw. Keys it. CARRIE cont d Sam is Doc on the plane yet Beat. MURPHY No what s going CARRIE Keller got He hurt Pryce he s bleeding bad. Where s Doc MURPHY In the clinic. About to bring the bodies What s CARRIE Tell him to stay put, and I need your help getting Pryce there. We re at the hangar. I ve got to stop Keller, he s got the cannisters. Carrie doesn t wait for an answer. Gives Delfy the two way. CARRIE cont d Don t let him die. Carrie stands. Determined. Sprints back into the hangar. HANGAR CONTINUOUS On a full sprint, Carrie dashes over to the Snowmobiles. Coughs. Spits blood. Doesn t stop her. She jumps on one. Fires it up. Uses her left palm to steer blood starts to seep through the gauze. She quickly bundles up, then guns it. Rubber treads grip. Smoke rises. She races it across the cement floor and out the hangar. HANGAR CONTINUOUS Off in the distance, Keller s heading for the front of the runway has to turn around to take off into the wind. Carrie veers off, targeting the tunnel to ASB. Hits her light as she races in. TUNNEL CONTINUOUS Carrie s light silhouettes Murphy and a couple of his guys as they head toward her. She doesn t even slow down as she blows right by them. KELLER S PLANE SAME Desperation clings to his face as he turns the plane onto the runway. His wound oozes blood eats the pain as he gives it full throttle. Starts to pick up speed. Heads down his strip of freedom. SIDE OF RUNWAY OPPOSITE END SAME A funnel of bumpy light spreads across the ice before Carrie on the snowmobile. She holds tight as she burns a big UTURN around one of the berms and onto the runway. Heads straight for the lights of Keller s plane. INSIDE KELLER S PLANE He sees Carrie. KELLER Crazy bitch. INTERCUT She targets him like a Japanese zero. Hundred yards and closing. He s pushing to get airborne. Seventyfive yards between them. Gap narrows fast. Fifty yards. Stay on Carrie. Looks like suicide. She suddenly swerves a hard left, disappearing behind a berm INSIDE WITH KELLER He bears a momentary sense of triumph, starts to get airborne until LAUNCHING UP OFF THE BERM is Carrie s snowmobile She bails, letting it continue right toward him like a heat seeking missile as she tumbles down the berm. Keller s a THOUSAND POUNDS of snowmobile comes at him fast obliterates the cockpit. SMASH CUT TO CARRIE S AS THE IMP Cripples the plane, pitching it sideways. A wing catches the runway, CATAPULTING the entire plane into a cartwheel of disaster as it veers off the runway and EXPLODES INTO A FIERY ERUPTION OF FLAME AND DEBRIS Resume Carrie slowly gets to her feet. The flames reflecting off her goggles. She heads to the wreckage. The cold and blowing snow extinguishing the flames quickly. AT THE WRECKAGE Carrie approaches. Only a sputtering of flame remains on the front of the twisted remnants of the Otter s cockpit. The aft seems relatively intact. Carrie looks in. Sees the charred and already frozen remains of Keller. In the back the charred duffle bag. She moves closer. Reaches in through a broken window. Pulls it out to the runway. Unzips it. Is confused. No cannisters. Only survival gear. MEDICAL CLINIC SOON AFTER Delfy, along with Murphy and his two guys, carry Pryce in. Doc s in the back room with two others, loading the BODYBAGS onto a cart. MURPHY Doc Doc quickly moves into the front room. The other two follow. Curious. Doc springs into action, pulling on gloves. Pryce s face, ashen. DOC Get him on the table They usher him onto one. He looks to Delfy who still has his hand on Pryce s wound. DOC cont d Don t move that hand. DELFY I know, I know, he ll die Doc shifts his attention to one of Murphy s guys DOC You, four units Opos in the warmer. Second shelf, fridge. The guy heads for it. Carrie enters. She s still in her ECW gear. Heart sinks when she sees Pryce. Doc leans over Pryce s pale form. Examines. As Doc gets an IV going, he looks to Carrie DOC cont d What happened CARRIE Keller hit him with an ice axe. MURPHY He get away CARRIE No. Murphy s walkie on his hip CRACKLES to life. LC SAME Rhonda s standing up front with the pilot and Copilot, watching the horizon where dark storm clouds are coming at them like a tidal wave. Brings a walkie to her lips. RHONDA Sam, it s Rhonda we gotta go. Now. MURPHY I know. I know. MEDICAL CLINIC ASB SAME Murphy looks to Doc. MURPHY Can you do this on the plane It s your call, but I need to know now. Doc, who s wrestling with deep contemplation, looks to Carrie she sees the answer s no. CARRIE I ll stay with you MURPHY to his guys Grab the bodies and get them on the plane. The guys head for the back As Doc looks at Pryce knowing he needs him. DOC Leave the bodies you don t have time. Dead is dead. BEAT Pick them up in six months. Go. Doc looks to Carrie, who s thankful CARRIE I m sorry. The guys after the bodies look to Murphy for a decision. MURPHY Leave m. Let s go. Murphy and Carrie exchange a quick look closure. CARRIE Thanks. MURPHY Take care of yourself. He takes off with the others. LC RIGHT AFTER The wind is hurricane fierce as Murphy and his two men are just about to board the plane. Murphy looks to the storm a forboding darkness getting closer by the second. He realizes they might not make it. RUNWAY ASB RIGHT AFTER The LC  s jet engines roars as he gains speed down the runway faster and faster, then it suddenly gets swallowed in the storm like an avalanche covering a skier. stays on the fast moving storm, the plane, nowhere in sight, until The LC finally pushes out the front of it AIRBORNE. Takes off into the horizon, where we see that the sun is just about to set. DISSOLVE TO MEDICAL CLINIC ASB LATER Carrie is standing next to Pryce on the examination table. He s been bandaged up. Eyes closed. Looks thrashed. An IV drip hangs from a stand on wheels. She s looking at him with soft, caring eyes been through a lot. He slowly opens his. Tries to smile, not easy. PRYCE Hey CARRIE Hey back. PRYCE You get him CARRIE Umhm. PRYCE EXCITED The cannisters She shakes her head CARRIE Nope. They both think on it for a moment. PRYCE What did we miss Think Keller cut and run without the stuff CARRIE After all this, no way. Keller didn t have it on the plane because he s got it hidden somewhere. BEAT Where would he hide something for six months. Somewhere he could be sure no one would ever look. PRYCE If he had made it out, he wouldn t have been crazy enough to come back for it. CARRIE True what the hell was his plan. Pryce thinks hard he s got nothing. PRYCE We ve got six months to figure it A SQUEAKY NOISE in the back of the room draws their attention. It s Doc coming through with the cart a bodybag on top. DOC Eyes open that s always a good sign. He continues pushing the gurney toward them PRYCE Hey, Doc thanks. DOC Thank her if she hadn t slowed your bleeding. Doc rolls the gurney behind her DOC cont d I m going to hunt me down a bottle of scotch Carrie turns, looks at Doc as he wheels the gurney by. CARRIE Need any help DOC I m good. She sees it s Weiss  name on the tag, but something disturbing catches Carrie s eye it s Weiss  LEFT LEG pressing against the bag. Although the plastic is clouded, she d swear his LEFT CALF has a LONG LINE OF STITCHES running down the side. DOC cont d You okay His voice pulls her focus. She masks her startle. CARRIE COVERING Just thinking where it all began. DOC Yeah, it s a damn shame, isn t it. Doc continues on out the door. Pryce sees that she s bothered PRYCE What is it CARRIE Nothing I ll be right back. She heads out the door. CONNECTING TUNNEL TO SCIENCE BUILDING LATER Carrie slips in. We ve been here before this is where she chased Rubin. Darkness creeps in, phantom like, as the remaining daylight FADES OUT through the row of windows that run along the side. Carrie s plunged into inky black. WINTER HAS SET IN. She HEARS the Science Lab door open before her peers through the dark blanket to see Doc walking toward her. Carrie slips in between two bookcases, trying to stay tight against the wall. Doc walks right by and out the door. She rises to her feet. Hurries down to the end. Disappears into the science building. SCIENCE LAB CONTINUOUS Carrie enters. Turns on the light. Illuminates the lab stations, and the busted open doors of the Ready Room. Heads for the freezer. WALKIN FREEZER SCIENCE LAB CONTINUOUS Carrie opens the door. Illuminates the interior with her light. Storage racks of frozen science samples line the three walls. Lying on the floor are the bodies of Mooney, Rubin, Weiss and Keller. Carry goes to Weiss  body. Kneels next to him. Goes to unzip the bodybag, but sees that it s been locked with a plastic cinch. Pulls out her knife. Holds the light steady in her mouth as she cuts the cinch. Unzips the bag. Her light travels down his body to his left leg. She rolls it slightly for a better look. The truth hits her like a sledge hammer. There it is, like standing center stage in her light, the ROW OF STITCHES holding a deep gash tight together. She s about to stand and walk out, but she stops herself. Thinks about that leg, those stitches. The f that Doc lied to her. Pans her light over at the other bodies on the floor. Her light pans back, explores the rest of Weiss  upper body sees a dried river of blood that s run out from under his armpit. CARRIE to herself Someplace no one would ever think to look. She raises Weiss  arm. More stitches. She cuts through them. Skin splits to reveal the BOTTOM OF A CANNISTER that s been stuffed inside his chest. She reaches in and pulls it Even has rust on the bottom. Carrie s confused IT S NOT LIKE ANY OF THE CANNISTERS PRYCE SHOWED HER PHOTOS OF. It look more like THE ICE CORE CONTAINER SHE SAW AT MCMURDO. She contemplates opening it for a moment, then places her hand on the top. Begins to twist. It loosens easily. Pulls the lid off. Looks at it. Whatever it is, it s frozen. Tilts the can slightly, and out slides a FOOT LONG ICE CORE SAMPLE. Can t quite figure it out, until she shines her light on it The freezer DANCES WITH GLISTENING LIGHT. The core sample is PACKED FULL OF DIAMONDS. She looks to the other two bodies. She opens Mooney s bag. Sees his chest is uneven more cylinders inside. Repeats the action with Rubin. Same thing. Carrie slowly stands the betrayal almost too much. DOC O.C. If they had just gone along with it. She turns Doc is standing right BEHIND HER. DOC cont d Those fools found a plane had no idea what they stumbled onto. Turns out the Russians had discovered a diamond field while drilling for core samples in the sixties. CARRIE And we thought it was nukes the whole time. DOC Keller said he knew someone in the states who could move the diamonds for us. It was a hell of a lot of money. CARRIE How did you get wrapped up in thing, Doc DOC Weiss got hurt on the plane. They were afraid to move him, so Mooney called me. Keller and I flew But they couldn t get the safe open Keller found a way. CARRIE Then Weiss got cold feet. It got ugly, didn t it and Keller killed him at Delta One One. Everything went to hell after that, didn t it, Doc. DOC Keller thought he could kill his way out of this whole thing. ANGRY If those idiots hadn t panicked, none of this would have happened. He turns and walks out of the freezer. SCIENCE LAB CONTINUOUS Carrie carefully follows. Sees he s heading for KELLER S ICE AXE in the ready room, that someone s removed from being wedged outside, onto the now uprighted LAB CART Pryce used to bust open the door. CARRIE Doc stop. He does. Turns back to her. But there has been a subtle shift inside him something illogical. DOC I ll cut you in, Carrie. There s at least million in diamonds in there. That can buy both of us a nice life back in the world. How many times have we both talked about having a fresh start. Well, this is it. Those beakers finding that plane was a sign. A sign telling me it was time to go back. Now I have something to go back for. She has a realization. CARRIE There is no granddaughter, is there This was about greed, plain and simple. DOC No one will ever know. It s just me and you. We can take care of Pryce. His callus disregard for human life rocks her. CARRIE Dead is dead, right DOC Yes, yes, now you re getting it. CARRIE What s happened to you There are four people dead Four People we knew. Doc looks at her. She s not sure if it s registering. CARRIE cont d Where you going to stuff my body too Huh Was I going to be five He turns back to the ice axe and starts walking towards it. She pulls the gun out from inside her liner, her mind a whirl of limited options and grim solutions. He nears the ice axe on the cart Carrie cocks back the trigger CARRIE cont d I won t go through it again. Don t make me shoot you, please. Her knuckle on her trigger finger goes white as she wrestles with her emotions. DOC It s either ignore all of this or kill me and you and I, we re too good of friends for me to force you to make that choice. With that.he walks right past the ICE AXE and into the READY ROOM. She s confused. CARRIE Doc, your not thinking straight. But he s not listening. DOC Ya know, it s really warm. I m gonna take a walk try and cool off. The TEMPERATURE GAUGE on the wall reads He looks at her. CARRIE Doc, please. Carrie crosses the room as he grabs onto the outside door s latch. He musters a smile DOC Remember, Carrie freedom s just a sunrise away. Using both hands on the latch, he pulls. THE DOOR BLASTS OPEN, filling the space between Carrie and Doc with violent winds and blowing snow. Doc s throws one last look to Carrie, then takes two steps out the door. Disappears into the blanket of white. Wind and cold storm into the room against Carrie, who remains standing still like a statue. Emotionally drained. Numb. Freezing to death tears frozen to her cheeks. A shadow passes by her it s Pryce. He s hunkered over in pain, but forcing himself against the driving force of the wind into the Ready Room. Latches onto the door. It takes everything he s got, but he manages to get it closed. Instant silence. Cold to the bone, he grabs a jacket off the racket. Approaches Carrie, who remains staring at the closed door. The effects of the chill and Doc s decision apparent. Pryce wraps the coat around her shoulders. Gently leads her away. DISSOLVE TO Super THREE MONTHS LATER CARRIE S OFFICE ASB The sounds of lapping surf and distant seagulls serenades us like a rhythmic lullaby as we CU on sand with a shadow of a palm tree casting over top of two pairs of feet intertwined. Slowly widen to see Carrie and Pryce, kicking back on lawn chairs, sidebyside. Two heat lamps pouring out bright, warm light. A cut out piece of paper in the shape of a palm leaf is taped to one of the lamps throwing the shadow. Pryce has a small bandage over his shoulder. Carrie lies back, rests, eyes closed. PRYCE How s the weather where you are CARRIE Hot. But there s a gentle breeze. Fiji s beautiful this time of year. PRYCE Yeah, St. Barts ain t bad either. They lie there quietly, relishing the moment. PRYCE cont d Six months. Six long months. Carrie turns over on her stomach lets the heat warm her back. CARRIE Nah. Freedom s just a sunrise away. There s a new calender on the wall, where the days of Winterover have been marked off long way to go. ASB BASE ESTABLISHING NIGHT Pull away from the building, which fades into the icy darkness and howling wind of the Antarctic winter,THE WILD BUNCH Written by Walon Green & Sam Peckinpah February th, OUTSKIRTS OF A SOUTH TEXAS RAILROAD YARD SAN RAFAEL A TRAIN ROARS PAST REVEALING IN THE DISTANCE FIVE MET RIDING TOWARD along the tracks. In CLOSE F.G. is.the back part of a sign. NARRATOR To most of America in, the Age of Innocence had arrived and the stories of the Indian Wars and the Gold.RuSh and the Great Gunfighters had become either barroom ballyhoo or frontporch remiraiscences. But on both sides of the $io Grande men still lived as thia had in the  s and  s unchanged. men in a changing land. THEY WEAR THE KHAKI UNIFORMS OF THE UNITED STATES CnVALJRY.. The horses bear the government brand and the saddles are regulation. PIKE BISHOP,. wearing lieutenant s bars, rides slightly ahead of the others. He rides stiffly; always slightly in pain. Pike is a not unhandsome, leatherfaced man in his early forties. A thoughtful, selfeducated top gun with a penchant for violence who is afraid of nothing except the. changes in himself and those around him. Make no mistake, Pike Bishop is not a hero his values are not ours he is a gunfighter, a criminal, a bank. robber, a killer of men. His sympathies are not for fences, for trolleys.and telegraphs or better schools. He lives outside and against society because he believes in that way of life and if he has moments of sympathy for others, moments of regret, t hey   are short lived. He is not a  good man  according to the righteous. To them he is totally bad, and he wouldn t have it any other way. Next to him DUTCH ENGSTROM wears the uniform of a sergeant. Dutch is big„ goodnatured with a fast gun hand, strong loyalty and, like Pike, a bone deep distaste for rules and regulations. He can sing,. has more than his share of charm, but believes in nothing except two men, and Pike is one. Behind them ride two brothers, LYLE and TECTOR GORCH, dressed as corporals. Lyle and Tector are big, tough, hot tempered and sudden. They work together, eat together and  sometimes sleep together with the same whore. Brutal, vicious in a fight, illiterate,. they are always pressing for an advantage and once they get it they never let go. They are without loyalty or honor, to anyone except each other and that is limited. A fifth man wears the single stripe of a PFC. This is. AL GEL. Angel is a goodlooking, bilingual Mexican boy in his middle  s who has seen so much blood and violence and cruelty under Diaz that he rebelled but his rebellion was not with Villa or Obregon, his was a oneman revolution against them all. He believes in his family, his village and the inherent dignity of. man some men at least He is faster than his companions with a gun and a better shot but he can t. laugh at the loss of love or suffer the loss of pride Mexican pride a pride that can kill him, but if it does,. he will have no regrets. REACHING THE SIGN THE MEN STOP. Witut.speaking they, begin to brush off their clothing and get their uniforms in order. THE SIGN READS IN RAILROAD LETTERS SAN RAFAEL, TEXAS And underneath, someone has printed W�LCO ME TO SAN RAFAEL THE SEVENTH OLDEST TOWN IN SOUTH TEXAS FOUNDED, POPULATION, POPULATION STAY ON AND GROW WITH OUR COMMUNITY PIKE  AND   DUTCH STARE FOR A MOMENT AT THE SIGN, slightly bemused. _ DUTCH Make you feel welcome PIKE DRYLY It helps.. TEC TOR What s it say ANGEL baiting him It invites us to stay with the community and grow. It is here, perhaps with time and small miracle that you could be taught to read.  Tector looks at Angel for a long moment, then turns to Pike. TECTOR I never enlisted to serve with no smartmouthed kid. ANGEL Nor I with dogs. DUTCH grinning at Pike ITd like to transfer to another unit there seems to be dissension in the ranks. PIKE t Teotor and Angel Itll transfer both of you just one more word. They look at him silently. He means it. Finally Tike spurs his horse and the group sta ts for town, PANNING. THEM PAST. THE STATt.ON A�M BOXCARS into a side street. MAIN SQUARE OF SAN RAFAEL DAY THE SQUARE. SHOWS THE MEXICAN SPANISH INFLUENCE AND.IS CROWDED with weekend visitors. Men,. women and children are. milling about, shopping and idly trading gossip.. The town.has the look of turn of the century Americana along with its.Spanisn heritage. The group of soldiers enter almost unnoticed. Riding downethe street they pass A LARGE TENT IN FRONT OF WHICH IS A BANNER ANNOUNCING a W.C.T.U. meeting, which, according to the SOUNDS of the bass drum and a sermon denouncing rum, is presently going on inside. SPEAKER OS Leviticus. Do not drink wine or strong drink thou,nor thy sons with thee least ye die. It shall be a statute forever. Look. not though. upon. the. wine when it. is red when it giveth his color in the cup when it moveth itself aright at the last it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder.  SPEAKER OS CONTID THEN That is in the good book.. but here in this town, it is five cents a glass. Five cents a glass, does anyone think that that is really the price of a drink The price of a drink let him decide who has lost his courage and his pride and who lies a govelling heap of clay not far removed from a beast today. CONGREGATION OS I hereby solemnly procaise, God helping me, to abstain from all di stilled, fer mented and malt ligi rs including wine, beer and cider, and to employ all proper means to discourage the Ilse of and. traffic in the same. AS THE GROUP RIDES AROUND THE SQUARE,. THREE. SOLDIERS, ABE,. PHIL AND BURT, at the hitching rail on one side of the street,. turn and keep pace with the group on horseback. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SQUARE THREE OTHER SOLDIERS, BUCK, FRANK AND CRAZY LEE, DO THE SAME. PIKE AND HIS GROUP RIDE PAST THE GENERAL STORE AND THE SALOON. AT T� END OF THE STREET, THEY DISMOUNT ACROSS FROM THE YELLOW AND BROWN RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION BUILDING. As they swing out of the saddle the other   soldiers  join them. l.  PIKE AND HIS COMPANIONS REMOVE EMPTY SADDLE BAGS FROM their horses and step onto the boardwalk or sidewalk that surrounds the square. Some passersby look curiously. PIKE after a moment, a little AWKWARDLY Fall in and follow me. The men,. with the  exception of Tector, Phil and Abe, shuffle into a ragged column of twos. CHANGE  PIKE MOVES DOWN THE FILE, looks around. BUCK Real quiet,  sir.  Pike looks at the horses, then at , THE SIGN OVER THE ENTRANCE OF A BUILDING ACROSS THE STREET It reads PECOS AND SOUTH TEXAS R.R. PIKE PAUSES. FOR A MINUTE and behind him the men surreptitious ly touch their holstered fortyfive automatics. Pike leaves the boardwalk, crossing toward. the railroad office. Tector and Phil stay with the horses. PIKE AND DUTCH, LOOKING AROUND AS THEY LEAVE. THE BOARDWALK, ACCIDENTALLY BUMP INTO A LADY SHOPPER, WHO DROPS HER PACIKAGE. PIKE removing his hat Beg pardon, Ma am. DUTCH as she stops Let. me, Ma am. Dutch picks up the package, Pike offers the lady his arm. She hesitates, accepts. Pike and Dutch, followed by the others, lead her across the  street. ON THE ROOF OF THE BUILDING OPPOSITE THE RAILROAD OFFICE ARE TEN. MEN STRETCHED OUT BEHIND THE FALSE FRONT T_DLY WATCHING THE CROWD BELOW, THEIR RIFLES AT THEIR SIDES Behind them. on the flat of the roof are open bedrolls, and the remains of at least three meals. It is hot., they have been there a long time, and they are tired., PAT HARRIGAN, A DAPPER, SELFIMPORTANT, BACK=SHOOTING RAIL ROAD EXECUTIVE SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MEN ALL RAGGED HARDCASES frowns a little as he watches the soldiers in the street below. It is. hotter than hell on the tin roof and he is sweating heavily. He turns, edges forward, then nudges , DEKE THORNTON SITTING NEXT TO HIM, his back against the wall, Thornton is a hardbodied, quietspoken man, with a lined face and the embittered manner of someone who has changed sides to stay alive and while part of his life has gone out of him with the change, the personal integrity by which he has lived is still. intact. CHANGE   HARRIGAN HARSHLY The soldiers sit up take a look Thornton straightens, turns slowly, looks stiffens a little. HARRIGAN Pike THORN TON after a long moment He s there. The bounty hunters re and prepare to fire. Over this shot is the sound of Pike calling to Thornton from the past. PIKE REACHES THE DOOR AND WITHOUT PAUSING, murmurs  goodbye  to the lady and enters, followed by the others, ON THE ROOF, HARRIGAN WHIRLS ON HIS MEN as they begin aim •ing, ready to fire.. HARRIGAN HISSING Hold your fire; We wait till they come out catch them in the act. to Thornton Then.you kill him or go back to Yuma; Thornton turns toward him, his.face white, remembering PRISON CELL DAY AND NIGHT MONTAGE EFFECT JAIL DOORS CLANGING SHUT A THORNTON, WRISTS LASHED TO THE BARS OF THE CELL S window, is being whipped by a guard. B THORNTON on the rock pile is making little ones of big ones. SAN RAFAEL ROOF TOP DAY T.C. & COFFER, TWO OF THE MEN, POINT TOWARD TECTOR.AND PHIL standing by the horses. COFFER.& T.C. SIMULTANEOUSLY I can nail himl THORNTON SAVAGELY He said wait. T.C. WHINING What if they go.out back COFFER DISGUSTEDLY It s covered, you twobit rednecked peckerwood. The men settle slightly. Thornton remains tense then turns as THE W.C.T.U. BAND AND PARADE START UP AT THE END OF THE STREET ACROSS THE SQUARE. HARR IGAN That s all we needed PAY OFFICE DAY THE PAYMASTER IS REPRIMANDING A CLERK. PAYMASTER What you meant to do does not interest me What you did Then, seeing PIES AND THE OTHERS waiting, he steps to the ody window, smiling with the thought that their visit means. military business for the railroad. His mood. changes as the men draw theirguns and Pike steps towards him. PAYMASTER reaching for air What is it.What do you want DUTCH., LYLE AND THE. OTHER MEN SWIFTLY MOVE behind the counter. Pike ignores the paymaster and turns to CRAZY LEE STRINGFELLOW,. a young, compulsive killer with just enough sense to. pour piss out of a boot if the instructions were printed on the heel the instructions are to pour, tip PIKE If they move, kill them. C.L. grins happily and squats on the floor, his gauge pump shotgun angled up at THE TERRIFIED PAYMASTER, HIS TWO ASSISTANTS AND MARGARET, A HATCHETFACED HARRIDAN IN HER FIFTIES i,iho enters the office carrying. a.wrapped package and is instantly shoved into. a corner with the other prisoners. ON THE STREET THE W.C.T.U. BASS DRUM BOOMS CLOSER as the parade picks up kids and other scoffing supporters as it moves around the square. People and their children are crowding through the trees to the boardwalk to watch the band. and group of believers following the_,. in a formation that is almost as rigid as. their song and their faces. ON THE ROOF TOP HARRIGAN AND THORNTON NERVOUSLY WATCH THE BAND.. THE OTHER MEN EQUALLY TENSE KEEP THEIR RIFLES TRAINED ON THE DOOR. EARRIGAN Damn them The parade moves toward the saloon. THO RNTO N They should have been told HARRI GAN Toldwhat Sus t how. long do you think anyone in this manure pile can keep his mouth shut Before Thornton can answer T..C.. SHIFTS TO CHANGE POSITION and his hand. touches the tin roof,,causing him to.yelp with pain.. The others snap a look in his. direction, then freeze as  VECTOR ON THE BOARDWALK. LOOKS UP,. SEES NOTHING, leans back against a rail watching the horses and the hymn singers. After a moment, he smiles a little, beating time,. as he remembers some forgotten march he watched from his daddy s shoulders. IN THE PAY OFFICE ANGEL CROSSES TO THE WINDOW AS THE NOISE FROM THE PARADE GROWS LOUDER. He looks out Behind hi PIKE AND THE OTHERS ARE LOADING SACKS OF SILVER into their saddle bags. They are almost ready to. leave. The paymaster, his assistants and the customer, their hands still up, watch C.L. MARGARET Trash Filthy trash C.L. gently. You just. hush now ANGEL People marching and singing coming down the street going to pass near the horses.  C PIKE GRINNING Well, we ll just join in. Angel, turning away, hesitates, looking up through the window AT SUNLIGHT GLEAMING OFF THE BARREL OF A GUN ON THE ROOF ACROSS THE STREET ANGEL Rifles one no three,. maybe more, on the roof. PIKE QUICKLY CROSSES TO THE WINDOW AND LOOKS PIKE Waiting for us SOFTLY Son of a bitch He turns and crosses quickly to the back door. Dutch follows. Pike opens it a little, looks ou.t at. REAR OF OFFICE  DAY FRA BUILDINGS AND BARE ADOBE HUTS SURROUNDED BY TRASH AND TIN CANS AND AMONG THEM THE INDISTINCT. FIGURES OF RIFLES AND HATS they are surrounded. IN THE OFFICE DUTCH JOINS PIKE AT THE DOOR and looks out, then curses softly. DUTCH How in hell could they have known we were coming PIKE How in hell do I know DUTCH Where do we go PIKE Out front that s where the horses are.. He shuts the door, crosses toward the paymaster. CONTINTJED C.L. We go ing..out back, Mr. Bishop PIKE No, son we got company there too as the boy looks at him Besides, when I travel, I like my feet to dangle. C.L. indicating the prisoners I kill  emnow PIKE after a moment No. You just hold them here and wait as long as you can after the shooting starts. C.L. hold  am till hell freezes over or you say different Pike, pushing the frightened paymaster in front of him, hesitates., looks. at C.L., then continues to the door, grabs the handle, looks back again. C.L. IS CROUCHED IN FRONT OF THE TWO ASSISTANTS AND MARGARET., singing to himself, happy as a clam. DUTCH, ANGEL AND THE OTHERS look at Pike. They are ready. PIKE JERKS OPEN THE DOOR,. KICKS THE terrified paymaster out into the street. ON THE ROOF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS OPEN FIRE AS THE DOOR FLIES OPEN AND THE PAYMASTER STUMBLES OUT INTO THE STREET INTO THE MIDST OF THE BAND,. screaming as the gunfire cuts him down. The marchers are frozen for a brief instant, then scatter in terror as PIKE AND THE OTHERS BURST OUT THE DOOR, FIRING AT THE MEN ON THE ROOF. RTJNNING TO THEIR HORSES. through the  screaming, terrified marchers. IN THE OFFICE C.L. WATCHES THE ASSISTANTS AND MARGARET,. IGNORING THE RIFLE SLUGS THAT SMASH THROUGH. THE BUILDING AND INTO THE OFFICE. The sound of the band is drowned out by gunfire and screams. C.L. frowns a little. C.L. They was playing Gather at the River. You know that one as they quickly nod assent Then sing it Z AND THEY DO, ALL OF THEM, THEIR VOICES RISING. WITH FERVOR and C.L. joins them, marching up and down,. waving the shotgun in time to the music. A SERIES OF ANGLES THE STREET IS A CONFUSED MELEE AS THE BANDITS RUN FOR THEIR HORSES, TRADING FIRE WITH THE BOUNTY HUNTERS. MEN AND WOMEN, MARCHERS, BANDSMEN AND SPECTATORS RUN FOR COVER, some collide with the bandits,. some hit by the cross fire fall wounded in the dusty road. PIKE AND MEN FIRING BACK, REACH THEIR HORSES. PHIL IS SHOT,. GOES`, DOWN FIRING IS HIT AGAIN AND AGAIN AND DIES. TECTOR GORCH IS WOUNDED HIGH ON THE SHOULDER AND IGNORES IT, STANDING CALMLY, % F IR IN G UP AT THE A B USHERS WITH HIS A MAN IS HIT ON THE ROOF AND SCREAMS AND PITCHES FORWARD, falling.to the street. below as. ANGEL AND LYLE BOTH FIRING rapidly, almost simultaneously, kill. one. man and then another. Two others are wounded by the bandits  fire. THE NIGHTMARE OF A PARADE CONTINUES TO MILL AS THE FLEEING BANDITS MOUNT their plunging horses. HARRIGAN AND THE BOUNTY HUNTERS CONTINUE A BARRAGE OF FIRE THEN THORNTON TENSES, RECOGNIZING PIKE. He hesitates, then lifts his gun to fire. PIKE, HAVING DIFFICULTY MOUNTING HIS HORSE, LOOKS UP, HESITATES, recognizes Deke, then snaps off a shot which misses Thornton and kills SHEP, a bounty hunter firing beside him. Thornton fires and THE TUBA PLAYER, RUNNING WITH HIS INSTRUMENT IN FRONT OF PIKE is hit and falls into the street.. THE WILD BUNCH SWING ONTO THEIR HORSES AND WHEEL them around, I but two are hit, Burt is barely able to control his hors, theother, Abe, dies with his animal PIKE MOUNTS AND GALLOPS HEADLONG INTO THE FRANTIC CROWD, some. of his men. following, others splitting off in different directions.. Behind them,. two lie dead in the street. IN THE OFFICE C.L., SINGING,. MARCHING WITH THE ASSISTANTS, stops, looks out • the window, laughs with delight at the excitement, turns . THE TWO ASSISTANTS AND MARGARET ARE RUNNING FOR THE BACK DOOR. Helifts his shotgun, yells for them to halt. IN THE STREET FRANK, WOUNDED EARLIER, FALLS FROi HI S HORSE, dumping his laden saddle bags. His. foot hangs in the stirrup and his horse drags him after the others. The horse is shot and goes down Frank struggles to his feet, is out down as DUTCH,. FOLLOWING BEHIND, SWINGS DOWN AND PICKS UP THE BAG, then spurs through the crowd, past Frank and into the tent. Horse, man and tent go down in a cloud of dust and canvas. Then, the horse,. Dutch still in the saddle, rises, breaks clear and races away. A WOMAN,  BLIND WITH TERROR, SPINS TO THE GROUND as she runs into Pike I s horse as it slides to a halt as Pike • turns to help Dutch. A TERRIFIED CHILD STANDS and holds its ears, screaming as the horses thunder past. ON THE ROOF • THE BOUNTY HUNTERS CONTINUE FIRI NG, IGNORING HARRIGAN AND THORNTON. AS THEY TRY TO STOP THEM, KICKnr G TB  IR RIFLES ASIDE, dragging them. away from the wall but the .r fight them off and. keep firing. AT THE FAR END OF THE STREET PIKE AND. HIS MEN EMERGE FROM THE CLOUD OF DUST THAT covers the shambles ofthe ambush, and ride for the edge of town. ON ANOTHER STREET A CITIZEN AIMS A PISTOL AND FIRES. The shot hits . I BURT S HORSE, CAUSING THE ANIMAL TO CAREEN WILDLY. It crashes through the railing and falls, throwing Burt through the glass window of a store. IN THE OFFICE C.L. QUIETLY RELOADS HIS GUN AS THE BUNCH NEAR THE. EDGE OF TOWN A FARMBOY STANDS UP IN. A BUCKBOARD AND FIRES A SHOTGUN INTO THE FACE OF BUCK. I THE BIRDSHOT CATCHES BUCK IN THE FACE,. BLINDING HIM. He screams and reels in the saddle.. LYIE. GORCH KILLS THE BOY WITH ONE SHOT . and rides on. BUCK HANGS DESPERATELY ONTO THE HORN as his horse follows the others. ON THE ROOF THO RNTON AND HARRIGAN FINALLY FORCE the bounty hunters to cease firing after the wild bunch. PASSING THE RAILROAD. STATION ON THE FAR SIDE. OF TOWN PIKE PULLS UP HIS HORSE AND WHEELS around to see if they are being followed, kicking loose a lady s shawl tangled in his stirrup. NOBODY IS FOLLOWING NOT YET.. Pike spurs his horse and rides away, the others following. The six bandits remaining are Pike, Dutch, the Gorch brothers, Angel and Buck, now blinded.. A SERIES OF ANGLES. OF THE CARNAGE LEFT BY THE GtJNFI IT WOMEN AND CHILDREN are sobbing hysterically while townspeople move among the dead and dying, ineptly trying to help.  THORNTON LOOKS AT THE SHAMBLES, then turns away sickened and slowly follows as the BOUNTY HUNTERS SCRAMBLE down from the roof. IN THE PAYMASTER S OFFICE C.L., HIS GUN RELOADED, LOOKS AROUND THE OFFICE, humming softly. REACHING THE STREET THE BOUNTY HUNTERS RUN TOWARDS THE DEAD BANDITS followed by Harrigan.. THORNTON MOVES SLOWLY BEHIND THEM, cursing. softly as he. watches the men rush to bodies like a. puck of wild. dogs in a gut wagon they smell. blood and have forgotten the leash.. COFFER AND THE SOUTHERNER,. T.C. NASH, are stripping the pockets of one body while arguing over whose shot killed the man. Harrigan runs toward them. COFFER Well, just dig it out and see. if it ain t my,. S HARRI GAN pointing to the paymaster You stupid damn fools How could you shoot this employee and let the others get away T. C. QUICKLY I didn t shoot that old. boy.My first shot killed this man. right here. COFFER overlapping, crossing to another body He s lying . Him and them others was shootin  that old  employee  full of holes while I was droppin  this bandit and them others too I must ve killed all three of  em, sir, while  THORNTON interrupting him as T.C. and the others protest Harrigan .. He shot the old an WEARILY Maybe we all did. crossing to him But by God the next time you plan your massacre a little more carefully or I ll begin it with you HARRIGAN FURIOUS You ll begin a trip back to Yuma Prison if you don t learn to keep your mouth shut l Why in hell didn t you kill Pike when you had the chance But Thornton doesn t answer he turns, listening to C.L. OS SINGING Shall we gather at the river Where bright angels rise and fall Shall we gather at the river When the work s all done next fall THORNTON AND HARRI GAN WHIRL,AND RUN FOR THE OFFICE FOLLOWED BY SIMPKINS the town marshal and trombonist in the W. C.T.U. band, FRAY, his deputy, and the bounty hunters. IN THE PAYMASTER S OFFICE C.L. IS MARCHING AROUND SINGING, THE SPRAWLED BODIES OF THE ASSISTANTS AND MARGARET are near the back door. C L. turns as the men burst in C.L. • Sing.  Shall we gather at the river THO.RNTON FIRES AND C.L. STAGGERS, falls to one knee,. the shotgun dragging on the floor, his face mirroring shock and surprise. C.L.. Well, how d you like to kiss my sister s black cat s ass. Harrigan fires. C.L. slumps, goes down on the other knee. More bounty hunters burst into the room. CHANGE  C.L. LAUGHS, FALLS FLATS ROLLS AND BEGINS TO PUMP THE SHOTGUN and everybody dives for cover and opens fire, riddling him with bullets. BUT HE TAKES THE MARSHAL, the deputy and one bounty hunter with him before he is cut to pieces. HARRIGAN AND THORNTON LOOKING DOWN at the shambles in the room, turn as WAINSCOAT, THE MAYOR, ENTER, FOLLOWED BY A GROUP OF SHOCKED AND IRATE TOWNSPEOPLE. BENSON, a beefy redneck rancher, curses bitterly as he crosses to Harrigan. BENSON We re holding you your whole damned rail road responsible for this carnage HARRIGAN Mr. Benson.o WAINSCOAT almost screaming Innocent people are dead women mangled dying because you used our town as a battlefield; You re going to pay, sir yourrailroad is going to pay for our blood; HARRIGAN blowing up Without the railroad this place would still be a lousy little pueblo, so don t make any threats to me; BENSON topping him You can t ambush innocent people. on our street HARRIGAN YELLING We were preventing a robbery and.attempt ing to capture a band of outlaws. WAINSCOAT LOUDER You lured that gang in here. the rail roadts been blabbing about a big silver payload for weeks; HARRIGAN We represent the law CHANGE  MORE IRATE CITIZENS BURST INTO THE OFFICE. Thornton moves through themout the door. IN THE STREET HE STOPS, looking at the dead and dying, LISTENING BENSON OS If it takes vigilantes if it takes federal troops I ll stop you and your hired killers.. HARRIGAN OS I can. assure you that there won t be any more trouble. My men will follow BENSON OS cutting him off Your men enter this town again and they will be shot on sight; Thornton ignores them, slowly rolling a cigarette, looking after Pike. Harrigan exits, crosses to Thornton. HARRIGAN I pulled. you out of jail to get that bunch and you failed THORNTON INTERRUPTING You gave the ordersl If you want the job done right you keep the hell out of it next time You and the rest of your railroad trash I ll do it but my way. HARRIGAN What.makes you think there ll be a next time for you What makes you think you re not going back behind bars for twenty more years Thornton s face twists as he hears again the clanging of cell doors and the whimpering of prisoners.. THORNTON Because I m all you ve got then, softly Because I know him. turning away bitterly Because you know I ll get him I ll kill him rather than goback.  HARRI GAN Twice he  s made a fool of me He never will again. then, turning to Thornton You know why you re here before Thornton can ANSWER Not because you re good because I want him dead at your hands the hands of his old friend, his partner THO RNTON after a moment IT get him you have my word. DRY ARROYO DAY LATE AFTERNOON EFFECT THE WILD BUNCH RIDES DOWN A STEEP TRAIL INTO A DRY ARROYO They are weary, but determined. Buck, last in line, covered with blood, is swaying in the saddle. Although severely wounded, he still clutches the bags of silver. REACHING THE BOTTOM OF THE ARROYO THE MEN SPUR their horses across the d r y stream bed and up the steep bank on. t he other side. DUTCH AND PIKE ARE IN THE LEAD. BEHIND THEM THE OTHERS LUNGE UP IN SINGLE FILE. Angel, second to last, reaches the top, turns as BUCK, NOW COMPLETELY BLIND, FALLS BACKWARD OVER THE REAR OF HIS HORSE, HITS THE GROUND AND SOMERSAULTS BACKWARDS TO THE BOTTOM, still clutching the saddle bags. ANGEL PULLS UP and calls to Pike. ANGEL Fijate. BUCK, ON HIS HANDS AND KNEES, MOANS WITH PAIN as he attempts to crawl up the slope. PIKE RIDES DOWN TO HIM,. SWINGS OFF EIS HORSE and stands looking down. CHANGE  THE BLIND MAN, HEARING HIM,, gropes in his direction. PIKE GENTLY TAKES THE BAGS OF SILVER. OUT OF BUCK S HAND. Buck lurches forward, grabbing at Pike who steps back, Pike crosses to his horse, and painfully climbs into the saddle. BUCK dying, almost incoherent with pain I kin still ride.I can t see, but I kin ride. then No, I can t then, yelling Finish it, Mr. Bishop. PIKE. DRAWS HIS GUN P D FIRES BUCK, ON HIS KNEES, • IS CAUGHT SQUARE BY THE. SHO T AND HURLED OVER BACKWARDS. He slides several feet over the smooth, round pebbles of the wash, then is still. Pike turns his horse and spurs it up the slope. THE MEN WATCH SILENTLY AS PIKE RIDES UP. and halts. They don t move, all looking downatBuck. PIKE after a. long moment, trying to cover the loss You boys want to move on or stay here and give him a  decent burial . TECTOR the sentimentalist Well,. he was a good man PIKE BITTERLY He s dead THEN And he s got a  lot of  good men back there to keep him company. LYLE Too damn many. DUTCH SOFTLY I d like. to say a. few kind words for all the departed then perhaps a hymn or two would be in order followed by a  church supper with a choir. CONTINTED LYLE riding away Crazy bastards both of you l Tector follows his brother, cursing.. PIKE AND DUTCH LOOK AT EACH OTHER silently try to grin finally make it then follow. The bunch is attentive, but now certain that they are not being closely followed, they can relax a little.. Pike and Dutch are side by side. PIKE WEARILY,Ten years ago it was some shaky drunk with a tin badge that hid in the g n mill till you cleared town with your grab.Now, they re I c waitin . for you DUTCH With old friends.   LYLE pulling back to  join them Old friends DUTCH Deke Thornton. LYLE I thought he was your partner PIKE SHORTLY He was but he got old and tired and when that happens, things change. DUTCH  He changed you didn t.  CHANGE  A A DENVER HOTEL SUITE NIGHT. The following scenes will be superimposed over and The suite consists of three adjoining rooms and is very plush indeed, TWO VERY BEAUTIFULYOUNG WOMEN in revealing night dress are hindering more than helping, a somewhat loaded Pike Bishop as he attempts to get into his clothes. The ladies are giggling. and there is a great deal of grabass between the three. B THORNTON, fully dressed and looking very sharp in his big city clothes, enters from one of. the adjoining rooms. ELIZABETH, a tall, lovely nearnaked,.darkhaired girl, follows him and takes his arm possessively. For a moment both watch C PIKE S girls effectively stop his halfhearted attempts and begin disrobing him. THORNTON SHARPLY Come on pardner, let s get out of here. PIKE Grinning at him You.sound like you re all caught up, THORNTON Caught up enough to know we ve overstayed our welcomes PIKE Suddenly angry What in hell is the matter with you ELIZABETH Stay please,  PIKE CONTINUES We ve got money.to spend and not a worry in the worlds THEN They re not going to look for us in their own backyard, CHANGE  B  THORNTON How can you be. so damned sure He shakes off the girl, crosses to a sideboard, pours a drink.. PIKE FLATLY That s my business being sure. There is a knock at the door and. Thornton whirls. Elizabeth throws the bolt. THORNTON SAVAGELY Hold it PIKE GRINNING Relax just a little champagne I ordered. D ELIZABETH. STICKS. OUT HER TONGUE AT THORNTON AND OPENS THE. DOOR and gunfire fills the room as E A DEPUTY SHERIFF STEPS INTO THE DOORWAYAND SHOOTS THORNTON high on the shoulder. Thornton. is knocked sprawling. The Deputy moves into the room followed by three other men and fires at Pike but misses, as. F PIKE SLIPS PAST the screaming women into an adjoining room. The other men pursue.P.ike as the Deputy bends down and snaps Thornton s wrists together with handcuffs. The sound of gunfire is heard from the street outside, then two of the men reenter the room. The Deputy looks up.. DEPUTY Get him The man shakes his head. G THORNTON, HIS FACE TWISTED WITH PAIN AND BITTERNESS, makes no attempt •to struggle as he is pulled to his feet and moved out the door., THEY ARE SILENT, RIDING, EVEN LYLE is embarrassed by this betrayal. PIKE He s had five years on the r ck pile, Dutch and twenty more to u go that.can hurt a man. LYLE after a moment Say I ve heard it s like the.old times in Argentina. utch Cassidy down. there making a killing. PIKE. Bolivia.but it ll be over there too, pretty soon. Those pining companies will bring down a bunch of hardcases and Butchtll get his.. THEN .Every one of us is worth a year of drinking and whoring to any fool that can read a wanted poster and carry a gun. DUTCH SOFTLY Deke Thornton isn t just. any fool that can carry a gun and reada wanted poster. PIKE Fo but he takes a dim view of more years in the Carcel THEN We can hope he ain t on. our tail but don t bet on it.. LYLE HAPPILY Tector and I have been stealing since the big depression and we ain t never been caught. This Thornton don t bother us nohe.. PIKE WEARY I don t really give a damn about Deke Thornton.I just know that I d surely like to aet the hell off. this horse. THORNTONLOOKS AT HIM WHITE WITH ANGER, then c ntrols it he is trapped. Finally, he nods and moves away, then stops and turns back, his anger almost beyond any control. THORNTON Tell me, Mr. Harrigan. how does it feel as Harrigan looks at him Getting paid for it stepping closer Getting paid to sit back and hire your killings with the law s arms around you How does it feel to be so damned right; HARR IGAN after a moment, coldly Good, Mr..Thornton.it feels good. THORNTON SOFTLY You dirty son of a bitch. HARRIGAN grinning at him You have days to get him or days to Yuma. You re my Judas Goat, Mr. Thornton. motioning to the bunkhouse Use them lead them get Pike then kill them off. When you come back, I want all of them head down over a saddle. pointing to the bunkhouse AGAIN All of them • head down over a saddle. as Thornton starts to speak days. Heturns and walks away whistling. DISSOLVE TO. BORDER RAILROAD CULVERT AREA AFTERNOON EFFECT THE WILD BUNCH PULLS UP at the railroad which marks the border and look out into Mexico. ANGEL SOFTLY Mexico lindo. LYLE What s so  lindo° about it. CHANGE  RAILROAD BUNKHOUSE DAY DEKE THORNTON STANDS A LITTLE BEHIND HARRIGAN WHO IS SEATED AT A SMALL DESK IN FRONT OF THE OTHER BOUNTY HUNTERS, The interior of the room is tawdry, disorderly and smells bad. The bare walls are decorated with pinups from the Police Gazette. The men sit attentively on the bunks. and.foot lockers., Harrigan is marking beside their names in a large ledger book. After making a  notation, he looks up.. HARRIGAN The hard money value of the men killed less my commi.sson amounts to. one hundred and fifty dollars. THE MEN MUMBLE AND SHIFT. Harrigan holds up four wanted posters. The bounty hunters move closer for a better look. HARRIGAN Bishop. Engstrom. Lyle and Tector Gorch.are worth a total of four thousand five hundred dollars and you let them all ride outs after a moment Any one of these pelts would not only clear you with the company,.but would mean a bundle of cash to raise hell with. Harrigan stands, crosses to the door. T.C. How  .bout a little liquor money for tonight, Mr. Harrigan HARRIGAN There won t be any tonight you move after them in ten minutes turning back Get them get Pike and youtre rich. then But if one of you quits on me I ll pay a thousand dollar bonus to the man who kills him. THE MEN SILENTLY BEGIN TO PACK THEIR BELONGINGS. Harrigan motions to Thornton, then exits. RAILROAD YARD DAY HARRIGAN AND THORNTON WALK AWAY FROM the bunkhouse into the deserted railroad yard.. HARRIGAN Why should I let you go with them THORNTON WEARILY We ve been over that before, Mr. Harrigan. HARRIGAN You could just ride off even join him again you d like that, wouldn t you THORNTON What I like and what I. need are two different things. THEN  Listen I don t want to go back to prison, Mr. Harrigan,. not ever but it.has to be my way. HARR IGAN All right.. THORNTON I need good men You saw what happened today. HARRIGAN FLATLY You ll use what you have. THEN And you ll see it doesn t happen again or I ll see you dead or rotting for the rest of you try your life behind bars to run I ll be after you and so will. they. THORNTON ANGRY I gave you my word. HARRIGAN We ll see what it s worth five minutes. TECTOR Just more of Texas as far as I m concerned. ANGEL You have no eyes. And he rises ahead with Pike and Dutch across the tracks into Mexico. ARROYO SECO BUCK S FACE DAY LATE AFTERNOON IT IS A MASS OF DRIED BLOOD WHICH THORNTON WIPES AWAY WITH HIS GLOVED HAND, then looks up at the eight bounty hunters who are sitting on their horses watching him. THORNTON wear ly V All rightt. How many of you killed this one COFFER SWINGS OFF HIS HORSE FOLLOWED BY SEVERAL OTHERS. COFFER I knowed I wounded  three but I wasn t sure about THORNTON as the others yell in PROTEST Jabali . JABALI, AN AGING NAVAHO INDIAN trots up to.him . THORNTON This pelt should clear you up take him back to town.and tell Harrigan to get me a list of every Army garrison and payroll schedule on the border. to.the.others, crossing to his horse We got another half hour of light and they might be just up ahead counting their money. BANDIT CAMP DAY SUNSET EFFECT PIKE AND HIS MEN RIDE INTO THE RUINS OF A SMALL RANCHERO. A young boy takes their horses while an old.man and his wounded son the father of the boy watch. Behind them, an ancient woman pays no attention as she slaps tortillas into shape. Two small children watch, bigeyed. ; THE MEN ARE QUIET WITH FATIGUE AS THEY DISMOUNT AND TIE. j THEIR HORSES.. FREDDY SYKES, a skinny old man in tattered range clothes, crosses to Pike as he unloads his saddle bags. SYKES Them others ain t comin  PIKE No. SYKES after a moment None of  em PIKE TAKES THE BAGS OUT OF THE CORRAL TO THE FIRE that burns near an adobe wall and drops them on a poncho, watches as the others do the same. SYKES joining him again; worried But I got horses and gear for all them fellers like you said PIKE They won t need them we will. Sykes thinks this over, finally nods. a little and turns away. LYLE AND HIS BROTHER AND DUTCH STAND in a half. circle around the poncho. waiting. Angel, the last, drops his saddle bag, then crosses to the wall and drops down to rest. For a long moment the men look down.at the pile of saddle bags. LYLE About the sharing up. PIKE WEARILY The sharing up s going to be the some as always. CHANGE  LYLE whining; pointing to ANGEL Tector and I don t like the idea of him getting the same as us.He s just starting out and this is our stake for new territory. Pike looks at him silently. He has heard this kind of argument many times in the past and it is obvious he is sick to death of it. Lyle finally looks awa at his brother; TECTOR And I figure a  share to that old man for watching the horses is a share too much. ll& PIKE TAKES A KNIFE OUT OF HIS BELT, opens a saddle bag,. takes out a sack of silver, kneels to slit the bag open. LYLE You hear me, Pike I said it ain t fair. Pike stands,. flips the knife into the ground, faces the brothers. P IKE SOFTLY If you two boys don t like equal shares why in hell don t you just take it all They look at him silently. DUTCH DRIFTS AWAY A LITTLE TO TIE SIDE OF PIKE. •SYKES MOVES OUT OF THE BACKGROUND, a buffalo gun now dangling from one arm. The brothers tense. Angel laughs softly. PIKE almost a whisper Well,..why don t you answer me, you dapnned yellow.livered trash The brothers fide, et., look at each other. LYLE Ah.  Pike, you know.  PIKE his voice a whip I don t know a damned thing except I either lead this bunch or I end it right now; LYLE No, sir we divide just as you say. Pike looks at them a moment, then picks up his knife and alicea open a bag and turns it upside down and dumps the contents onto the spreadout poncho watching as STEEL WASHERS POUR THE PONCHO THE GROUP IS SILENT IN DISBEL EF staring at the pile of worthless steel. Hykes eases up, takes a cautious look. TECTOR Rings , Steel rings DUTCH. quietly Washers PIKE TURNS AWAY. LYLE TAKES ANOTHER BAG AND CUTS INTO IT. Morewashers pour _ PIKE under his breath Son of a bitch LYLE S BOOT FLASHES INTO THE PILE. The washers fly in all directions. Lyle whirls on Pike. LYLE Washers.we shot our way out of that town for a dollar s worth of steel holes. He kicks into the pile and scatters Washers across the clearing. PIKE They set it up LYLE yelling Who the hell is  they SYKES laughing; cackling  They  by  they, are just plain and fancy  they.   They.  dancing around them his high laughter splitting the night Caught you, didn t they Tied a tin can to your tail didn t they Lead you in and waltzed you out Oh my what a bunch big tough ones standing around with a handful of holes a thumb up your ass and a big grin to pass the time of day with. TECTORSWINGS AT HIM, BUT THE OLD MAN DUCKS, then falls and rollsaway, still laughing. Tector starts to follow, Pike stepsbetween them. PIKE Railroad men Pinkertons bounty HUNTERS THEN Deke Thornton. SYKES in disbelief Deke Thornton He was with. them LYLE as Pike doesn t answer; QUIETLY How come you didn t know PIKE TURNS AWAY. DUTCH LOOKS AT PIKE QUESTIONINGLY, THEN ALL TURN as the SOUND of laughter comes from behind. ANGEL IS SITTING AGAINSTTHE WALL LAUGHING. ANGEL to Tector Hey, gringo; You take my share. TECTOR WHIRLS, HIS HAND FLASHING FOR HIS GUN. BEFORE HE CAN DRAW ANGEL S. EXPRESSION TURNS serious and a gun is suddenly in his hand covering the big outlaw. Angel smiles again.then pleads mockingly. ANGEL Don t kill me, gringo por favor. Take my share of the  silver  but don t kill me, please. Tector tenses, almost snarling with rage.. PIKE,k for it I Tector, looking at Angel s gun, half turns to Pike. PIKE continuing; softly Go on, fall apart Lyle and Tector hesitate, their hands on their guns Dutch moves back into the shadows of the firelight, his rifle drifting across Tector. ANGEL SMILES AND SLOWLY replaces his gun.  DUTCH Let s walk soft, boys. LYLE, STILL MORE THAN HALF READY TO GO FOR HIS GUN, hesitates. TECTOR LOOKS AT PIKE, DUTCH, ANGEL, T.HEN slaps his gun into his holster and moves away, but his hand is never far from the weapon.. THE GROUP STANDS MOTIONLESS FOR A MOMENT, THEN SYKES REACHES INTO HIS COAT, LIFTS OUT A BOTTLE,. SITS BY THE FIRE and hands it to Dutch. Dutch sits by Sykes, takes a drink, offers the bottle to Tector, Tector hesitates, then hunkers down and drinks. Slowly the others.follow suit. DUTCH as the bottle moves around What s our next move , PIKE Agua Verde is the closest three days maybe then we sell the extra stock get some griib and the news and drift back to the border maybe a payroll maybe abank LYLE GENTLY Maybe that damned railroad TEC TOR That railroad sire bsi hell ain t getting ny easier. • SYKES QUIETLY And we,ain t getting any younger. For a moment, it looks like he ll get a smart answer in return, then Lyle drinks and lifts the bottle to Angel who.crosses to.the fire,. drinks and passes it to Sykes. PIKE FINALLY We got to start thinking beyond our guns theft days are closin  fast. LYLE without malice All your fancy planning and talk damn near got us shot to pieces for.some lousy bags of washers. Now this was goin.  to be our last job before we head south We spent all our time and money getting ready for this. PIKE DRYLY You spent your time and money running whores in Hondo while I spent my stake setting it up. LYLE CALMLY PICKS UP A WASHER, flips. it to or at Pike who catches it, looks at it, through it, drinks, tosses it back on the pile. CHANGE  PIKE TRUTHFULLY Looks like I d have been better off running whores than making plans stealing horses and buying uniforms. THE MEN ARE SILENT FOR A LONG MOMENT. Then they break into soft laughter which builds slowly. LYLE after a moment He he was making plans while me and Tector was He breaks up and can t continue. DUTCH his laughter growing,While you was getting your bell rope pulled by standing; almost choking By two mind you, two Hondo whores while Pike s dreaming of washers you re matching two of them in tandem And the wild bunch falls apart in laughter even Pike is caught, but as he laughs, he knows that they are together again. DESERT DAY SUNSET EFFECT DEKE THORNTON AND THE BOUNTY HUNTERS ARE GROUPED AROUND A FIRE EATING.. T.C. How close you figure we are THORNTON Not close enough. They re across the border by now. COFFER Deke you rode with. Pike what kind of a man are we up against THORNTON after a long moment; softly The best THEN CHANGE  THORNTON CONT tD He s never got caught. after a moment And he won t be if you boys don t learn your trade. FESS How was it then mm as Thornton looks at him You know in the old days I only come out here last spring. THORNTON after a long moment You can saddle up or shut up take your choice COFFER after a long moment What will he do THORNTON That s what I have to figure. COFFER Maybe they ll split up. THORNTON No not  that. bunch. They ll try again. T.C. How do you know  But Thornton doesn t answer. PIKE S CAMP NIGHT PIKE AND DUTCH ARE SIDE BY SIDE IN THEIR blankets listening to Angel play the guitar. For several moments they are. silent, then PIKE Didn t you run some kind of mine in Sonora DUTCH Yeah, I helped run a little copper nothing for us there except day wages, if it was running now which it ain t. CHANGE  L.. PIKE FINDS IT.IMPOSSIBLE TO get comfortable. Groaning and wincing with pain he shifts on the bedroll. PIKE Why in the hell, did you ever quit it DUTCH Why in hell are you still goin  PIKE I don. t know any better maybe don t want any better, then, after a moment Hell, I wouldn t know what to do with  better  if it poked me.in the eye with a sharp stick. DUTCH laughing softly You never gave it a chance Pike. PIKE ANGRY I threw away more chances in one year that you will see in your whole.l.ife but that don t mean you have. to   be a damn fool like me. Dutch sits up, rolls and lights a cigarette. DUTCH You got a halfway hard mouth, partner. PIKE What in hell do you want me tosay, DUTCH Just don t give me, no lectures.. They are silent finally PIKE This was going to be my last, too. I m not getting around any better like the redhaired lady said to the. whitehaired judge  I only got so many miles left in my backside, Your Honor, and I aim to keep it moving while I m still young enough to feel. what it s there for.  a.s Dutch laughs softly I d like to make a good score then back off.  DUTCH Back off to what as Pike doesn t answer Any real ideas for a next one Pike closes his eyes and leans back. PIKE Pershing. has. got men spread over the whole border. Everyone of those garrisons is going to be.gptting payroll. DUTCH That kind of information is kind of. rough to come by. PIKE sitting up Well I don t figure it s going to be easy, but it can be done. DUTCH. They ll be waiting for us. PIKE I wouldn ,t have it any other way. THORNTON S CAMP NIGHT MOST OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS ARE ASLEEP, only Thornton and Cof fer are awake. Thornton sits up,.begins to roll a cigarette. COFFER If he s in old Mex do we follow him THORNTON No. COFFER Why not . THORNTON He ll be back. COFFER Harrigan   said something about thirty days CHANGE  THORNTON after a moment That s what he said, PIKE S CAMP NIGHT DUTCH You must have hurt that railroad pretty bad they spent a lot of time and money getting that ambush set up for us. PIKE smiling at the memory Well, I caught up to them two or three times There was a man named Harrigan He had a certain way of doing things So I made him change his ways when you do that to a narrow man he can t live with it from then on he s got to change you break you just to prove he s.right there s a hell of a lot of people, Dutch that just can t stand to be wrong. DUTCH Pride, I guess PIKE I guess but they can t ever forget it that pride that being wrong or learn by it. DUTCH after a long moment And you and me did we learn being wrong today PIKE SOFTLY Well, I surely hope to God we did. SYKES CROSSES TO PIKE, GIVES HIM a cup of coffee, moves away, DUTCH Where d you find him CHANGE  Cont, PIKE softly That toothless old wreck was a real gun about twenty years back used to run with Thornton and me killed his share and more around Langery Ambushed stages all along that old board highway.,.He had those Swede immigrants so scared theyQd starve rather than go to town and by beans for their kids, and there wasn t a sheriff in. the territory to take issue He laughs, drinks the coffee and gags.. PIKE CONTINUING And he ain t changed only nowhe does his killing with a coffee cup. Dutch laughs and then both lean back listeningas ANGEL, WRAPPED IN HIS SERAPE LEANING AGAINST THEWALL, plays the great ranchero songs of old Mexico., LYLE.AND TECTOR ARE ALSO AWAKE and listening. DUTCH softly Pike, I wouldnt have it no other way aither. DISSOLVE TO DESERT SAND DUNE. AREA DAY PIKE AND THE OTHERS NOW DRESSED FOR THE TRAIL RIDE ALONG THE TOPOF A HIGH DUNE;. They are tired and dirty. Near the edge they dismount to lead their horses to the bottom. L. THE SAND IS LOOSE AND THE FOOTING EXTREMELY DIFFICULT as they start down in single file, Sykes is last, he leads his own horse, a pack animal, and three of the empties. SUDDENLY SYKES SLIPS AND LOSES HISFOOTING. He falls FORWARD PULLING THE FIVE HORSES DOWN WITH HIM.. Unable to control his slide he collides with Tector who is next in line. Tector s fall starts a p fain reaction in which all the men slide to the bottom of ttLe hill. PICKING UP SPEED THEY TUMBLE TO THE BOTTOM and land in a giant cloud of. dust. There. is a profusion of coughing and swearing as the men andanimals struggle to their feet.. TECTOR STANDS,. CURSES AT SYKES,. then picks up a. stone and throws it at.the old man who is hit and falls backward. PIKE GRABS TECTOR AND SWINGS HIM AROU D. PIKE Leave him alone TECTOR R AVING Hats goin  to get pis killed get rid of him PIKE his anger growing We don. t get rid of nobody we stick together just like it used to be when you side aman you stay with him shaking him If you can t do that you re worse than some animal you re finished we re finished all of us Tector looks at him silently. PIKE TURNS TO MOUNT THE HORSE. Placing his foot in the stirrup he stiffly starts to swing on. The leather breaks and. he falls under the animal. Landing on his back, he lets out a loud shriek. THE OTHER N EN LOOK DOWN AT HIM AS TEEM MOUNT. Dutch, ready to mount his horse hesitates, but doesn t move to help. PIKE STRUGGLES TO HIS FEET. None of them move forward to help him and he doesn t expect them to. He is visibly miserable as he recovers the reins of his animal and tears off the.broken leather. LYLE AND TECTOR GRIN A LITTLE. Sykes turns away. TECTOR PIOUSLY  Pears  Brother Pike  needs help, Brother Lyle. LYLE Riding with  Brother Pike  and old man Sykes makes a man wonder if it ain t time to pick up his chips andfind another game. TECTOR suddenly yelling at Pike How in hell are you going to side any body if you can t get on a horse. PIKE LOOKS AT THEM, THEN STEPS onto the makeshift stirrup and mounts, concealing his pain, taking a few seconds to gather up the reins and position himself. In the b.g., Dutch swings onto his horse. PIKE Were about two hours from the Santa Caterinas. He turns and rides toward the mountains, the men following. SYKES RIDES UP BESIDE PIKE SYKES That was a mighty fine talk you gave the boys  bout stickin  to gether. as Pike doesn t ANSWER CONTML ED SYKES CONT D That Gorch was near killin  me or me him THEN Damned old fool like me s not worth. takin  along. PIKE We started together we ll end it together. SYKES By God, that s the way I see it that s the way it s always been with me.Sorry  bout Deke never figured him that way, then, as Pike doesn t answer Back in. San. Rafael my boy how  d. he do They ride for a while in silence as Pike. thinks this over, finally . _ PIKE Your boy SYKES C.L. Clarence Lee my daughter s boy not too bright, but a good boy He handle higself all right I told him you do just what Mister Bishop says Did he conduct hisself well PIKE after a long moment He did fine THEN Why didn t you tell me he was your grandson SYKES Well, you had enough on your mind He had to pull his weight just like the rest of us just wanted to know he didn t let you down run. when things got hot PIKE after a moment No he did fine.just fine. DISSOLVE TO CHANGE  } A BORDER ` R A ILROAD CULVERT AREA DAY THORN TON AND THE BOUNTY HITTERS follow the wild bunch s trail. They are hot and tired and with the exception of Thornton,.. are apprehensive. Coffer pulls up, calls to Thornton COFFER That culvert good place for them to make an ambush. THORNTON Go on ride up and find Coffer hesitates, his ayes wide with fear. Thornton draws his gun, pulls back the hammer. THORNTO SAVAGELY Go onl Coffer rides forward. THORNTON to the others Next time I want advice from any of you scum I ll ask for it until then, keep your mouths shut and do what you  re to ld% COFFER turning back, calling All clear   THORNTON RIDES UP TO THE CULVERTS HALTS, DISMOUNTS, STEPS INTO the shade, the others follow suit. COFFER From here on, its Mexico, Mr, Thornton. T.C. Do we follow THORNTON What s the closest town of any size COFFER POINTING Agua Verde maybe two or three days. then, pointing in the apposite direction Juarez five six days hard riding, THORNTON What s in Agua Verde  COFFER Mexicans what else. then quickly, as Thornton turns on him Headquarters for Huerta regulars. fighting Obregon, led by an old time bandit named Mapache. Thornton thinks about this, then mounts and rides back in the direction they have come from. COFFER Don twe follow THORNTON No we wait. T.C. MOUNTING How long • Mr. Thornton. THORNTON  Twentyeight days. DISSOLVE TO DESTROYED HACIENDA SAN CARLOS • DAY   THE BANDITS ARE RIDING under a broad sky across through a destroyed pueblo filled with silent ghostlike people, four or five crying children, vultures and four men hanging from a tree. In the distance is a high range of mountains. Angel spurs his horse and rides up beside Pike. DUTCH to Pike We re not going to find much down here., That damned Huerta  s scraped it clean. ANGEL in Spanish May he die the death of a thousand traitors., then My village is up there in those mountains. PIKE So  ANGEL I wish to visit my f amily.I can do it and meet you in Agua Verde a day of ter you get there. PIKE How ANGEL Going this way, you will. have to turn east when you get south of the range. Iknow the way to cross the mountains. DUTCH If you know a shorter way..  show us. Angel looks away and is silent for several seconds. PIKE Ashamed of having us meet your people ANGEL SINCERELY Yes.;..They don  t know about zny life when I am out of the village. Pike and Dutch both laugh softly, then Pike pulls up at a watering trough and dismounts as his horse begins to drink. PIKE Far as Ifm concerned, you can go, LYLE dismounting, joining THEM Far as I m concerned he goes he dontt come back. DUTCH That sounds right to me.. PIKE Looks like I m outvoted. TECTOR JOINS THEM TECTOR DISMOUNTING Whatfs the problem PIKE Wants to visit his folks alone thinks we re a little rank for his people. k. I LYLE as Tector drinks beside his horse I think he can go straight to hell. TECTOR Probably wants to get a bunch of his _people and waylay us DUTCH And take what Tector thinks this over, doesn t answer. PIKE to Angel How do  you want it ANGEL after a long moment I invite you to my village my home. then, looking at Tector and Lyle Any violence any disrespect and I will. kill you. Tector and Lyle look at him without expression for a moment, then . LYLE You got a sister ANGEL Yes. LYLE I would be proud to.make her acquaint ance and. that of your Mama, too. TECTOR trying not to laugh And your Grandmaw too, sonny. Angel looks at them, then mounts, rides toward the mountains ASWE DISSOLVE TO DRY ARROYO  DAY THORNTON AND HIS BOUNTY HUNTERS are riding back past the place where Buck died. The men are sullen,. some almost openly defiant.  T.C. We go back with our tail between our legs Harrigan will have our hides. THORNTON PATIENTLY They ll be coming back and we ll be waiting for them. C OFFER WHINING We was supposed to go after them Thornton reins up, looks at Coffer, who looks quickly away. THORNTON You have something to say Coffer instantly lifts his hands in submission and shakes his head. Then, after a moment COFFER They say Freddy Sykes is with them you rode with the old man, didn t you, Mr. Thornton you and Pike and the old man But Thornton rides on and doesn t answer. ANGEL S VILLAGE DAY TECTOR AND LYLE ARE SEATED ON THE GROUND trying to duplicate the intricacies o£ a very complicated cat s cradle demon strated to them by ROCIO, the lovely brighteyed year old sister of Angel. Both men are drinking tequilla, but both are sober, entranced and completely dominated by the girl. All three straighten as CARMEN, ANGEL S MOTHER, CALLS from a nearby fire where she is preparing food with her mother. CARMEN Miha trigame auga.por los frijolesl The girl jumps to her feet, hands both men a bucket or olla and leads.them down the bank to the river. The natural beauty of this location should contrast with other landscapes in the picture. This village and its inhabitants represent a complete and green contrast to the arid world of the wild bunch, CWGE AN GEL AND PIKE SEATED IN THE THATCHED SHADE OF A RAMADA WITH DON JOSE, ANGEL S GRANDFATHER, WATCH SILENTLY. SYKES IS A FEW FEET AWAY. Angel watches dully,. his eyes mirroring his agony. Pike laughs softly, watching. PIKE Hard to believe. DON JOSE Not so hard we all dream of being achild again even the worst of us perhaps the worst most of all.. PIKE looking at him You know us, then DON JOSE I know myself only where I have been, what I have done. PIKE Like to ride with us, old man And for a moment, the old man s eyes flash as he watches DUTCH AND THREEVILLAGERS SHOEING a very small, very mean L. mule. All four have been drinking a little and are thoroughly enjoying themselves as is the mule as he pitches and knocks them all sprawling.. DON JOSE I am too old. almost cursing, indicating SYKES Too old even to ride beside this ancient gringo. SYKES LAUGHS AND DRINKS SYKES Hell, you ain t so old; partner. ANGEL STANDS, TURNS TO THEM ANGEL BITTERLY And the soldier. who shot my father what was his name  DON JOSE They were many who shot your father resisted like a man and died like a man names in this matter have no importance. to Pike proudly I killed one; as Pike looks at him I lie I ran SYKES Joe  by God I like you. I like a man who tells the truth. ANGEL IMPATIENTLY And the leader how was he called DON JOSE after a moment Mapache. ANGEL That is.name enough. PIKE The Federal. troops they don t. protect you ICON JOSE They were Federal troops; commissioned by the traitor Huerta seven of the village were killed our horses and cattle and corn stolen all in the name of Huerta, the killer of our President Francisco I.. Madero In Mexico, Senor these are the years of sadness. ANGEL after a long moment, STANDING And Teresa DON JOSE Gone. ANGEL WHIRLING They took her $ DON JOSE No she went with them because she wished to. She became the woman of Mapache and others she went with them laughing Drunk with wine and love. Angel, knowing it s true, turns and moves away. Pike looks after him.  DON JOSE HANDS SYKES THE BOTTLE, SYKES DRINKS, HANDS IT TO PIKE who drinks. DON JOSE To him she was a goddess. To be wor shipped from afar with music and flowers a deity to be followed and adored at a dis nee but Mapache   knew she was a mango ripe and waiting. PIKE So Angel lives with a dream while Mapache eats the mango DON JOSE Just so THEN You have been there with the dream PIKE Many times and with the mango too. SYKES CACKLING You just bet he has, Joe. PIKE I never could carry a candle to you, old timer. DON JOSE to Pike And. which do you prefer, the dream or the taste PIKE I dream when I sleep and eat when I m hungry. DON JOSE laughing with Sykes Just so • the both of you and Mapache and I ANGEL, SOME DISTANCE AWAY, watches evening come upon the quiet village and watches TECTOR AND LYLE moving from the pond carrying water, now surrounded by a dozen laughing children. DUTCH AND THE THREE OLD MEN trying to pound a horseshoe an the mule. HIS MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER AND other village women now basting a kid cooking over the coals and PIKE,. SYKES AND HISGRANDFATHER laughing in the ramada. ANGEL TURNS AWAY, his eyes suddenly blind with tears,. Then,turns and crosses to his Grandfather.. ANGEL Where is Mapache; RAILROAD YARDS SAN RAFAEL. DAY SUNSET EFFECT   L. THORNTON LEADS THE BOUNTY HUNTERS ALONG THE RAILS toward the bunkhouse. They have been riding a long time. The men are tired and bitter. Suddenly Coffer draws his gun and points it at Thornton s back.. For a moment it. looks as if he will shoot, then Thornton pulls up sharply,. and kicks his. horse to one side as HARRIGAN STEPS OUT OF THE BOXCAR OR STATION OFFICE stands waiting. Coffer s gun has disappeared., THORNTON Ride ahead, all of you. And they do, riding toward Harrigan as we., ANGEL  S VILLAGE NIGHT MOST OF THE VILLAGE IS gathered around three or four fires eating the young goat meat. drinking tequilla and mescal, watching . CHANGE . , TECTOR AND LYLE dance a Mexican Virginia reel as SYKES BLOWS ACCOMPANIMENT with harmonica along with two of the local guitar players. THE VILLAGERS CHEER THEM ON, THEN TWO PRETTY GIRLS ANNA AND LINDA JUMP UP and. dance with the Gorch brothers, learning the steps from the willing, if surprisingly bashful, teachers. PIKE, A PIECE OF GOAT MEAT IN HIS HAND LISTENS TO. THE MURMURING OF CARMALITA, A RATHER PLUMP AND QUITE PRETTY YOUNG GIRL, seated between him and Dutch. Angel, across. the fire, raises his voice and repeats the question . ANGEL. You must tell me. where Map ache HIS GRANDFATHER, WATCHING PIKE AND DUTCH AND CARMALITA, laughing softly to himself, finally turns, his smile fading. DON JOSE Why do you wish to know for your father or the whore Pike looks up as Angel fights within himself to find an answer, PIKE FINALLY It doesn t make any difference, kid our business is in Agua Verde For a moment Angel looks like he will explode, then he lifts a bottle of tequi.lla in salute to Pike. ANGEL As you say, Jefe to Agua Verde and  our business.  AGUA VERDE PLAZA DAY PIKE AND THEOTHER It N ARE WATERING THEIR HORSES under the shade of several large trees in the main plaza of Agua Verde,. The town itself is dull and sun colored like. the surrounding country. Its most remarkable features are a great deal of soldiers exiting and entering a cantinalike building and a small, aging, ornate, church. SYKES PURCHASES A TACO FROM A SMALL BOY and gums at it while the contents run into his beard. PIKE LIFTS A STIRRUP FROM HIS SADDLE on the hitching rail and examines the repair, then puts it on his horse. Tector. and Lyle squat in the shade working at making a cat s cradle. Angel is talking quietly to three Mexican peons some distance away. •. DUTCH LEAVES. THE BUILDING and joins Pike. DUTCH All soldiers not a bounty hunter in sight. PIKE We ll go. have a drink, then try and sell the horses. SYKES  Who .s going to buy looks to me like. this place has been picked clean. ANGEL joining Pike He s been here; THE HORSES PUT THEIR EARS BACK and whinny nervously as an incredible noise is heard off scene. The men snap their heads.around and look at A HUGE CLOUD OF DUST FROM THE EDGE OF T N MOVING DOWN THE STREET towards the plaza. Inside is the almost ghostlike appearance of a or touring car. Four mounted men are riding on each side and a host of small.children are running, screaming, behind it. THE CAR PULLS UP IN FRONT OF THE CANTINALIKE BUILDING. SIX MEN GET OUT AND TWO OF THEM INSTANTLY BEGIN DUSTING AND POLISHING. The mounted guards. take up positions around the vehicle. The group shows deference to a large man wearing general s braid. EL  MAPACHE. Next to him is his second in command, ZAMORRA. The third man dressed in white linen is MOHR, a German military advisor. With him is ERNST, his aide. PIKE AND THE OTHERS WATCH with interest as the men enter a cantinalike building. Then without a word they cross the  street, drawn to the vehicle. Angel is tense, knowing that his man has arrived. PIKE I seen one just like this in Waco. LYLE Run on steam PIKE No.alcohol .or gasoline. FREDDY SYKES EDGES UP CLOSE TO PIKE. He is anxious to make a. statement and he speaks to him as he walks around the car. SYKES Pike. I heard about one they got up north that. kin fly; Pike nods sagely. Te.ctor Gorch on the other side of the car hears the remark. TECTOR SCORNFULLY That was a balloon,you damned old fool. PIKE No,. the old man s right. They got t em now with motors and wings cover miles in less than an hour.goin  to use them in the war, they say. as T ector looks at him astonished This could cover. miles in an hour   cording to the road, of course. DUTCH That could run a horse right into the ground. PIKE Not that easy these automobiles can t stand.any rough ground or hot sun like a horse they re for show mostly. TECTOR TOUCHES A FENDER AND ONE of the guards spurs toward him, cursing in Spanish. Tector backs off,. hands in the air. TECTOR I was just going to touch th.,e damn thing, not marry it. CHANGE  ANGEL Un gigante de miquina Ha de tenor una fuerza tremenda. A giant of a machine What force it must have GUARD La fuerza.do, caballos. The force of, horses. ANGEL Y el dueno un general por lo menos. And the owner a general at least. GUARD Mapache Mis que un general un hombre hecho para reinar todo Mexico, si Dios quiere. Mapache More than a general a man to.rule all of Mexico if God wills. ANGEL SMILES AT THE MAN, TURNS AND CROSSES TOWARD. THE CANTINA. PIKE STOPS HIM. PIKE You re here with us,pardner any business you got with the general comes after we finish ours and that is selling horses.. ANGEL after a moment, shrugging As you wish. He turns away, Pike grabs him, jerks him back, PIKE GENTLY _ You make.one move to trouble and I ll kill you understand we stick together. DUTCH before Angel can answer Angel who does this thing belong to ANGEL with due respect Es el carrazo oficial de.su excelencia el Generalisimo Mapache. Dutch turns smiling and tells the others. DUTCH The official carrazo of the Pache Generalisimo. CHANGE  . PIKE Let s get some beer and talk to the general about his automobile and our extra horses,,.nice and easy. The men turn and follow him into the cantina. CANTINA DAY THE CANTINA IS A LARGE MANY LEVELED ROOM IN A HALF DESTROYED HACIENDA FILLED WITH MEXICANS wearing the uniforms of Huerta,  s counterrevolutionary army and their ladies,, A small mariachi band wanders among the. tables. playing folk. songs of the era. In certain areas horses are stabled. a blacksmith shop is working, guns are being repaired, knives and bayonets sharpened..,and food is being cooked for the troops by their women. Kids, as always,. are very evident. L. MAPACHE AND HIS GROUP ARE SEATED AT A TABLE which is in  a covered area raised above the others. It is obvious from. his position and respect accorded him that he is the local boss of the area.  The German officer, Mohr, and Ernst, are  sitting on one side of him. Lieutenant Zamorra is seated on the other side. Herrera is close by. PIKE AND THE OTHERS MOVE TOWARDS A CORNER of the cantina eyeing the Mexicans with the kind of caution that men who are vastly outnumbered generally show.. They sit quietly at a table, ignoring the suspicious looks of the soldiers. AT MAPACHE S LONG TABLE, the General and the Germans watch them with pointed interest. Mohr nudges Mapache and asks who they are. Mapache shr ugs he doesn t know, EMMA, A PRETTY WAITRESS, CROSSES TO PIKE S table to take their order. EMMA Diga PIKE Beers.. six cervesas, EMMA Como Angel remains silent, looking at the General,   DUTCH Seii cervesas. The girl leaves to  get the order. The men at the table look around the cantina. At a nearby table a group of men are throwing dice and laughing loudly. The mariachis are gather ing around Mapache.. Lyle shifts in his chair to look at them. MAPACHE IS LAUGHING AND DRINKING. The German. leans close to Zamorra and speaks in Spanish. MOHR Do you know these Americans ZAMORRA No. The German settles back in his.chair and. begins placing a cigarette in a holder. TECTOR AND LYLE LOOK SUSPICIOUSLY AROUND AT THE MEXICANS in the cantina. The other men tired from the trail only half listen to them as the girl serves beer. TECTOR Probably talking about us behind our backs. DUTCH TURNS TO PIKE WHO IS QUAFFING a large beer. DUTCH I m down to about twenty in silver. PIKE The G neralisimo has cleaned this part a of the country He ought to have it to spare. DUTCH Generalisimo hell he s just a damn bandit grabbing all he can for himself. PIKE GRINNING Like some others I could mention DUTCH No sir we don t.hang nobody or torture them I hope the people here kick him and the rest of the scum like him right intotheir graves. . ANGEL SITTING QUIETLY WITH HIS GLASS OF BEER WATCHES MAPACHE, his eyes burning with hatred. ANGEL We will if it takes a thousand years Then suddenly, he reacts to the sound of a girl s voice off scene. TERESA Vamos .te va. gustar el Alenman Angel. spins around in his chair watching as TWO PRETTY MEXICAN GIRLS, TERESA AND RASA, laughing and giggling, passthe table. ANGEL Teresa; He reaches out and grabs the better looking of the two by the arm. LYLE OS Hey,. boy.you know them cuties Teresa recognizes him, then pulls away, TERESA DEFAME ROSA Llamo los otros TERESA No, Vete, ahorita vengo; Pike and Dutch tense as Angel stands and jerks her toward him, PIKE Let her go ANGEL LOOKS AT THE GIRL, furious and hurt.. ANGEL Djaste el pueblo; TERESA Si deje el pinche pueblo. Y ahora vivo con el generalisimo; She jerks away from Angel and starts toward the other table. CHANGE  Angel. watches her go. In the b.g.,the group of Mariachis playing loudly have moved around Mapache s table.. No one there seems. to have seen the action. PIKE Take it easy He places a hand on Angel s shoulder. DUTCH to Angel Que pasa PIKE His sweetheart ANGEL still. watching Teresa She was my woman and she left the village., L TERESA SPLITS THE MARIACHIS AND STEPSUP BESIDE EL MAPACHE and begins kissing his ear.. TECTOR LAUGHING Sure ain t your woman no more.  LYLE Just look at her licking that, big devil s ear. Angel watches, his rage growing, then stands Pike goes forhim., . but too late.. ANGEL HISSES Put a In a split second he draws and fires. TERESA HAS JUST S.TARTED TO SIT ON THE BIG MAN S LAP WHEN THE BULLET FROM THE FORTYFIVE CATCHES. HER IN THE STOMACH and hurls her to the floor. The others at the table duck for cover, their guns coming ANGEL IS STARING AT THE GIRL AS PIKE T EROWS A PUNCH DIRECTLY into the side of his head dropping him onto the floor, knock ing him The others stand, hands an theirguns, THE ENTIRE AREA IS COMPLETELY SILENT. SEVERAL SOLDIERS ARE STANDING WITH THEIR GUNS COVERING PIKE AND THE OTHERS. Mapache and the others slowly rise, look at Angel, now realizing who shot the girl. MAPACHE STARTS TOWARDS THEM. He pushes over chairs and shoves people aside as he approaches the group. Zamorra the Germans and other members of his retinue are close on his heels. PIKE AND THE OTHERS ARE SILENT AND UNMOVING AS MAPACHE STEPS up to the table and quickly scans the group.. Angel gets to his knees Mapache kicks him in the.head and when Angel. falls back, stamps him several times with his boot,, steps away. One of Mapache s men starts to bash Angel s head with a rifle` butt,. Mapache stops the man with a gesture,. then turns to the others. MAPACHE Qua basura es este Mapache again. kicks Angel.. ZAMORRA Why did he try to kill His Excellency. PIKE He didn t, he was. after the girl. Mapache is having difficulty understanding. He looks at Z amorra with a puzzled expression. ZAMORRA La.muchacha,.. DUTCH Era su novia; The Mexicans immediately respond to Dutch s explanation. Both Z.amorra and Mapache smile. O MAP ACHE PLEASED His fiancee. PIKE He went a little crazy when he saw her with you. Mapache laughs. His ego is pleased with the idea that.he had taken someone s woman. He turns and explains grandly in Spanish to the rest of. the cantina. MA PA CHE Mato su vieja porque salio con El Mapache; The soldiers in the cantina laugh and ad lib their response.. PIKE. AND DUTCH TRY TO SMILE as do the Gorch brothers and Sykes. MOHR IGNORES them, looking with interest at the U.S..Army pistols that the men are wearing. MOHR to Pike Are you men in Agua Verde for business PIKE. Thought we might sell a few horses. MOHR You must have been associated with the American Army, is that riot so Tector and Lyle snicker slightly at the remark. Mapache and Zamorra turn, listening carefully to the conversation. The cantina is silent. DUTCH No were not associated with anyone. MOHR I see,.. was curious because of.the equipment which you are carrying. as they look at him That pistol is restricted for use by army personnel. It can t be purchased or even owned. legally. PIKE GUARDEDLY Is that so MOHR You re surprised at my interest then as Pike doesn t answer Weapons are a specialty of mine. Mohr bows his head slightly and clicks his heels barely audib y, MOHR I am Commander Frederick Mohrof the Imperial German. Army. For the last six months I have been in Mexico helping fight against the revolutionaries. ANGEL ON THE FLOOR IS CONSCIOUS, but uimoving., listening to what is being said. Several of Mapache s men stand around him. MOHR Unfortunately your government has chosen to aid the rabble in their socalled struggle for liberty. PIKE I. never heard of any American troops fighting down here. CHANGE  MOHR They are aiding in diplomatic channels. It would be very useful to us if we knew of Americans who did not share their government s naive sentiments. PIKE We have vez y few sentiments in common with our government. MAPACHE Qua diga MOHR Xn Spanish Generalisimo, I think we should ask these gentlemen to have a drink with us. And Pike, understanding. that much Spanish, smiles as we. DISSOLVE TO BAR NIGHT A MARIACHI IS BLOWING HARD AND SAD INTO A TINY BRASS TRUMPET AS he looks at the body of Teresa being dragged Emma and.Rosa are still very much in evidence.. AT MAPACHE S TABLE, PIKE, DUTCH, LYLE, TECTOR AND SYKES are all seated at the raised table on the dais..,. Mapache seated at one end is tired and looks half asleep,. In the b.g. Angel can be seen still on the floor. A couple of guards are sitting near him., SEVERAL MARS. ARE SPREAD OUT on the table. Emma and Rosa crying softly, watch as the dead body of the girl. is dragged through a door at one end of the room. Zamorra is seated.next to the German listening intently, PIKE Of all those garrison rail spurs that ofie is the easiest to hit But I ve got to figure where we can get out with. the wagon. CHANGE  HE POINTS TO A PLACE ON THE MAP, looks at Dutch who shrug, doubtfully, DFTCH to ZRmorre Why do you want us to hit a train that s so close to the border The General could take an army up there and get it. MOHR President Huerta is anxious to better relations with the U.S. not destroy them. PIKE Arms shipments are generally. kept secret how did you find out about this one ERNST Mapache has a superb intelligence force.. indicating Mohr Organized under the supervision of my superior officer. ZAMORRA drinking, laughing Gentlemen., we are quite well organized and well able to pay $, in gold. as• they re f you are not able to do the work we will find someone else, PIKE   as the others re we can do  it,,, THEN But we re going to need special equipment. ZAMORRA Our accountant will arrange everything. SOHR smiling at Mapache Soon you will be the best armed general in Mexico. Mapache raises his glass In a toast, MAPACHE A la conquistat.,. Pike nudges Lyle who raises his glass; the other men follow suit. Mohr smiles and elegantly raises a drink. CONTINUM MOHR PROSIT ERNST Prosit a I PIKE AND DUTCH.DRINK, put down their glasses. PIKE With your permission I need a bath. ERNST GRINNING With my permission You all need a bath. LYLE Well,. I don t need no bath.Tector and me need some of them senoritas. to Zamorra How  bout that boy, can you fix us up ZAMORRA Porque no Zamorra yells to JUAN. JOSE, an aide, standing nearby. ZAMORRA Oye.Traeles unas viejas Andale MOHR STANDING Gentlemen, you will excuse me, I m sure. $ PIKE AND DUTCH LOOK AT HIM,. THEN STAND. DUTCH I m sure. DUTCH FOLLOWS PIKE TO ANGEL where they lift him off the floor. PIKE We better get him cleaned up. CHANGE  MAPACHE CROSSES QUICKLY TO THEM, drawing his gun. PIKE Por favor, General but I need him. MAPACHE I give you someone much better. PIKE FLATLY I choose my own. withyour permission. Zamorra joins Mapache, looks at Pike whose hand is close to his. gun, turns to the General. ZAMORRA Mi jefe, deje que se lo lleven.. Mapache replaces his gun. MAPA CHE Take him. It is not important to me take him  Then he.looks away as JUAN JOSE APPROACHES THE TABLE.WITH TWO BEAUTIES, ANNA and LUCHA. Lyle and.Tector turn.and re with delight. TECTOR Hey Here come our sweeties LYLE laughing softly More than enough to go around. as one girl sits on his lap And then some He turns and beckons to Pike and Dutch who, with Sykes, are carrying Angel out of the saloon, but they ignore him. BOX CAR DAY HARRIGAN AND THORNTON ARE SEATED AT A TABLE STUDYING PAYROLL SCHEDULES. MUNITION SCHEDULES AND NAPS. The other bounty hunters are scattered around the car grumbling about the inaction. . HARRIGAN And you want to gamble everything this one shipment will be attacked THORNTON If they re in Agua Verde that s what they ll go for. HARRIGAN If Why not Juarez THORNTON Because we would have heard . then, patiently If they are in Agua Verde they will have seen Mapache. HARRIGAN DISGUSTED And.who in the hell_is Mapache THORNTON A killer for Huerta who calls himself a.general. with enough guns he can become a power in northern Mexico my guess is Pike will try and get them f or • him. HARRIGAN The train will be guarded by regular troops THORNTON Not regulars green recruits and not. worth a damn I ll need twenty trained men not recruits or this gutter trash you. ve given me. HARRIGAN You ll get the job done with what you have that p our bargain. then looking at the CALENDAR Twentyfour days. STEAM HUT DAY __ AN ANCIENT WOMAN POURS A BUCKET OF WATER ONTO THE STONES IN CHANGE  GENTER OF AN ADOBE STEAM HUT. The structure is about twenty five feet in diameter with a small. open oven in the center surrounded by a great deal of rocks. Light comes in through a tiny hole in the center of the ceiling which also allows smoke to escape. PIKE, ANGEL AND DUTCH are sitting on a bench against one wall. Angel has been cleaned up, but looks beaten. SYKES IS IN ONE CORNER, thoroughly enjoying himself. The men are all nude and stark white against the mud.  color of the walls. As the woman exits, Dutch stands and empties a bucket of water over  himself and the others. They all gasp with relief. All have towels around their waists and none are completely sober. Pike s leg is heavily scarred and he is in pain. He stands and drinks, gets closer to the fire massaging his leg. DUTCH I don t see how you stand it PIKE Some day I m going to build me one of these and live in it. then to Angel I don t know why I • didn  t just let him kill you. ANGEL IRATE I m not going to steal guns for that devil to rob and kill my people again. DUTCH Very  noble SYRE S I didn t see no tears runnin  down your face when you rode in from San Rafael. ANGEL ANGRY They were not my people nor yours I care about my people, my villag.e, Mexico. CHANGE  A. ANGEL GETS UP OFF THE BENCH and dumps a bucket of water on his head. Pike looks at. Dutch. Both drink from a bottle. SYKES Listen, bog, you ride the trail with us your village don t count if it does you jest don t go along. ANGEL Then I don t go along CHANGE  PIKE AND DUTCH LOOK AT ANGEL through the steam. DUTCH One load of guns isn t going to stop him from raiding villages.. You ought to be thinking about all that money you ll have. PIKE EXPANSIVELY Take them a large bag of gold when it s over. DUTCH A small bag. PIKE Move them a thousand miles away and buy them a ranch two three, ranches. DUTCH One a very Small ranch. ANGEL They ll never leave.You see, it s their land and no one will, ever drive them away. SYKES sblemnl, I ll drink to that sentiment and to. love singing softly But when all is said and done I drink to gold. DUTCH Salud . BODEGO NIGHT IT IS LONG AND NARROW AND SHADOWY and Lyle, Tector and their two ladies are exploring it very carefully and with great dignity candles in hand. LYLE The dons of Spain builtthis some three hundred years ago He belches, then looks about in awe at the huge casks. CHANGE  TECTOR Itm all for them dons . TECTOR SUDDENLY SWINGS A MATTOX ON TO a six foot cask which rests on top of two others of equal height, it bounces out of his hand. He draws his gun and fires as does Lyle. Liquid gushes down. A LYLE STEPS UNDER IT, lifts his face, drinks, then drags his lady beside him. LYLE as the torrent pours over them removing his HAT Have a dollop, honey there s enough here for both of us. And. she does, tasting the good wine ; laughing. STEAM HUT NIGHT PIKE AND DUTCH EXCHANGE LOOKS AND HAVE ANOTHER DRINK, AS ANGEL PALES.. Both are ready to write Angel off. and forget about the problem. ANGEL Would you give someone a gun to kill your mother, or your father, or your brother, DUTCH LOOKS AT PIKE. Pike thinks it over. Both have. another pull on the bottle. PIKE Son twenty thousand cuts a lot of. family ties. ANGEL No you gringos are no different. I have seen how Lyle takes care of his brother. He takes the bottle, drinks, then throws it on the rocks.  ANGEL CONT  D My people don t have guns so Mapache takes the food out of their mouths and clothes off their backs. With guns my village could fight, If I could take guns to my people I would go with you but not just for gold, THE MEN ARE MOMENTARILY SILENT. Angel lifts a bucket of water, spills part of it on his head, passes it to Sykes who drinks a little of the water, spits it out, puts the bucket down, pours two bottles of tequilla into it, drinks. again smiles, passes it to Angel, who drinks and passes it on. DUTCH DRINKING Al]. we d need is for El Mapache to find out we armed some village. SYKES Let him find   Mr. Bishop as P �ke looks a t him You know as well as I there ain t no way of collecting from Mapache  cept off a lot of dead bodies mostly ours, the way he thinks. Pike considers this looks at the old man, finally nods ANGEL I would take guns if Mapache found out, you would say I stole them, DUTCH How many cases of rifles did Zamorra say were in that shipment PIKE Twenty. DUTCH Give him one.  PIKE  after a long moment You can have one case and one case of ammo, You ll give up your share of the gold. DUTCH __He ll have to show up with us. when we deliver..,. ANGEL I  will .. PIKE SOFTLY i. know. you will. Then. they all turn as TECTOR AND.LYLE AND THEIR LADIES enter, somewhat wet and stained with wine. LYLE. awkwardly   I  d like. you to meet my fiancee. TECTOR tears in his eyes They just got engaged. FOR A MOMENT THE GROUP is frozen,looking at the.bride to be, her bridesmaid and the best man. and groom,.. then all stand., together and bow. PIKE Pleasure, Ma  ain. ANGEL Tanto gusto, senorita. DUTCH Mucho gusto, senorita.. SYKES softly to himself Son of a bitch. THEN Trot them on in, boys I  m hell on packin  mules, but I m  a delight with, a pretty girl. CHANGE  Tector and Lyle and their girls look at him as both Pike and Dutch nearly fall off the bench, laughing too hard to drink their health as we DISSOLVE TO BROKEN DESERT AREA DEEP ARROYO DAY PIKE AND DUTCH ARE RIDING AHEAD OF A LARGE. WAGON LOADED WITH BARRELS DRIVEN BY SYKES. The others are riding. behind. The walls of the arroyo tower above the men. Pike is tense in the saddle as the pain in. his leg becomes almost. unbearable. DUTCH You never told me how you got all tore up like that. PIKE REFLECTS FOR A MOMENT. His face is almost white.; Then he reaches in his saddle bag and pulls out a bottle. He drinks, passes the bottle to Dutch.. PIKE I met a woman I wanted to marry. Pike  grins a little at what now seems an absurd thought. A SUPERIMPOSED OVER THE. SCENE IS PIKE IN JUAREZ KITCHEN v NIGHT B PIKE. COMES IN THROUGH THE KITCHENDOOR WITH AN ARM LOAD of groceries and too much to drink. C AURORA STANDS WAITING FOR HIM. She is very beautiful and very angry.. PIKE Buenas no the s mi amor. Aurora swings and catches him full handed across the face the groceries scatter on the floor Pike bounces off the wall,. looks at her, tries to grin. PIKE Your husband due back CHANGE  AURORA No, never you are late two days late. Pike is startled by this, starts to protest, realizes it is true, tries to make apologies. Aurora turns and stalks off. LAP DISSOLVE TO KITCHEN NIGHT D PIKE IS SHOVING POTS AND PANS AROUND, attempting to cook dinner, while Aurora sits watching stony faced until he turns away, then she can hardly keep from giggling. AURORA FINALLY You need help. PIKE No He picks up a pan with a hot handle, drops it, spilling hot stew or soup on his foot, hops around cursing looking at the shambles on the stove and on the floor.  DD AURORA STANDS LOOKING AT HIM WITH LOVE, then smiling softly crosses to the sideboard and pours him a drink. He takes it, suddenly both are laughing. BEDROOM NIGHT PIKE AND AURORA STAND IN THE SEMIDARKNESS SLOWLY DISROBING. Suddenly Pike embraces her and pulls her to the bed. They begin to make love, then THE DOOR SMASHES OUN AND LUKE, a skinny bad mouthed Texan steps into the room, a_double barreled shot gun in his hands ready to fire. AURORA SCREAMS and throws herself in front of Pike. Luke fires, the charge killing her as Pike dives out of bed jumping for his gun on a nearby table. LUKE FIRES AGAIN, the blast catching Pike across the thigh and knee. Pike goes down. Luke crosses to the bed and sits watching him writhing almost bleeding to death on the floor. CHANGE  A. OVER THE ABOVE IS THE FOLLOWING DIALOGUE PIKE She had a husband and I should have had enough sense to kill him. He wasn t around and I got careless. One night he.walked in on us got her with the first shot. He caught me here with the second then the damndd coward turned and ran. J DESERT AREA DAY DUTCH You didn t catch up with him PIKE Not yet but therehasn t been.a day or an hour that I haven t thought about getting him he didn t want that woman he just. wanted to kill somebody well, he killed her not me and I ll see him dead for it. I Then yelling back Move along, Freddy we ve got a long way to go He turns back to Dutch, takes the bottle,.. drinks deeply and puts it away. PIKE This is the last go round this time we do it right. M. CHANCE  B. DESERT DAY DAWN EFFECT A TRAIN CHUGS ACROSS THE FLAT STRETCH of desert. The small steam. locomotive pushes a flatbed and pulls a succession of three cars. Another flat, a passenger and a cattle. The train moves toward the only object in sight A RICKETY TRACKSIDE WATER TOWER AND MAINTENANCE SHOP IN FRONT OF THE ENGINE TWO ARMY ORDINANCE GUARDS RIDE ON THEFLAT car, wearily checking the track for obstructions. ON THE SECOND,FLAT CAR TWO MORE ARMED GUARDS sit on crates of weapons and..arnmunition, gazing at the passing scenery. PASSENGER CAR DAY THORNTON AND NINE OTHER BOUNTY HUNTERS SLOUCHED ON THE. WOODEN BENCHES.WIDE AWAKE. I AT THE REAR OF THE CAR, A DOZEN VERY YOUNG ARMY RECRUITS are sprawled across the seats near their beefy first sergeant, FRANK MC HALE who is snoring loudly. CATTLE CAR DAY THE CATTLE CAR IS LOADED WITH THE HORSES OF THE SOLDIERS AND THE BOUNTY HUNTERS. The soldiers  horses are roachmaned and unsaddled. I At one end of the car, the railroad livestock man is asleep on a pile of straw, an empty jug at his side. The animals of the bounty hunters are standing saddled, with the cinches loosened. PASSENGER CAR DAY THE TRAIN SLOWS AND A FEW OF THE SOLDIERS. lift their heads and look out the windows. Seeing nothing but the vast empty plain, they quickly resume their slumber. THE BOUNTY HUNTERS TENSE. THORNTON STANDS, looks . nothing,  but A RICKETY WATER TOWER AND TINY maintenance shack no horses, wagons, nothing. PASSENGER CAR THORNTON TURNS back to his seat. TRAIN DAY THE ENGINE PULLS TO A STOP UNDER THE RICKETY TOWER. THE FIREMAN CLIMBS OUT OF THE CAB AND ONTO THE TENDER. He reaches up and grabs the lanyard and lowers the sp THE FIREMAN FINDS HIMSELF GAZING DIRECTLY INTO THE BARREL OF A SAWEDOFF SHOTGUN HELD BY ANGEL. The fireman gasps andtakes a step back. ANGEL SLIDES OFF THE SPOUT AND ONTO the tender. He covers the fireman and the `two man crew. The crew urns and Angel smiles aiid puts his f_nger to his l ps, then gestures. The firemanand the crew begin to take on grater, PIKE, DUTCH AND LYLE step out  from behind the maintenance shack and climb swiftly onto the tender. Pike slips toward the engine compartment. DUTCH TURNS TOWARDS THE GUARDS ON THE flatcar behind the engine. LYLE SCRAMBLES AROUND THE ENGINE TO HANDLE the two men on the.flat car in front. DUTCH LOOKS DOWN AT TEE GUARDS ON THE SECOND FLAT CAR. THEY ARE LOUNGING WITH THE GUNS SEVERAL FEET AWAY. He whistles an.d they look up. While he covers them ANGEL CLIMBS DOWN from the tender onto the flat car over the crates toward the coupling Joining the flat to the passenger car. ON THE FRONT FLAT CAR the two guards turn, freeze as Lyle moves around the front of the engine and whistles., his shotgun covering. them. IN THE CAB, PIKE ISSTANDING WITH his hand on the throttle looking up at Dutch. $. AT THE COUPLING ANGEL GRABS. THE PIN and starts to pull on it. IN THE CAB PIKE. WA TC HES� DUTCH, WHO WAVES HIS HAND, motion ing Pike to ease the train back. Pikes hand moves on the throttle.. THE COUPLING MOVES SLIGHTLY AND. ANGEL LIFTS THE IN. PASSENGER CAR DAY. THORNTON FROWNS AS THE CAR moves slightly. He stands, and walks toward the front of the car. Through the window on the. door, he sees ANGEL SCRAMBLING OVER THE CRATES TOWARDS THE TENDER. THORNTON DUCKS BACK AND STARTS TO DRAW HIS gun,.. pauses and turns back into the car.  Silently he gestures to the bounty hunters. The soldiers in the back of the car continue to sleep as Thornton and his men move past them toward the horse car. REACHING THE SERGEANT, still snqring loudly, Thornton hesi tates, then decides against it and enters the horse car. IN THE CAB, PIKE EASES THE THROTTLE FORWARD. THE ENGINE AND. TENDER AND FLAT CAR PULL SLOWLY away from the passenger and cattle car. THE GAP IS BECOMING LARGER BETWEEN THE PASSENGERCAR AND THE FLAT CAR WHEN DUTCH SEES A  MAN JUMPING A HORSE OUT OF THE CATTLE CAR. It is one of the bounty hunters. Another horse quickly follows. Dutch turns and yells. DUTCH They re coming; GORCH ON FRONT OF THE. LOCOMOTIVE WHIRLS AROUND and looks back for an instant as Dutch yells. The two guards jump for their weapons. Lyle turns back, watches them, then kills both as they pick up their rifles. IN THE CAB, PIKE POURS ON THE COAL. STEAM POURS OUT OF THE. CYLINDERS AND THE WHEELS SPIN ON THE RAILS. AS THE WHEELS GAIN TRACTION AND TEIE TRAIN LURCHES FORWARD, DUTCH PITCHES FORWARD, FALLING OVER THE EDGE BETWEEN THE TENDER AND THE FLAT CAR, turning in the air, catching the tender with his hands and his feet precariously balanced on the coupling. OVER THE RAILS, DUTCH HANGS ONTO THE IRON HAND GRIP ON THE BACK OF THE TENDER. His feet are bracing him on the bounc ing coupling. He is inches above the rail. I, ON THE FLAT CAR THE TWO GUARDS SCRAMBLE OVER THE CASES AND GRAB THEIR GUNS. They start forward. DUTCH LETS GO and, hanging on with one hand, manages to get his gun out of the holster. He fires blindly over the edge, IN TAE CAB, PIKE AND ANGEL WHIRL at the sound of the shot. Pike instantly kicks the engineer and fireman out of the cab, then turns to•c limb onto the tender.. ANGEL ahead of him Yo V ; Pike hesitates, then turns back to the throttle. DUTCH DUCKS AS SHOTS FROM THE GUARD splinter wood nearh=s face.. He is barely able to hang on. and. is slipping down closer to  the rails. PASSENGER CAR DAY SOLDIERS ARE POURING  OUT OF THE PASSENGER CAR WATCHING IN THE DISTANCE THE TRAIN AND THE PURSUING BOUNTY HUNTERS. Hurriedly, they enter the cattle car. CATTLE CAR DAY A,. THEY REMOVE THEIR HORSES, SOME TRYING to resaddle in the car. TRAIN COUPLING DUTCH PULLS THE TRIGGER AND HIS clicks empty.. THE GUARDS. EDGE FORWARD TO FINISH HIM. ANGEL FIRES AND ONE GUARD DROPS SCREAMING OFF THE FLAT CAR, The other guard panics and scrambles back over the crates. A second shot catches him in the small of the back, hurling him over the edge of the car. ANGEL RUSHES FORWARD, and bracing himself on a stanchion, grabs Dutch by the jacket and pulls him aboard. LIVESTOCK CAR DAY THE RECRUITS ARE SCRAMBLING around outsi de.the car. Some are climbing in through the open door. Inside the horses can be heard kicking and neighing. SGT. MC HALE SCREAMING Order; Dammit;,..Corporal get those men out of that car, .get the animals OUT; then, looking off Corporal ride back to the telegraph at Todos Malos and tell tam that Pinkerton gang has robbed the train and we are in pursuit As the corporal mounts and rides off, the sergeant contin ns to watch THE TRAIN ROLLS OFF INTO THE DISTANCE FOLLOWED BY THE BOUNTY HUNTERS. THORNTON LEADING HIS MEN IS ABOUT a mile and a half behi^c. the train. THE TRAIN NEARS A WAGON ROAD WITH A NARROW BRIDGE THAT CROSSES IT AND SUDDENLY the wheels lock. With a shower of sparks it slides to a stop beside A LARGE WAGON ON THE RIVERSIDE OF THE CROSSING. The bandits scramble off the train and begin loading cases of guns onto the waiting wagon. Sykes and Tector Gorch assist, them. The wagon is directly beside the car and the unload ing is very rapid. PIKE CLIMBS TO THE TOP OF THE.CAB WATCHING THE CLOUD OF DUST OF THE APPROACHING BOUNTY HUNTERS. He yells down to the men PIKE Get the guns off and get on, out of here; He turns and scrambles down inside the cab. Outside the men quickly finish loading and the wagon pulls up alongside the cab. CHANGE  DUTCH We re ready PIKE Not yet I want to return e. favor.. He.•yanks the throttle into reverse and jumps off the locomotive onto the wagon. THE HEAVILY LOADED WAGON WINDS DOWN A STEEL TRAIL INTO THE CANYON BESIDE THE SMALL RICKETY BRIDGE. In the b.g.., the train picks up speed heading back towards the scene of the robbery. THE BANDITS PULL THE WAGON UP BESIDE THE RIVER BANK WHERE THEY. HAVE. PRERIGGED A CABLE CROSSING. In perfect order Dutch and Angel begin attaching the ropes tothe tongue of the wagon as Sykes unhitches. THE BOUNTY HUNTERS RIDE THEIR HORSES DOWN A STEEP SLOPE AS THE TRAIN RUSHES PAST. l� WITH ANGEL LEADING, THE..HORSES ARE PULLED into the river. Large barrels on the side of the wagon serve as floatation gear. The current catches it and begins to swing it on the rope downstream and across the river.. THE BOUNTY HUNTERS ARE RAPIDLY CLOSING THE GAP. In the distance. they can see the bandits, now in midstream, OUTSIDE THE CATTLE CAR, RECRUITS ARE LINED UP saddling their horses. INSIDE, THREE OF THEM ARE STILL CHASID THEIR PANICKY. HORSES AROUND. CHANGE  e. OUTSIDE, A SOLDIER YELLS SOLDIER Sergeant; They re coming back. LOOK; THE ENGINE IS ROARING TOWARD THEM FROM THE DISTANCE. MC HALE realizing what is HAPPENING Get those horses away from the car. running to the car Get them out of there; INSIDE THE CAR, THE MEN HAVE CAUGHT AND SADDLED ONE HORSE. Which.is now bucking, the saddle hanging under its belly. The other rears as the Sergeant yells again. MC HALE Get out ; The engine s coming And It is at about forty miles an hour. The Sergeant turns and runs. INSIDE THE MEN RUSH FOR THE DOOR ON THE TRACK THE ENGINE SLAMS INTO THE CARS. IN THE CATTLE CAR, HORSES AND EN ARE HURLED AROUND IN THE CAR by the impact. THE HORSES REHITCHED, PIKE AND THE OTHERS WORK TO FREE THE WAGON BOGGED IN THE MUD ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE RIVER. _ ON THE OPPOSITE BANK, THE BOUNTY HUNTERS PULL UP AND BEGIN FIRING. ANGEL, LIGHTING A BIG CIGAR MOVES AWAY FROM PIKE AND THE OTHERS. PIKE ROPES ONTO THE  WAGON FROM the front and pulls with his horse. SYSES IS IN THE DRIVER S SEAT AND DUTCH is nextto him, lying prone. on the wagon returning the fire of the bounty hunters. CHANGE  LY LE AND TECTOR ON HORSEBACK SPUR.up.to the wagon. PIKE Get on those rear. wheels . The Gorch brothers scramble down into kneedeep water and begin to push. DUTCH AIMS AND FIRES. A MAN STAGGERS OUT from half cover and drops to his knees, DUTCH FIRES AGAIN and another man drops. The bounty hunters back up.and hunt better cover. THORNTON SPURS FOR THE SHAKY BRIDGE. A ANGEL, HIDDEN IN THE BRUSH AT THE FAR END OF THE BRIDGE.,. puffs on the cigar watching, Thornton.. B THREE FUSES AREIN HIS HAND. HE LIGHTS ONE WITH HIS CIGAR. IN THE RIVER BELOW THE BRIDGE, PIKE AND HIS MEN PUSH AND heave against the wagon slowly moving. it up ontothe bank. Then A SEEING THORNTON STARTING ACROSS THE BRIDGE, PIKE raises his.rifle but the range is far and the wagon has begun to move. THORNTON FORCES his terrified animal across the tottering structure, then whirls as a bullet whines past his head. The shot has come from behind. Above and through the trees he can see THE CAVALRY DISMOUNTING AND CONTINUING to fire. THE BOUNTY HUNTERS WHIRL around and return thefire. THORNTON YELLING Don t shoot; It s the army, you idiots; But his words are drowned out in a volleyof firing. Some of the soldiers start for the bridge. Three or four of the bounty hunters quickly mount and spur on to the bridge after Thornton. I CHANGE  THORNTON FORCES HIS animal forward, stops, recognizing PIKE AT THE WAGON. PIKE looks at him a moment, then yells at his men and pulls the wagon up out of the mud and labor s up the slope, ANGEL WATCHES THE FUSE BURNING under the bridge toward the far banks where the bounty hunters are beginning to fall back to the water THORNTON FOLLOWED BY THREE OTHER BOUNTY HUNTERS rides forward.. Angel lights the remaining two fuses, mounts and spurs after Pike and the wagon. SOME OF THE BOUNTY HUNTERS PUSH THEIR HORSES DOWN THE SLOPE Ta WARD THE WATER AWAY FROM THE SOLDIERS, who led by McHale, are closely flanking them. The firing is general now. THE WAGON GOES UP THE RIM OF A GULLY, then down the other side and out of sight.. IN THE COVER OF THE GULLY, DUTCH AND THE GORCH BROTHERS mount up and follow Sykes up the gully. PIKE TURNS HIS HORSE, SPURS BACK THE WAY HE CAME. At the top pulls. up as Angel joins.him. Both turn, watch. as FIVE STICKS OF DYNAMITE GO OFF in the shallow water on the far side of the river amongthe bounty hunters.. Horses go down, men. are thrown into the river. It is a sham bles. A few bounty hunters struggle dawnstream, THORNTON, TWO THIRDS ACROSS THE BRIDGE pulls up, looks back as do the three bounty hunters behind him, then at THE DISTANT FIGURES OF PIKE AND ANGEL. Pike lifts his hat i a mocking  salute. BENEATH THE BRIDGE, THE TWO FUSES REAC.E THE DYNAMITE AND THE BRIDGE EXPLODES, blowing Thornton and the three bounty hunters into the river, PIKE WATCHES WITHOUT EXPRESSION. ANGEL GRINS WITH SATISFACTION. Finally both turn and ride after the wagon followed by scat tered ineffective shots of the soldiers, ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE RIVER, MC HALE STOPS A GROUP OF SCLDIISS from following on horseback. MC HALE Halt.  . Halt dammit; That isMexico and we can t go there not yet. CHANGE  BOUNTY HUNTERS  CAMP RIVER AREA DAY SUNSET EFFECT THE BOUNTY HUNTERS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THORNTCN HAVE RE GROUPED ON THE MEXICAN SIDE OF THE RIVER, still wet and dazed from the river. A huge mesquite wood fire is burning in the centre of came and several men have placed boots and articles of clothing around it. Three horses, unsaddled, are tied to a picket line in the b.g. T. C. Sure would like to get ahold of my fool horse, COFFER SomeMex kid s probably ridin  him home right now, JESS I don t see how I could a lost both my boots; They always was hard as hell to gat on but that little ole river just sucked  em right off; T.C. •That little ole dynamite helped some, ROSS They was waiting for us. COFFER Dollars to doughnuts that same kid that s ridin  T.C. s horse is wearing yourboots right now, JESS THINKS THIS OVER, THEN REACHES QUICKLY FOR HIS SHIRT EXTENDED ON A POLE TOWARDS THE FIRE, WHICH HAS BEGUN TO BURN. Hedrops it onto the sand and stamps on it. The men watch silent, but slightly amused, T. C. What do you reckon we ought a do now.,.Go back..,Them soldiers was shooting at us, JESS You see Thornton;.,. I never did see him come up , T. C. See him;. I was with him; But I never seen him come up either,. COFFER If you re•asking me, I think we ought a go after them bandits and make that swim. worth something. CHANGE  ROSS the fourth bounty hunter I d like to take some good pelts back.. or at least maybe steal something down here. T. C. Why go back at all just rob every Mez  we see. COFFER You don t know this country step out of line and every Mex you see will be shooting your ass full of holes. T. Co Well, I m sure as hell going to steal me a horse; THORNTON IS STANDING ON THE EDGE OF THE CLEARING looking at the men around the f ire. He is tired and has obviously ridden a long way, and shows the affects of the explosions ripped clothes, a bloody gash on his face a twisted knee that is bad enough to make him limp through the remainder of the film. THORNTON Steal as some grub I got the horses. THE MENWHIRL AROUND AT THE s o and of Thornton  s voice, T.C. Hey. you find my horse; ROSS We thought the dynamite must ve got you or them soldiers. JESS Or that damned river. THORNTON Them soldiers are going to get us all if they ever get the chance.Who started firing at them The men look at one another momentarily. CHANGE  COFFER LYING Well, Old Huey started firing up.at tem. I even tried to stop him. Then one of them bandits nailed him from across the river, ROSS Them soldiers started shooting first Thornton, without answering, steps to the fire, THORNTON How many rifles And how much ammunition AD LIB as they look Got mine.damn little.twelve rounds.„Itm clean,.. ts but no t s, I}O round lost mine. THORNTON We ll use what we got. COFFER Are we going afterthem THORNTON We are; unless youtd like to go back. and face a firing squad. JESS _ WHINNING How, inhell am I goin  to fight without boots THORNTON Your problem. THEN Saddle up we re riding   In the b.g., a horse whinnies as the men look at him dumb founded. JESS Now. THORNTON NOW;; And they jump as we CHANGE , ROUGH COUNTRY NEAR THE RIVER DAY SUNSET EFFECT DUTCH IS EXAMINING THE HOOF OF ONE OF THE WAGON HORSES. PIKE is beside him. Sykes is still on the reins, Angel is sitting on the cases of guns. The Gorch brothers are both riding   horses on either side. Dutch looks up, shakes his head. PIKE Lyle; Put your horse in the traces LYLE HANDS A BOTTLE OF WHISKEY TO TECTOR and nudges his horse forward.As he swings off, it is obviaeas that he is a little drunk, PIKE. And you better dry out we got no cause to celebrate. TECTOR Well, we got all them guns,. Pike. PIKE And we got a hell of a long way to go  with a considerable number of people just waiting to take  em away. LYLE AND DUTCH BEGIN PUTTING LYLE S HORSE INTO THE TRACES. SYKES Where s the General supposed to meet us PIKE Agua Verde or before and when he does, don t look for no open arms. DUTCH What about Thornton and them others PIKE Last I saw he was ridin  four sticks of dynamite into the river. SYKES Don t count on him stayin  t.ere. as Pike looks at him You know him I know him he ll be along. PIKE after a long moment Yeah he ll be along. HE CROSSES SLOWLY TO HIS HORSE, his weariness showing, puts his foot in the stirrup, hesitates. R THE GROUP WATCHES SILENTLY. PIKE STEPS UP INTO THE SADDLE, the pain twisting his face. For a long moment no one moves, then LYLE FULLS. A BOTTLE out of his. jumper, hands it to Pike. Pike drinks, hands it to Sykes who drunks, hands it to Angel who drinks,. hands it with a touch of a smile to Tector who hesitates, then half grins himself; drinks and hands it to Lyle. Lyle looks at the bottle, upends it over his mouth, a few drops spill out into his mouth, looks at the bottle in disbelief, tosses it gently aside. LYLE to Pike, simply It ll be a cold day in hell  fore I do that again. And suddenly they are all laughing. PIKE Let s move. And they do, still chucklingas we.; MEXICAN RAILROAD STATION DAY SUNSET EFFECT A TELEGRAPH OPERATOR SNAPS AWAKE as a message comes over the wire. As the machine clicks, he diligently writes the mes sage. When he is, finished he hands it to JUAN, a  small. boy who` is dressed in a poorly fitting uniform. OPERATOR Porel generalisimo Andale The boy runs out of the building and into the street. MEXICAN RAILROAD STATION DAY MANY UNIFORMED SOLDIERS ARE DEPLOYED AROUND THE TRAIN while they load horses into old boxcars also loading are CHANGE ,. WOUNDED SOLDIERS, MAPACHE S CAR AND WOMEN AND. CHILDREN AND OTHER. CIVILIANS who are. part of Mapache s encampment, Most climb on top. of the box cars where they set up housekeeping..,. building f ires,   cooking food ignoring the sporadic rifle. fire that is beginning to grow in volume as THIRTY  OR FORTY BIG HATTED REVOLUTIONARIES probe for the weakness of Mapache s position at the railroad station. Note Mapache s soldiers show signs of having recently suf fered a beating and it..is obvious that they are retreating. JUAN RACES FROM THE OFFICE THROUGH TEE SOLDIERS TOWARD THE END OF THE TRAIN where MAPACHE STANDS LOOKING OVER THE NEARBY HILLS with field glasses. Beside him are his lieutenants,. one MAYOR PEREZ, the two Germans and ten or twelve soldiers. One soldier is hit and falls dying. PEREZ Mi general tenemos que irnos.  ZAMORRA Par favor. Mapache ignores them. Juan,•rushing toward Mapache, almost falls as Herrera jerks him to a halt.. JUAN OFFICIOUSLY Telegrama de San Antonio para su exaelencia, el general. A telegram from San Antonio for his excellency, the General. HERRERA reaching for the MESSAGE Yo to llevo; A JUAN PULLS IT AWAY. HERRERA.GRINS, and. understanding his wish to deliver it personally, steps aside. Juan runs to Mapache, skids to a halt and salutes. JUAN Mi General. telegrama de San Antonio. The general returns the salute solemnly and opens the paper, reads it. MAPACHE. Losgringos se robaron el tren; , ERNST to his companion, MOHR Was sagt er Mohr smiles. Mapache is obviously pleased. He looks up at the Germans. MAP ACHE The gringos take the guns. MOHR Sie haben die Geware gestclen ERNST Ach so;.Gut patting Mapache on the shoulder Sehr gut.mein General MOHR indicating the approaching Villistas It is important this news be kept from Villa until the guns are in our hands. ZAMORRA beginning to panic as the firing grows HEAVIER We must go MAPACHE shouting towards the mountain in SPANISH The next time I will. destroy you turning to Herrera; in Spanish Send men immediately to meet the guns on the road to Agua Verde take possession and return here. HERRERA And if the gringos object MAPACHE SIMPLY Kill them. CHANGE , MOHR in English My General if they are success ful in this venture possibly they can be useful in others, Mapache thinks this over, turns to Herrera. Nearby another man is hit and falls. MAPACHE in Spanish Bring them back with you over come their objections reason with them convince them of our good intentions. HERRERA in Spanish And if they still object MAPACHE. in Spanish Kill them; + HERRERA SALUTES AND LEAVES. Mapache gestures and the others. quickly jump aboard the train. Mapache is the last, looking, back at the hills with hatred as the Villistas charge and we . DISSOLVE TO ROCKY HILL NEAR BROKEN ARROYO COUNTRY DAY R DUTCH IS LYING PRONE BEHIND SOME ROCKS trying a paper cone over the front of a pair of U.S. Army binoculars. Pike stands beside him, With the cone adjusted he rolls over and looks out across the valley plain broken with arroyos. DUTCH Still heading east. PIKE Are they bluffing. or did they really miss it DUTCH I d say they missed it.. THROUGH THE BINOCULARS THE BOUNTY HUNTERS ARE WINDING ACROSS THE ARROYOS i DUTCH AND PIKE SNAKE BACK FROM THE LIP OF THE ROCKY hill that dominates the area. I THE WAGON IS BELOW THEM hidden in a gully. The other men are lounging underneath it. Pieces of brush are tied behind the rear wheels of the wagon to brush away the trail. Pike and Dutch stand and move back toward the wagon. DUTCH Only five left didn t figure them to come down after us. How much can we be worth PIKE A lot depends on how hungry they are. THEN You stay up there and look for bighats.,..I m going to start. . rigging the fireworks. Dutch turns, crawls back and lifts the glassese Pikewalk down near the wagon and. prods. Angel., who.is sleeping _ his boot. PIKE need somehelp. ANGEL QUICKLY GETS TO HIS FEET and follows Pike. to the wagon. Pike reaches into a box near the seat and removes a piece of fuse. PIKE Get that case of explosives near the back. Angel climbs on the wagon. Lyle, hearing him,.crawls out from underneath. His brother also awakens and starts moving around. Sykes, hat. over his eyes, looks up but doesn t move.. LYLE Whatta you want with the dynamite PIKE Protection. as they look at HIM I figure the General will plan to collect without payment, then kill us if we have. any objections. The only reason he might change his mind is if something could happen to these guns.  Angel hands Pike a case of explosives. PIKE Now I m goin  to make it real easy for something to happen. L PIKE SETS THE BOX ON THE GROUND and pries open the lid. He begins setting the sticks on the ground next to the box. Angel gets down and Pike hands.him a coil. of baling wire. PIKE Wrap these in pairs and put a fuse cap between them. Angel takes the first two and starts to work on them. LYLE WATCHES FOR A MOMENT THEN NUDGES HIS BROTHER and climbs on the wagon and begins looking over the.boxes. One is much bigger than the others and of a different shape. ANGEL AND PIKE ARM THE DYNAMITE STICKS in the shade of the wagon.. ANGEL Men from my village will meet us tomorrow. Pike looks up, angered. PIKE You told them about our trail ANGEL I. don t need to tell them.They know where we are. Q. PIKE  How Angel puts the charge down and looks off at the horizon. ANGEL This country has many people, but they have learned to live without being seen. aftera moment Anyplace where a farmer has a field or a man has sheep in the moun• tains..or a boy watches a herd of goats.  There is a noise off screen and they both look up, TECTOR AND LYLE, using the heavybladed Bowie knives, have pried open the strange shaped box. Lyle, his eyes bright, reaches in.. TECTOR Pike takea look LYLE STRUGGLES, LIFTS UP A MACHINE GUN OF THE PERIOD. LYLE You know how to work one of these things Pike stands,,then grins a littleand crosses to the wagon. PIKE Whatever I don t know, I m going to learn. VALLEY DAY THE BOUNTY HUNTERS NOW IN AN AREA OF BADLANDS have stopped on a small rise and are looking out over miles of the same type of country. JESS I don t know how we lost  em except maybe in that big valley where the ground was. so hard. COFFER There wasn t but one way they could have taken a wagon out of there, this here is it. THORNTON They didn. t take it . T.C. We, ain t gonna make it too much further without something to eat. CHANGE  THORNTON QUIETLY We didn t lose them I could point to them now. as they whirl, looking around Sit still, dammitl as they quiet You think Pike and old Sykes haven t been watching us you think if we hadn t.turned off they wouldn t just have sat back and let us walk into it six of them hid and all the. guns.and ammunition they need you think I wasn t sweating blood they wouldn t try and hide their trail They look at him silently, almost frightened by his vehemeno e THORNTON They know what this is all about and. what. do I have nothin  but you damned egg sucking chicken stealing gutter rats with less than rounds of ammunition be tween you, T.C. Listen, Mr. Thornton I don t have to take any talk like that. JESS I don t neither; THORNTON You ll take it You don t even have enough sense to keep your damned boots on. then, quietly We re after men  and I wish to God I was with them. after a moment You make any more mistakes and I m going to ride off and let you die. They are silent looking at the ground after a moment, Thornton turns his horse and rides off slowly. They follow.   A SERIES OF ANGLES Showing the wagon moving into a deep arroyo. Pike is now driving. . BOTTOM OF DEEP ARROYO SYKES IS AT THE REINS OF THE WAGON, PIKE BESIDE HIM. The horses are at a walk. Angel, Dutch are mounted,. the Goruh brothers are lying on top of the wagon, one on each side of a bulky tarpcovered object. PIKE looking off Hold up . TWENTYMEXICAN SOLDIERS RIDING OUT FROM A BEND IN THE ARROYO SOME DISTANCE AWAY. Seeing the wagon, they pull up. PIKE SLIDES INTO THE FRONT SEAT NEXT TO..SYKES.. Without a word,. Sykes lights his cheroot and Pike. reaches behind him and takes the end of a fuse. Angel and Dutch let their rifles drift over. DUTCH Mapache  s PIKE Just hope. they don t belong to Villa. HERRERA, THE LEADER OF THE MEXICANS, WALKS HIS HORSE A FEW steps forward and waves his hand. Note He speaks English, but. badly, very badly HERRERA. Ho.lal.We are friends.We are from. el generalisimo Mapac hie; PIKE Tell that one in front to come. over here Alone DUTCH Oyel Jefe, ven to solitol •  The Mexican turns to his companions for a short discourse. Then he turns and. rides toward the men on the wagon. HERRERA I.coming,..We are friends. all of us.I bring love and affection from el general We are comrades you and he all of us. PIKE, DUTCH AND THE OTHERS watch silently as he rides up to the wagon. HERRERA STOPS AND REMOVES HIS HAT , smiles, looks at. the heavily loaded wagon. HERRERA Que bueno What bravery you. have.to have done this magnifi cent for the liberty of Mexico. Angel laughs, spits, Herrera.looks at him for a moment, smiles, shrugs, turns to Pike. HERRERA I am to escort you to the general. NOBODY ANSWERS AND NONE OF THE GUNS pointed at him are lowered, he seems undisturbed. HERRERA Tell me what is you wish PIKE LIFTS THE END OF THE FUSE PIKE to Dutch Tell him tocome closer HERRERA I hear I am coming, my friend. €� HERRERA STILL GRINNING BROADLY edges his horse closer to the wagon.. Pike holds the burning end of the cheroot about an inch from the fuse. HERRERA SEES THE FUSE AND QUICKLY follows it back to the wagon with. his eyes. THE WHOLE WAGON IS RIGGED TO BLOW, dynamite and fuse all over it. PIKE LIFTS THE CHEROOT AND THE FUSE PIKE You see this He tickles. the end of the fusewith the dead ash on his cigar. HERRERA, Q uidado. PIKE Ittsa very fast fus.e..,any trouble and no guns for the general. Herrera is solemn as he ponders for a moment, then begins to  smile. HERRERA Heyl.very smarts That s very smart for youdamn gringos. So nobody can rob the guns PIKE Nobody ..nunca nadiel DUTCH after a moment Don t you think you should tell your soldiers The Mexican makes a face as if he doesn t understand. CHANGE  HERRERA Why I am not afraid,,,they are not afraid you blow up the wagon you die or we kill you pretty soon but we are amigos __ PIKE QUIETLY Now, DUTCH Show.him& TECTOR AND LYLE JERK THE TARP OFF. TI MACHINE GUN. Lyle arms it. k. HERRERA. LOOKS AT THE GUN and his eyes widen. He. turns, HERRERA Oyen muchachos,.,Tienen la caretta como bomba.con unfisible;,,.y machina Still smiling he turns back to Pike and Dutch. HERRERA El general. waits an AguaVerde.., to meet with you, PIKE Go on backand tell the General that one of us will. be there tomorrow forthe trade..,any trouble no gunsb Herrera takes one last look at the guns. then he wheels his horse and. rides off. CHA X PIKE TURNS. TO THE OTHERS AS THEY begin to relax. PIKE This isn°t over yeti HERRERA RIDES HIS HORSE TO THE BEND IN. THE RIVER then, reaching his men,•reins his horse up andturns him around. He whistles loudly and calls out HERRERA Muchachos. FIFTY SOLDIERS FROM HIDDEN POSITIONS ON TOP OF BOTH sides of the arroyo ride out and look down. BEHIND THE WAGON MORE APPEAR,. STOP. HERRERA after a.moment, laughing YAMOSI All the soldiers whirl and ride away. PIKE AND THE MEN breathe a sigh of relief as. the Mexicans. ride off, PIKE to Angel and Dutch Ride ahead a hundred yards and check the washes. to Tector You and I will cover the flanks to Lyle Keep on the gun watch the rim. SYKES as Pike steps off the WAGON Give sue that cigar as Pike does Anything moves, I blow her sky high. LYLE sittin•g up Listen, old man PIKE grinning at Sykes I ll tell you when CHANGE  BLUFF DAY THORNTON COFFER AND T C. are down behind some rocks. Thornton is looking DOWN THE ARROYO with binoculars while Coffer covers the glasses with his hat. THORNTON Movin  fast looks like they bluffed off about federal es then sliding back Why due east as Coffer shrugs Well, let s go find T.C. trying to conceal his hate Beggin  your pardon, Mr. Thornton but our stock needs water and grain and. so do we. THORNTON after a moment I don t give a damn about you but I.. do about the stock. He turns and slides down. the bluff. Coffer and T.C. look at each. other, then follow. BANDITS  CAMP, NIGHT ANGELS CROUCHING NEAR THE W EEL. F  THE WAGON RESPONDS SUDDENLY TO AN OWL. S CALL. He rises and crosses to Pike, who is sitting near a tree with a rifle across his lap. There is rjo fire, but enough. moonlight to see. ANGEL My people are here for the guns. Pike looks at him then looks around the camp. PIKE Where Angel smiles, then turns and calls softly. ANGEL Ignacio.Quien hablas por mi pueblo Distinctly Indian voices answer from the surrounding tangled undergrowth. VOICES Si Angeleit o Soy Ignacio • Ya estamos PIKE AND THE OTHERS MOVE INTO COVER, their guns coming Lyle in the wagon traverses the machine gun. ANGEL to the others They have come for the guns. DUTCH We haven t heard from Tectnr.. • • PIKE from the shadows. Call em in. ANGEL Vengan, Muchachos THE MEN LOOK AROUND. IT IS STILL, SILENT,. NOTHING MOVES, .�. then suddenly A PEASANTS DRESSED IN WHITE is standing near the thicket. Lyle and Sykes turn. ANOTHER IS STANDING BEHIND THEM. Then THREE MORE ARE CROSSING TO THE WAGON, TECTOR GAGGED AND BOUND BETWEE[ THEM. As they enter the clearing, they politely remove their hats. Soon there are five, two of them are leading a  small donkey. Angel crosses to them as they group in the center of the clearing. All carry machetes. PIKE his gun out, still hidden in the shadows Cut him loose ANGEL SPEAKS, LED BY IGNACIO, THEY QUICKLY FREE TECTOR and hand him his weapons with murmured apologies. Tector looks at them, whistles, softly. TEC TO R Never saw anything like it never heard Iem, never saw  em.. ANGEL to Pike They apologize and ask you to forgive them for their lack of trust but only by caution do they remain alive  TECTOR Hell, I forgive them I just want to join  em PIKE JOINS DUTCH AND THEY WATCH quietly.. They have mis trusted people for so long themselve,g they can understand mistrust in others. Freddy Sykes laughs s.oi tly. ANGEL AND THE INDIANS cross to the wagonE ANGEL climbing on the wagon Lievas•una caja de rifles. Take a case of rifles. PIKE crossing to him Don t break that fuse. Angel lifts a crate. ANGEL I won t. Pike looks at Ignacio waiting to take the crate, the man s machete glints in the moonlight. PIKE They part of your village ANGEL They are part of the village but not from it they are puro indio and these mountains belong to them. PIKE How long have they been around ANGEL What PIKE How long have they been following us. close ANGEL EASES THE RIFLE CRATE DOWN, TWO PEONS TAKE IT. He turns to Ignacio. ANGEL Cuanto tiempo nos sigas CHANGE  The Indian begins a big explanation in a dialect only Angel understands. IGNACIO Desde ante ayer, cuando sallieron de la llanura grande. Hey otros.grupo de gringos. ellos se fueron a uno Ranchito. Pike looks at Angel. ANGEL They ve been. with us since we left the big plain.He says those others went to a little. Ranch. DUTCH. . joining them Ever see anyone that could sneak around, like these S Angel uncovers a case of munitions and hands it down, SYKES They fought paches for a thousand years that s a sure way to learn.. PIKE If they ever get armed and led, this whole country ll go up in smoke. SYKESS SOFTLY That it will, son, that it will. THE INDIANS ROPE THE TWO CASES ON THE BURRO. They work smoothly, each man knowing his job. Angel. climbs down off the wagon, murmurs a farewell to Ignacio and the others, and they disappear into the shadows. DISSOLVE TO SQUARE AGUA VERDE DAY LATE AFTERNOON EFFECT THE FUSE BURNS DOWN ON A SKY ROCKET AND THE MISSILE SHOOTS INTO, THE AIR AND EXPLODES. A burst of laughter follows. LE. MAPACHE AND HIS MEN are playing with fireworks while they wait for the guns. CHANGE  TWO SOLDIERS DRAG FORWARD A PEON SEEN BEFORE WITH DUTCH IN ANGEL S VILLAGE One of them waves aloft a shotgun and tells Mapache that it belonged to the man.. Mapache, com pletely absorbed in lighting a Roman candle, answers without turning. MAPACHE Matalo l Pues l.. Then kill him MAPACHE LIGHTS THE FUSE AS THE TWO SOLDIERS THROW THE MAN down on the ground and shoot him. As he dies, Mapache lights the Roman candle and shoots it into the air, then at tha soldiers who run for cover, REVEALING PI KE RIDING IN THROUGH THE MAIN GATE. THE GENERAL SEES PIKE AND CROSSES TO HIM IMMEDIATELY, laugh ing with pleasure. Mohr and the other.Germans run to join him as does Zamorra and Herrera. MAPACHE Gringo You bring the guns l s houting to his men Ya estan los gringos y las armas l` The gringos are here with the guns i then noticing the wagon is nowhere in sight to Zamorra Donde estan las arthas Zamorra looks up at Pike. ZAMO RRA The guns PIKE Don t worry we got   em.hidden. As soon as I. get  my share of the gold I ll tell you where four cases are. $ worth.. THEN The others are waiting at the wagon and unless I r eturn pretty damn quick they. blow it.  Zamorra smiles, admiring Pike s caution. CHANGE  MAPACBE LAUGHING You fix it pretty damn good. You fool Mel ZAMORRA Our accountant will pay you immediately. Zamorra turns and yells to Herrera. ZAMORRA Trae la caja Bring the strong box MAPA CHE When you come with all my guns PIKE Quicker I get back, the quicker the next load ll get here. HERRERA BRINGS A SMALL WOODEN STRONG BOX. Kneeling on the ground he opens it and counts out two small bags of gold, and hands them to Zamorra. Zamorra hands them to Pike. PIKE About two.. miles up the arroyo three cases of rifles, one of ammunition, are in the brush behind it. ZAMORRA to Herrera Trae las armas Herrera runs for his horse. MOHR I understand you have a machinegun PIKE Our contr was cases of rifles and of ammunition for $, not a machine gun. then, as Maps the frowns It is our gift to the General. CHANGE  I Zamorra translates this for Mapache who beams at Pike. with genuine pleasure. MAPACHE meaning it You fight con Mapache,h, g macho _dinero muchachas bonitas la vida dulcet ZAMORRA The General wishes you to join him. and become rich he respects you. PIKE turning to go I ll think it over. ZAMORRA Esperate. SMILING  Wait, por favor.In case he cant find them. PIKE LOOKS AT HIM, LOO KS AT MAPA CHE MAPACHE to Pike in SPANISH GO to Zamorra I trust him. Zamorra shrugs, Pike grins then turns and rides = CAMP NEAR AGUA VERDE DAY. A BOTTLE SLAMS AGAINST A ROCK AND THE WHIP PANS TO SHOW Tector Gorch leaning on the wagon grinning. They are in,.a small shallow depression between two hills.. High enough to provide a vantage point of the village and the surrounding area hidden enough by brush and broken country to provide maximum cover. SYKES SEATED NEAR THE ROCK picks glass shards from his clothes, turns to Tector. SYKES after a moment Pike must have found you. under a rock somewheres. TECTOR GRINNING You going to whip me SYKES Nope But you better hope I don t get riled enough to start ggin  you when this is over. TECTOR You ll never get a chance to dry gulch me, old man. SYKES grinning at him We ll see. LYLE to  Tector Take the watch. DUTCH, CAREFULLY EXAMINING TWO GRENADES, looks up as Te c for Gorch. moves up the bank of the wash. LYLE crossing to Dutch He s been gone a ong time then. What s t ha t DUTCH Grenade • you pull this pin then throw it and find a hole From what. I hear it gets the job done. LYLE We could have used a fear of them in San Rafael.. TECTOR calling Pike s co min DUTCH GETS TO HIS FEET, putting the grenades in his jumper pocket and crosses. to meet Pike, as he rides in. DUTCH {.calling Any trouble PIKE Just carryin  all this weight. He hold s up two bags of gold. TECTOR. He  gate it a.Look,. Lyle, he s carryin  golds Pike I want to go n. PIKE RIDES HIS HORSE INTO THE CAMP AND DISMOUNTS PIKE to Lyle You and your brother take in the next  load, and the machine gun  then Dutch and Angel. Sykes,. you follow them and pick up the pack horses.leave the wagon. DUTCH How s the, generalis imo PIKE DISMOUNTING Openin  boxes. like he thinks it s Christmas. AGUA VERDE DAY. MAPACHE WAITS AS TWO MEN BRING HIM THE MACHINE GUN, the weapon cradled between them. Zamorra awkwardly feeding a belt into the breech,. finally gets it ready to fire. The two Germans are watching with amusement and disdain. In the b.g,f Lyle and Te.ctor are. riding out the gate. MOHR It must be mounted on the tripod. Mapache ignores them,.  grabbing the butt of the gun. MOHR Er ist dock verrukt ZAMORRA SHOVES HOME THE BOLT AND MAPACHE PULLS THE TRIGGER. The gun suddenly.comes alive and the two men holding it are bounced around the area by the wild. reco it THE GUN SWINGS WILDLY, MAPACHE HANGING ON = his finger locked down. on the trigger. THE GERMANS. AND OTHER BYSTANDERS DIVE FOR COVER as bullets clatter through the area. Finally the two soldiers,  unable. to support it, let it drop to the ground. BUT MAPACHE STIML HANGS ONTO THE TRIGGER AND THE WEAPON continues firing. Now like a rivet gun driving bullets into the earth, DISSOLVE TO E= . AGUA VERDE DAY DUTCH AND ANGEL ENTER THE COURTYARD. Mapache, Zamorra and Herrera watching the Germans mount the. gun on the tripod, turn; then Herrera crosses to his horse and mounts, waiting. DUTCH We brought the last of it. Mapache gestures. Zamorra hands two bags of coin to Dutch who opens theca locks it s gold. DUTCH At the head of the.arroyo in the wagon. Zamorra speaks to Herrera, who rides off with ten or twelve soldiers. DUTCH, turning to go You can keep the wagon we ll take the horses. MAPACHE Como no. I SUDDENLY ANGEL, WATCHING HERRERA RIDE THROUGH THE ARCH, TENSES. A group of soldiers are beginning to slowly close the massive iron gates. ZAMORRA How many cases did you take  from the train CHANGE  DUTCH Fourteen. We lost two on the trail. MAPACHE laughing, points at Angel; in Spanish He stole them. .He stole them for his people. The mother of his girl told us. I lost the girl, so now she gives me an Angel. ANGEL WHIRLS HIS HORSE AND SPURS FOR T GATEWAY, BUT AS HE APPROACHES,. THE HEAVY WROUGHT IRON DOORS begin to swing shut.. MAPACHE No lo matez b.Lo quiero vivo AS ANGEL NEARS THE GATE, A SOLDIER SWINGS A LARIAT AND CATCHES THE TWO FRONT FEET OF HIS HORSE. THE HO RSE GOES OVER JUST SHORT OF THE ARCH SLAMMING ANGEL into the wrought iron gate. A group of soldiers pick him up and drag him back. DUTCH SITS ON HIS HORSE UNMOVING, apparently unconcerned as Angel is brought before Mapache. MAPACHE Supieron ellos ANGEL LOOKS AT DUTCH, THEN SHAKES HIS HEAD. ANGEL No S.Yo los robe mientras dormian. ZAMO RRA to Dutch Ee took two cases when you were asleep. MAPACHE LAUGHS, highly pleased at the idea of a Mexican robbing the Americans. MAPACHE to Angel, in Spanish Next time be more careful who you shoot the mother of your sweetheart became angry when you killed her daughter. so she betrayed you que familia, eh CHANGE  DUTCH interrupting him I m wasting time here. MAPACHE turning to him Y Angel DUTCH He s a thief, you take care of him. MAPACHE gesturing at the gold Dame lo. DUTCH. ANGRY Wiat for l We delivered. ZAMORRA Two cases short one bag, por favor. DUTCH THINKS ABOUT THIS VERY. BRIEFLY, then tosses him a bag. MAPACHE Un vieje Bien.. DUTCH Yeah. He turns and rides off, Angel watching him. EM. ARROYO DAY SYKES IS HELPING HERRERA AND HIS SO LDIER S LOAD THE CASES ONTO PACK ANIMALS AS DUTCH RIDES UP. DUTCH QUIETLY They got Angel. some people would betray their mothers for two dollars and one drink. THEN Unhitch and bring the horses leave the wagono SYKE S We got to get him DUTCH ANGRILY How But. Sykes can t answer and Dutch rides off. CHANGE  BADLANDS DAY THORNTON, BELLIED DOWN ON A RIDGE TOP, WATCHES THROUGH BINOC ULARS AS DUTCH, better than a mile away, disappears in the distance. The others are. mounted at the bottom of a small ravine below him. THO RNTO N turning to them Dutch Engstrom.going from the village. COFFER $ dead or alive. T.C. Bet they sold the guns. THORN TON,,Coming out one at a time. i then, crossing to his horse We ll get down at the bottom of the wash and see if we can thin the odds a little. He mounts and they ride off. CAMP DAY DUTCH HAS DISMOUNTED AND IS TALKING TO PIKE AND THE OTHERS. On a ridge above camp, using binoculars, they look across the badlands below and at the town far in the distance. LYLE Well, he had guts PIAE SOFTLY We re just lucky he didn t talk. DUTCH Yeah he played his string out right to the end. TECTO R He loved that girl LYLE Her own Mama turning him in just like Judas PIKE LOOKS AT HIM A LONG MOMENT, then turns away. DUTCH Sykes says we got to go after him. CHANGE  LYLE How in hell. can we do that They got guns and men. Besides, chances are he s dead by now. PIKE FINALLY _No wag. no  way at all. LYRE POINTING There s Sykes. PIKE LIFTS THE GLASSES WATCHING . SYKES IN THE FAR DISTANCE RIDE TOWARD THEM. BADLANDS DAY SYKES, MOUNTED BAREBACK ON A HORSE AND LEADING THE OTHERS, trots up the dim trail. toward the hide THORNTON AND HIS HUNTERS, THREE. M O WATCH from the cover of brushcovered ridge some distance away, then JESS CHANGING HIS POSITION TO GET A BETTER SHOT, STICKS HIS BARE FOOT IN A SMALL CLUMP OF CHOLLA He. jumps at the fiery pain and nearly falls, and for an instant HIS RIFLE CAN BE SEEN OVER THE TOP OF THE RIDGE. SYKES TENSES FOR A BRIEF INSTANT AS THE SUN HITS THE BARREL OF THE RIFLE and he catches the reflection in his eye. Then he has spurred his horse into the brush at the side of the trail. THORNTON CURSES AND RUNS TO HIS HORSE as the bandits open fire. PIKE AND THE OTHERS WATCH SYKES SPUR INTO THE BRUSH. TINY PINPOINTS OF LIGHT APPEAR IN THE ROCKS ABOVE HIM. After a moment the noise of firing•reaches them. Dutch takes the glasses, watching. CHANGE  THORNTON AND THE OTHERS SPUR after Sykes, firing. THEN SYKES IS HIT and falls forward over the horse s withers. BADLANDS MOVING SHOT DAY THE BOUNTY HUNTERS THUNDER after Sykes. COFFER yelling I got him I got him.  Thornton is silent, his face bitter. PIKE GRABS THE GLASSES,. WATCHES THE BOUNTY HUNTERS ride after Sykes. LYRE,Maps the DUTCH Thornton they got Sykes. He s hit bad. then, turning away Daum Deka Thornton to hell.. PIKE. SOFTLY What. would you do in his place. gave his word. DUTCH turning on him, almost yelling Gave his word to a railroad. PIKE It  his word DUTCH That ain. t what counts it s who you give it t o l l LYLE as Pike doesn t answer We kin stay right up here and kick hell out of  em. Pike turns and. looks over the camp. PIKE No water. CHANGE  DUTCH. Make a run for the border PIKE They d be after us every step of the way I know Thornton. No, I m tired of being hunted we go back to Agua Verde and let the General take,.. care of those boys. LYLE You re crazy .He d just as soon kill us as break wind.. PIKE He s so tickled with the guns he ll be celebrating for a week and happy to do us a favor. Thornton ain t going after us in there. While they re busy pick ing over Freddy we ll.  take the back trail off this mountain and head for town. The others look at him silently. Finally DUTCH We take our gold PIKE We take one sack to pay our way. Bury the rest together. They think this over, then nod. BADLANDS DAY THE BOUNTY HUNTERS CRASH through the brush into a small clearing, then split up, looking for tracks. The country around them is a maze of rocks and thick mesquite and chaparral. Sykes  horse, blood running. down its flanks, is standing in the clearing,grazing. T.,C. He can t be far. COFFER Lots of blood over here then it stops and no tracks.  T. C. We  find him. Ten dollars says he s dead by now. THORNTON It ll take us a day to find him if he is if he isn t, he s holding a gun on us right now. THE IAN TENSE,THEIR WEAPONS coming up. THORNTON We ll go after the others. JESS Just leaving him here He s worth money. THORNTON softly, bitterly Jess, you come back tomorrow and watch the buzzards. They ll show you where he is you might even get a pair of. boots. Jess thinks this over and grins, then the smile fades. JESS But what if he ain t dead THORNTON Your problem.. He turns his horse and rides away,. the others following, SYKES, HIDDEN IN THE ROCKS and brush above them,•slowly lowers his rifle and sags back. His leg is dark with dried blood and he s weak. Around the wound is a crude bandage made from his shirt with a tourniquet twisted tightly above it. After a moment, there is a noise and he looks away at THE FIGURE OF A MEXICAN PEON BLURRED AND INDISTINCT AGAINST THE RAYS of the late afternoon sun, a machete dangling from his hand. CAMP AREA DAY PIKE AND THE OTHERS NOW MOUNTED, look over the camp. CHANGE  IT APPEARS UNTOUCHED TECTOR If I. didn t bury it, I wouldn t know where to look. P= Come on. They ride off. Fora longmoment the clearing is quiet,then ENERO, A YOUNG MEXICAN BOY steps out of the brush. HACIENDA COURTYARD AGUA VERDE DAY MAPACHE S SOLDIERS ARE HAVING A VICTORY CELEBRATION in tha courtyard of the hacienda. A fire is burning and pigs and goats are. being barbecued. MAPACHE, ZAMORRA AND THE GERMANS are sitting at the table.. TWO SOLDIERS LEAD ANGEL who has been badly beaten down into the courtyard. His hands are tied, and he is, stumbling with fatigue. They tie a long rope from his neck to. the pack saddle of a donkey. One of.the soldiers calls.to Mapache. ST.SOLDIER Ya•listo, mi General MAPACHE.GETS UP FROM THE TABLE and crosses to the area where. he can. view the.whole courtyard. Zamorra and the Germans join him. THE. SECOND SOLDIER steps to the animal and leads it at a run around the. courtyard, Angel dragging behind it. Mapache and the others watch without expression. PLAZA GATE. DAY L. A PIKE  AND DUTCH AND THE GORCH BROTHERS dismount and enter, COURTYARD DAY THEY MOVE INTO THE COURTYARD AND STOP, watching the animal dragging Angel around. Finally. the soldiers. and animal stop, exhausted, in a T � G corner of the yard and the soldiers return to their party atmosphere. Angel lies unmoving. PIKE I hate to see an animal treated like that. DUTCH SAVAGELY No more than. I do PIKE Maybe we could buy him. They are silent for a long moment. Finally LYLE Just thinking about him is asking for trouble. PIKE We,could use another gun. MAPACHE, ZAMORRA AND THE GERMAN ADVISORS NOW GROUPED around the fire see the men. MAPACHE Los Bandi dos Gringos.Come here, AMIGOS PIKE AND THE OTHERS PUSH THROUGH the large group of festive Mexicans towards the table. As they walk toward Mapache ANGEL IS DRAGGED PAST THEM by two soldiers and dropped in front of the general. MAPACHE LAUGHING You come for your friend Pike and the others stop.a few feet away. PIKE I want to buy him back. Dutch and the others look at him surprised, PIKE CONTINUING I,  pay you his share of the gold.  ZAMORRA We kept his share of the gold. MAPACHE Oyen muchachos. .Quiere comprar el traidor este ; Listen boys.He wants to buy this traitor The soldiers respond with laughter. MAPACHE How much.He don t look. wotth too much.Levantasel Two men jerk Angel to his feet. He is groggy and unre= sponsive. MAPACHE Maybe he won t live too long . PIKE I ll give half my share to get him back. MAPACHE LAUGHS No, I don t. need gold. I don t sell that one. MAPACHE TURNS AWAY and mumbles something to Zamorra. PIKE You ve had your fun with him. ZAMORRA cutting him. off El g neralisimo is happy with victory. Zamorra grabs a bottle of tequilla ofd  the table and tosses it to Pike. ZAMORRA Go and drink. there are women in. the village.But don t be foolish. and change his mood. PIKE HOLDS THE BOTTLE and looks at the table, seething with anger. Then,. suddenly he calms. CHANGE  PIKE Want to go hunting, General Mapache looks at him confused. PIIE pointing Five government men out there Policio they want the guns back. Mapache turns to Zamorra who translates.. MAPACHE to Herrera happily, in Spanish Five gringos want to take our guns Maten los.. HERRERA S, mi. General. f. He turns, barks orders to his men, then mounts and rides out, followed by twenty soldiers. DUTCH Goodbye,. Thornton. ZAMORRA GESTURES AND JUAN JOSE crosses. to them. RD SOLDIER Quieren muchachas Pike looks at Angel for a moment, then turns away.. PIKE Why not. The group moves through the celebration out the main gate and into the village beyond. CAMP GROUND DAY THORNTON IS ON THE RIDGE TOP SEARCHING THE BADLANDS WITH HIS GLASSES as his men search the area behind and. below him. COFFER Don t look like nobody was ever. here, T .C. pointing at horse tracks Well, they was. Then they look up as CHANGE  THORNTON RUNS DOWN THE SLOPE TOWARD THEM THORNTON Army patrol coming this way. Instantly the men mount and ride DISSOLVE TO NATIVE HUT DAY PIKE IS SPRAWLED OVER A NATIVE HAMMOCK, drunk.. He lifts a bottle of mescale and takes a drink. ON THE FLOOR OF THE HUT A SAD BUT NOT UNATTRACTIVE WOMAN is sitting looking at a handful of silver in her hand. In one corner a baby whines as the flies bother it. Through an open door leading to another room,.the drunken voices of the Gorch brothers can be heard as they bargain with DELORES, a very reluctant prostitute. LYLE OS You said dos for two. TECTOR O.S And here s.your dos and one to grow on  cause y ou did real well, honey. DELORES OS Doce es mas que dos dace para cada uno. _ PIKE WATCHES THE WOMAN AND THE BABY FOR A MOMENT LONGER THEN SUDDENLY SWINGS OUT OF THE HAMMOCK and steps into the ad joining room. LYLE GORCH LOOKS UP AT HIM BLEARILY FROM A HAMMOCK. Tector is on the floor embracing the disheveled woman. Pike watches them, weaving a little PIKE FINALLY Let s get Angel. TECTOR•IMMEDIATELY REACHES.FOR HIS GUN and stands as if he has just been given an important order by a commanding offi cer. Lyle rises more slowly, begins to check the.loads in his pistols. CHANGE  LYLE Why not Pike turns and moves through. his room. Tector and Lyle follow. Behind them the.woaian begins her complaints again. NATIVE HUT NIGHT PIKE AND THE GORCH BROTHERS COME THROUGH THE DOOR. DUTCH IS SITTING WITH A BOTTLE BACK AGAINST THE WALL listening. to the plaintive sound of a distant guitar.. He.looks up as they come DUTCH RISING Angel. PIKE Yeah. THEY CROSS TO THEIR HORSES, THEIR DRUNKENNESS LESSENING with every step. Pike and Dutch pull rifles. or shotguns from their saddle scab bards as do Lyle.andTector,. then they move up the village street.. FOUR MEN IN LINE AND THE AIR OF IMPENDING VIOLENCE IS SO STRONG around them that as they pass through the celebrating soldiers, the song and the laughter begin to die. RUINED HACIENDA NIGHT MAPACHE, THE GERMANS, ZAMORRA, HERRERA AND SIX OR SEVEN of their officers and a handful of women are seatedat a long center table.. Food and liquor bottles are spilled every where, the mariachi band plays for A CHITA, A SCARED, NOT UNATTRACTIVE GIRL who is trying to please the general by dancing on the table. At other tables are more officers and perhaps thirty or so enlisted men. The machine gun mounted on its tripod is in a far corner.. ANGEL LIES ON THE FLOOR, nearly unconscious, almost unrecog nizable from. the beating he has taken.. CHANGE  F Mapache watches the dancer, then angrily kicks her off the table. She falls heavily to the floor, then Mapache seeing PIKE AND THE OTHERS ENTER THROUdH THE LARGE ARCHES and s.  and watching. MAPACHE half angry Hey, bandidos What you want. ZAMORRA QUICKLY Hey, this pointing to Herrera Dog lost those gringos you wanted but.we kill  em tomorrow naw. you go on and get out of here; PIKE We want Angel; Mapache stares at them without answering. ZAMORRA. You are very stupid.very stupid SUDDENLY MAPACHE LURCHES UP FROM THE TABLE, CROSSES TO ANGEL AND LIFTS HIM TO HIS FEET. Half dragging him, he steps in front  of the Americans. Around him many of the soldiers are rising. PIKE WATCHES UNMOVING AS MAPACHE PROPS up Angel from behind, grins at them. MAPACHE You want him.., He takes a knife and cuts the rope binding. Angel s hands. ANGELBARELY ABLE TO STAND, REACTS with disbelief.. PIKE AND DJTCH WATCH without a movement, without a sound. MAPACHE SOFTLY Take him. TECTOR AND LYLE IGNORE MAPACHE, THEIR eyes drifting over the Mexicans who are slowly edging forward,some beginning to grin. ZAMORRA, STILL SEATED at the table pours himself a drink, the clink of the glass against the bottle loud in the silence. Beside him the.Germans rise slowly. Mapache, still holding Angel from behind, leans over his shoulder and whispers in his ear MAPACHE GENTLY Vete, Angelito ..te esperan. los. gringitos. ANGEL STANDS FAST, then curiously he takes a step forward. PIKE. AND THE OTHERS REMAIN MOTIONLESS ANGEL S FACE BEGINS to brighten with hope and he takes another step,. then MAPACHE GRABS HIM.BY THE HAIR and his other hand flashes across the boy s throat as he shoves Angelinto the Americans, the blood splattering them from his severed throat. AS PIKE STEPS BACK TO AVOIDAngel s falling body, he draws his fortyfive automatic and fires twice into Mapache. THE BULLETS DOUBLE HIM AND HURL HIM INTO.HIS MEN. As he CRUMPLES DUTCH.FIRES INTO THE TOP OF HIS. HEAD, then the room explodes with gunfire., ZAMORRA AND TWO OF THE OTHERS scramble for cover while drawing. Mohr runs for the machine gun. R�fle fire erupts from the courtyard as the soldiers rush forward and die as ONE OF DUTCH S GRENADES explodes amongst them. PIKE, FIRING WITH AMAZING rapidity empties his,, shoves it in his belt, cocks the lever on the rifle, moving slowly but steadily into the shadowed corners of the room kill ing men, firing, being shot at and hit in return. CHANGE  DUTCH EMPTYING his, throwing another grenade, is hit, draws his, continues firing, moving with Pike, covering his back. THE SOLDIES HUNT COVER and die more pour in from the courtyard and die caught in the cross fire. TECTOR AND LYLE YELLING with the lust of battle charge toward the table, emptying their guns. MOHR.REACHES THE MACHINE GUN, begins firing. Kills a number of soldiers as it gets away from him. PIKE KILLS HIM with his last two rifle shots and the German dies with his finger locked. on the trigger. THE GUN SWINGS, cutting a swath of death across the room, killing s.ix soldiers,wzunding Dutch. PIKE THROWS THE RIFLE. as he slips a. now clip in the, whirls as ZAMORRA PUTS three rounds into Dutch. PIKE KILLS ZAMORRA AND HERRERA, then a soldier has driven a bayonet through his gut and into the wall. DUTCH, ON THE FLOOR, KILLS THE SOLDIER   MEXICANS CONTINUE FIRING AT THE AMERICANS from all sides and the Gorch brothers, badly wounded,. but still on their feet still are blasting away at them from the middle of the room, then Tector, laughing, picks up. the screaming, terrified Chita and, rushes the crowd, using the woman for a shield. She tosses her head and dies as bullets slam into her soft body, then he is.hit again and goes down on one knee. A SOLDIER, UNSEEN BY.TECTOR , steps into a doorway. He aims at Tecto r with a revolver and fires Into him from several feet away. The bullets tear into Tector and he drops the woman and dances out into the room. As he is hit. from all sides, he whirls around, seeing CHANGE  th. THE MAN IN THE DOORWAY, he fires his last shot into the man s body. The man plunges forward screaming. Tector stands up straight as bullets pour into him. Finally, he crumples fast and falls, ; LYLE., HIT SEVERAL TIMES, SCREAMING WITH RAGE, standing over Tector is wildeyed, firing madly into the crowd. A bullet splashes into his cheek and he runs..at. the nearest of his attackers, firing, scattering them, killing most, TECTOR RISES, CLICKS HIS EMPTY pistol at. the mob. A soldier rushes him from behind with a machete and the cross fire of his own men kills him as he swings the weapon into TectorPs back. Tector falls to the floor,. writhing in pain, cursing, pulling down a soldier, strangling him as he dies, LYLE STAGGERS, BULLETS PUMPING into him, then falls dead before he hits the ground. The soldiers continue to fire into. his body, DUTCH LIFTS A SOLDIER AND TOSSES him against the wall, then falls as bullets cut into him. He rolls, then.crawls under the tables dragging the useless lower half of his body. Al thotgh in pain, he is grinning strangely. He removes a car bine from a dead soldier and. props himself on a bench. Taking careful aim,, he fires and a  soldier drops screaming.and. kicking. Methodically he aims and fires again, and again and again, a man dying each time he pulls the trigger.. PIKE WATCHES AS HE TENSES, FINALLY JERKS THE BAYONET out of his body, runs firing at five of the soldiers. who are rushing the room kills two,. reaches the machine gun, pulls Mohr away from the gun,,jerks back the bolt. and staggers as a soldier empties his pistol into him from behind, Pike him self turns and dies, DUTCH SWINGS THE RIFLE, firing, crippling the soldier, then ANOTHER SOLDIER, HIS UNIFORM STAINED WITH BLOOD, draws his knife and hardly able to move, falls on Dutch the weight of the.fallburying the weapon deep into Dutch s back. Crumpled together, both.men die, COURTYARD NIGHT FOR A FEW SECONDS THERE IS STILL sporadic gunfire as the re maining soldiers fire into the bodies of the wild bunch.. CHANGE  Then it stops. A mortally. wounded man suddenly screams in agony and writhes on the floor and dies. Another, pistol in hand, rises, staggers to the gateway, teeters for a moment, then falls, firing blindly into the. dust. Somewhere outside the wall, a cur yelps and runs away into the night, DISSOLVE TO AGUA VERDE GATE.. DAY A THE BOUNTY HUNTERS led by Thornton, ride through. It appears deserted, _ HACIENDA COURTYARD DAY IN THE COURTYARD A SMALL GROUP OF WOMEN wrapped in. black robosas are burning candles and moving. among the dead bodies. that spill out of the large room of the hacienda and into the yard. It is a scene of carnage, blood now black in.the sun, a million flies and the walls lined with waiting vultures. There is no sign of soldiers anywhere.. A few of the bodies have been dragged into the courtyard. Most, including Pike, Dutch and the others, including Mapache, lie where they fell. THE BOUNTY HUNTERS, LED BY THORNTON, RIDE UP TO THE ARCHES AND DISMOUNT, their horses snorting nervously at the smell of blood and the stench of death. Atthe end of the courtyard where five corpses are heaped in a small Di, a lone vulture stands. patiently near them. As the bounty hunters approach and the.bird labors reluctantly into flight, the men dismount. Thornton, looking in through the broken wall, turns away. Coffer and T.C. enter, whistle softly.. COFFER It s them. THORNTON You d have.one hell of a time proving that.a week from now, in Texas. COFFER. We could try.Hell, a pelt s a pelt, it don t matter what condition it s in. T.C. Picked clean not a gun on  em.,. Thornton walks slowly among the bodies. CHANGE  T.C.   OS This boy here s got some gold in his teeth. Let me see your knife, Coffer. COFFER crossing to Thornton em. _Hey, Thornton, should we load up THORNTON walking away Suit yourself, T.C. We going to wait here for Jess or meet him on the way But Thornton doesn t answer; reaching his horse, he mounts and. rides away. Coffer and T.C,. and Ross look after him.. ROSS pointing to the bird on the walk If Jess is counting on buzzards to. lead him to. old Sykes, he s got a long wait we got  em all.. They laugh and go to work. GATE AGUA VERDE DAY THORNTON COMES THROUGH THE GATE, ties his horse, sits down, his back against the wall. Except for a dog and two.silent women, the village appears deserted. Thornton rolls a cigarette, begins to smoke it.. waiting. DISSOLVE TO EXT . GATE AGUA VERDE AFTERNOON COFFER, ROSS AND T.C.ride out leading four pack animals, each carrying a body. Thornton looks up, he doesn t move. COFFER You ain t comin  CHANGE  Thornton shakes his head. T. C.. NERVOUS Maybe we better wait here for Jess, COFFER No we pick him up on the way I want toget of this goddamned place anyways these boys will start going ripe on us by tomorrow we got to  move then; to Thornton You sure you ain t coming Coffer shrugs and drinking out ofa halffull tequi.lla bottle, rides off, followed by the others who ignore Thornton as completely as he does them, DISSOLVE TO� GATE AGUA VERDE LATE AFTERNOON THORNTON HASN T MOVED. Then from the. distance come three slowpaced rifle shots Thornton sits up waits, then there is a fourth Thornton settles back, DISSOLVE TO GATE AGUA VERDE EARLY EVENING THE SUN HAS PASSED THE MOUNTAINS AND AS the light goes a cold wind kicks dust across the empty street of the village.. Thornton stands, looking off at FREDDY.SYKES, DON JOSE, ENERO, THE YOUNG GOAT HERDER, IGNACIO;.and a handful of Angells compadres sit watching him. They are leading the bounty hunters  horses, the sacks of gold are tied to Sykes  saddle. SYKES Didn t expect to find you here, Deke. THORNTON Why. not I sent em.back that s all I said I d do.  SYKES They didn t et far THEN You the one that shot me THORNTON Don t know does.it make any difference SYKES after a moment I reckon not. THEN What are;. your plans THORNTON Drift around down here try and. stay out of jail SYKES Well,, come along we got some work to do riding away It ain t like it used to be,. but it s better than nothing. THORNTON TAKES A DEEP BREATH, TEN HALF GRINS, unties his horse, then mounts and follows. WILD HOGS Written by Brad Copeland FIRST DRAFT REVISED  KITCHEN MORNING ANGLE ON BILLY MATTHEWS,, ravenously eating a plate of hashbrowns, runny fried eggs and syrupy waffles. WOMAN S VOICE O.C. Doug. We see DOUG MATTHEWS,  s, sitting across the table, staring at his son, Billy. Doug is handsome in that honest, sincere way. A guy you would call to help you move a couch. He watches Billy scoop up his hashbrowns with a frosted poptart. Billy catches his Dad s look and grins with his mouth full. Doug smiles back, then looks down at his own plate. He has scrambled egg whites and sliced tomatoes. His smile fades away. WOMAN S VOICE O.C. CONT D Doug Doug snaps out of it and looks up at his wife, KELLY MATTHEWS. She s attractive, with a patient smile. KELLY I ve got some stuff to do for the party tomorrow. Can you take Billy to school DOUG What stuff This party isn t going to be fancy, is it Just some friends and a wing platter from Costco KELLY It s a our th anniversary, Doug. Its going to be a nice party with nice food and nice music. And wings have carbs, so you can t eat them anyway. BILLY MOUTH FULL I ll eat  em. Doug gives Billy a look. DOUG No you won t. Because I m going to scrape the batter off. BILLY That doesn t work. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DOUG I went to medical school. You think I don t know how carbs work BILLY Dentists go to medical school Doug looks a little insulted. KELLY Doug, can you take Billy or not DOUG Yeah, I can take him. There aren t any emergencies at the office this morning. KELLY You have emergencies DOUG INDIGNANT Yes, I have emergencies. That s what my pager is for. one beep from that thing, and bam. I m off. Like a cheetah. Billy, now pouring lucky charms into a bowl, looks up. BILLY MOUTH FULL The battery ith gone in that thing. You took them out for the TV clicker. Doug gives Billy a look. DOUG I did do that. I forgot about that. I need to get some batteries in there. Because dentists do have emergencies. We are doctors, you know We take the same oath. The oath of saving lives. Doug goes to take some of Billy s discarded Lucky Charms. Billy swats his hand away. BILLY MOUTH FULL Uh uh. Carbth. Doug nods, defeated, as Billy hops up and dumps the remaining lucky charms in the trash. Wild Hogs writers first draft  VOLVO LATER THAT MORNING DOUG drives a Volvo station wagon along the streets of Cincinnati. BILLY is next to him, in the passenger seat, looking bored. Doug notices. DOUG You know, I use to race a car like this. Put a hemi under the hood. Nobody saw me coming. BILLY Really DOUG Yup. It could really. smoke some ass. Billy raises his eyebrows, impressed. Doug smiles. This was a good time to break the no saying ass rule. DOUG CONT D Yes, sir. They called it the dragon wagon. You re lucky to be in here without a helmet, pal. We both are. Doug downshifts a gear, and the tame engine roars artificially. Billy is impressed. BILLY Awesome Hey, can I jam the radio DOUG Heck yeah, you can jam the radio. Doug tussles Billy s hair and smiles. SMASH TRAFFIC LIGHT A FEW MINUTES LATER The Volvo pulls up to a red light. Radio Disney blares MICKEY LOVES MAMBO from the stereo. BILLY bobs his head along with the music. DOUG looks out the window and sees a midtwenties guy in a Porsche, staring at him. Doug nods hello, then awkwardly faces forward. FADE OUT FADE BACK IN ON Wild Hogs writers first draft  SMALL OFFICE MORNING VOICE ON SPEAKERPHONE Bob. BOB LEVENSTEIN, s, is working at his computer. Bob is good enough looking, but with a gawky wimpishness and burdened eyes. He tries to ignore the speakerphone. VOICE ON SPEAKERPHONE CONT D Bob Bob cringes at the shrill, female voice. BOB Hey, honey. VOICE ON SPEAKERPHONE You need to come tell Haley she can t go to a party tonight. BOB into speaker phone Well, I m technically at the office right now, so. The door behind him flings open, and KAREN LEVENSTEIN, attractive and harshlooking, steps in holding a phone. KAREN Are you kidding me You work in our guest bedroom, not an office. BOB I know, I was just trying to make this DEADLINE KAREN Yeah, and I have to go to a job that actually makes us money, Bob. So, get out here and tell Haley she s not going anywhere Bob nods obediently and hurries out of the room. BOB S HOUSE KITCHEN A MOMENT LATER Bob enters the kitchen. His five yearold daughter, CLAIRE, wearing a dance leotard, walks up to him and smiles. Wild Hogs writers first draft  CLAIRE Hey, Daddy. Listen. screams at the top of her LUNGS EEEEEIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAA Bob winces, and looks around for his other daughter. SFX PHONE RINGS Bob reaches for it, but his other teenage daughter, HALEY, runs in, wearing a denim miniskirt and Ugg boots. HALEY No Don t touch that It s Julien Haley snatches the phone away from Bob. BOB Actually, I need to talk to you HALEY IGNORING BOB Hey, Julien. Yeah, totally. I ll probably just drop by and chill. BOB If that s about the party, you HALEY Dad I m talking, here. God Haley storms out of the room. Bob goes to say something, but CLAIRE enters and looks up at him. CLAIRE SCREAMING AGAIN Eeeeeeeiiiiiaaaaa Bob just stares at her, as Karen enters the Kitchen. KAREN yelling above Claire Did you talk to her Tell me you talked to her. God I have to do everything Just get Claire to ballet. She s late. BOB Well, I really have to finish my KAREN Your little article for the Web magazine, Bob MORE wild Hogs writers first draft  KAREN CONT D I have a shareholder meeting. And we agreed that my career would be the priority, and you would work out of the house. You might not like it, but my job is higher paying. And I don t see you complaining about that hundred dollar shirt you re wearing. Bob looks down at his toohip dress shirt. BOB You bought this shirt for me. I was fine with my tshirts KAREN Oh, you don t like the shirt now Fine. Take it off. BOB What KAREN Take it off You don t want to wear nice things, don t. Off Bob sighs and takes the shirt off. Karen snatches it from him. KAREN CONT D Now take Claire to her ballet class. It s starts in five minutes. BOB Well, I have to get another KAREN Go Five minutes Karen pushes Bob out the door, with Claire skipping happily behind him. BOB S CAR A MOMENT LATER Bob sits in the car, SHIRTLESS, next to Claire. He looks over at her, and notices a pink hoodie in her lap. BOB You going to wear that CLAIRE For five dollars, I m not. Bob sighs and reaches for his wallet. Wild Hogs writers first draft  CHILDREN S DANCE STUDIO FIVE MINUTES LATER A bunch of kids in dance leotards are starting a class. Claire comes running into the group, as Bob enters behind her, wearing the pink hoodie. It s way too small, and doesn t quite cover his belly. He sits with the parents and nods awkwardly to them. It s embarrassing. FADE TO BLACK FADE BACK IN ON MODERN HOUSE MORNING We see the pristine living room of an expensive, architectural house. MALE VOICE O.C. Woody. GETTING ANGRY Woody Stevens We see WOODY STEVENS, s, handsome, but with shifty eyes and a Michael Keaton hairline, walk through the stylish house speaking into a cordless headset. WOODY No, you listen to me. You re not going to push me around. We agreed on a price, and that s the price I ll pay. If you don t like it, walk away. but you can kiss your business good bye, because that s what happens when you screw with Woody Stevens. You go down. Hard. As Woody talks, he passes by framed magazine covers of a beautiful model, CLAUDIA as well as some pictures of his wedding day with her, their exotic vacations, and one blownup glamour shot of Woody, shirtless, oiled and holding a greasy wrench. WOODY CONT D No, money s not the problem LAUGHS Money s never a problem. You just need to honor the correct price. Got it Woody gets his answer, and angrily throws the headset down on a stack of moving boxes. He marches to the front door and throws it open. Wild Hogs writers first draft  WOODY S HOUSE CONTINUOUS Woody yells out the front door. WOODY Then go home, Toby You make me sick ANGLE ON The front yard. A tenyearold boy is standing with a rake, surrounded by leaves. He clicks off his cellphone and shrugs. TOBY I can t do this many leaves for ten bucks It ll take two hours WOODY Well, you should have thought of that before you put the any yard for ten bucks flyer on the telephone pole. You re done on this block, now. And that goes for your band fundraisers, too. I m not buying any candy bars no matter what parade you dorks have to get to Woody slams the door closed. Toby kicks at a pile of leaves, then starts home. FADE OUT FADE BACK IN ON CLUTTERED OFFICE MORNING We see an office crowded with disassembled Apple computers, motherboards, and abandoned monitors. COMPUTER VOICE Dudley ANGLE ON DUDLEY FRANK late s, an oddlooking, curly haired guy with black plastic glasses that are slightly too big for his face. He stares at a computer in front of him. DUDLEY Yeah, hey, Mac. How s it go COMPUTER VOICE It is now nine o clock am. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DUDLEY Thanks, Mac. Open internet, okay A pause. COMPUTER VOICE Command unknown. DUDLEY Mac. Open. Internet. A pause. COMPUTER VOICE It is now nine o clock am. DUDLEY Alright, Mac. I ll show you. Dudley clicks a few keys and nods satisfactorily. COMPUTER VOICE Internet open. Dudley laughs goodnaturedly. DUDLEY Right, because I just opened it. SIGHS I guess I need to research alternative specs. COMPUTER VOICE Searching alternative sex. DUDLEY What No Dudley jumps forward and starts hitting the keys. COMPUTER VOICE Two million websites found. DUDLEY I didn t want to search that I said specs. all the data to be compiled. COMPUTER VOICE Searching sex all the day with child. DUDLEY Ahhh, No Wild Hogs writers first draft  Dudley frantically starts ripping the power wires out of the computer. The monitor goes dark. Dudley touches it sadly, then looks over at a cat sitting on the edge of the desk. DUDLEY CONT D TO CAT Looks like it s still just you and me, icat. Dudley reaches out to pet the cat. It hisses at him angrily, and he quickly pulls his hand back. DUDLEY CONT D Sorry. DOUG MATTHEW S OFFICE THAT AFTERNOON DOUG, now in his lab coat, sits at his desk, playing with a model of a mouth. The phone rings and Doug answers it. DOUG INTO PHONE Hey, honey. INTERCUT WITH KELLY On the phone at home. KELLY You busy DOUG Me Oh, yeah. I ve got a mouth right here in front of me. Doug takes a dental tool and hammers on the plastic mouth. KELLY Don t they mind you being on the phone DOUG Well, it s not attached to a head, really. More research. Doug hits the mouth too hard and all the teeth fall He fumbles to stop them from scattering everywhere. Wild Hogs writers first draft  KELLY Oh. Well, I just wanted to tell you I found a great rate for the RitzCarlton tomorrow night. I Thought it might be romantic. Mom can stay here with Billy. DOUG I don t know. Do you think we really need to stay at a hotel I mean, Billy has his own room. Why don t we just buy new sheets Like, hotelcolored ones. It ll be like the Ritz, but we won t have to pay to make phone calls KELLY DOUG DOUG What I m just saying Suddenly, the speaker comes on overhead. VOICE ON SPEAKER Dr. Matthews Patient emergency in room eight. Doug snaps to attention. DOUG Emergency INTO PHONE I ve got to go Emergency Doug jumps out of his seat and scrambles over his desk and out the door. DENTAL EXAM ROOM A SECOND LATER Doug flies into an exam room, where a hygienist, DANA, is looking into a male patient s mouth. DANA Doctor Matthews. Finally. Take a look at this. Doug looks in the man s mouth and nods. DOUG Acute molar abscess. That s going to need emergency surgery. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DANA That s what I thought. Thank God you got here. DOUG Yeah. BEAT Well, let s send him over to an Orthopedic surgeon. DANA Absolutely. Thanks, doctor. Doug nods. He looks around for something else to do, but there s nothing. He moves a dental tool away from the edge of a tray, smiles politely and exits. DISSOLVE TO DOUG S HOUSE DRIVEWAY LATER THAT AFTERNOON DOUG, looking depressed, pulls into the driveway. He looks over and sees BILLY and three of his friends shooting baskets. He smiles, gets out of the car and struts over. DOUG TO KIDS Yo Matthews is open. Billy looks up and cringes a little bit, but passes the ball to DOUG. Doug dribbles it under his leg and charges the basket. DOUG CONT D Taking it into the pa Who s got the D Whoop, too late, dudes Booya Doug jumps up to slam the ball, but only hammers it into the rim. The rim clangs loudly and the ball goes flying backwards. Billy s friends laugh a little. Doug notices. DOUG CONT D Well, that s not really my shot. I usually hit from downtown, you know Doug grabs the ball out of the bushes and dribbles back to the three point line. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DOUG CONT D That s where the big games get won. Back here from the three Doug swivels, jumps up and releases the ball. It heads towards the basket, then falls down five feet before it. It looks more like a pass than a shot. Billy hangs his head, humiliated. DOUG CONT D That was a pass, dudes It wasn t. Doug nods with false confidence to the kids, stands there awkwardly for a moment, then quietly heads inside. DOUG S HOUSE KITCHEN A MOMENT LATER DOUG enters and finds KELLY. She smiles and kisses him. KELLY Hey, honey. Snack Kelly hands Doug a sandwich bag of celery. He looks over to the table, where Kelly has laid out Ritz crackers covered in cheez whiz, for the kids. Doug puts the bag of celery down. DOUG I m okay. I think I m just going to go meet the guys for a beer. KELLY Okay. Lite beer, if you want to stick to that diet. DOUG Right. Yes. Lite beer. No carbs. Just delicious beer. water. Doug smiles and heads upstairs. Kelly looks concerned. DOUG S BEDROOM A MOMENT LATER Doug enters his bedroom and shuts the door behind him. He sits down on the bed and lets out a long sigh. Wild Hogs writers first draft  After a moment, he gets up and walks over to the closet. He opens it and we see A leather biker jacket, leather chaps, boots, gloves, a black halfhelmet, etc. For the first time, we see a genuine smile come over Doug s face. MUSIC CUE IGGY POP S REAL WILD ONE WILD CHILD DOUG S DRIVEWAY A FEW MINUTES LATER The garage door on Doug s house rolls open like a theater curtain, and Doug, wearing the full leather biker getup, idles out of the garage on a gleaming, chromedout Harley Davidson Fatboy. He looks around the neighborhood cockily, smiles, then kicks the bike into gear and rides into the street. The rotates around him and comes to rest on the back of his jacket, where we see a large patch that reads Wild Hogs. The ZOOMS IN ON THIS, and it becomes TITLE CARD MUSIC CUE CONTINUES OVER FOLLOWING SCENES BOB LEVENSTEIN S HOUSE SAME TIME BOB creeps through the living room. From the kitchen, we can hear KAREN, HALEY and CLAIRE screaming things at him, about him, etc. He just tiptoes to the hall closet and opens the door. We don t see what s in it, but see Bob smile the same way Doug did, and. SMASH BOB S DRIVEWAY A MINUTE LATER BOB, in leather biker gear, rolls out of his garage on another shimmering Harley Davidson. He looks around through his mirrored aviator sunglasses like a complete bad ass. He looks down the street and spots DOUG, riding towards him. Bob rides down the driveway and joins alongside Doug. They nod silently to each other and tap fists like the toughest guys in the world. We see Bob is also wearing a Wild Hogs jacket. WOODY S HOUSE SAME TIME WOODY walks through the courtyard, and into a pristine garage. Wild Hogs writers first draft  He passes by a BMW, several stacks of labelled moving boxes, and finally a beautiful Harley Davidson Softail Anniversary Edition. A MINUTE LATER, Woody pulls onto the street on his Harley. DOUG and BOB turn the corner and nod to him. Woody nods back, revs his engine, and joins alongside them. DUDLEY S COMPUTERCLUTTERED GARAGE SAME TIME We see a garage crowded with disassembled Apple computers, printers, and a Harley Davidson Sportster. Out walks DUDLEY, who s biker outfit doesn t quite mesh with his thicklensed eyeglasses. Dudley cockily pulls on a Wild Hogs jacket, kick starts the motorcycle, presses a button to open the garage door, and rides the motorcycle However, as he gets halfway out of the garage, the garage door catches on something, and snaps back down. It clotheslines Dudley off the bike, which rolls down the driveway and into some garbage cans. Dudley lays in the driveway, staring up at the sky with a pained look on his face. DUDLEY S DRIVEWAY A FEW MINUTES LATER DOUG, BOB and WOODY ride towards Dudley s house, but find DUDLEY sitting in his driveway with his arms around his knees. He shrugs and motions to his motorcycle Which he has stood back up, but has a bent wheel and smashed headlight. Doug and Bob take in the situation and then look at Woody. Woody rolls his eyes. STREET LATER DOUG, BOB and WOODY ride along. We see DUDLEY is riding bitch on Woody s bike, and Woody doesn t seem thrilled about it. The pans around and we see they are all wearing Wild Hogs jackets. And on this, we END MUSIC CUE DISSOLVE TO BYKER S ISLAND BIKER BAR LATER The guys pull up at a bikertheme bar with a motorcycle mounted above the entrance. Wild Hogs writers first draft  Woody is obviously humiliated to have Dudley behind him, as they park the bikes among a crowd of other bikers. Dudley climbs off the back of Woody s bike and pats him on the shoulder. DUDLEY Thanks, Woody. I feel really safe with you. WOODY I noticed that. And if you ever lay your head on my back when you re riding bitch again, I m going to throw you into traffic. DUDLEY I was trying to keep my face out of the wind. WOODY I felt you smell my hair DOUG Guys Come on. Let s go get a brew. I m buying. Doug heads into the bar. BOB You re cool with the carbs Doug pauses, without turning around. DOUG MUMBLES I can have a light. Doug continues into the bar, but now with less swagger. BYKER S ISLAND BIKER BAR A MOMENT LATER The guys are sitting at a worn table. The place is crowded with curiously gentlelooking bikers. Woody looks around the bar with a smirk. WOODY Man, I wish we could find a place that wasn t so freaking lame. BOB What are you talking about This place is cool. We re with other bikers. Wild Hogs writers first draft  Suddenly, a large, bald biker comes up and slams a beer down on their table. BALD BIKER ANGRILY Wild Hogs aren t welcome here The guys all look at him for a beat then the Bald guy cracks a smile. DOUG Hey, Paul. PAUL laughs at his joke. PAUL Hey, guys. Woody, your tax return is almost done, but I want to talk to you next week about incorporating. A lot of my executive clients have been WOODY Yeah, Paul. I ll talk to you about it on the trip. PAUL Yeah, we ll talk about in Daytona. angrily, to group What the hell are you staring at Paul glares at the other guys for a beat, then cracks up. PAUL CONT D LAUGHING See you guys. Paul exits. Woody shakes his head. WOODY This place sucks. Why are we going to Daytona with these posers DOUG Because it s Bike Week. That s our annual trip, Woody. We re Wild Hogs. WOODY We re not Wild Hogs. That s a patch your wife made and we all had to sew it on our jackets so she didn t feel bad. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DOUG Hey She took an embroidery class for those. What has your wife ever made us BOB QUIETLY Hard. WOODY Hey BOB Sorry. I didn t. Don t tell her. DOUG It s not a big secret, Bob. She s a swimsuit model. She s hot. I mean, so is my Kelly. She s very hot. Even after ten years. Not that I m not still good looking. Doug looks at the guys. They don t respond. WOODY We re not going to say you re hot, man. DOUG Because it s gay, or because I m not WOODY There s no nongay response to that. DUDLEY TO DOUG If I were a girl, I d be attracted to you. WOODY Point proven. BOB Well, Kelly must still think you re hot. Ten years, man. How s that feel DOUG I don t know. Good, I guess. Is ten the silver anniversary DUDLEY No, that s the th. Ten is aluminum. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DOUG Aluminum Like, siding considers, then Yeah, that feels about right. Aluminum is sturdy, lightweight. recycled. Woody smiles and puts a map down on the table. WOODY And ready for the trip of a lifetime. The guys look at the map, puzzled. DOUG We don t need a map for Daytona. We just follow the group. Woody takes a drink from his beer, then looks at the group with a mischievous fire behind his eyes. WOODY Not if we don t go on the Daytona trip. DOUG What DUDLEY Noooo WOODY Guys, listen to me. It s time for a change. Let s go on our own trip this year. Just us, like it was in college. Forget these guys. Forget Daytona beach. Bike Week is just corporate white guys playing dress up. This bar is, too. And we didn t get into this to play dress up we got in this to live. Be cool and Ride free. That s the Wild Hog creed. DOUG No, it s not. It s the slogan for the Downtown trolley. WOODY I know. But, it works as our creed, too. So let s live it DUDLEY But, I boogie board in Daytona. Can t our creed be Be cool and boogie board Wild Hogs writers first draft  WOODY No. That s dumb, Dudley. Let the big people talk. DOUG Well, what kind of trip are you suggesting Another bike week somewhere WOODY No. That s the best part. We don t do some planned out trip. We follow the open road. U.S. The backbone of America. We take a week and go all the way to San Francisco. Think about it, guys. Camping out, stopping wherever we want, whenever we want. Just freedom. When was the last time we had that The guys consider this, but look sceptical. BOB I don t know, man. WOODY You re afraid to ask your wife. BOB COVERING No. WOODY TO DOUG What do you think DOUG Well, Daytona isn t the backbone of America, but it is a tradition. We ve been riding with this club for years. Do we really want to miss out on that One of the bikers, KENT, approaches carrying a box. KENT Hey, dudes. Check these Kent holds up a sleeveless tshirt with a big cartoon guy on a motorcycle with the words Born to Be Wild Daytona ride, It s horrifying. KENT CONT D We re all going to wear these on the trip. MORE Wild Hogs writers first draft  KENT CONT D That way everyone will know we re from the Cincinnati chapter. It ll also get you ten percent off at T.G.I.Fridays. DUDLEY Cool Born to be wild Dudley grabs a shirt and starts to pull it over the t shirt he already has on. Woody gives a look to Bob and Doug. DOUG Look, We ll talk about it tomorrow. But we don t need some trip to go live. We are living. Free and wild. SMASH DOUG S HOUSE THE NEXT EVENING The anniversary party is in full swing. DOUG is watching several guests dish steaming pasta and cream sauce out of a chaffing dish. He looks down at his plate of field greens and skinless chicken breast. DOUG TO HIMSELF Free and wild. Doug looks around the party. Several middleaged couples are dancing on the living room floor. Others mingle, laughing. Everyone is having a great time, except Doug, who stands there, listless. Kelly walks up and kisses him on the cheek. KELLY Hey, sweetie. Having fun DOUG Yeah. It s getting pretty late, though. Maybe we should kill the music. Drop a h KELLY It s eight O Clock. It started at seven. DOUG oh. THEN Still, that s late. We should just flicker the lights on and off. People will get it. Wild Hogs writers first draft  KELLY People are having fun. Look at the Miltons. ANGLE ON THE LIVING ROOM. A happylooking couple, THE MILTONS, are dancing around to Prince s Doug laughs. DOUG Oh, man. There should be laws against that. Is Fred having a seizure KELLY No, Fred s having a good time. With his wife. Remember what that was like DOUG Hey, we have fun all the time. But I m not going to let myself look like that. He wears dress socks with shorts, too. I ve seen it. Do you want me to do that KELLY I don t care. Why do you Doug searches for a response, as ROGER,, Kelly s Dad, clinks his wine glass at the front of the room. ROGER Excuse me, everybody. I have a little toast. For my daughter and her husband. Roger winks at Doug and Kelly. Doug smiles weakly. DOUG sotto, to Kelly He s drunk. We should do something. ROGER I want to start by saying how proud I am of my soninlaw. DOUG sotto, to Kelly No, he s fine. Let him talk. ROGER Now, I have to make an admission. Ten years ago, when Doug and Kelly got married. I was worried. Doug was a little wild. The guests laugh. Doug gives an unsure chuckle. Wild Hogs writers first draft  ROGER CONT D I mean, he had that old transam with the huge engine. Remember how he d peel out of anywhere Even the grocery parking lot after buying baby formula The guests laugh again. Now Doug isn t. ROGER CONT D Or the way he d just grab Kelly and run off to some crazy island to snorkel with something that thinks you re lunch. The guests continue to laugh. Kelly looks at Doug, now. She sees this is landing on him. He s getting upset. ROGER CONT D But, not anymore. He s now become the soninlaw I would have always hoped for. Responsible, reliable, and a great husband to my daughter. So cheers to DOUG No, no. No cheers Because that wasn t an accurate toast. I m still the same, shitty soninlaw I used to be. The guests laugh. They think he s joking. ROGER Come on, Doug. You should be proud You ve grown up Cheers The guests nod and clink their glasses. Doug shakes his head. DOUG Grown up No, I haven t. I m still young. No cheers Stop clinking KELLY Doug, stop it. You re being rude. DOUG Well, tell them I m the same as I used to be, Kelly. Tell your Dad not to like me. KELLY You re not the same, Doug. The old Doug wouldn t have made fun of Fred Milton for dancing, because he would have been out there dancing himself. With me. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DOUG So what are you saying KELLY I m saying you have changed. And frankly, i don t like it. I like you the way you were. I liked it when you weren t afraid of looking stupid. I liked it when we laughed. I liked it when we danced. DOUG Hey, I ll dance It s just this music is lame. People like me need a fresh beat Doug walks over to the stereo and changes the station. Cand Sho h y Cent starts playing. Doug nods along with the beat, as the guests all now stare at him. DOUG CONT D yelling over music Awwww, yeah. This is the shit It ain t anymore, man. Yeah SINGS ALONG I take you to the. Andy shop Doug tries to confidently sing along, but struggles awkwardly, as he s obviously never heard the song before. KELLY urging, to Doug Honey, stop it. You re being an ass. DOUG What I thought this was what you wanted I m dancing Doug starts grinding and shimmying to the beat. Kelly grits her teeth. DOUG CONT D Come on, baby Just because we re married ten years doesn t mea n we re old people. Let s dance It fee ls goooood Doug makes another spastic dance move, then suddenly grimaces and grabs his chest. DOUG CONT D Nope, that feels bad KELLY Doug What s wrong Are you okay Wild Hogs writers first draft  DOUG Yeah. I m just Ow That s Yeah, I should go to the hospital Doug staggers across the carpet as people run to help him. KELLY Doug DISSOLVE TO HOSPITAL ROOM AN HOUR LATER Doug is in a bed, with Kelly next to him. A DOCTOR enters with a chart. DOCTOR Well, Mr. Matthews DOUG Dr. Matthews, actually. DOCTOR Oh, really Great. Then, I can say this a lot easier. You had a hypertensive myocardial seizure. Doug nods confidently, then, after a moment DOUG DEFEATED I m a dentist, actually. I have no idea what you just said. DOCTOR Oh. Sorry. It looks like you had a stressinduced panic attack. DOUG Stressinduced I m not stressed. DOCTOR Well, it s probably been pretty buried. I actually see it a lot with middleaged men. Work, family, it can take a toll on you. DOUG I m not middleaged. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DOCTOR Yeah, I see that a lot, too. Anyway. We should have you out of here soon. The doctor smiles and exits the room. Kelly looks at Doug. DOUG I am middle aged, aren t I KELLY Only mathematically. Doug takes this in. KELLY CONT D Doug, Let me ask you a question. When was the last time you sang a Bon Jovi song DOUG What KELLY You used to sing Bon Jovi songs at the top of your lungs. Like you didn t care who heard you, or how dopey it sounded. Then one day, you just stopped. That s how it s been with everything. Romance, sense of humor, the way you used to give me that cocky little wink when you took off your shirt. It s all faded away, leaving just a shell of what you used to be. Why Why no more Bon Jovi songs DOUG I don t know. There s just a lot weighing me down these days, you know KELLY Like what You have a great career, a perfect family. Money is fine. The only thing that could be weighing you down is me. Is it me Are you tired of me DOUG No of course, not. I could never be TIRED OF Doug stops himself, as it dawns on him. You can see the horror of realization creep across his face. He looks at Kelly, wideeyed. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DOUG CONT D REALIZING It s me. I m weighing me down. I m not a guy I d hang out with anymore, I m. Me. What s cool about me I don t even eat carbs. KELLY Then eat them. I d rather have you sing than have a thirtyfour waist. DOUG I still have a thirty KELLY No, you don t, Doug. I buy your pants. THEN Look. We ve been married ten years. And personally, I d like to be married fifty more, but if you stay like this. Then. I don t know. DOUG We are going to be married fifty more years, Kelly. I m going to find old Doug. I just have to figure out where to look. Kelly takes a breath, and pulls out a map. She hands it to Doug, who looks at it. DOUG CONT D Woody s map KELLY I took it away from him at the party. He wouldn t stop waving it at Bob and Dudley. DOUG I thought you agreed it was a bad idea. KELLY It might be. But I m desperate, Doug. I want us to be happy again. So go on it. It s my anniversary present to you. DOUG Really considers, then I only got you an ankle bracelet. Wild Hogs writers first draft  KELLY All I want is old Doug back. Please. This marriage can t survive without him. Doug takes this in, and smiles at her. She s a good wife, and he knows it. Suddenly, BOB enters the room. BOB Doug Are you okay DOUG Yeah, I m okay. Just stress. BOB Oh, man. Thank god. KELLY TO BOB Where s Karen BOB Oh, she s waiting in the parking SFX A loud honk from the parking lot. BOB CONT D That s her. Bob looks out the window nervously. Kelly looks at Doug. KELLY You all need this trip. Doug gives her a knowing nod, then turns to Bob. DOUG Bob. Let s forget about Daytona Bike week. Let s ride across U.S. BOB Yeah Are you sure I mean, We ll be leaving behind everything we re used to. SFX The horn honks again from outside. KAREN O.C. yelling from parking lot Bob You said two minutes I m not circling Bob cringes. Doug shares a look with Kelly, then to Bob Wild Hogs writers first draft  DOUG Yeah. I think that might be okay. DISSOLVE TO STREET THE NEXT WEEK DOUG is riding his Harley, which is loaded with gear sleeping bag, spare gas tank, saddle bags He approaches a freeway entrance ramp, where WOODY and DUDLEY and BOB are waiting on their bikes, next to an entrance ramp sign that reads U.S. Highway The guys all tap fists, then notice Dudley is grinning ear to ear. WOODY TO DUDLEY What What s wrong with you DUDLEY I got a tat. BOB A tattoo You got a tattoo DUDLEY I m a biker, dude I got a tat Dudley yanks his jacket down to his elbows and we see he is wearing a sleeveless shirt underneath. On his bicep is a tattoo of the Macintosh Apple. The guys nod, trying to look impressed. DOUG Wow. That s. DUDLEY Trademarked, I know. But what are they going to do It s in my skin, bitch Dudley laughs and pulls on his jacket, as Woody ties a bandana skullcap on his head. The guys look at Woody. DOUG You re not wearing a helmet WOODY Nape. I don t want anything between me and the road, man. DOUG You will if your head falls on it. Wild Hogs writers first draft  Woody shrugs and starts his bike. WOODY Look, the only rule on this trip is to have no plan. We re riding to San Francisco, and nothing else is planned. Just riding free. DOUG Well, if we re going to make it in five days, we ll should probably get to Illinois by tonight. BOB Yeah, the way I mapped it out we should be a hundred miles past St. Louis by sundown. WOODY What No. No plan. It s the open road. Who knows where we ll be. DOUG I do. I have this little GPS system. Doug shows them a handheld GPS system. Woody grabs it and throws it into a storm drain. DOUG CONT D Hey What the hell, man That was expensive WOODY I did it for the good of the trip, Doug. You don t need GPS to discover America. We just need the wind, our bikes, and freedom. And if we have an emergency, I always have a cell phone Woody takes out a cellphone. Doug grabs it and throws it in the storm drain. DOUG Hah How s that feel Woody gives Doug a long look, then slowly smiles. WOODY It felt good. It felt damn good. ANNOUNCES No cell phones Wild Hogs writers first draft  DOUG WORRIED What BOB He s right, Doug. Wild Hogs Bob takes his cellphone and throws it in the storm drain. DOUG TO BOB You just did that so Karen wouldn t call. BOB Yup. Bob starts his bike. DOUG So we re not even going to talk about this I mean, shouldn t we at least DUDLEY Yeeeeaaah Freedom Dudley throws his cellphone, but instead of going into the storm drain, it goes flying into traffic and smashes against an oncoming pickup truck. We hear the truck screech to a stop after it passes them. DOUG QUICKLY Okay, let s ride The guys all hastily start their bikes and take off up the freeway ramp. We hear the truck driver screaming profanities as they guiltily ride away. HIGHWAY U.S. LATER THAT DAY MUSIC CUE BLUE OYSTER CULT s DON T FEAR THE REAPER. The four guys ride along the highway, through the hills of Indiana, smiling and nodding to each other. It s the Easy Rider moment. The ROTATES AROUND and PULLS OVERHEAD. It s beautiful country and the guys are in heaven. Dudley wears a clunky helmet from the eighties, as well as World War II motorcycle goggles. Wild Hogs writers first draft  A family in a station wagon pulls up to next to them. Two kids press their faces against the windows, looking at the bikers in awe. Bob looks over at the kids in his mirrored sunglasses and gives them a badass nod. The kids are amazed. Bob looks to Doug. Doug grins. They love this. Bob gives a signal to the other guys and guns his engine. The others nod, gun their engines and speed away from the station wagon. The kids watch with their mouths open. HIGHWAY U.S. LATER THAT AFTERNOON The guys are cruising along as before, but now we see the sky has gotten very cloudy and overcast. SFX THUNDER CRACK The guys look up at the sky apprehensively. HIGHWAY U.S. A FEW MINUTES LATER It s now pouring rain. The guys ride along in misery, getting soaked. After a moment, the station wagon from before pulls back up to them. The kids are still pressed against the window, staring at the drenched bikers. Bob looks over and tries to give them another cocky nod but now it s just embarrassing. END MUSIC CUE ROADSIDE US THAT EVENING The sun has gone down, and the guys have found a deserted area off the highway to set up camp. DOUG, WOODY and BOB lounge by a fire with a tent set up behind them. Doug is roasting marshmallows and Bob is straining to blow up an air mattress. DOUG TO BOB Why didn t you just bring a sleeping bag like us BOB This is more comfortable. blows a breath into it I wish Karen would have let me buy the foot pump, though. Wild Hogs writers first draft  Bob continues to inflate the mattress, as Dudley approaches with a knotted plastic grocery bag. DUDLEY This is poop. Don t eat it. Dudley sets the bag aside and has a seat by the fire. DOUG Dudley You re supposed to bury that. WOODY Yes. Go bury it. DUDLEY It s in a plastic bag. I can t put that in the earth. I ll find a trash bin tomorrow. The guys shake their heads and look back into the fire. After a moment, Doug smiles. DOUG This is really nice, you know Chilling by the fire with your best friends. Just relaxing, and enjoying WOODY TO DUDLEY I m sorry. Dudley, you have to get rid of that bag or I m going to vomit in your lap. DOUG each other s company. Dudley grabs the bag and heads off. DUDLEY Fine. I ll just hang it on a tree. WOODY yells after him Don t hang it on a tree DOUG Yup. These are the times we ll remember. After a minute, Doug turns to Woody and Bob. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DOUG CONT D Hey, when was the last time you guys heard me sing Bon Jovi WOODY Oh, man. Thank God that stopped. BOB It s been awhile. You re not as obnoxious as you used to be. You used to eat a lot more buffalo wings, too. DOUG Yeah, I know. Turns out there s carbs in the batter. Hey, you know what Maybe carbs are what I need to get old Doug back. WOODY Old Doug You ve lost your Dad DOUG No. I think I ve lost me. It s this thing Kelly said. BEAT You know what it is I think I m tame. I m like a lion that used to be wild, but now I m in some Disney park where tourists come by and take pictures of me like I m a lion, but after they leave, I go into my kennel and eat antelope nuggets or something. Ones without carbs. BOB I know what you re talking ab I lost old Bob, too. I think my wife and daughters killed him. I m surrounded by women every minute of my life. And it s made me, you know. DOUG A wimp BOB What No. I was going to say miserable. You think I m a wimp DOUG No. I just thought that was what you were. I thought you wanted us to guess, and I didn t have a guess, so I said wimp. Knowing it was wrong. Wild Hogs writers first draft  WOODY You re a wimp, Bob. I ll say it. You re afraid of girls. It s embarrassing. Dudley comes up and sits back down. DUDLEY I m afraid of girls. WOODY You re afraid to talk to one. Bob is afraid they ll kill him in his sleep. DUDLEY Wow. Now I really don t want to talk to one. BOB You know, it s not always so bad. Like, when Karen sleeps, she still crawls over and pushes up against me. Just snuggles right up like she needs me. I like that. I like that a lot. then, sobering Then the sun comes up and turns her into a raging shedemon. DOUG Yeah, I guess life just isn t as simple as it was when we were in college. Well, except for you, Woody. You re still living the fairy tale. Swimsuit model wife. Big job at an investment firm. You ve got the good life. Woody doesn t respond. He just stares vacantly into the fire for a beat. WOODY FLATLY Yeah. The good life. I m a lucky man. DUDLEY My life blows. I don t have a family. Or a wife. I have a cat that doesn t like me. She wouldn t even stick around if she knew how to use a can opener. The guys all look at Dudley. BOB Hey, Dudley. You ve got us, buddy. And you re going to get a woman, too. MORE Wild Hogs writers first draft  BOB CONT D I told you we were going to hit some strip clubs when we get back. DUDLEY Nah, I don t like those places BOB Dudley Please. I m trying to help you here. DUDLEY I know. I just don t BOB Please Strippers are nice to me DUDLEY Okay. Sorry. We ll go. BOB Thanks, man. THEN I m just. trying to be a good friend. DOUG We know, Bob. WOODY I ll go, too. DOUG There s a surprise. Doug pulls a flaming marshmallow out of the fire. DOUG CONT D All right, who wants their marshmallow welldone The guys just look at it. DOUG CONT D Yeah, I left that one on too long. Doug flips the stick and the marshmallow goes flying behind him. The guys don t notice but we see the marshmallow land on the tent and continue to burn. Bob continues to huff on the air mattress. He stops and looks at it. BOB out of breath I think I m half way there. Wild Hogs writers first draft  WOODY In just one hour. DOUG TO BOB You sure you don t want us to spread out a sleeping bag We have three in the Doug turns around and sees a footwide flame now burning on the tent. DOUG CONT D Shit The tent Doug and the guys jump up and hurry over to the tent. DOUG CONT D Dudley, get the water jug off my bike Dudley hurries over to Doug s bike as Doug and Bob try to smother the flame with sand. DOUG CONT D It should be okay. It s fire retardant. The guys try and extinguish the flame as Dudley comes running with a jug. He quickly takes off the cap. Doug notices him. DOUG CONT D Dudley, no That s� It s too late. Dudley is already throwing it on the fire. The liquid hits the tent and it explodes into flames. The guys shield themselves. DOUG CONT D Gas That s the spare gas tank, Dudley Dudley doesn t know what to say. The fire quickly disentergrates the tent. Doug, Bob and Woody just watch, knowing there s nothing they can do. After a moment, DUDLEY runs back up with the correct water jug and empties it on what is now a flaming pile of ash. It does nothing. DUDLEY We need more water. DOUG That was all of it, Dudley. That was all the water we had. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DUDLEY Oh. Dudley takes this in for a moment. DUDLEY CONT D Is anybody else thirsty The guys just look at him. DISSOLVE TO ROADSIDE US THE NEXT MORNING BOB, DOUG, WOODY and DUDLEY are all sleeping on Bob s air mattress, like four sardines. Doug opens his eyes to see a large figure standing at the foot of the air mattress. It s a sternlooking highway patrolman. HIGHWAY PATROLMAN You guys all right DOUG Yeah. Yeah, just on a road trip. HIGHWAY PATROLMAN All right. Just making sure. BEAT Looks pretty comfortable, actually. We see the highway patrolman has started rubbing his thigh. Doug quickly jumps up, waking the others. DOUG Okay, well. Thanks for stopping. Have a nice day, officer. The highway patrolman laughs. HIGHWAY PATROLMAN All right, I get it. WINKS Five s a crowd. Doug is mortified. The officer looks them over for a moment. HIGHWAY PATROLMAN CONT D You guys are lucky to have each other. looks at them hungrily Damn lucky. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DUDLEY OBLIVIOUS That s what I always say. Dudley gets up and puts his arm around Doug. We see he s wearing a saggy pair of briefs and nothing else. HIGHWAY PATROLMAN Well. Have a good one. The patrolman walks off. Dudley looks at Doug and grins. DUDLEY Morning. DOUG Please put your pants on. HIGHWAY U.S. LATER THAT AFTERNOON The guys cruise through the rolling prairies of Missouri. It s another beautiful day. They ride in formation, until Woody s bandana doorag blows off. Woody goes back to get it. The other guys stop and wait for him to return. HIGHWAY U.S. LATER The guys are still riding but now the heat of the Missouri plains is taking it s toll. They look boiling, and have sweated through their clothes. Bob takes a drink of water from a bottle of water, then pours the water over his head. He breathes a sigh of relief, until he hears an angry yell behind him. He looks back and sees Woody is now drenched from the water. Bob smiles sheepishly as Woody burns. HIGHWAY U.S. LATER THAT DAY The guys ride through the forested Ozark uplands, looking even hotter than before. Doug spots a waterfall pouring into a crystal clear spring, and points to it. The guys nod in agreement. Wild Hogs writers first draft  BLANCHARD SPRINGS, OZARK NATIONAL FOREST LATER DOUG, WOODY, and DUDLEY wade into the spring water in their boxers. You can see on their faces that it s like dipping into heaven. After a moment, BOB walks up. BOB Thanks for waiting for me, jerks. The guys look up to see that Bob is naked. He smiles and cannonballs into the water. BOB CONT D Whhheew Yeah That s cccold He sees DOUG, WOODY and DUDLEY are just staring at him. BOB CONT D What WOODY Why are you naked BOB We re swimming. You guys kept on your skivies DOUG Skivies What are you, a Newsie DUDLEY I kept mine on because I didn t want everyone to see my crank. WOODY TO BOB Yeah. That, and being naked with a bunch of guys is gay. What s wrong with you BOB I don t know. We took showers and stuff together in college. I thought this was kind of. you know, the same. DOUG I guess I get that. THINKS I mean, we would have been naked in college. Why are we. Oh, man. It s true. We are tamed. We re old guys. Wild Hogs writers first draft  WOODY No, we re not. Don t say that. Doug wiggles his boxers off and holds them in the air. DOUG I will find old Doug Doug smiles and throws his shorts on the shore. Dudley smiles, takes off his briefs and holds them up. DUDLEY I will. Do what Doug does Dudley throws the briefs to shore. They all look at Woody. He rolls his eyes and takes off his boxers. WOODY I will be naked with my gay friends, and if they look at my jock, I will kill them. Woody throws the boxers to shore. The guys all look at each other and smile. It s a nice moment. Until a family approaches. Doug looks at the other guys, wideeyed, as a family with three young kids walks up with a picnic basket. The young kids run and jump into the water. The Dad of the family laughs and shakes his head. FAMILY DAD Hope you guys don t mind a little company. The minivan was getting a LITTLE The Dad stops talking as he sees into the water. He realizes, then looks at his kids, concerned. DOUG Um. Well, we re just taking a dip. I UH WOODY There s a shallower spring up the path. The kids might like that even more. The Mom lays down a blanket and turns to the guys. The Dad is still staring, not sure what to do. Wild Hogs writers first draft  FAMILY MOM TO WOODY Oh, no. These little squirts like to DIVE AND The Mom sees a glimmer of something through the water, and realizes. She suddenly looks very uncomfortable. FAMILY MOM CONT D VERY TENSE Janey, Kyle, Holland. Out of the water. We re going to find a new spot. JANEY No, Mama. This place has little rocks THAT FAMILY MOM Get out of the damn water Now The kids climb out of the water and the parents hurry off with them down the path. After a moment of awkward silence, Doug looks at the guys. DOUG We should go. BOB You think They re gone, now. WOODY Yeah, we could stay another few VOICE O.C. Whhheeeeew The guys look to the other side of the spring to see the HIGHWAY PATROLMAN cannonball naked into the spring. They stare, horrified, as he pops up and smiles at them. HIGHWAY PATROLMAN Saw you re bikes out there. You guys ever chicken fight The guys look at each other for a moment, then; DOUG BOB WOODY DUDLEY Ahhhh Oh, god Run They frantically sprint out of the water, grab their clothes and hurry away. DISSOLVE TO Wild Hogs writers first draft  HIGHWAY U.S. LATE THAT AFTERNOON The guys are back on their bikes, cruising along the wheat fields of Kansas. They re looking tired once again, but suddenly Doug smiles. On the horizon, a bar comes into view. Out front are several rows of Harley Davidsons. Doug points it out to the guys and they all smile. It s like an oasis. The pull into the parking lot and climb off their bikes. Bob immediately falls to the ground. BOB Dammit Leg s asleep. The guys go to help Bob up, as Dudley gets off his bike and falls to the ground. DUDLEY Me, too. DOUG You guys have to shift every once in awhile. Blood has to circulate. A MOMENT LATER. Dudley and Bob are up and wiggling their sleeping limbs, as Woody looks up at the bar. WOODY Now this is the best part of any road trip. Seeing our brothers on wheels. Look at this place. America The guys look at it and nod. It is a cool looking shack of a bar. Doug admires the row of motorcycles out front. DOUG Look at these bikes. They re all classics. BOB Oh, man. Check it A Panhead. You know how rare this thing is The guys all crowd around the bike. DOUG Yeah, but why didn t he customize it You have a panhead and you don t chrome out the exhaust Or airbrush an eagle on the gas tank What a waste. Wild Hogs writers first draft  WOODY Probably no good custom stores out here in hickland. We ll leave  em a catalog. The guys push open the door and step into the bar. BIKER BAR CONTINUOUS The bar is full of bikers, but not the kind we saw before. These guys are greasy, tattooed and menacing. We see their jackets say Hells Angels. The bikers turn and stare at WOODY, DOUG, BOB and DUDLEY. DOUG TO BIKERS How s it going BOB Hells Angels, huh You guys are legends. I m surprised we ve never seen you in Daytona. The bikers kind of chuckle to themselves. The leader of the gang, JACK, steps forward. He s in his late  s and looks like he could break you into bite size pieces. JACK Yeah, how do we keep missing that The bikers all laugh. Doug and the guys join in, though they don t quite get what s so funny. JACK CONT D So you re Wild Hogs, huh That s your gang DOUG Well, not a gang. Just friends. Friends that ride. you know. JACK So it s like a little hobby for you guys How sweet. Doug smiles, but is now sensing the hostility. He looks back for the exit. DUDLEY TO JACK Yeah, just a little hobby for us. MORE Wild Hogs writers first draft  DUDLEY CONT D We re all successful professionals in real life. But on Tuesday and Sunday afternoons. We re bikers Dudley spins around and shows them the back of his jacket. JACK Wow. That s great. Can I try that on DUDLEY Hell yeah, brother. Dudley whips his jacket off and hands it to Jack, who pulls it on his massive frame. He shows it to the gang, who laugh again. Dudley does, too. DUDLEY CONT D So who s   panhead is that Sweet ride. Woody has a catalog so you can make it cool. WOODY No, I don t. Doug does. I think it s great the way it is. Doug glares at Woody incredulously. Woody shrugs. JACK TO DUDLEY Well, if you like my  , we should trade. brother. DOUG DUDLEY DUDLEY IGNORING DOUG I wish I just have a Sportster. It s worth, like, half of yours. JACK A Sportster That s what I grew up on. I ve been wanting another Sportster. It s a deal DUDLEY Seriously You re serious DOUG Dudley, maybe you should Wild Hogs writers first draft  DUDLEY Doug, don t worry. Yeah, I ll have a cooler bike than you, but that doesn t mean I ll get all cocky. DOUG DUDLEY DUDLEY Hey, I don t care what you say I ride a panhead now I m better than you JACK Come on, Dud. Let s go see how you look on it. Jack smiles and leads Dudley outside. Doug, Bob and Woody share an uncertain look. WOODY Anybody else got that prerape feeling BIKER BAR CONTINUOUS Everyone is standing out front. Dudley starts to get on the classic motorcycle. Jack stops him. JACK Oh, no, no. That s Oilcan s ride. My   panhead is right over there. Jack points to a pile of abandoned rusty motorcycles. Among it is the junked carcass of a   panhead next to an old, rusty sidecar. Dudley looks confused. DUDLEY That That s a piece of junk. JACK Yup. Your piece of junk. Woody, Doug and Bob look at each other. This isn t good. Doug tries to laugh it off. DOUG All right, guys. We get the joke. Good one. Anyway, we actually should get moving along. Wild Hogs writers first draft  JACK Oh, it s no joke. You want to know the joke Suburban assholes that buy leather outfits and think they re bikers. And it s a joke I m damn sick of. So I m keeping your friend s bike, I m keeping this jacket, and you guys are going to turn the hell around and go back to wherever you came from, because the next hundred miles of this highway belongs to the Hells Angels. The color drains from the Wild Hog s faces. DUDLEY Like an adopt a highway thing JACK Like a Go home or we re going to split your skulls open thing. Bob makes an audible whimper. Doug elbows him, and tries to look brave. DOUG All right. We respect that this is your turf, and we re sorry for bothering you. But we can t head back without my friend s bike. So clearly we re going to have to work something out here. Jack looks back at the Hells Angels and nods. JACK You re right. We re going to have to work something HIGHWAY U.S. LATER We see DOUG, BOB and WOODY riding away from the bar, looking very glum. The PULLS OUT to reveal the rusty sidecar is now attached to Woody s bike. DUDLEY sits in it looking miserable and cold having lost his jacket and now in his sleeveless shirt The guys get a good distance away from the bar and Woody waves for them to stop. They do and Woody looks back to the bar. Wild Hogs writers first draft  WOODY All right. Let s just give them a few minutes to get back inside then shoot right past them. BOB What Are you nuts DOUG The trip s over, Woody. Let s just head back home. WOODY We re going to turn back after all these miles Just because some fat bully s pushed us around DOUG BOB Yes. Yes. Woody shakes his head and looks at Dudley. DUDLEY I go wherever you go. WOODY Good. See Dudley s got some balls. DUDLEY No, my sidecar s just attached to your bike. I d prefer to turn back, but I could only roll so far. WOODY I can t believe you guys. What a bunch of pussies. The whole point of this trip is to live, man. DOUG That s the point, Woody. Our lives aren t on this highway. They re back home. We have families, jobs, wives. or cats. We re not going to piss off a biker gang. We re going back. Woody takes this in, gritting his teeth in disappointment. DOUG CONT D Come on, Woody. You don t want to take this risk. You have Claudia, and your job. You have a great life back home. Wild Hogs writers first draft  Woody looks up at him. Something about this has sparked something in Woody s eyes, but he covers it up with a calm smile. WOODY You re right, I do. But maybe I should talk to those guys one more time. I mean, I m an executive at an Investment firm. I ve made a career out of convincing people and these are just people. You guys wait here. Woody starts up his bike. Doug and Bob look at each other and shrug. Dudley hurries out of the sidecar. DUDLEY I ll wait here, too. You ll get better gas mileage. Dudley gets out and falls to the ground. DUDLEY CONT D Leg s asleep. Woody shakes his head and starts back to the bar. BIKER BAR SAME TIME Woody rides up to the bar, and looks back to make sure he s out of Doug, Bob and Dudley s sight. He sees that he is, and kneels next to the line of Hells Angels motorcycles. He takes out an army knife, and slices through one of the motorcycle s gas line. Gas starts leaking out onto the ground and Woody nods. WOODY TO HIMSELF Come after us now, assholes. Woody goes along to each bike, smiling with a weird recklessness as he slices through each gas line. HIGHWAY U.S. A FEW MINUTES LATER WOODY pulls up on his bike, where DOUG, BOB and DUDLEY are waiting. WOODY They re cool with it. We can press on. Wild Hogs writers first draft  BOB Seriously WOODY Yup. I tried to be polite. I tried to reason. I told them Dudley was dying. DUDLEY What WOODY Well, technically we re all dying, Dudley. Just very slowly. Dudley looks concerned. DUDLEY Oh my god, you re right. REALIZING I m slowly dying. WOODY Anyway, none of that worked. So I laid it out for them. I said, Hey, go ahead and assault us. Because we might be not be real bikers, but we know real lawyers. And the moment you touch us is the moment you get your ass sued. Because this is the real world with real laws, and real consequences. And they backed down. The guys are impressed. DOUG You really said that WOODY Yup. And I think they ll give us Dudley s bike on the way back, so let s go. Quick. Before they change their mind. Woody quickly starts his bike and rides on. The guys shrug, impressed, and follow him. After a moment, we see them all speed by the bar. BIKER BAR SAME TIME Jack is playing darts with the other bikers. He goes to throw a dart and hears engines roar past the bar outside. Wild Hogs writers first draft  He quickly turns, which makes the dart he was throwing fly off target and stick into the shoulder of one of the bikers, OILCAN OILCAN Ow Shit, man Jack listens as the engines pass the bar and fade away. Jack shakes his head, enraged. JACK Saddle up, boys. Somebody doesn t listen. The guys nod and head outside. Oilcan pulls the dart out of his shoulder, and stops by Jack on the way OILCAN Try and watch the throws, okay Jack Jack glares at oilcan for a beat, then jabs a dart into his peck. OILCAN CONT D Owww Jesus off Jack s icy glare Sorry. DISSOLVE TO BIKER BAR A MINUTE LATER The Hells Angels roar away from the bar on their motorcycles. They get to the end of the driveway, and the bikes sputter and choke to a stop. ANGLE ON JACK. He s on his hog, with a cigarette dangling out of his mouth. He looks down in confusion at the suddenly stalled bike. JACK What the f sees cut gas line You ve gotta be kidding me. Suddenly, the cigarette falls out of Jacks mouth, and onto the ground. A puddle of gas from the sliced line catches on fire. JACK CONT D shit. The flames quickly follow the line of leaked gas like a fuse, back towards the bar. Wild Hogs writers first draft  Almost as quickly as the bikers can turn to look, the flame has reached the parking area and ignited all the puddles of gas. They all watch in horror as the fire ravenously engulfs the old wooden porch of the bar, then the roof HIGHWAY U.S. SAME TIME The guys happily cruise along the highway. We see WOODY look in his sideview mirror and notice a large, black plume of smoke back in the distance. A look of worry creeps over his face. DISSOLVE TO MOTEL THAT EVENING The guys pull up to a small motel, as the sun sets behind the wheat fields of Kansas. WOODY No, we re not stopping here. Riding at night is half the fun. Let s just keep DOUG I can t feel my nuts, Woody. And Kelly still wants another kid. DOUG, BOB and DUDLEY head inside the motel office. WOODY calling after Doug So, adopt a kid. You already have two white ones, anyway. The guys ignore him. Woody looks back down the highway uneasily, then heads inside the motel office. BIKER BAR SAME TIME JACK, and the other bikers stand by the smoldering pile of wood that was once their bar. OILCAN approaches Jack. OILCAN I got my old lady bringing some gas. We can get moving by nightfall. JACK BOILING Forget it. Those guys are long gone. MORE Wild Hogs writers first draft  JACK CONT D They re not stupid enough to stop until they re five hundred miles from here. MOTEL ROOM SAME TIME DOUG, BOB and DUDLEY are in their motel room. WOODY stands at the window, nervously looking outside. WOODY TO GUYS I just think it s just stupid to stop this soon, you know. We can keep riding under the stars. All night. DOUG Woody, your headlight doesn t even work. WOODY You think I won t ride without light I can feel the road. Let s go. I ll even race somebody. Who s racing me DOUG Did you inhale exhaust fumes Because something is happening to your brain. I think it might be retardation. WOODY I just want to ride. Let s go DOUG Whatever, Corky. Doug shrugs Woody off and dials his cell phone. DOUG CONT D INTO PHONE Hey, honey. It s me. Woody glares at Doug. WOODY You re calling Kelly You re not aloud to call wives on a road trip. DOUG TO WOODY I can call my wife whenever I want. INTO PHONE Yeah. Woody. Good guess. MORE Wild Hogs writers first draft  DOUG CONT D Yeah, I m having a great time. No old Doug, yet, but I haven t gotten sun burned. Woody looks at Bob. WOODY You agree with me, right BOB Yeah, I actually agree with you on this one. Let s not call wives. DOUG INTO PHONE Yeah, Bob agreed with him. Good guess again. Man, I really miss you. WOODY Are you kidding me I have to leave. Let me know when lame hour is over. DOUG TO WOODY Woody, you can call Claudia when I m done, if you want. You can use my cell. WOODY No, I m not calling Claudia. I mean, yes I want to, but I won t. Because I m on a road trip with my pals. And cell phones aren t even allowed Woody storms Doug hears something on the phone, and lights up. DOUG INTO PHONE Hey, Billy How s it then, into phone Where d he go. Oh. He thought you were ordering pizza. Uh huh. Well, tell him I said hi. DISSOLVE TO HIGHWAY U.S. THE NEXT MORNING DOUG, BOB, WOODY and DUDLEY ride along the highway, as the sun burns the morning fog off of the wheat fields. Doug looks over to Woody and yells above the motorcycle engines. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DOUG I can t believe you made us leave so early. You really wanted to see the sun rise WOODY Yeah, man. It warms my heart, with it s. THINKS Gentle. rays. Doug gives him a curious look, as they pass a sign that says Lucas, Kansas. Population BOB yelling over engines Hey Let s stop for breakfast, I m starving. WOODY What No We re not hungry yet. BOB I just said I was WOODY You re not Fatty Bob looks hurt. Doug gives Woody a stern look. DOUG Come on, Woody. It looks like a neat town. And Dudley s got another bag of poop to throw away. Dudley nods. Woody grits his teeth as they enter the town. It s a quiet, one stoplight town with an old fashioned main street and town square. We see a banner over the street advertising a block party that night. It s a postcard version of small town America. MAIN STREET DINER SAME TIME The owner, BUD, is pressed up against the glass watching the motorcycles come down Main street. He shakes his head. BUD Oh, don t tell me they re here again already. I just got the window replaced. Wild Hogs writers first draft  Bud walks back to the bar, past his daughter and diner waitress MAGGIE,, pretty in that cute, small town way. MAGGIE Just stay calm, Dad. At least it s not all of them, this time. MAIN STREET DINER SAME TIME The guys pull up to the diner and we see the local pedestrians hustle away. The street is soon deserted, but the guys don t notice. They go to park their bikes, but there s not enough space. There s a police car in the parking spot next to them, and the town sheriff, CHARLEY, comes running towards it from across the street. CHARLEY I ll move it Hold on, I ll move it Charley jumps into the car and backs it out of its spot. The guys look at each other, surprised. DOUG Wow. Lucas is a polite town. BOB That s how these little towns are. It s unspoiled America. WOODY It s a shithole. Let s keep moving. The guys ignore Woody and enter the diner. WOODY CONT D Okay, we ll get it to go, then. We can ride and eat if it s wrapped in a tortilla. Woody gets no response. He looks back down the road, uneasily, then follows the guys in. MAIN STREET DINER SAME TIME BOB, DOUG, WOODY and DUDLEY enter, with their motorcycle boots thunking on the wood floor, announcing to the entire diner that there are bikers there. Wild Hogs writers first draft  Everyone freezes and the place goes silent. The only sound is a single fork dropping onto a plate. BUD is pulsing with anger, but he swallows it down. BUD Good morning, gentleman. How nice of you to join us this afternoon. DOUG well, how could we pass through this town without stopping Everything looks so perfect. BUD SEETHING But you ll change that, huh DOUG Excuse me MAGGIE runs up and guides her Dad away from the guys. MAGGIE I ll take care of them, Daddy. to guys, extra polite Good morning. Maggie smiles. She has a radiant sweetness, even though she s scared to death. DUDLEY stares at her, captivated. He s in love. MAGGIE CONT D where would you gentleman like to sit DOUG Are there any booths open All the people quickly jump out of their booths. BOB Wow. Everyone is so nice, here. The guys sit in one of the booths. Dudley hangs back, and struggles to talk to Maggie. DUDLEY TO MAGGIE Um. So Dudley tries to think of something else to say, but can t. He nods awkwardly, then heads over to the booth. He sits down with the guys. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DUDLEY CONT D TO GUYS She s perfect. DOUG You like the waitress, huh DUDLEY I wanted to say something funny to her, but I could only think of black jokes. Maggie, still very skittish, approaches the table. MAGGIE And what would you gentleman like today Doug looks to the next table, where a man is enjoying french toast. DOUG Mmmm. I ll have what he s having. Maggie nods obediently and takes the man s plate. She slides it in front of Doug. DOUG CONT D No, uh. I ll take a new one. He can keep his. MAGGIE Of course. I m sorry. I m so sorry. Maggie quickly puts it back on the man s table. DOUG Hey, it s okay. Really. WOODY Not a big deal. BOB FAKING ANGRY Yeah, just don t let it happen again Bob hammers his fist on the table and laughs at his joke, but Maggie starts to cry. The guys suddenly look confused as she runs to the kitchen in tears. Bob looks back to the guys. BOB CONT D Wow. That wasn t funny. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DUDLEY It s hard to be funny without being racist. Doug is looking at the town s local paper, and smiles. DOUG Hey, guys. This block party tonight looks cool. Music, grilled corn, dollar beers, funnel cakes. DUDLEY Funnel cakes Let s stay here tonight WOODY No, no, no, no. We have a schedule. San Francisco is waiting. BOB What schedule You said we re taking this trip to live. Let s stick around and live a little. Have some small town fun Woody goes to protest again, but Dudley stands up. DUDLEY LOUDLY Let s party all night in Lucas BUD O.C. From kitchen area God Dammit What d we do to deserve this We ANGLE TO SEE MAGGIE rush over to calm BUD down. Bud calms down, then hears another motorcycle engine roaring down the street. He looks out the window and shakes his head. BUD CONT D Not another one of these assholes. A moment later, MURDOCK, a fat, grungy Hells Angel, enters the diner with a cocky swagger and has a seat at the bar. MURDOCK TO BUD Get me a beer, old man. And if it s not good, I m going to smash it across your face. Wild Hogs writers first draft  ANGLE ON The WILD HOGS, watching from the table behind Murdock. DOUG sotto, to the guys Not another one of these assholes. Murdock hears this and whips around to see the Wild Hogs. MURDOCK What d you say DOUG Oh, I was actually referring to some guys we met at a bar about two hundred miles east of here. You re probably not AFFILIATED MURDOCK That s my gang. I m on my way there now. DUDLEY loudly, to Doug so he is one of those assholes, Doug. MURDOCK Excuse me Murdock puts his beer down, and stares angrily at Doug. MURDOCK CONT D And who the hell are you freaks Doug starts to answer, but Woody, looking nervous, cuts him off. WOODY Oh, we re just a group of friends. No big deal. Your guys gave us permission to pass by, so it s all good. MURDOCK Hells Angel s don t give permission. Especially to a bunch of ballless wimps like you. Bob hammers the table and stands up his face red with longsuppressed rage. BOB I m not a wimp, pal . I m a man You got that Huh You got that Wild Hogs writers first draft  The guys look at Bob, wideeyed. woody looks worried. WOODY Bob, let s not get carried away BOB No, you know what This guy needs a talking to just like his friends did, Woody. WOODY But, Bob. I don t think BOB Let me do this, Woody You stood up to them last time, and I just sat there like I always do. Well, not this time turns to Murdock Listen, you piece of shit. You think you can just walk around and bully perfectly nice people You think that s how it works Well, guess what This is the real world. With real laws and real consequences. You hear me Bob swats Murdock s beer out of his hand. It spills all over him. Murdock is too filled with rage to speak. BOB CONT D Now get out of here And if that gang of inbred assholes needs things explained to them again, tell  em the Wild Hogs will be right here in Lucas tonight. Woody puts his face into his hands. BOB CONT D Now get. Murdock just stares daggers at him. BOB CONT D Get Bob kicks the stool out from under Murdock. He almost falls, but catches himself on a stool. He glares at the guys, but he s outnumbered. He grits his teeth and storms out the door. Woody winces to himself as he watches Murdock go. This isn t good. After a moment, BUD comes running out from behind the bar. Wild Hogs writers first draft  BUD Wait. You guys aren t Hells Angels DOUG Us Oh, no. We re from Cincinnati. Bud calls out to the kitchen. BUD Charley They ain t the bad ones CHARLEY, the sheriff from before, stands up from behind a countertop in the kitchen. CHARLEY You guys aren t Hells Angels DOUG No. We re Wild Hogs. That s our gang. THEN And our rotary club softball team. My wife had extra patches. CHARLEY Well, sweet Mary Joseph. Welcome to Lucas I m the sheriff, Charley Baskins. I keep the peace here. DOUG Weren t you just hiding in the kitchen CHARLEY Well. A nonconfrontation approach sometimes is the best method to keep aggression. GIVES UP Yeah, I was hiding in the kitchen. Charley looks at them for a moment, then starts to tear up. CHARLEY CONT D I m an embarrassment. Charley hurries off to the bathroom. The guys look at each other. DOUG Well, now he is. Wild Hogs writers first draft  MAIN STREET A FEW MINUTES LATER CHARLEY walks through the town square with DOUG, BOB, WOODY and DUDLEY. There s a stage and booths set up around the park in the center ready for the block party. As the news spreads that the Wild Hogs are friendly, the townspeople start to take to the streets again. CHARLEY Sorry about all the confusion when you arrived. Those guys are pretty rough. You re the first people to ever stand up to them. DOUG Well, Woody is the one who really BOB Hey we should probably share the credit. I mean, I just basically kicked that guy s ass. Man You know how good that felt Yeah Bob punches a handicapped parking sign, which rattles against its post, then falls to the ground. Bob immediately looks regretful. DOUG Nice. Now the paraplegics can park down the block and get more exercise. BOB suddenly meek again Should I fix it Oh, man. I should. TO CHARLEY I m sorry. I didn t mean to CHARLEY Forget about it. We only have one cripple and he gets pulled around in a wagon. Come on, I want to show you guys something. Charley leads the guys off. POLICE GARAGE A FEW MINUTES LATER Charley flips on the light in a neatly organized police garage. In the middle sits a sparkling, unridden Harley Davidson police bike. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DOUG Wow. That s fantastic. BOB You ride this CHARLEY Oh, no. The Hells Angels would take it to pieces if they ever saw me on it. I just keep it in here. Polish it and so forth. But I d never let them see it. DOUG Those guys are that big of a problem, huh CHARLEY Yeah. They ride into town a few times a month and get drunk, damage property. Basically turn the place upside down. DOUG And the police don t do anything CHARLEY Well, It s a small town and me and the Dooble brothers are the only law. And they re still pretty green. WOODY Can t you call a bigger town or something for backup CHARLEY Yeah, I ve done that a few times. But the gang is always gone by the time they get here. We ve also tried wearing riot gear, which does protect you from being hit, but not from being dragged. Also, one of the Dooble brothers tried to throw tear gas, but the bottle exploded and blew off his ear. DUDLEY Ech. CHARLEY Yeah, he s hard to look at. THEN Anyway, we want you guys to stay at our hotel tonight on us. Seeing as you re the new town heroes and all. wild Hogs writers first draft  The guys look flattered. Except Woody. WOODY Oh, thanks, but we re actually moving on DOUG TO DUDLEY We d be honored to stay. Thank you. Woody s looks at Doug in protest. Doug gives him a stern glare. CHARLEY And if you re not in a rush to leave in the morning We ve got a great trout stream you might want to check DUDLEY Cool Let s fish Doug shrugs. DOUG Sure. Let s do it. WOODY Uh uh. No, I m putting my foot down, here. I still get a vote on what we do, you know And I want my vote. DOUG Okay. Of course you get a vote. Woody nods and looks at Bob and Dudley. They clearly intend to stay. WOODY I actually get three votes. Because I planned the trip. DOUG But you didn t plan the voting system. I did. So you only get one. Sorry. Doug, Bob and Dudley walk off. Woody fumes. WOODY You know what Old Doug wasn t such a douchebag Wild Hogs writers first draft  BIKER BAR SAME TIME MURDOCK has arrived at the bar, which is just a burned shack at this po The Hell s Angels are gathered around, watching JACK beat the crap out of a remaining wall with a pipe. He finally stops when the wall has crumbled. JACK Those assholes think they can cross the Hells Angels Do you know how bad they ve made us all look The gang nods. They all look pissed. JACK CONT D Those guys have some balls. Balls I will put in my mouth and chew on The gang looks at Jack with a slight smile. OILCAN chuckles. OILCAN You re going to put balls in your mouth The gang laughs. Jack realizes what the joke is. JACK No I m not I m going to put my foot up their asses Both feet Hell, I m going to stick anything I can in their asses, and I m going to enlov it. The guys start laughing again. Jack boils red. JACK CONT D Shut up I didn t mean Just get on your damn bikes We re riding to Lucas The guys start towards their bikes. Oilcan sidles up next to Jack. OILCAN Sometimes it helps if you say things in your mind first, then say it out loud, you know Jack looks at Oilcan for a beat, then bends down, picks a dart up out of the ash, and jabs it into his shoulder. OILCAN CONT D Oww Dammit Wild Hogs writers first draft  JACK I did that in my mind, first. Jack smiles calmly and walks off. MAIN STREET HOTEL THAT AFTERNOON DOUG, BOB, WOODY and DUDLEY exit out of an old fashioned hotel next to the diner. They cross to the town square, where the block party is in full swing. Townspeople mingle around eating cornonthecob and hotdogs. Up on the stage, a plump, middleaged man with a goatee and a polo shirt tucked into dockers sings Justin Timberlake s Rock Your body. PLUMP MAN So you grab your girls, And you grab a couple more. And you all come meet me, in the middle of the floor. Gonna rock your body  Till the break of DAY The man drops to his knees at the edge of stage and reaches his hand out to the audience, like the star of a boy band; However, it s clearly making the people on the dance floor uncomfortable. Meanwhile, Doug, Bob, Woody and Dudley walk through the square and are instantly greeted, patted on the back and thanked by each townsperson they pass. The word is out that these guys are heroes. Doug gives a can you believe this look to the other guys who are just as thrilled as him. They re eating it up. DOUG These people love us. This is nuts. BOB Yeah. They think we re bad asses. DOUG Well, let s not get too carried away with it. The truth is we re just regular guys. Let s not forget that. DUDLEY Yeah, the best thing is to keep a low profile. Don t cause any waves. Then if somebody pushes us too far, Boom We go Billy Jack upside their heads Wild Hogs writers first draft  WOODY You re going to go Billy Jack DUDLEY Nooo. I m just minding my own business. I don t want to cause any trouble. Dudley turns to Woody and stares at him. Woody looks confused. WOODY TO DUDLEY What DOUG He s waiting for you to say something else, then he s going to kick you. Dudley gets a deflated look and backs off of Woody. DUDLEY TO WOODY Doug just saved you a world of hurt. WOODY You re afraid of your cat. DUDLEY Yeah, well. He once bit me on the sack. Dudley walks off towards the beer tent. Woody looks to the other guys with a puzzled look. BOB It s true. He was unclogging his bathtub drain and the cat thought it was a ball of yarn. Doug and Woody wince. ANGLE ON DUDLEY, at the beer tent. He gets in line, and realizes he s behind MAGGIE. She smiles at him. MAGGIE Hi. Dudley is wideeyed. DUDLEY Um. I, uh SCRAMBLING What do you call a Mercedes in Harlem Wild Hogs writers first draft  Maggie looks confused. MAGGIE Excuse me DUDLEY Nothing uh. Maggie notices the tattoo on Dudley s shoulder. MAGGIE Wow. You like macs too, huh I ve got a vintage Apple e. Restored it from scratch. Dudley s jaw drops. DUDLEY I have a cookie jar made out of a e. For fig newtons. MAGGIE Wow. I like fig newtons. Dudley collects himself and tries to speak. DUDLEY Yeah. They re like fried chicken at a No, that s not. Dammit This is hard. Maggie smiles sweetly as Dudley fumbles. MAGGIE You want to dance Dudley goes to respond, then decides to just give an emphatic nod. Maggie smiles. TOWN SQUARE A FEW MINUTES LATER DOUG, BOB and WOODY are sitting at a picnic table, drinking beer out of plastic cups. They lean back and soak up the small town celebration around them. It s a great night. DOUG It doesn t get any better than this, huh Bob notices Doug getting ready to chomp down on a piece of garlic bread. Wild Hogs writers first draft  BOB That s a lot of carbs. Doug stops, midbite, and puts the bread down. DOUG Thanks, Bob. You saved me from all that. buttery, garlicky flavor. WOODY No he didn t. Woody takes the garlic bread and crams it in his mouth. WOODY CONT D MOUTH FULL I did. DOUG I hope you choke on it. CHARLEY approaches with his two deputies, EARL DOOBLE and BUCK DOOBLE. They are chubby, thirtyyear old twins identical in every way, except for the f that Buck is missing an ear on the right side of his head. which the skin has scarred back over. It doesn t look good. CHARLEY Howdy, guys Welcome to the block party These are my deputies Earl and Buck Dooble. Earl shakes the guys hands. EARL I m Earl and he s Buck. Just remember, the brother with the word ear, in his name, has both on his head. LAUGHS I can only say that because I m on his right side. Which as you can see, is blown off. Earl laughs again, as BUCK extends his hand oblivious. BUCK I m Buck and this is Earl. Good luck telling us apart Buck laughs and turns to Charley, exposing his missing ear to the guys. They draw back a little. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DOUG Well, it s nice to meet you guys. You ve got a great town here. CHARLEY Yeah, we got everything here. Good people, good fishing. EARL We do have convicted child molesters, though. We have to disclose that. CHARLEY Not if they don t have kids, Earl. EARL Just to be safe, though. yells at crowd of people Hey Thomas Milborn A bookish man with a tweed jacket turns around and looks. EARL CONT D ANNOUNCING Convicted child molester. Thomas Milborn nods glumly and pulls his hands out of his pockets. The guys look at each other uneasily. BOB Well. Still a nice town. WOODY If you re not a kid. DOUG Or Thomas Milborn. ANGLE ON DANCE FLOOR AREA DUDLEY is on the dance floor with MAGGIE. The middle aged guy on stage is letting loose with a rendition of Usher s Yeah. Maggie and Dudley dance conservatively for a moment, but as the beat gets ahold of Dudley, he starts getting into it. He starts spinning around at a rapid pace, then drops to his knees, slaps the ground and shakes his head to the music. Maggie watches curiously as Dudley pulls himself along the ground by his elbows then springs up to his feet and starts a move that resembles a sprinkler. Maggie grins actually amused by Dudley s rhythmic passion. Wild Hogs writers first draft  ANGLE ON The Wild Hog s table. The guys sit with Charley, Buck and Earl watching Dudley with a curious look. CHARLEY Looks like your friend and Maggie are hitting it off. DOUG Yeah. I think he really likes that girl. CHARLEY Well, Maggie s a great woman. EARL Yup. Big cans, too. Buck liked her, but you know. He s a deformed freak. Buck, on Earl s left, stares out at Maggie and Dudley, deaf to the conversation. BUCK I used to like that girl. but then I realized, I can do better. The guys look at Buck. CHARLEY So, why are you guys taking this road trip, anyway DOUG Ahh, just to escape for a bit. WOODY Hey, we re not escaping anything, man. We re on this trip to live. CHARLEY I know what you mean. Sometimes things in life can bother you, and sometimes nothing in life can bother you. Either way, you ve got take a break from it. Happiness is somewhere between boredom and stress. Doug is surprised at Charley s insight. So is Woody. WOODY Exactly. Which is why we need to keep riding until we figure out where that happiness is. You don t get old Doug back by just staying put. Wild Hogs writers first draft  CHARLEY Old Doug DOUG Yeah. Apparently I ve lost him. I don t sing Bon Jovi anymore. WOODY You did lose him, Doug. You know why You re housebroken. You re too comfortable. You ve got to snap out of it Doug nods halfheartedly. He knows woody might be right. CHARLEY TO DOUG Woody s got a point, there. Comfortable can be a bad thing. You have to wake up and slap the bull once in a while. WOODY Right Slap the bull then, to Charley What CHARLEY Slapping the bull is kind of the local test of manhood. It s a way to prove you aren t controlled by fear. We ve all done it. EARL Yup. Even tornopen head, here. He nods at Buck, on his left. BUCK You know, I slapped the bull once. Woody smiles slyly. Doug looks concerned. WOODY We re slapping the bull. DOUG I don t think we need to. I mean, we can have our own test of manhood. Let s see how many ears of corn we can eat or something. I ll start. Doug grabs an ear of corn and takes a bite, but Woody just grins with that reckless look in his eyes. Wild Hogs writers first draft  WOODY We are slapping the bull. Doug knows it s no use. He nods, defeated. COW PASTURE THAT EVENING DOUG, BOB, WOODY, CHARLEY, BUCK and EARL approach a fence surrounding a pasture. Charley smiles. CHARLEY Here we are. The Lucas test of manhood. Slap the bull. Charley gestures to a lone bull grazing in the pasture. He s a frighteningly large bull with enormous horns. WOODY Wow. So it s literally slapping a bull EARL Yup. Right on the ass. Then hightail it out of there, because he can kill ya. DOUG Wow. Um. Woody This was your idea, so. go ahead. Woody nods. WOODY All right. I m going in. DOUG BOB You are WOODY Hell yeah. I m gonna slap the shit out of that bull. Like, pimpstyle. The guys look at him, surprised and somewhat impressed. Woody takes a breath and climbs over the fence. He approaches the Bull very quietly and cautiously. He gets within three feet of it, leans in and slaps the Bull hard on the ass. The bull makes an annoyed sound and turns around, but Woody is already hightailing it back to the fence, with an exhilarated look on his face. Wild Hogs writers first draft  WOODY CONT D Whhhheeeeeeew Woody gets to the fence and hurls himself over. The guys all applaud. WOODY CONT D Yes Wow That felt so good. I just slapped a big fat bull right on his ass Did you hear how pissed he was I just pissed of a bull back to Bull Bitch Woody high fives all the guys. DOUG All right. I m in. I m slapping that bull. The guys cheer as Doug climbs over the fence and starts heading towards the Bull. The group all leans on the fence, watching. WOODY TO CHARLEY Thanks for bringing us out here. Doug really needs this. BOB Yeah. This is good for him. CHARLEY Sure. Glad we could help. BUCK Yeah, and we ve never seen it done twice in a row. It ll be interesting to see how the bull takes being slapped now that he s alert. WOODY BOB Alert Woody and Bob look at each other, then to the Bull which Doug is about to slap. WOODY Doug, wait It s too late. Doug slaps the bull hard, and turns to run. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DOUG Wheeeeew Yeah Doug runs across the field, but the Bull now fully alert swivels with magnificent agility and breaks into an angry charge towards Doug. The guys all watch in horror as the Bull quickly gains on Doug. Doug sees the fear on the guys faces and looks back over his shoulder. His smile quickly turns to terror. DOUG CONT D Ahhhhhhhh It s too late. The Bull catches Doug and bucks him into the air. Doug flies ten feet and comes crashing down on the muddy grass. The Bull takes a few steps back and starts lining up another charge at him. WOODY Oh, no you don t Woody jumps over the fence and runs into the field. WOODY CONT D Heeeeey Hey you Come get me, Bull The Bull notices Woody and starts to Charge him. WOODY CONT D Run, Doug Go Doug climbs to his feet and sees the bull charging Woody. Woody realizes he s in trouble and starts to run again. The bull quickly catches him and rams him into the air. Woody lands hard, with a grunt. The bull turns back to charge at Woody again, and Bob jumps over the fence. BOB Hey Leave him alone You want some of this Come get this Bob sprints out into the field. The bull snorts and starts towards him. The Bull closes on Bob quick, but at the last moment Bob dives of the way. The bull goes flying past him. BOB CONT D Hah Missed me, you fat bastard Wild Hogs writers first draft  Doug and Woody look impressed as Bob helps them hurry towards the fence. Charley and Buck hold a gate open for them as the Bull makes a turn and lines the group up, but they ve already made it to the gate. They go through and Charley shuts it behind them. They lean back on the fence, trying to gather their bearings, except Bob who is thrilled. BOB CONT D Did you see me I dodged him I dodged that stupid cow How cool am Suddenly, the Bull charges into the fence, which Bob s butt is sticking through. Bob goes flying and lands face down in the dirt. He scrambles back up, furious. BOB CONT D You son of a bitch You want to keep it going You want to take cheap shots Come on Bob tries to climb back into the pasture, but the guys restrain him. BOB CONT D TO CHARLEY Give me your gun Give me the gun He deserves it TO BULL I ll kill you Doug and Woody hold on to Bob until he calms down. Doug and Woody start to laugh. Bob cools off for another moment, then starts laughing as well. WOODY No this is living DOUG We just slapped the bull The group high fives each other in congratulations, and starts away Bruised, muddy and laughing. ANGLE ON THE BULL. He pushes on the gate that Charley was holding open. The gate swings open. ANGLE ON WOODY, BOB and DOUG. They walk with Charley and the Dooble brothers, laughing and carrying on. Wild Hogs writers first draft  Bob does an impression of how he dodged it and goes for some more high fives but suddenly, the bull charges into frame and nails him. As Bob goes flying; we TOWN SQUARE BLOCK PARTY LATER THAT NIGHT The block party is winding down. Dudley is sitting by himself at a picnic table, in postMaggie bliss. DOUG, WOODY and BOB approach, dirty and beaten from the bull but, carrying on happily. WOODY Man, did you see the look on Bob s face when he got up Didn t dodge him that time Woody and Doug laugh. Bob looks pissed. BOB I m going to go back there with a rifle tomorrow and shoot one of his legs off. Then we ll see who s tough. DOUG LAUGHING Why just one leg BOB Because I want to kick him in the face. Doug and Woody laugh again. Bob just steams. They spot DUDLEY, and head over to him. DOUG Hey, Dud. You look happy. DUDLEY I danced with her. And she likes macs. You know what that means DOUG You have a sister DUDLEY I have a soulmate. DOUG I thought you said the color ipod was your soulmate. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DUDLEY I thought it was. But now, I realize that ipod was just a welldesigned whore. The guys smile. It s been a good night for all of them. DOUG Come on. Let s go back to the hotel. We ve got to get up early to do some fishing. The guys start walking towards the Main Street hotel. WOODY Okay, fine. But after fishing we hit the open road and keep moving, okay DOUG Open road, baby BOB Wild Hogs ride The guys continue with enthusiastic cheers as we hear the offscreen rumble of engines. Doug looks down the street and sees THE HELLS ANGELS. All forty of them are riding into town and the guys will be in their view any second. Woody is frozen with fear. DOUG Are you kidding me Woody, you re going to have to talk to these guys again. Get them to leave this town alone WOODY Hiiiiiiiidee DOUG, BOB and DUDLEY look confused. Woody looks around desperately for somewhere to hide but the Hells Angels are too close. There s no time. Woody spots a porto potty from the block party and starts corralling Doug, Bob and Dudley into it. WOODY CONT D Go Go Go Woody pushes his puzzled friends into the portopotty, then gets in with them and shuts the door, just as the Hells Angels cruise by them. Wild Hogs writers first draft  PORTOPOTTY CONTINUOUS All four guys are squished inside the portopotty like sardines. DOUG Woody What the hell is wrong with WOODY Shhhh They ll hear you Don t make a sound TOWN SQUARE CONTINUOUS The Hells Angels park their bikes. We see all the townspeople have stopped enjoying themselves, and just stand there, scared. Jack gets off his bike and looks around. JACK YELLS OUT Good evening, Lucas. Now, as hurt as I am that you re having a party and didn t invite us. We re only here for one reason. The Wild Hogs. Where the hell are they PORTOPOTTY CONTINUOUS Doug looks at Woody. He s starting to figure it Woody guiltily avoids Doug s glare and watches the Hells Angels through a vent in the portopotty. TOWN SQUARE CONTINUOUS The townspeople aren t saying a word. Jack continues to pace in front of the diner. JACK Come on, now. You shouldn t be protecting them. These Wild Hogs, not only passed us when we specifically told them not to, they drained out all our gas and burned down our bar. Like the little cowards they are. Now where are they Wild Hogs writers first draft  PORTOPOTTY CONTINUOUS Upon hearing this, BOB, DUDLEY and DOUG all look at WOODY, who shrugs sheepishly. Bob is enraged. BOB You son of a bitch Bob lunges at Woody, but the sudden shifting of weight is too much for the portopotty. TOWN SQUARE CONTINUOUS The portopotty tips over. All the Hells Angels turn and look as it crashes over on it s side. They continue to stare at it curiously. PORTOPOTTY CONTINUOUS The guys, now on their side, freeze as they see through the vent that the Hells Angels are staring at them. It s a very tense moment as they wait to see if they ve been discovered. After a moment, we hear a glup, glup, glup, And the guys smell something curious. BOB WHISPERING What is that DUDLEY WHISPERING It s that blue portopotty juice. It s coming out of the can. The guys all cringe in disgust, but know they can t move. TOWN SQUARE CONTINUOUS Jack finally turns away from the potopotty and smirks. JACK TO GANG Now, that s a portopotty that ain t worth shit. The Hell s Angels all laugh and turn back to the diner. Wild Hogs writers first draft  JACK CONT D All right, then. Nobody wants to tell me where they are Fine. Maybe this ll jar your memory. Jack takes a garbage can and tosses it into the diner window. The crowd gasps, as the Hells Angels laugh. CHARLEY steps out of the crowd. CHARLEY I think they re out at Mckinley s pasture. Something about slapping a bull. It s up past the lake a ways. Jack smiles. JACK Good. to Hells Angels Saddle up, boys. The guys get on their bikes. JACK CONT D TO TOWN And if they ain t there. We ll be back reeeal soon. Because I don t let any man get away from me. The gang snickers. Jack realizes; JACK CONT D TO GANG Shut the hell up I didn t You know what I meant Jack starts his bike and roars out of the town. The others follow him, gunning their bikes and leaving skid marks and smoke in their trail. A kid yells at the Hells Angels as they ride out of sight. KIDS Go ahead and come back The Wild Hogs aren t afraid you The Wild Hogs aren t afraid of anything Suddenly, the door pops open on the portopotty and the WILD HOGS topple out of it in a heap. We see they re soaked in blue portopotty juice. They scramble to their feet and run towards the large fountain in the middle of the town square. I Wild Hogs writers first draft  DOUG BOB WOODY DUDLEY Ahhhh I m going to vomit Ecchhh The townspeople watch in silence as the guys jump into the fountain and try to rinse off. Bob puts his head under a waterspouting marble fish. BOB It got in my hair Gross The guys desperately try to rinse off the juice then, drenched from head to toe, turn their glare to Woody. DOUG TO WOODY You lied, didn t you You stood there and lied to us BOB You did You re a stinking liar WOODY I did it for you guys I wanted you to live DOUG Live We re going to die, Woody You burned down their bar We are dead men DUDLEY Oh, man. I thought it was going to happen slowly. I thought I had time Dudley sits on the fountain edge and starts to tear up. WOODY TO GUYS I m sorry, okay DOUG Sorry That s it You re sorry WOODY Yes, I m sorry I just didn t want us to go back. DOUG Why It s just a stupid vacation Wild Hogs writers first draft  WOODY Because I don t have anything to go back to, okay Doug and Bob go silent. Woody looks away trying to collect himself. After a moment, he faces them. WOODY CONT D I ve lost everything. The firm fired me, Claudia left me. It s all gone. My whole life is gone. I don t even have enough money to get my lawn raked anymore. Doug, Bob and Dudley are stupefied. Woody takes a deep breath and continues. WOODY CONT D That s why I couldn t go back. This isn t a vacation for me, it s the only thing I have left. There s nothing more in my life but you guys. So, I lied about the Hells Angels. I lied because I wanted to have one thing in my life that wasn t a complete failure. A real trip with my best friends. You re all I got. I m sorry. Woody lowers his head. The guys take this in for a minute. Woody looks at them, waiting for their sympathy. Finally, Doug speaks. DOUG realizing, to Woody This trip is just you running from your life. Your miserable, screwed up life. GETTING ANGRIER And you knew you couldn t go back to it, so instead you screwed up our lives, too. You asshole Woody s puppydog face dissolves. WOODY Fine I see how important I am to you guys. That s just fine. I just thought being a Wild Hog meant something Woody takes off his Wild Hogs jacket and throws it at their feet. He hops out of the fountain and storms off down the street. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DOUG It doesn t mean anything It s just a patch my wife made Doug, Bob and Dudley look at each other. After a moment, they look over to the sidewalk and see ALL THE TOWNSPEOPLE, staring at them in disappointed silence. Slowly, the townspeople turn and quietly head back to their homes. Doug, Bob and Dudley lower their heads in disgrace. So much for being heroes. DISSOLVE TO POLICE STATION LATER THAT NIGHT DOUG stands in the darkened police station with DUDLEY, CHARLEY, BUCK and EARL. CHARLEY looks out the window with DOUG. CHARLEY Looks like they re winding down some. DOUG You think MAIN STREET DINER CONTINUOUS The Hells Angels have returned, and set up shop in the diner, but are also flowing out onto the street. Jack stumbles into the middle of the road, with a bottle of tequila in his hand. JACK YELLING OUT Alright, Wild Hogs. We know you re in town somewhere,  cause you haven t checked out of the hotel. We re a little smarter than you thought, huh OILCAN Hell yeah we are Wheeew Oilcan smashes a beer can against his own head. JACK So we re going to wait right here  till you show up. Weeks, if we have to. Hell, we might just make ourselves the Lucas Angels. That has a nice ring to it, doesn t it Wild Hogs writers first draft  Jack laughs. POLICE STATION SAME TIME The guys watch the commotion through the window. DUDLEY Crap. I was thinking of that for us. CHARLEY You guys just stay in the station tonight. No one needs to go out there and be a hero and end up getting hurt. DOUG Thanks, Charley. Charley and the Dooble brothers look a little surprised. CHARLEY Wow. So. You re not going out there Doug sighs in irritation. DOUG SNAPS Well, you re the cop. Why don t you go out there Charley is visibly hurt. His lip starts to tremble. CHARLEY TEARING UP That s not cool, man. Charley runs out the back door of the station. EARL shakes his head and looks at Doug. EARL You know, people have feelings. Sure, I make comments about chum face, here. But that s because every time I look at him I see parts of his brain. But nobody has the right to hurt Charley like that. He has both sides of his head. Earl storms off, leaving BUCK, who was standing on his left and hasn t heard or seen any of them leave. He stands there, looking at Doug and Dudley. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DOUG TO BUCK Um. They left. BUCK Huh Buck turns and sees Earl and Charley have gone. BUCK CONT D Son of a bitch. Buck hurries out the door after Charley and Earl. DISSOLVE TO POLICE STATION NEXT MORNING Doug wakes up on a cot in an open jail cell. He walks out of the cell, and over to the window. ANGLE ON The Main Street Diner The Hells Angels bikes are still parked outside, and the bikers appear to be passed out in various booths, chairs, and the street out front. BACK ON The police station. Dudley and Bob approach the window. DOUG They re still out there. Passed BOB Well, I talked to Karen. She going to fly out here, rent a minivan, and pick us up. We ll just ship the bikes back later. DOUG Bob, we can t leave. They ll just stay here and keep terrorizing this town. BOB So what They can call the National guard or something. DOUG For what To be stationed here permanently Because these guys will just come back when they re gone. And it ll be even worse. MORE Wild Hogs writers first draft  DOUG CONT D We ve created this problem, Bob. We ve got to think of a way to solve it. BOB Well, Karen is really insistent she come drive us back. DOUG Tell her no, Bob. Bob looks uncomfortable at this thought. BOB I can t do that. DOUG Well, you re going to have to, Bob We re not going to screw over an entire town because you re afraid of women Bob stands up, insulted. BOB Oh, sorry I m not brave like you, Doug The guy who gets injections in his scalp so he won t go bald Bob storms out the back door of the police station. Dudley looks to Doug, curiously. DUDLEY You do Doug shrugs weakly. DOUG You know, you can storm out too, if you want. DUDLEY No, no. I mean, I thought about going to see Maggie while those guys are asleep, but you need me right now. DOUG Thanks, man. Doug smiles and gives Dudley a squeeze on the shoulder. Dudley is clearly disappointed, having assumed Doug would tell him to go see Maggie. Dudley just stands there, silent. DOUG CONT D You okay Wild Hogs writers first draft  DUDLEY SNAPS You re always asking me if I m okay Dudley quickly storms out of the police station. Doug nods to himself and slumps down on an office chair. MUSIC CUE AFTER THE THRILL IS GONE BY THE EAGLES CONTINUES THROUGH THE FOLLOWING SCENES BACK OF POLICE STATION LATER Doug exits and looks around the corner of the building, making sure the Hells Angels are still sleeping, then starts walking towards a wooded park behind the town. PARK A MOMENT LATER Doug walks through the park, looking depressed. He passes through a small playground, and has a seat on a bench. He watches all the children play, and his eyes fall on four young boys happily riding their bicycles together. They have cards in their spokes, making engine sounds as they ride around having a great time together. Doug smiles and watches them play together. FADE OUT MUSIC CUE BUD O.C. Thought you might be out here. Doug turns and sees BUD, the owner of the diner, Bud has a seat next to him. DOUG Hey, Bud. Look, I m sorry we got your town in all this trouble. This trip was supposed to fix problems, not cause them. BUD Well, maybe it s trying to and you just won t let it. DOUG What do you mean Bud smiles and looks out at the kids playing. Wild Hogs writers first draft  BUD It s the funny thing about life. It has to be an adventure to feel right. But when you become a husband and a Dad, you realize adventure is risk, and a family man has no place in his life for risk. Doug takes this in, then realizes. DOUG You re right. That s why I stopped singing Bon Jovi. Life used to be a risk. That was old Doug. And now it s gone. I ve taken away all the risk. BUD Yup. And if you try to make livin  too safe, then it s not livin  at all. DOUG It s not. And I have a will, now. So, I only have so much livin  left. And somehow I ve lost the best part of it. BUD Well, maybe these will help you find it. Bud puts a styrofoam container on Doug s lap. Doug looks into it. DOUG These are worms. BUD Yup. To fish with. DOUG I don t get it. BUD Friends that screw up. Angry bikers. That s not something you should be avoiding. That s something you need. Doug takes this in. DOUG What s that have to do with worms BUD Go down to the lake and find Wild Hogs writers first draft  Bud smiles and walks off. Doug looks down at the worms, considering. LAKE LATER Doug walks up to the shore and sees Woody, trying to push a canoe towards the water. Woody notices Doug. WOODY Hey. DOUG Hey. Going fishing WOODY Yup. Woody gets the canoe to the water and looks back at Doug. DOUG I ve got worms. BEAT I mean, in here. Doug holds up the styrofoam cup. Woody shrugs. WOODY All right. Let s go. Doug helps Woody shove the boat out into the water. They both hop in as it floats away from the shore. They sit there staring off in silence. DOUG Um. Look, man. I m sorry about Claudia. And the job. WOODY STARING OFF Thanks. DOUG But, you shouldn t have lied to us WOODY You know what I screwed up It happens. Maybe from now on I m better off just doing things on my own Woody starts to get up, but then looks at the water around him, and sits. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DOUG You would have stormed off right then, huh WOODY DEFLATED Yeah. Doug nods and looks out at the water. They sit there in silence for another moment. WOODY CONT D I didn t want to lose, Doug. I ve lost everything else and I didn t want to lose this trip with you guys. When we re together, it s like we re all college kids still. I m not a guy with a broken marriage and failed career. I m just with my best friends, being happy. And to keep it going, I forgot about what made it so great. That friends never let each other down. Until now. I screwed up the last thing I had left. You guys deserve better. I m sorry Woody eyes water a little and he quickly turns away from Doug. They sit there for another moment. DOUG Well, what s the point of being in a motorcycle gang if we can t ourselves in a little trouble Woody looks back at him. Doug smiles a little bit. DOUG CONT D It ll be okay, man. Woody smiles a little as well. WOODY They won t kill us, right Just a. really bad beating. DOUG Yeah. We won t die. I don t think. WOODY No way. And how much could a punch really hurt Not much, probably. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DOUG Well, the good thing is we ll be able to know for sure. That ll be cool. WOODY Let s go find the Bob and Dudley. Doug looks around the canoe for a paddle. DOUG Did you bring the paddles WOODY No. I wasn t even going to take this thing out, but I didn t want you to think I was just standing at the lake waiting for you. DOUG Why were you here WOODY Bud told me to stand at the lake and wait for you. Doug nods. Bob walks up on the shore, holding a styrofoam cup. BOB Hey, guys. DOUG Hey, Bob. Worms Bob looks at the styrofoam cup and nods. BOB Are we all good WOODY Yeah, Bob. We re all good. Woody smiles at Doug. DOUG TO BOB Throw us that paddle. Bob nods and picks up a paddle. He throws it toward the canoe, but it lands ten yards short and sinks. BOB Shit. Hold on. Wild Hogs writers first draft  Bob grabs another paddle and throws it. This time it lands even shorter. Bob looks around for another paddle. DOUG Were those the only two paddles BOB BUMMED Yeah. DOUG Oh. Bob sits down on the grass. BOB You guys ll drift in. DOUG BUMMED Yeah. Woody and Doug look around at the water. It s as still as glass. They sit there awkwardly as Bob waits on shore. BUD AND MAGGIE S HOUSE SAME TIME A cook from the diner is at the kitchen stove, making something in a big pot, as a crowd of townspeople eat in the kitchen and dining room. MAGGIE and DUDLEY cross through the kitchen, and out to the front porch. BUD AND MAGGIE S HOUSE FRONT PORCH CONTINUOUS Maggie sits on the porch swing and takes a breath. MAGGIE Well, we can t seat many people in there, but at least we re back in business. DUDLEY Sorry those jerks are in your diner. MAGGIE Ah, we re used to them costing us money. Last year we spent more on window glass than pancake batter. All because of them. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DUDLEY It makes me sick. Thinking they re too good for pancakes. MAGGIE No, I meant. They damage the diner a lot. They damage the whole town. I m just sorry you guys got dragged into it. You were just out to have a good vacation. Dudley looks at Maggie sincerely. DUDLEY This has been the best vacation of my life. I met you. Maggie blushes. MAGGIE You bikers probably tell all the girls that. This hits Dudley. He suddenly looks troubled. DUDLEY Maggie, I have to tell you something. I m not really a cool biker or a cool. anything. I m a computer programmer. A nerd. My cat doesn t even like me. She watches me sleep and I don t know why. I think she s waiting for me to stop breathing. I m just a. Geek. I m sorry if you thought I was somebody I m not. Maggie takes this in. After a moment, she smiles and kisses Dudley. MAGGIE You re not a geek, Dudley. You re sweet and your honest and. You re the coolest guy I know. Your cat is crazy if it doesn t like you as much as I do. Dudley smiles. He has completely fallen for her. MAGGIE CONT D Well, I better get back inside. I ve got to set some chairs up in the family room for the lunch rush. People gotta eat. Wild Hogs writers first draft  Maggie smiles and heads inside. Dudley watches her go, then grits his teeth. DUDLEY Oh, people will eat. Don t you worry, Maggie. People will eat. SMASH MAIN STREET DINER A FEW MINUTES LATER DUDLEY kicks open the front door. JACK and the other Hells Angels are inside, drinking and carrying on. DUDLEY Alright, let s end this The Hells Angels don t even notice him. Dudley bites his lip in frustration. DUDLEY CONT D YELLS Hey Dudley takes a table full of empty beer glasses and flips it over. Everyone in the diner goes silent and looks at him. Jack stands up and smiles. JACK Well, well. One of you came to face the music, huh That s brave. And stupid. The Hells Angels laugh. Dudley takes a deep breath and walks up to Jack. DUDLEY I m not here to face any music. I m here to make you a deal. A deal I think you d be smart to take. JACK Yeah What deal DUDLEY You leave the town of Lucas, and my friends alone, and I do something for you. Something you can t live with Jack looks interested. Dudley confidently sets a laptop on the counter, and punches a few keys. He swivels it around to show the gang. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DUDLEY CONT D See where that says Domain for sale Guess what that means. Your gang doesn t have a website Nothing No way to tell people about your history, post photos, sell shirts. You guys are living in the complete dark ages laughs cockily, then So they way I see it I need a favor from you and you need a favor from me. Jack walks over to the computer and looks at Dudley for a moment. He then picks the computer up and smashes it down on the ground. It breaks into a hundred pieces. Jack smiles at Dudley and puts his foot through what s left of it. The Hells Angels stifle laughter. Dudley is starting to look a little nervous. JACK TO DUDLEY No deal. Dudley nods. DUDLEY Okay, then. Thanks for hearing me Dudley starts for the door, but several Hells Angels move over and block his path. Dudley stops and collects himself for a moment then breaks into a panicked sprint for the other exit. The Hells Angels quickly spring into action and tackle him to the ground. DUDLEY CONT D Sanctuary Sanctuary The Hells Angels pull off him, confused. OILCAN What DUDLEY Sanctuary. You have to take me to a church and leave me alone. The Hells Angels look at each other and shrug. OILCAN TO DUDLEY No we don t. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DUDLEY DEFEATED I know. The Hells Angels move back in on him. Dudley closes his eyes and rolls into a ball. STREET IN FRONT OF MAGGIE S HOUSE SAME TIME DOUG, BOB, and WOODY are walking back from the lake, and pass by Maggie s house. BUD, standing on the porch, sees them and smiles. BUD If you re heading back to town, I wouldn t go on an empty stomach. The guys see Bud and smile. BUD CONT D Come have lunch. This is kind of our fallout diner. Smaller kitchen, but less piss on the bathroom floor. DOUG Well, we can change that. Bud laughs as the guys enter the house. BUD AND MAGGIE S HOUSE A FEW MINUTES LATER DOUG, BOB and WOODY are sitting at one of many card tables arranged in the family room, eating lunch. CHARLEY enters through the front door.. CHARLEY Hey, guys. Having your final meal Charley laughs. Doug, Bob and Woody don t. CHARLEY CONT D Sorry. BOB TO CHARLEY Where are Buck and Earl CHARLEY They re coming. Buck s ear is giving him some equilibrium problems. Wild Hogs writers first draft  EARL ENTERS, holding the door open for BUCK, who walks through slowly. EARL TO BUCK Just keep your eyes forward and head up. BUCK I m fine. Buck walks a few more steps, then starts to tilt left. He quickly loses his balance and falls sideways, taking out a card table full of food and the old man sitting at it. EARL Goddammit. Earl helps Buck up and they join the guys at their table. BUCK Hey, guys. Having your final meal Buck and Earl laugh. Nobody else does. CHARLEY sternly, to Buck and Earl That s out of line, guys. EARL Sorry. Buck looks around the table. BUCK Hey, isn t one of you missing WOODY Yeah, Dudley s with Maggie somewhere. MAGGIE COMES OUT OF THE KITCHEN and approaches the table. MAGGIE Hey, guys. Where s Dudley DOUG He s with you, isn t he MAGGIE No. I thought he went to find you guys. Doug shares a worried glance with Bob and Woody. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DOUG TO CHARLEY Charley, can I borrow your phone Charley hands it to him, and Doug starts to dial. DOUG CONT D Dudley has mine. I ll just call him. WOODY He has a phone What happened to freedom DOUG He needed to call his answering machine so his cat could hear his voice. THEN Here we go. It s ringing. TO MAGGIE He probably snuck off somewhere to buy you some romantic gift or something. No big deal. BOB That s it. He s never had a girlfriend so he s probably getting carried away. He once drank eighteen Mocha Latte s because the Starbucks clerk was smiling at him. WOODY I remember that. His pee turned brown and he started crying. DOUG Yeah. And the girl wasn t even smiling she just had a cleft lip. INTO PHONE Hello Dudley MAIN STREET DINER SIMULTANEOUS Jack stands next to Dudley, who is ducttaped to a chair with so much tape that it looks like he s in a cocoon. Only his head is uncovered. Jack holds Dudley s cellphone. JACK INTO PHONE Try again, asshole. Wild Hogs writers first draft  BUD AND MAGGIE S HOUSE SIMULTANEOUS DOUG knowingly, to group Nope. The Hells Angels have him. Doug gives a look to the other guys. They mouth Shit MAIN STREET DINER SIMULTANEOUS JACK INTO PHONE Damn right, the Hells Angels. Your friend paid us a little visit. And now he s hurting reeeeal bad. DUDLEY No, I actually feel pretty Jack kicks Dudley s chair with his foot. It tips over and lands on it s side with Dudley in it. Dudley looks out at the floor, helpless. DUDLEY CONT D Ow THEN Hey, a peanut. Dudley tries to stick his tongue out to get the peanut. Jack notices and kicks it away. DUDLEY CONT D Crap. JACK INTO PHONE So here s what we re going to do, now. You guys are going to pay us a visit. And you re going to bring a disobedience fee, of ten thousand dollars. Cash. And don t even think about calling any cops. Just you guys and ten grand. And if you don t show up in an hour Well then, We ll just take the fine out of your friend s legs. Which we re going to break with a tire iron. DUDLEY yelling to phone Don t bring the money, guys MORE Wild Hogs writers first draft  DUDLEY CONT D I m a computer programmer I don t need my legs Jack considers this and turns back to the phone. JACK INTO PHONE His hands We ll break his hands DUDLEY Dammit. yelling to phone Bring the money BUD AND MAGGIE S HOUSE SIMULTANEOUS Doug shakes his head at Dudley s stupidity. DOUG INTO PHONE We ll bring the money. Just don t touch our friend BIKER BAR SIMULTANEOUS JACK INTO PHONE Oh, I won t touch him if you bring that money. But if you don t, I ll be touching him all night long. And I ll be enjoying it. The other bikers suddenly stifle laughter. JACK CONT D What There was nothing wrong with that one That was tough Those guys are afraid of me, now. They know how much I want  em The gang laughs again. JACK CONT D Shut up The gang stops laughing, off Jack s warning glare. Dudley looks up from the floor. DUDLEY Hey can we call my cat, now She needs to hear my voice. Wild Hogs writers first draft  Jack looks down at Dudley, then to the other bikers. JACK TO BIKERS Get me more duct tape A biker nods and grabs another role of duct tape. He heads over to Dudley. DUDLEY Crap. DISSOLVE TO BUD AND MAGGIE S HOUSE A FEW MINUTES LATER DOUG sits in a chair, deep in thought. BOB, WOODY, EARL, BUCK, and BUD stand with other members of the town. MAGGIE is on a couch, sobbing into her hands. MAGGIE CRYING Sweet Dudley. He went there to save everybody and now they re going to break his hands. DOUG No they aren t. We re going to get him back. CHARLEY We sure are. I m going to call the Highway Patrol. They ll be there in BOB No way. They said no law. We can t risk them doing anything to Dudley. WOODY Bob s right. We can call the Highway Patrol after we get Dud back, but we shouldn t piss these guys off while he s still in their hands. BOB I m going to call Karen and have the cash wired out of our savings. WOODY No. No way. This is my fault. All this is my fault. I have some money in my severance package. We re using it. Wild Hogs writers first draft  MAGGIE Wait, he did this because of me. I have a thousand dollars in tip money I want to put in. BUD I have a couple thousand in the diner emergency fund I ll put in, too. Doug, who has been thinking all this over, stands up from his chair. DOUG No. Nobody is paying anything. Everyone stops and gives Doug a puzzled look. He has a new fire behind his eyes. His suburban quietude has transformed into something more. valiant. WOODY What DOUG We re not calling the Highway patrol. We re not gathering ten thousand dollars. We re going over there and getting our friend back. CHARLEY I don t think that s the safest plan. DOUG It s not. But sometimes you have to do the things that aren t safe, to create a world that you re happy being in. These Hells Angels don t want our ten thousand dollars. They want our dignity. They want us to be afraid of them just like this town is. And once they know we re afraid, they can do whatever they want. That s how these guys exist. That s how they ride into this town and tear it to pieces. Because people want to keep their lives safe so badly, they give up the best part about it. Doug takes his Wild Hogs jacket and pulls it on. DOUG CONT D The adventure. Doug looks at Woody and Bob. Woody smiles and pulls on his jacket. Wild Hogs writers first draft  WOODY And the friends. Woody steps over to Doug. Bob looks at them for a moment, then finally smiles and pulls on his jacket. BOB Let s go slap the bull. Doug smiles and taps fists with Bob and Woody. MAIN STREET LATER MUSIC CUE BLUE OYSTER CULT S DON T FEAR THE REAPER. DOUG, BOB and WOODY walk along main street, shoulder to shoulder. They look to each other with a smile. Even though they re walking into the mouth of the beast, they re finally who they were in college again. Fearless. They approach the diner and stand out on the street, like gunslingers in the Old West, calling their enemy out of the saloon. MUSIC CUE FADE OUT The front door of the bar opens and the HELLS ANGELS swagger After a moment, the gang parts and JACK steps out in front of them. JACK Well, well. The Wild Hogs. I m glad to see you re finally showing us a little respect. DOUG Where s Dudley Jack turns back and nods at one of the Hells Angels. They push DUDLEY forward. We see he is now completely cocooned in ducttape like a mummy. There is only a small slit for his mouth and eyes. DUDLEY muffled from tape Hey, guyth. Doug shakes his head. DOUG Just hold tight, Dudley. Wild Hogs writers first draft  Dudley tries to nod, but can t. He leans his torso back and forth to signal yes. DOUG CONT D TO JACK All right. Hand him over. JACK Sure. Where s the cash Doug looks to Bob and Woody. They nod encouragingly. Doug gathers his courage and turns back to Jack. DOUG We re not giving you any money. Jack looks surprised. JACK Excuse me DOUG We re not going to play your games. We re all adults, here. It s not highschool. I m sorry your bar got burned down, and we ll be glad to help you get it rebuilt, but we re done being bullied by you. Now give us back Dudley, and get out of this town. The Hells Angels start to laugh. Jack turns back to them and smiles, Can you believe these guys Doug is starting to lose his cool. DOUG CONT D yells to Jack Give us back our friend, asshole The Hells Angels are suddenly silent. Jack turns back and looks at Doug in disbelief then rage. Doug starts to look a little worried. JACK What did you just call me DOUG losing some confidence Ass. hole. JACK You know what I was just going to pulverize your friend, here. MORE Wild Hogs writers first draft  JACK CONT D But now I m pissed off. You re all going to get hurt. Hells Angels style. Guys The Hells Angles nod and pick up various weapons Crowbars, tire irons, bats. They start moving towards Doug, Woody and Bob. Bob looks to Doug. DOUG TO BOB What I thought they d back down WOODY We can still outrun them. They re fat. Woody turns around to see Hells Angles have now closed in behind them, blocking their escape. Jack smiles. JACK Hear that, guys He called you all fat WOODY shit. to Hells Angels I meant fullfigured. The Hells Angels close to within a few feet of the Wild Hogs, and raise their weapons to strike. DOUG Wait Wait a minute The Hells Angels stop. DOUG CONT D TO JACK You want to beat the shit out of us Fine. But you outnumber us forty to three. You think there s honor in that Why don t we make it fair, if you guys are so freaking tough The leader of our gang against the leader of yours. Jack smirks. He s twice as big as Doug. JACK Me against you DOUG Yeah. But not just for Dudley. If you win, we ll give you ten grand and go back home. You ll never see us again. But. If I win, you let Dudley go and you never set foot in Lucas again. This town is off limits to the Hells Angels. Forever. Wild Hogs writers first draft  Jack looks back to the Hells Angels, who chuckle. This will be a quick fight. DOUG CONT D Well You in, or are you too much of a bitch The Hells Angels freeze. Jack grits his teeth in rage and turns back to Doug. JACK All right. Let s party, tough guy. DOUG Great. Doug nods, trying to look confidant, but it s quickly fading away. DOUG CONT D UNSURE Great. TOWN SQUARE A FEW MINUTES LATER DOUG and JACK are standing in their corners, opposite each other in the dirt parking lot. They re surrounded by a circle of Hells Angels, rowdily waiting for the fight to commence. WOODY and BOB coach Doug in his corner. WOODY Just stay clear of the big punches. You ve got more stamina than this guy. DOUG All right. When do I hit back WOODY Um. Just try and get him tired. I don t think punches will do much to him. Doug gives Woody a concerned look. Woody shrugs. Jack steps into the circle and throws off his jacket. JACK CALLING OUT Time for your beating, yuppie  Wild Hogs writers first draft DOUG TO BOB Tell my wife I won then got hit by a truck. Doug takes a deep breath and starts into the circle. DOUG CONT D TO JACK All right. Let s do this Doug doesn t even finish his sentence as Jack lands a punch on the side of his head. Doug is stunned, as Jack sends his other fist crashing into Doug s forehead. Doug goes flying backwards, and falls down in the dirt. The Hells Angels cheer. Jack high fives them as Doug struggles back to his feet and looks back at Woody and Bob, cradling his face. DOUG CONT D Ow Dammit Jesus that hurt TO WOODY It really hurts. Damn Jack comes back over to Doug. Jack throws another right, but this time Doug ducks, still cradling his jaw. DOUG CONT D Yes But Doug is instantly punched in the stomach by Jack s other fist. Doug winces as he doubles over in agony. Drool drips out of his mouth. This isn t pretty. Jack takes him by the back of the shirt and lifts him into the air. The Hells Angels cheer as Jack tosses Doug five yards into the dirt. JACK Don t get tired yet. The hurt is just beginning. Doug tries to stand back up, but it s getting harder. He slyly grabs a handful of sand as he starts to stand. DOUG Hah Doug whips around and throws the sand towards Jack s face; However, his aim is off. The sand hits Jack in the chest and falls away. Jack looks at Doug and shakes his head. Wild Hogs writers first draft  DOUG CONT D Damn. Jack punches Doug square in the face again. Doug crumples to the ground in pain. Jack turns back to the Hells Angels. JACK Man, this isn t even a work Jack laughs and puts his aviator sunglasses back on, as Doug quickly stands up and whips around at him. DOUG Ahhh Doug throws another handful of sand. This time he aims carefully; but Jack now has sunglasses on. The sand bounces harmlessly off the lenses. Doug cringes and waits for the punch, which comes like a freight train into his stomach. Doug doubles over again as Jack lines up another punch. JACK This one s gonna break bone. DOUG Wait Wait Doug straightens up and looks curiously at Jack s mouth. DOUG CONT D Your tooth That s an acute periodontal abscess. JACK What DOUG look, I really hate you, but I don t want to feel responsible for a death. I m a dentist. I took an oath. Same one as doctors. If the infection in that tooth gets to the root it could seep into your nervous system. Just let me look Doug slowly reaches towards Jack s mouth. Jack doesn t move. JACK You re a dentist Wild Hogs writers first draft  DOUG Yeah. One of the best. And I know when your gums are that swollen and your BICUSPID And Wham Doug punches Jack square in the mouth. Jack goes down hard. Woody and Bob cheer. BOB Yeah, Doug WOODY Quick Start kicking him Don t let him get up Doug nods and goes to kick Jack, but Jack grabs the foot and pushes him backwards. Doug falls back to the dirt. Jack stands up and dusts himself off. JACK All right. Now you re going to die. Jack approaches Doug, who closes his eyes and waits for the end. WOODY Wait Jack turns around as WOODY walks into the circle. WOODY CONT D Doug s not the leader of this gang. I Jack instantly punches Woody in the face. Woody falls down next to Doug. Doug turns his head to Woody. They re both bleeding from their noses and lips. DOUG TO WOODY Thanks, man. WOODY Sure. Jack looks at Bob. JACK Anybody else the leader of this gang Bob takes a deep breath, and bends down an grabs a long lead pipe. He starts towards Jack. Wild Hogs writers first draft  BOB Alright, Mother f Bob suddenly trips on the lead pipe and hits the ground. Doug shakes his head. DOUG TO BOB Just stay down. Bob nods. JACK Well, I guess that s all of you DUDLEY, still covered in tape, comes running into the circle from the other side. DUDLEY Ahhhhhhhhhhh Dudley charges Jack, but his limited mobility results not in a tackle, but in him leaning on Jack. After a moment, Jack takes a step back and Dudley falls to the ground. DUDLEY CONT D Ow. Jack cracks his knuckles and looks to OILCAN. JACK Give me the crowbar. Oilcan nods and hands it to Jack. Jack smiles at the four fallen Wild Hogs. JACK CONT D Guess you guys are wishing you d listened, now, huh Jack smiles as we hear SFX SIREN Jack and the Hells Angels look up the road. ANGLE ON DOWN STREET. CHARLEY is riding his shiny Harley Davidson police bike. Behind him are BUCK and EARL, driving a police cruiser. Behind the cruiser is a large group of people carrying rakes, hedge clippers, brooms. It s all the citizens of Lucas. ANGLE ON Hells Angels. They re stunned. Wild Hogs writers first draft  CHARLEY pulls up to the group and gets off his motorcycle. CHARLEY All right, Jack. That ll be enough of that. JACK Are you kidding And what makes you think you can ride a motorcycle without our permission CHARLEY I ll ride whatever I want from now on. I m the sheriff of Lucas, and I m not tolerating any more lawlessness. BOB helps DOUG, WOODY, and DUDLEY to their feet, as Jack takes a step towards Charley. CHARLEY CONT D I d stop right there, Jack. Earl and Buck get out of the cruiser with two shotguns. They cock the guns and walk to Charley s side. Jack looks concerned. JACK What You re going to shoot us CHARLEY No. Not unless you want to do something stupid like ignoring Buck grabs his missing ear as he starts to loose his balance. He tips over and falls. As he hits the ground, the shotgun fires and hits OILCAN in the leg. Oilcan falls to the ground. OILCAN Ahhhhhh He shot me I just got shot Charley looks over at Buck, then back to Jack. CHARLEY Um. Yeah, I guess we re going to shoot you. The Hells Angels suddenly look nervous, and back up a few steps. Charley steps towards Jack. Wild Hogs writers first draft  CHARLEY CONT D We re not going to live in fear of your gang anymore, Jack. If the Wild Hogs can stand up to you so can everyone of us. The crowd of townspeople gathers behind Charley and nods. BUD FROM CROWD That s right. You mess up our town, we ll do the same to you The crowd cheers as THOMAS MILBORN, the guy Earl pointed out as a child molester, steps forward. THOMAS MILBORN Yeah People like you are the scum of the earth The crowd is silent for a moment, then hesitantly gives a uncomfortable cheer. Charley turns back to the Hells Angels. CHARLEY The point is, from now on you need to treat Lucas with kindness and respect. And when you do, you ll be treated the same. And if you don t. Charley looks over at OILCAN, who s tending to the bullet wound in his thigh. CHARLEY CONT D Then I guess we ll keep. shooting you. Got it Jack looks at all the townspeople. He knows he s beaten. He nods bitterly. CHARLEY CONT D Good. Now I d like you to untape our friend Dudley. Jack signals to one of the Hells Angels. He grabs Dudley s tape and spins him around to untape him. DUDLEY Ow. Ow Ow, ow. Ow. Ow. After a painful minute, Dudley is untaped. Charley looks at Jack s jacket. Wild Hogs writers first draft  CHARLEY And I believe that s his jacket. Jack begrudgingly takes off Dudley s Wild Hogs jacket and tosses it to him. Dudley proudly puts it on. CHARLEY CONT D And as I recall, that   Panhead was traded to Dudley. Jack looks over at the mint condition motorcycle and shakes his head. JACK No way. He can have his Sportster back. CHARLEY Uh uh. A deal s a deal, Jack. Jack grits his teeth and throws a set of keys at Dudley. The crowd chatters in approval as Dudley gets on the   Panhead and starts the engine. He revs it a few times and Jack shoots Doug an infuriated glare. JACK TO DOUG Hope you re happy. You suburban posers are a disease. You need to learn some damn respect for real bikers. Doug smiles. DOUG You still don t get it do you, Jack JACK Get what DOUG We are the real bikers. As Doug says this, Dudley kicks the Panhead into gear and shoots forward out of control. He instantly crashes into a steel light post. Everyone in the crowd cringes DUDLEY LOOKS as the bike falls over in a crumpled heap. up from the ground. DUDLEY Yeah, I ll take the Sportster back, I guess. Wild Hogs writers first draft  Jack just stares at the trashed motorcycle, mortified. DISSOLVE TO STREET OUTSIDE POLICE STATION LATER THAT AFTERNOON It s later that afternoon in Lucas. DOUG, BOB and WOODY walk to their motorcycles with CHARLEY, EARL and BUCK. CHARLEY Well, I wish you guys would stay longer. DOUG Ahh, we should be heading back. I think we ve had enough excitement for one trip. Earl steps forward and shakes Doug s hand. EARL You guys were a blessing to this place. I mean. I m not going to get all emotional like hamburger head here always does. Earl laughs and looks to his left. Buck isn t there. He quickly looks to the right, where Buck is staring at him in disbelief. BUCK What d you just call me EARL CAUGHT Um. BUCK It s just a little scar I m still better looking than you Buck goes to storm off, but after a few steps, tilts left and falls over. BUCK CONT D FROM GROUND Dammit Doug shakes his head, then turns to Woody and Bob. DOUG to Woody and Bob You guys ready to head back Wild Hogs writers first draft  Woody takes a deep breath and shakes his head. WOODY You know what I think I m going to press on. Keep heading West. DOUG You are WOODY Yeah. Why not I feel good about my life again. And I d like to see what San Francisco s all ab Doug nods and looks to Bob. You can tell he wants to go. BOB I m in, too Let s ride to San Suddenly, a minivan pulls up. KAREN and KELLY hop BOB DOUG Karen Kelly KAREN TO BOB I told you I was coming, Bob KELLY TO DOUG Hey, honey. Kelly kisses Doug. He smiles, glad to see her. DOUG Hey, baby. What are you doing here KELLY Karen said you guys were in trouble. I kept calling your cell, but somebody programmed it to not receive calls from our house. Doug shoots Woody a look. WOODY CAUGHT Excuse me. Woody hurries over to his bike. KAREN turns to BOB. Wild Hogs writers first draft  KAREN Well, I hope you guys had a nice trip. Now get in the van. We re going home. BOB Um. Actually, we just decided we were going to keep pressing West for a few KAREN Oh, no. No way I came all the way out here, rented a car, drove to this podunk LITTLE TOWN As Karen is saying this, Bob looks over at the guys, then back to Karen. He can t take it anymore. BOB Karen Karen stops talking, shocked by Bob raising his voice. BOB CONT D Listen to me. This is My vacation and if I want to ride on with my friends, well that s what I m going to do And if you have a problem with that, well. Tough shit There s a moment of silence as Karen absorbs this. The guys all look at Bob proudly. After a few seconds, Karen s face softens. KAREN SUDDENLY MEEK Okay. Sorry. Just. be careful. Karen shyly kisses Bob on the cheek. Bob can t believe it. BOB I will. And. I love you. Bob smiles at her and gets on his bike. ANGLE ON DOUG and KELLY. Kelly looks at Doug. KELLY So are you going, too DOUG I hadn t really decided. I have been having a good time, though. MORE Wild Hogs writers first draft  DOUG CONT D SMILES I even got beaten up. Doug winks cockily. Kelly lights up. KELLY There he is I saw old Doug Doug blushes. DOUG You ll see him even more if you and Billy meet me in San Francisco. We ve got a suite at the RitzCarlton. Doug smiles and gets onto his motorcycle. Kelly looks concerned. KELLY What about work And Billy s school Doug shrugs like he hasn t a care in the world. DOUG Ahh. We can risk it. Kelly smiles and kisses him proudly. Doug grabs her face and kisses her back. Then, turns to Woody and Bob. DOUG CONT D We ready WOODY I think so. Dudley What do you think The PULLS OUT to reveal DUDLEY, sitting on his motorcycle. Next to him, is MAGGIE, sitting in the rusty sidecar now attached to Dudley s bike. She s wearing Dudley s goggles and nods to him encouragingly. Dudley looks back over to Doug, Bob and Woody. DUDLEY Let s ride. They start their motorcycles. The engines roar to life. DISSOLVE TO HIGHWAY U.S. LATER THAT DAY The four motorcycles and one sidecar cruise down the open highway. The guys smile as the wind blows in their faces. Wild Hogs writers first draft  It s freedom, joy and friendship all wrapped up in one expression. The PANS AROUND THEM, and finally ZOOMS IN ON DOUG. We see his eyes sparkle a little bit, and he opens his mouth DOUG SINGING I walk these streets, a loaded six string on my back. I play for keeps,  cause I might not make it back. I m a cowboy, on a steel horse I ride I m wanted. The other guys smile and join in DOUG BOB WOODY DUDLEY Dead or alive They all look at each other as they continue to sing over the roar of the engines DOUG BOB WOODY DUDLEY CONT D Ohh, I m a cowboy, I got the night on my side I M WANTED DOUG Wanteeeed DOUG BOB WOODY DUDLEY Dead or aliiiivvvee MUSIC CUE BON JOVI S WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE. The slowly PULLS OUT TO AN AERIAL SHOT, as the guys joyfully ride along the snlit highway. It s a good day to be a Wild Hog. MUSEUM DAY A perfect rainbow is trapped inside two flawless DIAMONDS, glinting in the morning sun. Tounted on crushed velvet, the identical diamonds are on a glass covered pedal stool in the middle of a vast, marble MUSEUM HALL. The stunning beauty of the stones is matched only by the breathtaking beauty of the young woman who s admiring them. MARIE CLIFFORD s creamy seventeen year old skin is dappled in the cornucopia of colors emanating from the diamonds. She reaches out tentatively towards the glass case. Not to touch the diamonds, but to run her fingers over a picture that s mounted in the case below the priceless jewels. It s of a MOTHER cradling her BABY DAUGHTER. MARIE Today s the day, Mom. CURATOR You here again, Marie Marie spins round, sees the bespectacled CURATOR,  s, standing behind her. MARIE Just leaving. Marie carefully adjusts the sign atop the glass case.  THE MOTHER DAUGHTER DIAMONDS.  MUSEUM DAY Marie fires up her powerful BMW, parked right outside the austere Museum building. The powerful stereo blasts, sending the birds fluttering skywards. CREDITS appear over. ARIEL FOOTAGE of a narrow highway, Marie s BMW streaking through the endless tr of Florida wetlands. In the water, GATORS, warm themselves in the early morning sun. MOVING over the vast tracts of swampland, flocks of tropical BIRDS stretch their majestic wings, locals speed across the stagnant waters in their deafening AIRBOATS. Through thick trees and foliage to trailer homes and tr housing and into the town of Blue Bay, where the nip tucked denizens sip three martini lunches and tee off at the local country club.  Marie steers her BMW into the showroomlike parking lot of Blue Bay High School. MARIE S BMW MORNING Marie guides her powerful car towards her parking spot, when. SCCCREEEECCCHHHH She SLAMS on the brakes as a figure darts in front of her car. Almost gives her a heart attack, throwing her forward, flailing arms crashing into the stereo, then snapped back by her seatbelt. She sits stock still for a second, then looks up, out of her windshield at the young woman scouring at her, only inches from the front bumper of the BMW. The sudden jolt has changed the radio station. A newscaster rambles on. RADIO NEWSCASTER operation, aimed at finally capturing the Black Widow suspect after a six month trail of embezzlement and fraud, once again failed to snare its subject. ELENA SANDOVAL,, stands defiantly in front of the BMW, her don tfuckwithme stare in direct contrast with her comefuckme clothes. RADIO NEWSCASTER Blue Bay Police Detective Michael Morrison was able to recover over $, in stolen money, but the suspect, described as Female, between eighteen and thirty, remains at large. Marie reaches out with a trembling hand, turns off the stereo, then leans out of the car window. MARIE I m. so. sorry. Elena smiles wryly. ELENA You will be. And she means it.  BLUE BAY HIGH AUDITORIUM MORNING The auditorium is packed with the Blue Bay High student body. The natural order is clear, the pastel flock at the front, the meat headed jocks in the center, and the rejects at the back. Marie is amongst her sweater monkey friends, but she s still shocked by what happened out in the parking lot. JENNY handing over a present Happy birthday, babe. They ain t diamonds, but you re just gonna have to wait for those. Marie tentatively opens the gift, sees a pair of OPAL EARRINGS. MARIE unconvincing Thank you. Thank you so much. JENNY Are you OK, hon Marie looks back, to the far reaches of the auditorium where the freaks and geeks crowd round Elena, worshipping her like the Goddess she is. MARIE I.yeah.I ll be fine.It s just.that new girl.I almost hit her in the parking lot. JENNY You mean the towel girl, the one who transferred in Jesus, she s trouble. You know the only reason she s slinging towels is  cos it s court ordered. Marie and Elena make brief, electric eye contact, across the sea of hormonally challenged students as Principal LIONEL MOSSTER, his illfitting sports jacket coffeestained, steps onstage. MOSSTER We re here today to address a growing epidemic that affects all of you. He pauses, waits for the student body to quiet down. MOSSTER National studies report sexual activity among students at an alltime high.  The students all cheer, naturally. MOSSTER We ll see who s cheering when you ve got an unwanted pregnancy on your hands, or get slapped with a paternity suit.Or arrested for date rape. But don t take my word for it. He motions behind him to KRISTEN RICHARDS, early  s, a natural beauty who s doing her best to hide behind a bland gray suit and glasses, and CHAD BORMAN, late s, devilishly handsome. PRINCIPAL MOSSTER Miss Richards and Dr. Borman are here to tell you about the pitfalls first hand. Kristen steps up to the lectern. KRISTEN Good morning, my name is Kristen Richards. I m an officer for the Miami juvenile parole board, as some of you already know. Quick glance at Elena who rolls her eyes. KRISTEN But that s not what brings me here today. When I heard about Principal Mosster s sex education program I thought I d volunteer my own personal story, in hopes that you might learn from the mistakes I made. Back in High school all I wanted to do was get drunk, stoned and laid. The students roar their approval. KRISTEN By my junior year, my life was a blur of cheap beer, anonymous sex, partying every night of the week. Elena covers her mouth, as if to cough. ELENA through fake coughs whore. Kristen ignores the slur.  KRISTEN And then, one night at some pathetic frat party, someone slipped a roofie in my drink.and raped me. This quiets the auditorium. KRISTEN There isn t a day goes by my skin doesn t crawl when I think of the violation and humiliation I endured. I can promise you that if you make the same kind of wrong headed choices I did, you ll be seeing Dr. Borman. Chad steps to the podium. CHAD Thank you, Miss Richards. My name s Dr. Chad Borman. I run the forensics lab at the police department, where my work has helped convict hundreds of sex offenders. Most teens like Ms. Richards never get their lives together. The physical scars may go away, but the emotional damage stays forever. While Chad drones on, MUDDY, a Gremlineyed drooler, sitting in front of Elena, looks back at her shapely legs as she puts them up on the back of the chair. He spots the ugly plastic bracelet locked around one of her ankles. MUDDY That s not.what I think it is, is it ELENA Whattchya think it is, bitch The words catch in his throat. MUDDY One of them.Parole leashes. ELENA Bingo. MUDDY So you can t, like, go more than ten miles from the cop shop Elena taps the flashing red light on the plastic bracelet.  ELENA Five. I got someone s panties in a bunch. Back at the podium, Chad leans forward, making sure his words resonate with the student body. CHAD And as for the perpetrators of this heinous act, even if you are still a minor, you will be tried as an adult, and, if convicted, you will do hard time. He pauses to let the imp of this wash over the students. CHAD Are there any questions ELENA calling out Yeah, I got one for Miss Richards. KRISTEN Ask away. ELENA When they found the scumbag who took your precious flower of virginity, you sued his sorry ass, right Kristen is taken aback by Elena s insensitivity, stumbles over her words, finally spitting out the sad, sorry truth. KRISTEN Uh, no, actually, I was never able to make a positive ID. All I remember was his alcoholsoaked breath whispering in my ear, You won t remember, but you ll never forget. Elena cracks a sideways grin. ELENA So what you re really saying is you fucked for free. Kristen has no answer to that. Principal Mosster does his best to control the situation. PRINCIPAL MOSSTER Miss Sandoval. You re on thin ice, young lady Like Elena cares. She leans back, nods. Job done. BLUE BAY HIGH DIVING POOL DAY The bright Florida sunshine washes down on packed bleachers by the side of the massive diving pool, where a diving meet is in full swing. ANNOUNCER Blue Bay High School would like to welcome all participating diving teams from the tricounty region. Breathtaking beauties from teams all over the region, in their school colored bikinis, are scattered around the pool area. But all eyes are on the home team. Masturbatory fantasies abound as the Blue Bay Girls  Diving Team runs through stretches. And as exquisite as these girls are, they pale in comparison to absolutely sweet Marie, stunning in her nearly seethrough white bathing suit. ANNOUNCER First up, district champion Marie Clifford. The crowd cheers, watching Marie edge out to the diving platform twenty feet above. Jenny right behind, waits on the ladder. JAY CLIFFORD, Marie s chiseljawed stepfather in his late thirties, focuses a DIGITAL VIDEO on Marie from the front row of the bleachers. JAY C mon now baby, you can do it. Marie just rolls her eyes. JENNY Your stepfather s just got a lot invested in the team. Marie looks at her stepfather, nods tentatively, but then notices the incongruous figure of Elena, sidling up to him. JAY to Marie Just try to keep those legs together. ELENA Shouldn t be a problem for Miss teen Virgin.  Jay looks round, lowers the when he comes face to face with the world s hottest towel girl. JAY Excuse me ELENA You re Mr. Clifford, right As in Clifford construction JAY I am, yes, but. ELENA I d love to see one of your erections. Whoa. Jay s lost for words as he diverts his attention to the platform where Marie stands perfectly still before stepping into the air. It s a spectacular sight as the beautiful Marie completes a double back flip, entering the water with nearperfect form. She quickly resurfaces, climbs out of the pool and exchanges high fives with her teammates before crossing to Jay. JAY Nice take off, gotta work on the landing. MARIE I can t do any better. Jay shakes a finger at her, silences her immediately. JAY No such word as  can t. Now do it again. Only better. Marie takes a deep breath, approaches the ladder once more. As she s about to start the arduous climb, Elena hands her a towel. ELENA Bet you choke. Stops Marie in her tracks. MARIE What s your major malfunction ELENA Just wanted to make a wager. Between best friends. Marie just starts to climb the ladder to the high dive platform. ELENA You blow this dive, I get those diamonds of yours. Marie stops, looks down on Elena from the fifth rung of the ladder, shakes her head. MARIE How d you know about my inheritance ELENA Talk of the town, birthday girl. Today s the day, right MARIE And what, pray tell, are you willing to wager when I win Elena thinks for a second, glances back at Jay with a big smile. ELENA I ll stay away from your stepfather. You make it, I won t be your new stepmom anytime soon. Whattya say Marie just stands there incredulous for a moment. MARIE Take your sorry ass back to the swamps. She ascends the ladder, leaving Elena behind. ELENA Choke Marie clambers up onto the high dive platform, tries to focus on the task at hand. But can t help but notice her nemesis below, walking slowly, seductively, up to Jay, intoxicating him. Marie blocks out the distraction, concentrates at the task at hand, stepping to the edge of the platform and the foot drop looming beyond. She slides a ring off her finger, kisses it for luck. It s an odd design. Four curved gold ridges, just ready to hold a Diamond. She throws the ring into the pool ahead of her, the gold glinting in the afternoon sunlight as it drops into the water, and a split second before it breaks the surface, Marie is airborne.  She twists magnificently through the air, a sight of breathtaking beauty. Thank God this is in slow motion. And as she gets ever closer to the water s surface, she tucks, does one last back flip, straightening out at the last possible instant, slicing through the water with nary a splash. Marie surfaces to roaring APPLAUSE. Treading water, she can t help but watch her Jay s smiling face in the bleachers. CLIFFORD MANSION AFTERNOON Sickeningly expensive POWERBOATS and derigged SCHOONERS line the inlet leading to the verdant lawns of the Clifford Mansion. Banners and streamers wishing Marie a happy birthday decorate the grounds. Partygoers soak in the blazing Florida sun, sip at non alcoholic punch, and stare out gratefully across the thin stretch of water that separates them from the riffraff on the mainland. Marie sits away from it all, lost in thought, as Jenny, in cutoffs and a bikini top, sidles up beside her. J ENNY What s the matter, sweetie, pissed that one judge only gave you a Marie forces a smile. MARIE Nah. I m cool. JENNY Denial ain t just a river in Egypt, babe. You got diamonds on the mind. JAY Have either of you seen my video Marie looks round to her stepfather, shakes her head, bringing a bemused look to Jay s face. JAY I had it at the dive meet, I m sure. He shrugs, picks up a crystal glass, hits a fork sharply against it, drawing the attention of the assembled partygoers. JAY Ladies, Gentlemen, friends, raise a glass to Marie, on her eighteenth birthday. Everyone raises their fine crystal. H  JAY She s become every inch of the woman her Mother hoped she d be. Wherever she is now, Julie s looking down and smiling. Tears well in Marie s eyes. JAY And that s why, on your eighteenth birthday, Marie, I know your mother wanted you to have. He notices, out of the corner of his eyes, two welldressed MEN standing at the entrance to his house. Whoever they are, Jay s instantly unnerved. He stumbles over his words. JAY she wanted you to have. a wonderful birthday party surrounded by all your friends. e glances back toward the house, watching the two men enter. JAY Please excuse me. and hurries after them. Marie is left dumbfounded. So close, but so far. MARIE Jay What about my present She chases after him. CLIFFORD MANSION HALLWAY DAY Marie makes her way down the sleek white corridors inside the opulent Clifford Mansion, past framed family photos, of Jay, Marie and the late Julie. MARIE Jay H e s nowhere to be found. Frustrated, Marie finds herself alone in the kitchen. She angrily selects a bottle of Champagne, pops the cork. Before she can swig any alcohol she hears raised voices. JAY It simply can t be done. Marie tentatively edges out of the kitchen, back into the hallway, and down towards Jay s study. JAY CONT D In all construction there s delays. Marie sidles up to the door jam, peaks through the crack. What she sees makes the blood run cold in her veins. An imposing Cuban businessman, MR. BARAJAS, stands threateningly over a visibly frightened Jay. Another man, CICATRIZ, dressed in designer silks, stands menacingly in the corner, clearly the brawn of this little operation. MR. BARAJAS Four months is not a delay. It s a disaster. JAY You have my word, Mr. Barajas, the building is almost finished. Just give me a week, two tops. Barajas nods to Cicatriz, who moves in on Jay with lightning quickness, holds a Razor sharp KNIFE against his thumb. MR. BARAJAS We are long past the negotiation stage. Cicatriz runs the steel blade across Jay s thumb. Marie has to cover her mouth from screaming as she sees a trickle of blood stain the spotless white carpet. MR. BARAJAS CONT D For every day the building goes unfinished, we ll take a finger. A sinister grin stretches across Cicatriz s lips. CICATRIZ Pray, Mr. Clifford, you finish before the eleventh day. And with that the Cuban men head to the door. Marie scrambles away, her heart pounding. She s halfway down the hallway when Mr. Barajas and Cicatriz exit Jay s study. She turns, tries to look innocent as the Cuban  businessmen  stare her down. J ay appears in the doorway, sweat cascading from his brow. JAY Marie Shouldn t you be with your friends A  MARIE I was just. Cicatriz takes a step towards her. JAY to Marie I ll be right there. With your gift. just. wait outside, OK Marie backs away, never taking her eyes off the intimidating Cuban men. CLIFFORD MANSION AFTERNOON Marie stumbles down the lawns, past the semiclad partygoers, in a daze, as she takes hits from the bottle of champagne. Jenny and the dive team wait by the dock, and welcome their lost sheep with open arms. JENNY So Did you get the key Are you Blue Bay s richest bitch Marie s thoughts are drowned out by the ROAR of a powerful engine. All attention turns to a rusted MOTORCYCLE as it streaks across the verdant lawns, leaving a spray of MUD in its wake. nd atop the bike. Elena, in skintight leathers. JENNY Holy shit, who invited her Marie s slightly drunken eyes narrow. Elena brings the bike to a screeching halt inches from the surprised guests. The ultimate partycrasher. MARIE This is a private party. ELENA Don t mind me. I ain t here for your stupid party. She s striding towards the Mansion, towards Jay who s standing at the patio doors, an exquisitely wrapped present in his hands. MARIE Get the hell outta here NOW Marie stumbles after Elena, grabbing her from behind, holding her back. There s a tense moment before.  ELENA Damn girl, whattcha been drinking MARIE Stay away from my stepfather ELENA Make me. And that s it. Marie lashes out with a haymaker punch. Connects on Elena s jaw and she goes reeling back. But it s ignited the street fighter in her, and she comes roaring back into the fray, ramming into Marie and together they tumble to the ground. T he crowds gather to watch the catfight, in equal parts appalled and aroused. It s a hair pulling, teeth gnashing, make up smearing wrestling match, no holds barred. The drunken Marie has the upper hand, the alcohol fueling her rage. JAY What the hell s going on here And that stops the fight right there and then. Marie looks up to see a red faced Jay standing over her. MARIE This.trash is just looking for a meal ticket. Elena gets to her feet, licks the blood from her split lip. ELENA Mr. Clifford. Betcha proud of little Marie now, huh He hauls Marie to her feet, thrusts her towards the mansion. JAY Party s over. Groans from the crowd, but Jay s mind is made up. MARIE But.what ab..my present. Jay s already walking away. JAY I m going to the condos. Sleep it off, whydontcha Elena watches Jay stride away, like a lioness stalking her prey.  TEAM CLIFFORD BUILDING SITE NIGHT Work lights illuminate the half finished condo building site, on prime beachfront real estate. These places would sell for millions, if they were ever finished. TEAM CLIFFORD BUILDING OFFICE NIGHT In a concrete makeshift office, on the top floor of the condo building, Jay clicks open the lock on his large metal safe and the steel door swings open. Inside are stacks of CASH, piled high, along with a shiny new HANDGUN. Jay flicks through the money, shaking his head. JAY sotto Not enough. Just not enough. A clanking noise from outside has him quickly snatching the gun from the safe, before closing it once more, spinning the lock. TEAM CLIFFORD BUILDING CONTINUOUS Jay walks out of his office, into the halffinished top floor of the condos. Exposed beams and drying cement reveal how far behind schedule Jay really is. J AY Hello Anyone there He swings the gun round impotently, seeing nothing in the flickering florescent light. Finally Jay lowers the weapon. It looks like he might collapse, until he catches himself, palms flat against the wall, head down. JAY CONT D Fuck me. ELENA Any time. Any place. He reels around, sees Elena moving toward him, brushing aside the thick plastic sheeting. She has a bottle of beer in one hand, a video in the other. Jay s video to be precise. JAY What are you doing here ELENA You promised to show me your erection.  Elena focuses the video on Jay s crotch. Makes him incredibly uncomfortable, obviously. JAY Is that my. Elena thrusts the bottle of beer at Jay. ELENA Lighten up, Jay. Jay takes the bottle from her, sets it down on the concrete floor. JAY Enough s enough. I think it s time you left. This brings a teasing pout to Elena s lips. ELENA Is that any way to treat Marie s new best friend Jay s taken aback. JAY You re best friends are you ELENA Sure. We ve been having slee ers. Talking about boys, swapping tips. She s been teaching me about shopping, I ve been teaching her about giving mind blowing head. Jay s taken aback once more. How much more aback can he be taken He reaches out and blocks the video lens. JAY Gimme the back. Elena saunters slowly past, brushing up against him. Keeps the trained on his worried face. ELENA Come get it. Jay s reaching his elastic limit. He reaches for the, but Elena won t let go. They wrestle for control of the video And finally the slips from both their grasps, flies across the room and SHATTERS on the concrete floor.  ELENA slyly Ooopppps. Elena runs her finger under Jay s chin, then turns and walks away, leaving Jay standing there, all taken aback. TEAM CLIFFORD BUILDING NIGHT A drunken Marie brings her BMW to a swerving halt outside the construction site. She takes a swig from the Champagne bottle on the passenger seat for dutch courage. MARIE sotto It s present time. She reaches for the car door handle, but comes up short. When she looks back up she s in for some taking aback of her own. Elena comes walking out of the building site, and the two girls lock eyes. There s an uncomfortable moment before Elena flashes a satisfied smile and walks away. MARIE What the hell. Marie s about to get out of her car when Jay comes walking out of the site, looks around the lot, sees Marie s car. JAY What are you doing here at this time of night Marie stammers to find the words. MARIE I just.wanted to apologize for my behavior earlier. I was out of line. Jay s mood lightens. JAY When we admit our mistakes we grow. You ve made an important step. MARIE So.what about my present JAY Meet me at the Museum. Before school tomorrow. Now go home, get some sleep, I m gonna finish up here.  He walks away and a smile creeps across Marie s face. FADE TO BLACK MUSEUM MORNING A perfect rainbow is trapped inside the two flawless Mother Daughter DIAMONDS, glinting in the morning sun. Marie can barely contain her excitement as she paces frantically in the dark marble museum hall, reaching out a trembling hand towards the glass case containing the priceless jewels. JAY You really think you re ready for your inheritance Marie looks round to see Jay striding into the Museum, still in the same clothes as yesterday. MARIE It was.it was what Mom wanted. Jay looks at her sternly. JAY You re the only one who can open that lock, but I m the one with the key. She wanted you to have the diamonds when you were responsible enough to know what to do with them. M MARIE I m.responsible. Jay shakes his head slowly, deliberately. JAY Really Underage drinking, prying into my personal affairs, fighting. MARIE But they re mine. Mom left them to me. JAY They re yours when I say they re yours. For the time being, I ve got some major problems at the construction site. Deadlines have to be met. We ll talk again when you ve done some growing up. Jay puts an arm around his stepdaughter, starts walking her back towards the massive wooden doors. M  JAY Please, don t fight me on this. We re Team Clifford, remember MARIE without conviction Team Clifford. She s stuck in an awkward embrace with her Step Father. MUSEUM MORNING Jay leads Marie down the stone steps outside the quaint Museum building. But as they approach his car they re hit by.BLUE and RED FLASHING LIGHTS. The whine of sirens has Jay spinning around in surprise, looking over to see four Police Cruisers come to a screeching halt. MARIE What the hell Half a dozen of Blue Bay s finest, lead by the dashing young OFFICER ENTWISTLE, draw their badges, approach Jay. OFFICER ENTWISTLE Mr. Clifford JAY Can I help you, Officer OFFICER ENTWISTLE You re under arrest on suspicion of rape. Jay s jaw drops to the ground. JAY There must be some mistake, this isn t possible. MARIE Jay, what s going on Entwistle puts a powerful hand on Jay, leads him to the first Police cruiser. J AY Call my lawyer, tell him to meet me down the station. This is outrageous. Entwistle gets into the Police car s passenger seat.  JAY I didn t do anything, I swear. OFFICER ENTWISTLE I m afraid she s got a different story. JAY Who s  she  BLUE BAY PD INTERVIEW ROOM DAY Elena paces the sterile interview room like a caged tiger. She stops in front of the two way mirror, examines her reflection. Tentatively she reaches out a trembling finger touching the scab on her lip, covering the wound Marie inflicted at the party. And slowly Elena starts to press on the cut, until the blood starts to flow once more. There s a quiet knock on the door and Elena quickly lowers her hand, looks round. Kristen Richards, the young Parole Officer who so heart wrenchingly told her story at Blue Bay High earlier, comes quietly into the gray room. KRISTEN Elena. Elena just looks up at her pitifully. KRISTEN Could you tell me what happened Through stifled sobs, Elena states. ELENA It was Jay Clifford. He raped me. The interview room door swings open and DETECTIVE MICHAEL MORRISON,  s, enters. He s the personification of the term overworked, underpaid. MORRISON You understand the seriousness of this allegation, young lady Elena nods weakly. MORRISON And you know that we ll leave no stone un turned in the investigation. MORRISON CONT D There ll be a battery of forensics tests you ll have to take, humiliating stuff. And background checks, digging up all kinds of dirt. And you ll have to testify in court, face the man you re accusing. Crocodile tears roll down Elena s cheeks. MORRISON You sure you want to go through with this No harm, no foul, you can just walk away right now. Kristen interjects. KRISTEN Please, Detective, this isn t the right time. ELENA I ain t lying. You think I m lying Kristen turns to her young ward. KRISTEN If you re telling the truth, you won t find a more sympathetic ear. ELENA  If  I m telling the truth. KRISTEN And if you re not, there s gonna be trouble, you understand MORRISON This is already trouble. The man you re accusing happens to be a friend of mine, and when the DNA tests prove you re lying I m gonna come down on you like a ton of bricks, mark my words. Elena withers under his glare. BLUE BAY PD INTERVIEW ROOM DAY Jay huddles in the small interview room along with Marie and THEO BLOOM, his sharp suited attorney. THEO We re gonna sue their asses til time runs backwards.  JAY to Marie You ve gotta believe me, I would never, could never do anything like this, you know that don t you Marie takes his hand, squeezes it. MARIE We re team Clifford. Jay forces a tired smile. JAY That s my girl. The door swings open and Morrison enters. MORRISON Jay. Marie. Mr. Bloom. Jay stands, shakes Morrison s hand. MORRISON to Marie Would you mind waiting outside while me and your stepdad have a little chat. Marie looks to Jay, doesn t want to leave. JAY It s OK honey. Michael and I are old pals. Reluctantly she leaves, letting the door swing closed after her. Jay sits back down. Morrison takes a chair opposite. JAY How s the divorce treating you MORRISON She s taken me for everything I m worth. I swear to God, I m never trusting another woman as long as I live. T heo intervenes. THEO This is most egregious, Detective, my client has pressing matters at his construction site. He can t afford to waste time with this frivolous nonsense.  MORRISON to Jay Look, we re taking her statement right now, gonna run every forensic test in the book. Guarantee the case ll come apart like a $ watch. Jay nods, certain he can beat this rap. JAY She had my camcorder. Recorded what happened. It should still be at the construction site. It ll clear my name. Morrison nods. MORRISON You ll be outta here by tonight. BLUE BAY PD HALLWAY DAY Marie waits out in the anonymous hallway, talking a mileaminute on her cell phone. MARIE ON PHONE I can t believe it, Jenny.It just doesn t make sense.I mean, I know Jay.I know he d never. When a door down the hall opens she looks up expectantly, only to see Kristen come out, walk towards her, followed by someone. Marie s view is blocked by Kristen until the Parole Officer passes her and reveals.Elena. MARIE This can t be. A look somewhere between horror and shock is etched on Marie s beautiful face. Elena just smiles, blows her a kiss. ELENA No such word as  can t . TEAM CLIFFORD BUILDING DAY Police cars line the driveway outside the beach front building site. Officers cordon off the road as Forensics teams photograph every inch of the building. Standing amidst the crowd of onlookers is an irate Mr. Barajas, accompanied, as ever, by Cicatriz. They are both on CELLPHONES, both talking angry, fast Spanish.  TEAM CLIFFORD BUILDING NIGHT Plastic sheeting covers the windowless top floor of the unfinished condos. The white suited FORENSICS TEAM work meticulously, led by the tireless Dr. Chad Borman, delicately dusting anything and everything that might yield evidence. Morrison stands at the edge of an area cordoned off by POLICE TAPE. He s looking at Jay s smashed DIGITAL VIDEO, now bagged and tagged as evidence. KRISTEN Sexual predators often keep a trophy. Morrison spins, sees Kristen. He stumbles with his words, not used to talking to beautiful women. MORRISON I m sorry KRISTEN Maybe he recorded the rape. Morrison looks at the remains of the MORRISON And maybe he didn t. We ll never know. Tape s mangled. Forensics said it d take months to fix it. He looks up into Kristen s hypnotic eyes. MORRISON We were never properly introduced. Michael Morrison. She offers her hand, and Morrison shakes it. KRISTEN Miss Richards. Kristen. Miami Parole. Was just in town for a couple days checking in on some parolees when all this went down. She hands Morrison a BUSINESS CARD, which he absently stuffs into his pocket. MORRISON You think maybe you could lean on the girl Get her to drop this nonsense We all know she s lying. With all this Black widow shit going down, we just don t have the time or manpower to.  KRISTEN She might not be lying, you know. MORRISON What makes you think that KRISTEN Just a look in her eye. I.I have some experience. Morrison doesn t want to push her further. All of a sudden the sunlight is blocked from the massive unfinished floor by black sheets erected by the Forensics team, leaving everyone in pitch darkness. MORRISON What the hell Slowly an eerie ULTRA VIOLET GLOW fills the room. The white suited forensics technicians, glowing under the black light, wait patiently for evidence to show itself. Suddenly the clear IMPRINTS of hands on the wall become clear, along with the black stains of BLOOD FLECKS. CHAD Gotcha. MORRISON What is it CHAD Blood, fingerprints, sign of a struggle. I d say we ve got a rape on our hands, Detective, but we won t know for sure until we run the tests. Morrison s head is spinning. MORRISON Fine. Just do it. BLUE BAY FORENSICS LAB NIGHT Elena sits on the edge of a gurney in the high tech forensics lab, rubbing her arm where a bandaid covers a fresh needle mark. Chad appears at the doorway and she stares daggers at him. ELENA You vampires really need five pints of my blood That s like an armful.  Chad s surprised by her venom. CHAD It s standard procedure in a rape test. Test for drugs and such. ELENA And such. She continues to pace as Chad makes his way into the room, rounds the desk and takes down a plastic beaker from the metal shelf. CHAD We re going to need a urine sample. Do you think you could fill this ELENA From here Chad goes red. Puts the plastic cup down on the desk and Elena grabs it. C HAD If.you wouldn t mind.removing your clothes. I ll leave the room, give you some priv. The breath catches in Chad s throat as Elena takes her shirt off without hesitation. Stands there in just her black bra. ELENA Done. Next Chad s jaw drops. Not just because Elena s in her underwear, but because of the clear BITE MARKS on her neck and arms. CHAD Those are. ELENA Bite marks. He chowed down. CHAD They re clear evidence markers. He reaches out, grabs a Polaroid from the desk, starts snapping away like an ornithologist at a bird convention. The FLASH of the fills the room.  COURTHOUSE DAY FLASHBULBS explode as Marie accompanies her stepfather up the steps of the austere Blue Bay courthouse, surrounded by a gaggle of sound bite hungry pressmen. REPORTER Any comment, Mr. Clifford Jay puts his hand up to block the intrusive lenses. He disappears quickly into the shelter of the courthouse. REPORTER to Marie Did your stepfather rape that girl How could he do something like that Marie stops in her tracks, wheels around and addresses the throng of reporters. MARIE Jay.is innocent. Says it like she means it. COURTHOUSE DAY The packed courthouse is abuzz and the elderly JUDGE WILCOX is forced to slam his gavel down. JUDGE WILCOX Order Jay sits at the defendant s table, suit impeccable, hair immaculate, game face on. Theo sits beside him, scribbling notes. Marie is in the front row of the gallery, surrounded by her coiffured peers. She tries to smile stoically at Jay. Kristen sits beside Elena at the prosecution table. C had is on the stand as ARLO MEESE,, the slick District Attorney, steps forward. D.A. MEESE Dr. Borman, do your tests show that Elena Sandoval had sexual intercourse on the night of the th CHAD Yes they do. D.A. MEESE Do they show that it was forced  CHAD Yes. There was extensive bruising and tearing. We found no semen evidence. The latex abrasions point to the use of protection. This is quite common in cases of premeditated rape. D.A. MEESE And what can you tell us about Miss Sandoval s toxicology reports, Doctor CHAD Came back positive for Rohypnol, a common date rape drug. Traces were also found on the bottle of beer at the crime scene. Both Mr. Clifford and Miss Sandoval s fingerprints were all over the bottle. JAY I took it from her. She was far too young to be drinking A slam of the gavel silences Jay. D.A. MEESE Dr. Borman I am going to show you what s been marked as state s exhibit number He nods to the bailiff and a PROJECTOR whirs to life. An EVIDENCE PHOTO that Chad took of Elena s wounds is displayed on a screen beside him. D.A. MEESE What does this slide show CHAD Miss Sandoval was found to have numerous bite marks on her upper torso that occurred during the rape. JUDGE WILCOX What about those other markings Chad looks confused, studies the slide, sees four equidistant dots aligned in a small circle. CHAD I wasn t able to determine.Fingernail markings, possibly. JUDGE WILCOX to Meese Please continue.  Marie can barely breathe. D.A. MEESE I m going to show you another slide that s been marked as state s exhibit number Meese nods to the bailiff, who dutifully changes the slide. The court goes dark for a second before the next slide is displayed.It s a close up of Jay s teeth mouldings compared to the bite marks. D.A. MEESE What can you tell us about these mouldings CHAD They were made from the defendant s teeth, and the tests I conducted show there s simply no other conclusion. The bite marks on Miss Sandoval s body were made by the defendant, Mr. Jay Clifford. That s it. The Court erupts, flashbulbs exploding. Jay slumps back in his chair, his air of cool gone in an instant. He looks back at Marie, utter disbelief on his face. The tears well in her eyes. The Judge bangs his gavel in a vain attempt to regain control. JUDGE WILCOX Court s adjourned. BLUE BAY PD NIGHT TV news gleefully reports Jay s trial like a sordid soap opera. REPORTER ON TV in the face of damning evidence, Jay Clifford remained defiant. It s thought that his stepdaughter, Marie Clifford will testify in his defense tomorrow. And in other news, officials from the FBI gave a press conference today, commenting on their involvement in the Black widow case. A walking suit, AGENT MILTON DAMMERS, steps up to the podium. AGENT DAMMERS ON TV After numerous mistakes on behalf of the local authorities in Blue Bay, the FBI is mobilizing its task force. K  Click. Morrison tosses the TV remote aside, sits down behind his desk, piled high with files, mostly marked BLACK WIDOW, and reaches down to pick up Jay s broken video, still in the evidence bag. KRISTEN It s a long shot. Morrison looks up, smiles faintly when he sees Kristen at the door. MORRISON Not a fan of  Hey, how you doing , are you Kristen smiles, enters Morrison s cluttered office. KRISTEN Used to play at being a spider when I was a kid, creeping around silently. Guess I haven t grown out of it. Morrison shakes the broken parts in the evidence bag. M ORRISON It s the only thing standing between my friend and a ten year stretch. KRISTEN The forensics lab will have time to look at it now.the Feds have taken over the Black widow case. MORRISON Goddamn gloryhounds. They knew I was close. They just want to come in and take all the credit. RISTEN You got a chance, Detective. To help your friend. Don t let this case slip away as well. Morrison tightens his jaw, knows what he has to do. BLUE BAY PD FORENSICS LAB NIGHT The Forensics lab is crammed with evidence bags and files. Chad is working diligently, painstakingly scanning a stack of $ BILLS one by one. He barely has time to look round when the door opens and Detective Morrison comes in.  MORRISON Chad, I got a rush job for you. Chad rolls his eyes. CHAD No can do, boss. We re sifting through the Black Widow evidence. MORRISON Feds are movin  in. They ll be taking over by the case by the end of the week. Chad s dumbstruck, but dutifully takes the shattered video MORRISON You find anything on that tape, you let me know, OK CHAD Whatever you say, boss. MORRISON And make sure you get that money back into the evidence locker. A nd Chad s left alone with the shattered remains of the video, and a whole shit load of work ahead. FADE TO BLACK BLUE BAY HIGH SCHOOL SWIMMING POOL DAY The early morning sun casts a brilliant orange glow over the smoothasglass surface of the school swimming pool. Marie steps back up onto the high diving platform. Tries to focus. Slides the soontobediamond ring off her finger and throws it tentatively into the water. She takes a breath and then dives, straight and true, into the perfect blue water below. UNDERWATER CONTINUOUS Marie s lithe, taught body comes arcing through the water, darting down to the bottom of the pool to retrieve the ring. BLUE BAY HIGH SCHOOL SWIMMING POOL CONTINUOUS Marie surfaces, reaches out and puts the ring on the side of the pool, before looking up to see an old pair of sneakers, an electronic ankle bracelet locked around one leg.  ELENA Nice take off. Gotta work on the landing. Marie s blood boils. MARIE What the hell are you doing here Elena just reaches down and picks up Marie s unfinished ring. ELENA Looks like your bling ain t blinging. MARIE Give me that back. It was my Mother s. Marie climbs out of the pool, faces down with Elena. ELENA Looks like she got ripped off Princess, where s the rock Marie snatches the ring from Elena, slides it back on her finger. MARIE Is that what this is all about Elena reaches out, tries to stroke the wet hair off Marie s face. She recoils before she ll let Elena touch her. ELENA You re not a dumb as you look. J enny, followed by the rest of the diving team, come marching out of the locker room and see the two archenemies confronting each other. JENNY to her team mates We got trouble. Elena won t back down. MARIE You re ruining my life, and my stepfather s. ELENA It can end. Just like that. She snaps her fingers and Marie s on the verge of tears.  Jenny and the rest of the diving team approach, stand behind Marie, a seething mass of bikiniclad mindless hate. MARIE Why are you doing this ELENA Because I can. As she turns and walks away. ELENA CONT D Good luck in court. BLUE BAY COURTROOM DAY The usual assortment of paparazzi and spectators crowd into the small courtroom. Marie is on the witness stand, staring straight ahead at her stepfather at the defendant s table. Gone is the immaculate suit, the perfect hair, the poker face. He s looking worried now. Theo paces in front of Marie, running her through a series of well rehearsed questions. THEO And why did you go to your stepfather s building site that night, Miss Clifford MARIE It was my birthday. Jay left the party before giving me my present. THEO And you say you saw Miss Sandoval leaving Marie takes a moment, looks to Elena at the Prosecution table. MARIE I did. THEO And how would you describe her appearance MARIE She was.she looked fine. She smiled at me. Actually smiled. THEO No further questions.  He takes a seat next to Jay, whispers in his ear. D.A. Meese starts his crossexamination. D.A. MEESE Would it be fair to say you don t like Elena Sandoval, Miss Clifford M MARIE We don t see.eye to eye. D.A. MEESE Is that why you attacked her at your party earlier that night Marie squirms. MARIE No.I was.she wasn t invited. D.A. MEESE You d had a few drinks, correct MARIE reluctantly I d had a drink. Yes. D.A. MEESE So by the time you allege to have seen Miss Sandoval, could you tell the court exactly how much you d had to drink MARIE A glass of Champagne. Or two, but. D.A. MEESE No further questions. Jay sinks a few inches lower in his seat. Going down. BLUE BAY FORENSICS LAB DAY A bleary eyed Chad sits in front of a bank of monitors, working the image enhancement equipment, fighting to get a watchable picture from the fuzzy static in front of him. Kristen sits behind him, fighting to stay awake. CHAD to himself Take out the chroma, raise the luminescence. He clumsily reaches over the control panel, hitting almost every button on the way. And that does the trick.  Suddenly the picture on the monitors becomes clear. Kristen s eyes snap open. KRISTEN H oly shit. The pixilated image of Elena smiling comes into focus on the TV. KRISTEN CONT D Call Detective Morrison. Now. SCENE OMITTED JUDGE S CHAMBERS DAY The shaky, pixilated image of Elena smiling flickers on the TV. Soon enough though her smile fades. ELENA ON TAPE You re kidding right Jay s voice can be heard behind the JAY ON TAPE C mon now baby, you can do it. The video shows Elena cowering. ELENA ON TAPE Please.you can t do this. JAY O.S ON TAPE No such word as can t. A hand reaches out from behind the video and grabs Elena, throws her violently against a concrete wall. JAY ON TAPE Fuck me. A flurry of movement that goes in and out of focus. When the steadies again, Elena s hands are pressed against the wall and she s sobbing. E LENA ON TAPE Please, Mr. Clifford, don t. JAY O.S ON TAPE Just try to keep those legs together. And then static.  Pulling back from the TV we find ourselves in the courtroom, completely empty, save for Jay, Theo, Meese and Judge Wilcox all staring in shock at the blank TV screen. D.A. MEESE If Mr. Clifford would plead guilty to rape, the state is prepared to drop the charges of kidnapping and assault. JUDGE WILCOX to Jay If I were you I would seriously consider the offer. COUNTY JAIL VISITING ROOM DAY In the cold stone jail visiting room, Jay sits behind the wire mesh, an emotion Marie and Theo opposite. The PRISON GUARD waits by the barred door, keeping his beady eyes on Jay. JAY I m gonna lose this trial. THEO I m not so sure about that. The tape s a fake, right So all we need to do is. Jay holds up a hand, instantly silencing his attorney. JAY You had your chance. to Marie If we re gonna win at all costs, we re gonna have to change the game. to Theo Do you have it Theo nods regretfully, reaches into a breast pocket, pulls out a KEY. THEO I m still dead set against this, Jay. JAY I couldn t care less. MARIE What s the key for JAY The diamonds.If that s what it takes, then that s what it takes.  MARIE But.they re my inheritance. JAY All my assets are tied up in the condos, Marie. We have to pay this girl off, make her testify that she faked the tape, faked the evidence. MARIE But, Jay.they re my diamonds. JAY As soon as I m out of here, you ll have them back. I swear. I know people, who can.persuade her to hand them over. Marie shoots an uncomfortable look to Theo, then back at Jay, uncertain what to say. MARIE I t s wrong. JAY More wrong than what she s doing to us We re team Clifford, right You know I m not guilty. You know I could never do anything like this. So do the right thing and get me out of this hellhole. Marie s cracking. MARIE I can t. JAY tenderly No such word as  can t.  Please. The tears well in her eyes. MUSEUM NIGHT The key slips easily into the lock below the dazzling Mother Daughter diamonds. The alarms disabled, Marie s finally able to reach inside the glass case and touch the priceless gems. The Curator stands behind her in the empty Museum hall, ruefully watching his prize exhibit being removed. CURATOR I knew the day would come, still doesn t make it any easier.  Marie, tears welling in her eyes, takes a hold of the diamonds, carefully takes them from the case. CURATOR The offer still stands, Marie. If you ever decide to sell them, please give us a first chance. Marie turns to him, the emotions overwhelming her. MARIE I don t think I ll be able to, I m sorry. She scampers towards the door, past the security guards. CURATOR sotto Me too. THE GATOR TRAILER PARK NIGHT Theo s SUV drives carefully down the mud path running parallel to the swamp, past countless rusted airboats, and into the  GATOR  trailer park, finally coming to a halt in front of Elena s rotting trailer. Theo gets out carefully, his $ shoes sinking into the mud. Marie reluctantly steps out of the car. A blinding PORCH LIGHT flicks on. Theo and Marie spin round, squint through the light to see Elena standing in her trailer doorway. E LENA Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in. to Theo DA know you re here Theo squirms. MARIE We need to talk. ELENA So talk. THEO Somewhere private, maybe  ELENA S TRAILER NIGHT An elderly man, UNCLE MARTY, in a sweatstained Tshirt and ratty underwear, snores on the tattered recliner, a halfdrunk bottle of WHISKY hanging from one limp hand. Theo freezes when he sees him. THEO Who s this ELENA Uncle Marty. Legal Guardian. Drunken pervert, take your pick. Chill. He s out til morning. Uncle Marty s deafening SNORES confirm the assertion as Elena leads them into her bedroom. MARIE Let s just get this over with. to Elena You won. You got what you wanted. ELENA mocking I just wanted justice. THEO Tomorrow you ll take the stand, tell the jury you faked the evidence, faked the tape. ELENA sarcastic Really MARIE We are prepared to make it worth your while. She holds the Daughter diamond in front of Elena s greedy little eyes. ELENA poker face Not bad. But I always wanted a family. Theo nudges Marie. She sighs, holds out the Mother diamond in the other hand. A broad grin stretches across Elena s face. F  THEO They re yours after you exonerate my client. ELENA I m afraid I m gonna need that payment up front. MARIE No, that s not the deal. ELENA It is now. Take it or leave it. Marie takes a deep breath. It s the most difficult thing she s ever had to do in her young life. Dead silence, except for Uncle Marty s snoring from the front room. inally, with a very heavy heart, Marie hands over the diamonds. THEO When this is all over, you ll leave town. For good. Elena points to the ankle bracelet. ELENA I go more than five miles from the police station and I m straight back in juvie. THEO I understand your Parole term is up next week. Elena smiles. ELENA You ve done your homework. Fine. points to the ankle bracelet As soon as this thing comes off, I m outta here. She reaches down and grabs the diamonds. Dances past Marie. THEO May I suggest a little discretion, Miss Sandoval. Certain.questions might be asked about this.arrangement if you were to.say.turn up to Blue Bay High wearing a tiara. Elena winks.  ELENA I ain t gonna flaunt it, mate. I gots too much class for that shit. MARIE You re going to tell the truth on the stand tomorrow, yes Elena raises her right hand. ELENA I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. COURTROOM DAY The court Bailiff nods, takes the Bible from Elena s hands. She s dressed in the closest thing to a modest suit she has in her wardrobe; a low cut jacket and tiny miniskirt. The courtroom is packed with journalists, TV s and nosey neighbors. Everyone wants a piece of this story. At the defendant s table, Jay, slick once more in Armani, watches Theo approach the witness box with a newfound confidence. Sitting in the front row of the public gallery, Marie is riveted on the action. At the back of the courtroom, Kristen fidgets nervously beside Morrison as Theo steps up, ready to question the newly compliant star witness in this sensational rape trial. THEO It s your assertion that my client, Mr. Clifford forcibly sexually assaulted you on the night of the th. Is that true A hushed silence. Marie, Jay, Theo all wait expectantly. THEO Is that what you say happened Elena clears her throat. ELENA He. He didn t. A collective intake of breath from the crowd. ELENA just sexually assault me. Theo s balls shrink instantly.  THEO What.did you just say ELENA He didn t just sexually assault me. He threatened to kill me if I told anyone. T he court is on the verge of erupting into anarchy. Theo s reeling, caught offguard, stumbling over his words, trying to give the girl one last chance to make good on her promise. THEO Isn t it true that you were inebriated during the assault, that it may not in f have been Mr. Clifford.Or anyone A smirking Meese doesn t even bother to stand up. D.A. MEESE Objection. Leading the witness. JUDGE WILCOX Sustained. Council will please rephrase the question. Theo s stumped. His eyes plead with Elena to take the ball and run with it. She does. Unfortunately it s to the wrong end zone. ELENA I was messed up, alright. In fact, only two things I remember. One was that bastard Jay Clifford taping me with that Goddamn video while he violated me. The other was what he whispered in my ear, right before I blacked . She pauses, for emphasis. Judge, jury, gallery, press corps, the town of Blue Bay, the state of Florida hangs on her every word. ELENA He said, You won t remember, but you ll never forget. That s it. The court goes berserk, flashbulbs exploding, along with the veins in Jay s head. Kristen s reeling from shock. KRISTEN to Morrison What did she just say Marie leaps to her feet, screams.  MARIE Lying bitch Marie has to be restrained, trying to break through the crowds to claw Elena s tear stained eyes . TEAM CLIFFORD BUILDING NIGHT A small Television blares out today s top story. ACTION NEWS ANCHOR The young victim s wrenching testimonial proved to be the final nail in the coffin for Jay Clifford. It took less than an hour for the jury to deliberate and sentence Mr. Clifford to years. T V s witness Jay being led away in handcuffs. JAY ON TV You can t do this to me You can t.YOU CAN T CLICK. The TV turns off. Marie sits huddled in Jay s unfinished concrete building site office, staring at the darkened television set. Mascara laden tear tracks line her perfect face. MARIE mumbling No such thing as can t. She lets the champagne bottle slip through her fingers and it smashes on the concrete floor. Strangely the dregs of the champagne start running down the floor. Marie s heart suddenly skips a beat as she thinks she hears the rustling of plastic from outside the office. MARIE Who s there No answer. She steels herself, gets shakily to her feet, stumbling drunkenly toward the door. ELENA S TRAILER NIGHT Kristen stands in the darkened doorway of Elena s lessthan welcoming trailer. She knocks. KRISTEN Elena. Open up.  No answer. She tries the door handle. It s unlocked. She takes a deep breath, steps inside. ELENA S TRAILER NIGHT Kristen flips on a light switch. The room is illuminated for a split second before the bulb surges and burns out, leaving Kristen in the neardarkness. KRISTEN Elena Hello She takes out a FLASHLIGHT, creeps through the front room, stepping over the discarded pizza boxes and assorted detritus. The beam of light finds a small BLUE PILL nestled in the carpeting. Kristen picks it up, slides it into her pocket. TEAM CLIFFORD BUILDING NIGHT Marie steps cautiously through the unfinished concrete top floor, past the crime scene tape. In the dim light, her eyes dart to every corner, every shadow. S he lets out a surprised shout as the room is suddenly plunged into darkness. Slowly the eerie forensic ULTRA VIOLET LIGHTS switch on, filling the room with black light. And with a knot growing in the pit of her stomach, Marie slowly turns, coming face to face with. Elena, her archnemesis. ELENA S TRAILER NIGHT Kristen moves slowly into Elena s bedroom, shines her light on the walls. What she sees makes the blood run chill in her veins. Barely able to breathe, she takes out her cell phone. KRISTEN into phone Detective Morrison. TEAM CLIFFORD BUILDING NIGHT Elena and Marie stare each other down. You could cut the tension with a chainsaw, until. MARIE Who invited you  A sinister grin spreads across Elena s face as she holds up the breathtaking MotherDaughter diamonds, reflecting an unearthly glow under the UV lights. ELENA Mother and Daughter. This brings a milewide smile to Marie as she dances into Elena s arms. Their lips come together in a passionate kiss as their hands dance over each other s trembling bodies. When they finally break. MARIE I was sure you d blow it on the stand, going on about forgetting and remembering. ELENA Gotta make it seem authentic. God s in the details. And they kiss again, lips locked tighter than Jay s jail cell. ELENA S TRAILER NIGHT Morrison s unmarked sedan pulls to a stop beside Kristen s car, and the harried Detective steps out, looking extremely unhappy. MORRISON This couldn t wait  til morning, Miss Richards KRISTEN Call me Kristen. MORRISON The Feds just arrived to take over the Black Widow case, I m up to my knees in paperwork. K RISTEN You remember what Elena said, right at the end of the trial. You won t remember. MORRISON finishing but you ll never forget. What about it KRISTEN Elena s fucking with us.  TEAM CLIFFORD BUILDING NIGHT Elena and Marie are locked in their carnal embrace, failing to notice the florescent lights flickering back on. Suddenly Elena feels the sharp pain of teeth biting into her neck. She looks down to see DENTAL ALGINATE MOLDINGS of Jay s teeth being held by a smiling Chad. CHAD Mind if Chad joins The girls look up to see a beaming Chad, holding the teeth molding. Elena just shakes her head. ELENA Fuck me. Chad works the spring hinge of the dentures like a deranged ventriloquist act. CHAD Any time. Any place. He sets the dentures down on the concrete floor, and takes in the sight of the magnificent diamonds. CHAD re diamonds Two beauties. turning to Marie and Elena Two beauties. He and Elena help Marie out of her blouse while Elena runs her hands all over him. ELENA S TRAILER NIGHT Morrison and Kristen s flashlights cut through the darkness as they move back into Elena s bedroom. MORRISON Just so you know, this is called  breaking and entering . KRISTEN I know all about it. Especially having something stolen. MORRISON Like what W  They get into the bedroom and Morrison s jaw goes slack as Kristen shines her light on the walls. KRISTEN Like my life. The walls are covered with NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS, all concerning Kristen s rape Police unable to find frat house rapist, Teenage victim wants  justice  in rape case,  You may not remember, but you ll never forget,  only thing victim remembers K risten tears some of the articles off the wall. KRISTEN Once a thief, always a thief. They suddenly freeze as the front door swings open, the blood running cold in their veins as Uncle Marty stumbles inside. They hold their breath, praying he doesn t see them, standing in Elena s doorway. Uncle Marty just mumbles something incoherent and collapses face first onto the couch, out like a light. TEAM CLIFFORD BUILDING NIGHT Chad reaches into an evidence bag filled with BLUE PILLS. He removes three. CHAD Little blue pills. One of the perks of the job. Laughter as the girl s accept the roofies, swallowing them like candy. Chad gulps down the third as Elena begins to run her hands up and down Marie s back and shoulders. Chad s hands are all over Marie as he helps slip off her bra. Elena s lips move hungrily across Chad s face, until they find his mouth. They kiss deeply. hen they pull apart, Chad helps Elena pull off her Ttop, as Marie runs her hands up and down Elena s bare back. Elena turns back to her with a mischievous grin. ELENA You won t remember. MARIE But you ll never forget. Damn straight.  COUNTY JAIL DAY The early morning sun illuminates a massive slab of windowless concrete surrounded by barbed wire in the middle of nowhere. COUNTY JAIL MORNING Jay takes a seat on an uncomfortable metal chair in front of bulletproof glass. He s half the man he used to be, broken, trembling, smoking like a chimney. His mind s still a steel trap, just one that s rusted shut. He picks up the TWOWAY PHONE. THEO into phone Mr. Clifford, this is Kristen Richards, Elena Sandoval s probation officer. JAY She want to pin me for some more crimes Kristen takes the phone from Theo. KRISTEN No, Mr. Clifford. I just have a few questions. I ve noticed some inconsistencies. JAY You ve noticed some inconsistencies JAY Here s one big fucking glaring inconsistency for you I was set up KRISTEN Maybe so, but that s not good enough. Why were you set up What would Elena Sandoval have gained from all this Jay hesitates, unsure how, or if, to proceed. Theo shifts nervously. Jay gives J up. AY What the hell. I m already in jail. How much worse can it get I paid her off, okay My assets were tied up in the condos so we used Marie s diamonds. defensive It wasn t like I had a choice. She had me by the short an  curlies, understand  KRISTEN But Elena s testimony was damning. Why wouldn t she play ball JAY What is this, the Spanish Inquisition How the fuck should I know Manipulative little skank probably figured she could bleed me for some more money down the road. But I ll tell you this much, I m gonna get those diamonds back, make her wish she was never born. Kristen s mind is racing, trying to piece together the puzzle. SWAMP DAY Elena s airboat blasts through the reeds out into the middle of nowhere. She cuts the engine, lets the boat drift, unwraps the moldings of Jay s teeth from a cloth, as well as a VIDEO TAPE marked BLUE BAY DIVING MEET MARIE S BIRTHDAY, looks them over one last time. ELENA Later potato. And tosses them into the mire, where they re soon gobbled by ravenous Gators. GATOR TRAILER PARK MORNING Elena glides her airboat to a stop on the muddy banks of the trailer park, stomps over to her trailer, when she sees. Two sets of tire tracks in the mud. ELENA S TRAILER MORNING Elena stands in her bedroom, disbelief washing over her. No sign of the newspaper articles. Her walls are barren. E LENA sotto Oh shit. BLUE BAY HIGH SCHOOL SWIMMING POOL DAY The diving team emerges from the locker room on their way to practice. Lagging behind is Marie. She s about to catch up when she runs smack dab into a panicked Elena. MARIE What the.If anyone sees us together.  ELENA What choice did I have We got big problems. Before anyone can see them, Marie pulls her away, to the outdoor shower area, out of sight from her teammates. She turns on all the shower heads. MARIE Gotta be careful. Make sure no one s listening. Now what s the ELENA I.I think I fucked up. Marie gently takes a hold of Elena s face. MARIE How ELENA I don t know for sure.but I think that bitch Parole officer s made me.she was at my trailer last night. Marie smiles, pulls Elena close as the steam rises all around. MARIE No bigee. You disposed of everything, right The teeth, the video, all the research. Elena can t fess up. Not now. ELENA I did, but.She s got a hard on for me. Wants to see me back in Juvie. Marie kisses her softly on the forehead. Her cheek. MARIE I won t let the big bad wolf get you. I promise. Elena s damp tank top clings to her perfect body. ELENA I just want outta here. Marie brushes a strand of hair away from Elena s face.  MARIE Be patient. I ll call the Museum Curator, have him prepare the funds to buy back the diamonds. ELENA Then we re outta here, right A mile wide smile stretches across Marie s lips. MARIE Just sit back, relax, enjoy the trip.Don t forget to come again. T heir trembling lips come together like wet hot magnets. UNDERWATER DAY Sunlight cuts through the dark blue surface, illuminating Marie s lucky ring gold ring that drifts down gently until. Marie comes diving down into the crystalline water, plucks the soontobe diamond ring from the bottom of the pool. BLUE BAY HIGH SWIMMING POOL DAY Marie surfaces at the edge of the pool. She places the ring onto the deck, pulls herself out of the water. She tries not to show surprise when she comes face to face with Kristen, who s picked up her ring, runs it around her fingers. MARIE Can I help you KRISTEN I was wondering if I could have a moment of your time. Ask a couple questions. Marie glances nervously back at the pool, where other members of the diving team go about their work MARIE I m in the middle of practice. KRISTEN It ll only take a moment, Marie. Might even help Jay. Remember your loving stepfather You want to help him, don t you MARIE Of course.  Kristen studies the ring for a moment, then ventures. KRISTEN Why d you agree to part with your diamonds This time Marie can t hide her shock. MARIE How. KRISTEN Jay told me. But why They were your inheritance. MARIE Jay needed help. We re a team. KRISTEN Team Clifford. Right. It s just.You must ve been pretty unhappy when Jay didn t give you those diamonds for your birthday. M Marie s taking a beating, doing her best to remain standing. MARIE He said I wasn t ready. KRISTEN You re That s heiress payday, no Must ve crossed your mind that Jay might never let you have them. MARIE No, of course not. She s a bad liar. KRISTEN And then this little scam artist saunters in and just takes them. With your help, no less. Kristen moves in for the kill. KRISTEN But what I don t get is, why wouldn t Elena do what Jay asked, clear his name After all, she d gotten what she wanted. MARIE How should I know  Marie watches in fascination as Kristen presses the top of the ring against the back of her hand. Hard. Winces, then. KRISTEN I mean, the only way I can make sense of it is if somehow getting Jay released from prison would spoil the plan. MARIE What plan She hands the ring back to Marie. Not so lucky anymore. KRISTEN You tell me. I BLUE BAY PD HALLWAY DAY Chad strolls gingerly down the hallway, opens the door to the forensics lab, freezing when he sees. BLUE BAY PD FORENSICS DAY Kristen, waiting patiently for him. CHAD Miss.Richards. Is.Is there something I can do for you KRISTEN I was wondering if you d do me the favor of running a quick test. CHAD Uh, sure, I guess. Whatcha got for me She hands him the Blue Pill she found in Elena s trailer. KRISTEN Could you tell me what this is Chad tries to keep his cool. CHAD No problemo. It ll only take a minute. While Chad goes about his work, Kristen begins nosing around the office. Chad looks over his shoulder. CHAD Be careful, I got lots of evidence here. She starts flipping through EVIDENCE PHOTOS.  KRISTEN Are these the evidence photos from the Elena Sandoval rape CHAD They are, but. KRISTEN Ever find out what caused these markings She holds up the photograph of the four circular indentations the Judge questioned Chad about in court. CHAD Like I told the Judge, I guess they re finger nail markings. KRISTEN They don t look like finger nail markings to me. They look more like this. She holds up the back of her hand, where she d made the indentation with Marie s ring. KRISTEN Would you say these markings are the same CHAD Wwhere did you get that Kristen smiles. KRISTEN Marie gave it to me. But you already knew that, didn t you, Doc Chad has no answer to that. He can only blink stupidly and pray his silence doesn t incriminate him further. Kristen heads for the door. CHAD calling after The pill. It s Rohypnol. Uh, Roofies. KRISTEN Been there. Done that. CLIFFORD MANSION NIGHT The massive front door swings open and Marie crosses the foyer, and is about to ascend the magnificent staircases when she hears the clanking of glass coming from the kitchen.  Her heart is in her throat as she calls . MARIE Hello No answer. CLIFFORD MANSION KITCHEN NIGHT Marie enters the lavish kitchen, stops in her tracks when she sees Chad standing at the full bar, mixing the strongest drink known to man. MARIE What the hell, Chad Chad fidgets nervously. CHAD That parole officer was sniffin  around today. Marie scoffs, steps up to the bar, gets in Chad s face. MARIE Not you too. She s just trying to prove her worthless excuse for an existence. She doesn t have a thing on us. CHAD Yeah, but she s askin  the right questions. It s only a matter of time. We gotta make our move. Marie shakes her head, resolute. MARIE No. We stick to the plan. Give the Curator time to come up with the money. Chad s trembling hands pour the drink, most of the liquid making it in to two MARTINI GLASSES. CHAD We gotta move fast, keep the heat off. MARIE You can t take the heat, get outta the kitchen. CHAD I wanna see  em. The diamonds. Make sure they re safe. MARIE They re safe. She downs half the drink in one giant gulp. CHAD I just wanna see  em. I thought we were supposed to be partners here. Chad s trembling, looking like he could lose it at any second. MARIE You re gonna be the death of me. She slugs the rest of the drink, strides away and Chad follows like a lapdog. CLIFFORD MANSION JAY S OFFICE NIGHT Nothing s been touched in Jay s office, the drops of blood the Cubans extracted from his thumb as a warning stain the white carpet black. Marie walks over to his desk, opens a draw. Removes a metallic lock box. CHAD Open it. I wanna see those puppies. Marie rolls her eyes, takes a key from a delicate chain around her neck and fumbles with the lock. Finally she opens the box, revealing the MotherDaughter diamonds, resting on velvet lining. The sparkling diamonds seem to have a calming effect on Chad. He stops shaking, his voice becoming more steady. CHAD I called the museum. The deal s goin  down tomorrow. am. Marie stumbles as she takes a step toward him. MARIE What did you. She looks to the empty glass in her hand, then begins to sway, watching in horror as Chad drops the diamonds into his pocket. C HAD I m sorry, okay But it s not like I had a choice. T  Marie falls flat on her face, her world crashing to BLACK. EVERGLADES MORNING The blinding morning sunlight climbs the horizon, the still water of the endless swampland glistening like diamonds. Elena sits out on her idling airboat, in the midst of the sawgrass, smoking. The peace is shattered by her ringing CELLPHONE. ELENA Yello. CLIFFORD MANSION JAY S OFFICE MORNING Marie has the phone cradled between her shoulder and ear, rubbing her aching head, slowly getting her wits back. Nothing like good old fashioned vengeful rage to combat a nasty hangover. MARIE into phone Chad fucked us. ELENA deadpan I know. I was there. MARIE No, I mean he really fucked us. He drugged me an  took the diamonds SWAMPS MORNING Elena stands on the edge of the airboat, fear rising in her. ELENA ell me you re kidding. MARIE Yeah, it s all a big joke.He stole the diamonds Elena lets out an anguished wail. MARIE Keep it down, my headache s bad enough as it is. ELENA We ve gotta stop him.  CLIFFORD MANSION KITCHEN MORNING Marie s fevered mind is racing as she glances at the wall clock. Finally a desperate plan scratches its way to the surface. MARIE He s heading to the museum, got himself an am meeting. ELENA He s gonna sell the diamonds. MARIE Not if we find him first. EVERGLADES DAY The deafening roar of an air boat cutting through dense sawgrass, speeding across the endless swampland expanse. Elena expertly maneuvers the machine, the wind racing through her hair. SWAMP ROAD DAY Chad s speakers blare out heavy metal as his rusty DAEWOO bangs down the desolate swamp dirt road through the thick trees. Every hundred feet or so, the road runs parallel with the water, then cuts back into the trees. C had spots an Air Boat not more than a few hundred yards from him. He does a double take just as the road disappears back into the trees. That wasn t.it couldn t be, could it The winding dirt road crosses back to swampside and Chad s worst fears come true.Elena s racing along side of him in the AIRBOAT, fighting to keep up. ELENA Pull over CHAD S CAR DAY The road runs parallel to the swamp again and Chad s eyes nearly burst from their sockets as he sees the airboat now alongside him, matching his speed. ELENA Give us back the diamonds Chad s heart stops. CHAD Us  He spins round, looks straight ahead at the BMW RACING RIGHT AT HIM CHAD FUCKING HELL He yanks the steering wheel hard left, swerves his car clean off the dirt road and into the thick swathe of Melaluca trees, Marie s BMW shoots past, missing his car by inches. MARIE S BMW CONTINUOUS Marie slams on her brakes, brings her BMW to a skidding halt on the dirt road. She looks back over her shoulder, at the swaying Melaluca trees. No sign of Chad s car. SWAMPSIDE CONTINUOUS Elena brings the airboat to rest at swamp side, leaps into the reeds and clambers up to the dirt road. There s no sign of Chad s car, just a hole in the dense undergrowth where it ploughed through. Marie comes running up to join Elena, a tire iron in hand. ELENA sternly We re not hurting him, Marie, got it We just get the diamonds back. MARIE I  m not gonna hurt him. No way. Marie stalks down the path Chad s car took off the dirt road. MARIE I m gonna kill him. Elena s breath catches in her throat. Marie disappears into the trees and she s alone, out on the deserted swamp road. ELENA Marie Don t do this. She hears a scream, a girl s scream. ELENA Marie Elena sprints into the thick of the trees.  BLUE BAY PD OFFICES DAY Kristen is sitting at Detective Morrison s cluttered desk, her brow furrowed as she shuffles through the stack of newspaper articles she pulled from Elena s wall. Morrison stands in the doorway, watching her. MORRISON You look like you could use a drink. Kristen looks up from the articles, into Morrison s smiling face. She smiles back. KRISTEN When this is all over, I d like that. Morrison turns and walks right into a suit with an FBI badge identifying him as AGENT MILTON DAMMERS. The buzzcut agent drops BOXES at Morrison s feet. DAMMERS More Black Widow leads. I need you to put them in the evidence locker, Morrison. MORRISON That s not my job, Agent Dammers. DAMMERS It is now. SWAMP CLEARING DAY Marie is standing in a clearing, staring at Chad s wrecked car, at the top of a small slope, wrapped around a Melaluca tree like a Christmas present. Her piercing screams force Elena to come running. ELENA You okay Marie stops screaming, her face contorting in anger. MARIE No, I m pretty damn far from okay. She points to the front seat of the crashed car. Elena can barely bring herself to look inside. Marie shoves her in the back, pushing her towards the open driver s side door. Elena gasps when she looks inside the car. Chad s not there.  MARIE He bolted. Marie clambers up the wreckage of the car, stands on the roof. She M surveys the swamp all around her like the lioness she is. MARIE With the diamonds. BLUE BAY PD EVIDENCE LOCKER DAY Morrison grumbles as he scans his key card, opening the wire mesh door to the evidence locker. He picks up a box and enters, Kristen, also carrying a box, a step behind. MORRISON I appreciate the help. KRISTEN Right back at ya. Morrison blushes as he absently adds the boxes to the groaning shelves stuffed with Black Widow evidence. Kristen notices the bundles of cash stored in and amongst the Black Widow evidence. KRISTEN You could have a helluva holiday on that money. MORRISON Recovered from the Black Widow s last score. If I d gotten to the scene just five minutes earlier, I woulda gotten her as well. Morrison shakes his head, ruefully, when a sudden sharp beeping has Kristen reaching into her pocket, fishing out a handheld GPS. KRISTEN What the hell. A red flashing dot moves quickly in the middle of the map. KRISTEN Elena. EVERGLADES DAY Elena runs full pelt after Marie, through dense swampland, the plastic ankle bracelet around her leg silently flashing red.  MARIE Chad There s nowhere to run to, you little weasel She swings around, finally spotting a bloody hand print on one of the ashen tree trunks. MARIE Gotcha. She races off in hot pursuit. Elena s about to follow when she notices the red light flashing on her ankle bracelet. ELENA This can t be happening. Marie slows, looks back to Elena. MARIE What now ELENA I m more than five miles away from the Police station. I go beyond five miles and the alarm goes off. Marie snarls. MARIE You telling me your Parole Officer knows you re out here Elena can barely speak. ELENA She knows. SWAMP DAY Chad s face is drained of color as he runs through the dense swampland, hugging the priceless diamonds. Sweat cascades from his brow, and thick plumes of blood from wounds all over his body swirl in the stagnant waters. Most gruesome of all is a broken TURN SIGNAL embedded in his right leg. As the water gets kneedeep, the last of Chad s reserve energy goes. He collapses in the stagnant marsh. Not far off, GATORS circle. It s only a matter of time before they notice the blood in the water.  EVERGLADES DAY The small bit of solid ground gives way to swampland. Elena steps into the water, her Ankle Bracelet FLASHING RED. ELENA Call it off, Marie. We gotta go or she ll find us here. A splashing sound from up ahead silences both girls. MARIE You hear that The sound echoes off the dense trees. Marie points left. MARIE You go that way. Marie heads off in the opposite direction. Elena hesitates, wants to follow, but does as she s told, and goes left, soon enveloped by canopy of trees. KRISTEN S CAR DAY Kristen blasts down the Blue Bay streets, a siren in the windshield blaring. The handheld GPS continues to monitor Elena s ex position in the midst of the swamp. E EVERGLADES DAY Elena stumbles through the thick, stagnant water, scouring the horizon for any sign of Chad. ELENA sotto Please. A rustling sound stops her in her tracks. Dead silence, until. A HAND GRABS HER LEG, AROUND THE FLASHING ANKLE BRACELET, DRAGS HER DOWN INTO THE SWAMP. EVERGLADES CLEARING DAY Marie hacks her way through the overgrown foliage with the tire iron, like a Prada clad biggame hunter. MARIE calling out to Elena You see him  No reply, just her own voice echoing back. MARIE Elena She rolls her eyes. MARIE Useless bitch. SWAMP ROAD DAY Kristen s unmarked car races across the desolate swamp road. KRISTEN S CAR DAY She checks the flashing GPS signal. Getting closer. EVERGLADES DAY Elena bursts up to the surface of the bloody water, gasps for breath. Looking down she sees Chad, holding on to her like his life depends on it. It does. He pulls her back down into the water, just as she catches a glance of the circling GATORS. Using her as leverage, Chad pulls himself out of the swamp, climbing over her writhing body to the relative safety of solid ground. Elena coughs and splutters, floundering in the blood soaked water. The ravenous Gators approach, sensing a feeding frenzy. CHAD Don t move Don t splash, they can sense you in the water, they ll rip you to pieces. Elena freezes, looking round at the black eyes breaking the surface of the bloody water, gliding in for the kill. ELENA Hel..help me. She reaches out a hand to Chad, only a few feet away. H e hesitates, then reaches out to her. But stops short of grabbing her trembling hand. Just balls his fist, squeezing every last drop of blood out of the open wounds on his palm. The dark blood cascades down into the water around Elena. CHAD No. And he smiles as the Gators ease open their powerful jaws. WHACK Chad s eyes roll back into his head as blood flows from his nose, ears and mouth. He falls forward, stiff as a board, and SPLASHES down into the water next to an apoplectic Elena. Behind him stands Marie, the BLOODY TIRE IRON in hand. Marie reaches out a hand, pulls Elena out of the water. She collapses onto her back and sucks in the stagnant swamp air. MARIE What are you doing Our diamonds are about to become dinner. Elena can t move, leaving Marie to wade into the swamp. SWAMP ROAD DAY Kristen approaches a fork in the swamp road at high speed. She checks the GPS scanner. It doesn t show her which way to turn. KRISTEN Which way, which way. Split second decision. Left. She spins the wheel, takes the left hand fork. Bad choice. Just a few meters down the right fork is an abandoned BMW, an idle airboat, a crashed car, one dead man and two wild, wild things. SWAMP ROAD DAY Elena and Marie, soaked to the bone, drag Chad s cold, dead corpse out of the trees. Marie drops the body, heads straight for her abandoned BMW. Elena follows, stumbling through the vines, her clothes dripping wet, shivering more from nerves than cold. M MARIE Get rid of the body. And his car. ELENA Where are you going MARIE Where do you think ELENA I don t.I don t have a clue. Marie spins round, a vicious look in her eyes. She holds the blood soaked diamonds in her hand. MARIE Chad made us an appointment to sell these. I m gonna keep it. Elena looks down to her flashing ankle bracelet. ELENA It s only a matter of time before my Parole Officer finds me. Marie turns back around, flings open the BMW door and gets in. MARIE Then I suggest you get to work. She fires up the powerful engine, speeds away in a cloud of dust, leaving Elena the most deeply unpleasant task of her young life. CHAD S CRASHED CAR AFTERNOON Elena struggles to drag Chad s bloody body back to his crashed car. The tail lights flicker, throwing an ominous red glow over the dense thicket of overhanging trees. ELENA sotto Jesus. With a Herculean effort she manages to stuff Chad s inert body into the driver s seat. She stumbles back, horrified at the grim tableau before her. MUSEUM AFTERNOON Marie s car comes barreling into the parking lot outside the stone Museum building. MUSEUM AFTERNOON The Curator paces back and forth, like an expectant father, in front of the empty glass case that used to house the diamonds. Marie bursts into the Museum, and he strides up to meet her, shocked when he sees Marie s covered in blood, sweat and guilt. CURATOR Marie Are you alright  MARIE Never better. Got the money The Curator nods nervously. CURATOR I convinced the board of the extraordinary circumstances surrounding. MARIE Good. S he fishes in her bag for the diamonds. CURATOR I.I received a call from your  associate . He said he would be handling the transaction. MARIE Change of plans. My  associate  got tied up at work. Completely swamped. The Curator nods, unsure if he inquire further. Marie finally pulls out two blood soaked Diamonds from her bag, thrusts them at the Curator. He screws up his wrinkled face, afraid to touch them. MARIE Calm down. It s just blood. CHAD S CAR AFTERNOON With trembling hands, Elena opens the trunk of Chad s crashed car. She pulls out a plastic gas container, sloshing the fuel around inside, then trailing it back across the vine covered ground. She carefully places the empty container down, standing twenty feet back from the wreckage, fumbling in her pocket for a match. She can barely control her hands, her whole body shaking in fear. Finally she pulls out a MATCHBOOK, still sopping wet from the swamp. She strikes match after match, but they won t light, until, finally, one produces a tiny flame that simmers for a second then smoulders . ELENA Don t do this to me, please.  In frustration, she runs back to Chad s car, looking desperately for a lighter, climbing all the way in. Because of the slight slope it s on, the car s flimsy door slams shut behind her. Elena pays no heed, continues to rummage through the glove compartment. ELENA You gotta have a lighter or some. She s cut off as the WRECKED CAR S HORN BLARES OUT Deafening, the sound echoes around the dense undergrowth. Elena s heart skips a beat. Chad s corpse has slumped forward against the steering wheel. ELENA Jesus. She struggles with all her might to pull Chad s body back off the horn. S ilence reigns once more. Elena takes short, sharp breaths. Looks over at Chad s body slumped to the side, leaning against the driver s side door. ELENA I m sorry. I m so sorry. Not as sorry as she s going to be. The match she discarded outside only seconds ago continues to smoulder for a second, then REIGNITES MUSEUM AFTERNOON The Curator carefully examines the diamond, turning it over and over in his hands. Marie stands over him, impatiently tapping her muddy shoe on the marble floor. MARIE So CURATOR I.I m not sure. MARIE Can you get the cash or not The Curator looks up to her, bemused. CURATOR I can get the cash.it s just.  Marie smiles a wicked grin. MARIE Then let s have those dead presidents. CHAD S CAR AFTERNOON The discarded match has set fire to the surrounding vines on the ground, and slowly the fire edges it way towards the line of gasoline that Elena trailed from Chad s wrecked car. INSIDE THE CAR Elena reaches over, carefully closes Chad s bloodshot eyes. Satisfied, she turns to get out, only to find the passenger side door LOCKED. She tries the handle. Tries it again. Desperately yanks it. Not opening, no sir. Elena looks over, see Chad s limp elbow on the door lock. OUTSIDE THE CAR The small brush fire reaches the pooled gasoline and.WHOOSH INSIDE THE CAR Elena can t help but hear the unmistakable sound of FLAMES CRACKLING. Through the smashed rear window she sees the line of FIRE racing towards the car she s trapped in She reaches over, clawing her way past Chad s corpse, trying to reach the door lock. Her bloody fingers slip on the lock, unable to pull it up. THE FIRE s SHOOTING towards the crashed car, only a few feet away. Elena fumbles with the lock, tears streaming down her face. The line of fire hits the crashed car, and ENGULFS it instantly. Bright ORANGE FLAMES cover the wreckage. MUSEUM AFTERNOON The Curator carefully sets down the diamonds on the marble floor. Marie looks at him like he s mad. MARIE What the hell are you doing  CURATOR One last test. The Curator hovers his heel over the biggest Diamond. Marie screams out MARIE NO He slams his foot down and the DIAMOND SHATTERS CHAD S CRASHED CAR AFTERNOON Elena SCREAMS as the passenger side window next to her SMASHES, SPLINTERING into a million glass fragments. Hands reach in and grab her, pulling her through the FLAMES. Seconds later Elena finds herself on the swamp floor, in Kristen s singed arms. KRISTEN You okay Elena can barely talk, looking back at the flaming wreckage in front of her. KRISTEN Care to explain ELENA It was.it was an accident. The flames reflect in her tearfilled eyes. MUSEUM AFTERNOON Marie stands aghast at the sight of her diamonds, in a million tiny pieces on the museum s marble floor. CURATOR Fakes, I m afraid. Made of glass. Can t believe they were our top attraction all these years. Every muscle in Marie s body contracts.She stands before the empty diamond exhibit case, runs her fingers over the portrait of her mother cradling her as a baby. MARIE That s my inheritance is it, Mom Goddamn Christmas ornaments.  And as the disbelief gives way to anger she rips the portrait from the case and tears it to shreds. CURATOR Marie, please. There s no stopping her now. Redfaced, she lashes out at the display case with a devastating kick, the glass SHATTERING. CURATOR Marie, stop this instant She continues her rampage regardless, ripping a FIRE EXTINGUISHER from the wall and hurling it through another display case. MARIE I hate you, Mom I m glad you re dead BLUE BAY PD NIGHT Storm clouds gather over the whitewashed Police station. BLUE BAY PD INTERVIEW ROOM NIGHT Elena sits with her head in her hands, across from Kristen in an anonymous interview room. KRISTEN I told you. Elena looks up, tears streaking her mascara. ELENA Told me what KRISTEN That if you were telling the truth I d back you all the way. If you lied to me there d be trouble. Elena slumps back down, her head on the table. ELENA Chad swerved off the road, I swear. KRISTEN Just swerved for no reason. Just decided to take a shortcut through the swamp Elena sobs, can t look Kristen in the eye. ELENA It was an accident.  The door to the interview room swings open, and Detective Morrison strides through, a freshfromtheprinter REPORT in his hands. MORRISON Accident my ass. He flips the pages of the report. MORRISON Forensics finds the head trauma that killed Chad Borman was inflicted by a single blow from behind. E lena looks up, through Panda eyes. ELENA The crash. He.he hit his head. MORRISON Was that before or after you dragged him through the swamp Elena has no answers as Morrison takes the cuffs from his belt, snaps them on Elena s wrists. MORRISON You got the right to remain silent, which in your case is probably best, cos of the shit you come up with. Kristen stands up, shaking her head. KRISTEN That s two strikes, Elena. One more and you re Elena looks at her pleadingly. ELENA I ll do whatever you want. Kristen stops. Thinks for a moment. Nods to Morrison as he drags Elena to her feet. KRISTEN Yeah. Yeah you will. ELENA I ll tell you the truth. I ll tell you what happened. She killed him, and took the diamonds. Marie, it was Marie Clifford.  Morrison just sneers. MORRISON Keep bleeting, Missy. All the way to the Judge. I think its time he heard the truth about Jay Clifford s accuser. KRISTEN Her arrest doesn t guarantee Jay ll be cleared, you know that. You need Marie, you need the proof they set him up. Morrison considers this. KRISTEN You came so close to nailing the Black Widow, don t let this slip through your fingers, Detective. He s about to speak, when Elena s cell phone rings. Kristen takes it from Elena, looks at the CALLER ID, sees Marie s name. KRISTEN Speak of the Devil. She holds the phone up. KRISTEN You re gonna answer it. And you re gonna say that everything went fine. No one found Chad s body. The plan s still on. Do you understand me Elena nods slowly. Morrison turns to Kristen. MORRISON You thinking what I m thinking K risten s patient with him. KRISTEN This is your chance. Feds can t take this one from you. Morrison weighs his options, then finally nods. Kristen clicks the phone ON, holds it to Elena s ear. ELENA Yello.  MARIE S BMW NIGHT Marie speeds wildly down the deserted Blue Bay streets, one trembling hand holding a cigarette, the other her cellphone. MARIE ON PHONE The diamonds are fakes. Totally worthless. ELENA No. That can t be true MARIE Believe it. I m leaving. Tonight. ELENA You can t.what ab..me. Marie takes a long drag from her cigarette. MARIE Don t you understand There s no money. Nothing. Zip. Zilch. Zero. How am I supposed to take care of your broke ass BLUE BAY PD INTERVIEW ROOM NIGHT Kristen is listening in on the whole conversation. She cups her hand over the phone, whispers to Elena. KRISTEN Tell her she has to meet you. Tell her she can t leave. Elena nods and Kristen puts the phone back to her lips. ELENA I.I gotta see you. MARIE I ll send you a photo. ELENA Please. Just one last time. MARIE I m gone, gone, gonski. Elena s reeling. Kristen motions for her to continue. ELENA I think maybe.maybe there s a way we could still get some money.  Silence on the end of the line. MARIE S BMW NIGHT Marie considers this for a long moment. Finally. MARIE Okay, talk. ELENA Not over the phone. We gotta meet. MARIE School swimming pool. One hour. BLUE BAY PD INTERVIEW ROOM NIGHT Click. She s hung up. Kristen nods to Morrison. KRISTEN Where d you keep the wire taps MORRISON Evidence locker. KRISTEN Gimme the key. He tosses her his electronic keycard. E BLUE BAY HIGH SWIMMING POOL NIGHT The Blue Bay High pool is illuminated in the dead of night, casting blue ripples over the bleachers where Elena waits nervously. She can t help but fiddle with the wire hidden beneath her shirt. ELENA whispering Can you hear me MORRISON S CAR CONTINUOUS Morrison listens nervously to Elena s tinny voice coming in through the speaker. ELENA Is this thing working The Detective shoots Kristen a concerned look. MORRISON She s gonna blow it.  BLUE BAY HIGH SWIMMING POOL CONTINUOUS Elena adjusts the mic taped to her chest, wincing as the tape pulls her delicate skin. ELENA I..don t think I can do this. MARIE It s already done. Elena looks up guiltily. Marie is standing by the side of the pool. How much did she see MARIE So The word s stick in Elena s throat. ELENA I had no choice. MARIE Blah, blah, blah. Get over it. He s dead. Now you told me you had a plan. Spit it ELENA Jay s got cash. At the building site. I saw it. Marie rolls her eyes. MARIE That s your brilliant plan It s in a safe, dumb ass. You a safecracker Have you got magic fingers, gonna pick that lock I don t think so. N MORRISON S CAR CONTINUOUS Kristen winces as she listens to the girls  conversation. E LENA through the speakers We re gonna go to Jay. Tell him what we did. MARIE Like hell we are.  BLUE BAY HIGH SWIMMING POOL CONTINUOUS Elena walks down the bleachers, approaching a skeptical Marie. ELENA Listen to me. We go to the jail, tell him we ll come clean, tell the police everything, if he gives us the combination. I m still a minor, they ll send me back to Juvie. Shit, I could do that time standing on my head. Marie s wavering. MARIE How much money Elena reaches Marie, puts her hands on her hips. ELENA Enough for you and me. Grinds against her. Slowly, sensually. MARIE We don t have to tell the cops anything. We ll let Jay s videotape do the talking. ELENA But, we got rid of the real one. MARIE I kept a copy. Never trusted you backstabbers. Elena tries to pull away, but Marie drags her back until their faces are inches apart. MARIE You re trembling. There s no denying it. Marie slowly draws her hand down Elena s face, down her neck, to her chest. So close to the wire. Finally places her palm over Elena s heart. ELENA Marie, I. MARIE Ssshhhh. BOOM BOOM, BOOM BOOM, BOOM BOOM.  MORRISON S CAR NIGHT Morrison and Kristen listen intently in their headphones, unable to breath. BLUE BAY HIGH SWIMMING POOL CONTINUOUS Elena and Marie stand there for what seems like an eternity, unblinking. B OOM BOOM, BOOM BOOM, BOOM BOOM. Finally Marie smiles. MARIE Alright. Let s do it. COUNTY JAIL NIGHT Jay laughs, as he sits across from Marie and Elena, separated by an inch of bullet proof glass. Theo stands by the door. JAY Well, well, well. Who d have thought. What a pleasant surprise. I guess you guys have kissed and made up MARIE Very funny. Did you know the diamonds were fakes Jay nods slowly. JAY Your Mom hocked them years ago. Boozed it all away. You already know the end of her sorry story. Marie s jaw tightens. Jay leans back. JAY So, to what do I owe the pleasure MARIE We want money. Whatever you ve got in your safe at the beach condos. Jay bursts out laughing again. JAY Of course you do. Of course you do.  ELENA We ll get you out of here. Jay stops laughing, leans back in to the inch thick glass. JAY You will Marie holds up a DIGITAL VIDEO TAPE. JAY Is that what I think it is MARIE You give us the combination and this goes in the nearest mail box, tied with a pretty pink bow. JAY How do I know it s the real tape MARIE You re gonna have to trust us. JAY I ve been down that road before. Marie opens the cassette housing, ready to rip the tape apart. MARIE This is nonnegotiable. Theo interjects. THEO Sir, we have no grounds for appeal. This could be our only chance. MARIE What s the combination The tortured screams of inmates echo in Jay s ears. JAY I can t. MARIE No such word as  can t . A PRISON GUARD puts a massive hand on Jay s shoulder. P RISON GUARD Time s up, Mr. Clifford.  Jay sighs. JAY to Marie Fine. Marie shakes her head. MARIE The combination s the day Mom died, you sick fuck Jay s led away in shackles. BLUE BAY STREETS NIGHT Marie s BMW flies down the deserted Blue Bay streets, blasting through red lights. MARIE S BMW CONTINUOUS Marie handles the car like a Formula One driver, and with twice the intensity. The Gforce pins Elena back against the seat. ELENA Slow down Marie steps on the gas. ELENA We re in a world of shit Marie steps on the gas. ELENA We ll never get away with this. You know that don t you Marie steps on the gas. She ain t saying a word, and time s running out for Elena. MORRISON S POLICE CAR NIGHT Morrison struggles to keep up with Marie s Bullitesque driving. Kristen stays focused on the onesided conversation in her headphones. KRISTEN Come on, Elena.Keep pushing.  TEAM CLIFFORD BUILDING NIGHT Marie s BMW screeches to a stop outside the beachfront condos, and Marie strides towards the construction site entrance. Elena gets out the car, feeling decidedly sick. She circuitously adjusts the microphone taped to her chest, then follows Marie into the dark, unfinished building JAY S OFFICE NIGHT Marie enters the makeshift office like a wolf stalking her prey, heading straight for the safe. With a rock steady hand, she works the lock.CLICK. MARIE One down. TEAM CLIFFORD BUILDINGS NIGHT Morrison brings his clunky Police sedan to a halt around the back of the building site. I MORRISON S CAR NIGHT Kristen listens intently to the live feed. ELENA over headphones Marie Please, I can t do this. JAY S OFFICE NIGHT Marie s working the safe combination like a master thief, spinning it nimbly between her buffed nails. CLICK. MARIE Two down. Elena stands in the makeshift office doorway, trying to coax something incriminating from Marie s perfect lips. ELENA I told you not to kill Chad. I ll tell it to the police. Marie doesn t even look round, concentrating on the job at hand. Elena s reeling.  ELENA I ll tell  em you made me lie about your stepfather raping me, made me perjure myself on the stand, went and killed Chad, and now. MARIE sotto A very good year. CLICK. Third and final tumbler falls. The safe door swings open, revealing a STACK of CASH and Jay s HANDGUN. MORRISON S CAR NIGHT Kristen shakes her head. It s hopeless, Elena can t get Marie to say an incriminating word. MORRISON This has gotta end. KRISTEN It s gonna end. One way or another. JAY S OFFICE NIGHT Marie pulls out a wad of crisp, clean bills, draws them across her nose like a wine connoisseur. MARIE Money. Always in style. She dances over to Elena, waves the cash in her face. ELENA Why d you do it Why d Chad have to die Marie slides up against Elena, fluttering the cash over her in the world s most expensive shower. Elena couldn t be less interested, focused on getting that confession. ELENA You killed him, Marie. You murdered him in cold blood. Marie presses up against Elena, pushing her up against the unfinished dry wall. Kisses her passionately, finally silencing her for a few, brief, electric seconds. And when she pulls away her fingers dance down Elena s shirt until. S he rips the microphone from Elena s chest. Stands there with the dangling cord in her hands, her face caught in a permanent snarl. The blood drains from Elena s face.  MORRISON S POLICE CAR NIGHT A piercing feedback forces Kristen to throw aside the headphones. She looks to Morrison. KRISTEN She s been made. Morrison draws his gun. MORRISON Stay here. Kristen shakes her head resolutely. KRISTEN I got us into this. BANG A GUNSHOT echoes in the darkness. MORRISON Just stay in the car Please. Morrison sprints over to the building site, leaving Kristen in the car, alone. JAY S OFFICE NIGHT Elena stands with her hands up, an ugly bullet hole in the wall just beside her. Marie keeps Jay s gun trained on her as she unloads the cash from the safe. MARIE You stupid fucking Sherbert. You think you could sell me out ELENA They made me do it. MARIE Morrison doesn t know his prick from a pogo stick. And that bitch Parole Officer, she hasn t got the balls for this. Marie takes dead aim once more. ELENA Please, don t. Marie s finger tightens on the trigger. MORRISON S POLICE CAR NIGHT  BOOM Kristen tenses as the gunshot echoes throughout the construction site. She reaches across to the driver s seat, grabs the SHOTGUN. TEAM CLIFFORD BUILDING NIGHT Elena scrambles across the concrete floor, desperately trying to make it to the relative safety of one of the support pillars. She sees the forensic UV light switch on the floor, reaches for it. MARIE stands in the shattered doorway, surveys the expansive, unfinished floor. Is about to unleash a hail of bullets when. The WORK LIGHTS flicker out, replaced by the eerie ULTRA VIOLET LIGHTS scattered around the unfinished floor.Bathed in the florescent blue glow of the lights, Elena scrambles to safety behind a pillar. Her shirt GLOWS, her eyes like beacons. MORRISON Sweeps through the second floor, meticulously checking every corner, every shadow. KRISTEN Runs towards the unfinished building, looking up to the UV glow on the fourth floor. She sprints for the INDUSTRIAL ELEVATOR. MARIE scours the bizarre darkness, hears a sound. BOOM The orange muzzle flash illuminates the floor briefly as Marie shoots randomly. The flimsy plaster walls EXPLODE. MORRISON Enters the third floor from the fire escape, continues his meticulous sweep of the building. KRISTEN Stands in the industrial elevator, jabbing the th floor button, hyperventilating as more gunshots EXPLODE. She clutches Morrison s shotgun to her chest, getting closer to the top floor. ELENA shields herself as plaster rains down on her, unable to see through the cloud of dust under the UV lights, until.  BOOM A bullet sparks off rebar inches from her foot. She looks up to see the barrel of Jay s gun. Marie s face is contorted maniacally as she squeezes down on the trigger. MORRISON Runs up the fire escape stairs when a final deafening GUN SHOT rings Followed by SCREAMS. He rips open the fourth floor fire door, tearing through the building, pushing through thick plastic sheeting until he finds himself under the UV glow. T hick plumes of blood, black under the UV light, stain the walls and floor. He sees Elena, in a fetal ball, trembling uncontrollably. Beside her, Marie lies dead, her chest a gaping crimson mess, Jay s gun still clutched tightly in her cold, dead hands. Kristen looks up at him, almost too shocked to speak. Morrison s shotgun is still smoking in her hands. KRISTEN I didn t have a choice. She was gonna kill Elena. Morrison steps forward, calmly, takes the gun from her. MORRISON It s gonna be okay. TEAM CLIFFORD BUILDINGS LATER The new crime scene is alive with activity. Cops, reporters, bystanders. Morrison sips coffee as PARAMEDICS wheel Marie s corpse to the ambulance. One of them hands something to Morrison. A bloodsplattered digital video tape. PARAMEDIC We found this on the body. Morrison takes it without a word. KRISTEN Just got off the phone with the Parole board. Morrison turns around, sees Kristen approaching, still visibly shaken. K  KRISTEN They want me to bring Elena back to Miami in the morning. She hesitates. KRISTEN I m. sorry for this whole mess. Morrison considers this, picks his words carefully. MORRISON Don t be. It was my gun that fired the shots, so it must ve been me who pulled the trigger. I ll take the credit on this one. After all the Black widow crap I had to put up with, I ve earnt it. Kristen nods. KRISTEN You did the right thing. MORRISON We did the right thing. risten smiles, almost, moves in, and wraps her arms around the Detective. He closes his eyes, savors the moment. As she pulls away, she hands him a card. K RISTEN You call me, promise Morrison beams. MORRISON I will. I will. KRISTEN Now that this is all over, maybe we can have that drink soon. She leans in, kisses him sweetly on the lips. Morrison watches her walk away. In spite of all the shit that s gone down, he s probably the happiest son of a bitch in all of Blue Bay. FADE TO BLACK. COUNTY JAIL MORNING Morrison s unmarked Sedan idles outside the barbed wire fences of the County Jail. The gate slowly opens and guards lead a dazed Jay Clifford outside, wincing from the bright sunlight.  Morrison gets out of the car, meets Jay. MORRISON How you holdin  up, Jay JAY Been better. He sure has. MORRISON So what s next JAY No idea. Everything s gone. Repossessed. Guess there s nowhere to go but up. It s all he can do to keep from breaking down. MORRISON I can t help but feel partially responsible. If there s anything I. Jay shakes his head. JAY I don t think so, but thanks. MORRISON Can I at least give you a ride somewhere JAY Ain t got nowhere to go. Morrison watches sadly as Jay stumbles past him, walking to nowhere in particular. MORRISON hopeful but up, right No reply. The Detective heads back to his car, stops for a second, reaches into his pocket and pulls out Kristen s alreadydog eared card. He can t resist. Dials the number After four rings there s no message. Just a BEEP. MORRISON into phone Uh, Kristen, it s Michael again. Haven t heard from you. Hope you re doing okay. Everything s fine here.  MORRISON CONT D Haven t been any questions asked that I can t answer, an  no one s brought your name up. So give me a call back and maybe we can go for that drink. H e s cut off by. RECORDED VOICE BEEP. The mail box you are trying to reach is full. Your message has been deleted. Morrison s disconnected. Puzzled, he gets into his car. BLUE BAY PD DAY Morrison gets the shock of his life when he enters the usually quiet police station and finds himself in the midst of utter pandemonium. Federal Officers are everywhere. He tries to pick his way through the crowd when he s intercepted by Officer Entwistle. OFFICER ENTWISTLE You better come with me, Detective. BLUE BAY PD MORRISON S OFFICE DAY Entwistle leads Morrison into his office, where Agent Dammers sits behind his desk. AGENT DAMMERS Detective Morrison. So good to finally see you. MORRISON What the hell, Dammers AGENT DAMMERS I should be asking you the same question. BLUE BAY PD EVIDENCE LOCKER DAY Morrison stands in the middle of the evidence locker, dumbfounded. Dammers watches him, his arms crossed. MORRISON It s.gone. DAMMERS That s right, Morrison. Every last bit of evidence from the Black Widow case.  DAMMERS CONT D Not to mention the money you confiscated. All $, MORRISON But how. DAMMERS I was hoping you d be able to answer that question. MORRISON What in God s name are you talking about I didn t have anything to do with it DAMMERS Well, your key card was the last one that opened this locker. Morrison s heart is beating a mile a minute. MORRISON Holy shit. Kristen. DADE COUNTY PAROLE OFFICE DAY A PRETTY RECEPTIONIST sits behind a sparse desk when the phone rings. PRETTY RECEPTIONIST D ade County Parole. How can I direct your call BLUE BAY PD EVIDENCE LOCKER DAY Morrison paces back and forth, on the phone, as Dammers watches, not saying a word. MORRISON into phone This is Detective Morrison, Blue Bay PD. I was wondering if you had a forwarding number for Kristen Richards. PRETTY RECEPTIONIST Who MORRISON Kristen Richards. She s one of your officers. Has cases up here in Blue Bay. DADE COUNTY PAROLE OFFICE CONTINUOUS The receptionist s fingers nimbly dance across the keyboard in front of her. PRETTY RECEPTIONIST I m sorry, Detective. There s no one here by that name. MORRISON No, of course there is. I worked with her personally. I. PRETTY RECEPTIONIST I have no record of a Kristen Richards ever working here. Besides, Blue Bay s out of our jurisdiction. EVIDENCE LOCKER CONTINUOUS Morrison struggles to control his emotions. MORRISON Oh no. No, no, no. PARADISE DAY Soft waves lap against a pristine beach. Palm trees sway in the warm breeze. A steady WHIRRING is the only sound that disturbs the serenity. Is it a lawn mower A leaf blower There s a gorgeous beach house with a patio looking out onto this idyllic scene. The swimming pool glistens in the bright tropical Caribbean Sunlight. And stretched out on a recliner in the sheerest of bikinis is none other than Kristen Richards, soaking up rays. At her side is a PAPER SHREDDER, and between sips from a pi�a colada, she feeds document after document, each one stamped BLACK WIDOW EVIDENCE in red ink. Kristen looks over at Elena, equally stunning in a matching bikini. KRISTEN I can t believe Morrison just handed me the key to the evidence locker. A broad grin stretches across her lips as Elena empties the contents of a velvet pouch onto a table. T he MotherDaughter diamonds are radiant in the bright sunlight. KRISTEN These are.genuine Elena nods.  ELENA Nothin  like the real thing. Switched  em for the fakes right after Marie tried to pay me off. KRISTEN They re.So beautiful. Elena picks up the bigger diamond, hands it to Kristen. ELENA The mother. Kristen picks up the smaller diamond, hands it to Elena. KRISTEN The daughter. TEAM CLIFFORD BUILDINGS DAY Morrison paces the infamous crime scene, at wit s end. Dammers stands off to the side, just watching him with a bemused look etched across his face. MORRISON She was the Black Widow. Her and that little. He tries to think of an appropriate slur for Elena. Can t come up with anything, continues pacing frantically. MORRISON Played me like a fool. Dammers shrugs. DAMMERS Hind sight s No need to be so hard on yourself, Morrison. beat, smile That s my job. MORRISON You smug son of a bitch. It s not like you knew who she was anymore than I did. Dammers nods slowly. DAMMERS That s the God s honest truth. But at least I didn t give her my evidence locker keycard.  DAMMERS CONT D And I didn t lie about who fired the shots that killed the Clifford kid. Morrison s heart sinks. He looks like he s going to fa Steadies himself, placing both hands against the wall, just as Jay did that fateful night seemingly a lifetime ago. TEAM CLIFFORD BUILDINGS DAY Dammers leads Morrison to his awaiting car. They pass MR. Barajas and Cicatriz. Mr. Barajas is in his usual foul mood. MR. BARAJAS Un pinche sink hole No lo puedo creer Morrison stops, regards Barajas. MORRISON What did you say CICATRIZ The foundation is sinking. The entire site is a sink hole. It s completely worthless. MR. BARAJAS I m going to kill Jay Clifford. MORRISON You and me both. PARADISE DAY Elena and Kristen lay sidebyside on loungers, soaking in the sun, when a voice rouses them. JAY Poor Detective Morrison. It s hard to do that to a friend. Especially one going through such a nasty divorce. They look up to see Jay, standing before them in a pair of colorful shorts, no shirt, sipping at a martini. JAY Told me he d never trust another woman as long as he lived. And then along came a spider. KRISTEN A black widow. Jay glances at Elena, as he downs the last drops from his drink.  JAY More like widows. Gotta say I was a little taken aback when you wanted to snuff Marie, but you know what, I m over the bitch. Elena suddenly gets to her feet. ELENA You want me to top you off JAY That d be fine, just fine. He hands Elena his empty glass, then kisses Kristen tenderly. When they break. JAY She s got a good head on her shoulders. Kristen doesn t reply. Just smiles, watches Elena over by the outside bar, mixing Jay s drink. JAY You two got me out of a mountain of shit, I ll tell you that. Craziest Goddamn scheme I ve ever heard of. But hell, you played it perfectly. KRISTEN My job was easy. It was Elena who had to keep it all together. ELENA We ve had some practice along the way. Jay turns around, smiles at Elena as she holds out his drink. ELENA Here you go, Mr. Clifford. Jay takes it from her appreciatively, sips at it as he sidles off to the swimming pool. JAY Well, all that nasty business, it s behind us. Forever. From here on out, it s the good life. He starts to climb the high dive. When he gets to the top, he looks down at Elena and Kristen, smiles.  JAY You two look so good, it s difficult to tell which one s the mother and which one s the daughter. Kristen calls back up at him. KRISTEN That s just the roofies talking. Says it so sweetly, it takes a moment for Jay to register the sinister implications. JAY What did you say His eyes are blood shot. He starts to sway atop the high dive. KRISTEN Delta Chi, class of   Hellova party. I d never really tasted cocktails like that. Jay s swaying uneasily on the high dive platform. JAY I don t.whattya talking about KRISTEN It was like being awake though an operation. I could feel everything happening, but I couldn t do anything to stop it. JAY Oh.shit. KRISTEN You took something from me that night. But you left something behind. Jay s head is spinning as he looks to Kristen, to Elena. KRISTEN Your daughter. He can t quite get his mind around it. Everything s becoming blurry. JAY I don t remember.  He looks at the martini glass, thinks he sees blue residue, before it slips from his fingers, falls feet to the concrete below, shattering into a million pieces like so many fake diamonds. E lena and Kristen stand sidebyside below him. KRISTEN You may not remember. A broad grin stretches across Elena s lips as she finishes. ELENA But you ll never forget. Jay tries to take a step forward. He stumbles. Tries in vain to regain his balance. It s too late. He falls. feet to the unyielding concrete, exploding like a paper bag filled with vegetable soup. ELENA Nice take off. Gotta work on the landing. They stand back, watching Jay s pancaked body draining its precious blood into the ice blue pool. KRISTEN Let s go get our money. They gather the diamonds, walk away as the pool turns crimson red. THE END As the credits roll. OFFICE MORNING An anonymous, luxurious office. A fat, balding, semiconscious MAN lies curled up on the floor as Elena, half undressed and wearing a black wig, shovels cash into her oversized purse. There s a crackle on her WALKIETALKIE. KRISTEN We got problems. From outside, she can hear the wailing of SIRENS. Getting closer. ELENA Almost done here. KRISTEN Leave it. Come on Elena gets hesitantly to her feet, slides a stack of $ s in her pocket for good measure. KRISTEN He gonna be able to make an ID Elena glances at the Man on the floor, his puffy eyes glazed over like a jelly donut. ELENA Not on your life. I gave him enough roofies to make an elephant forget. OFFICE MORNING Elena gets into a waiting car outside the bank. The getaway driver.Kristen, of course. ELENA I can t believe we just gave up all that cash. KRISTEN Forget it. The Black Widow s finally got an angle on our real prey. ELENA We goin  to Blue Bay KRISTEN He won t know what hit him. A smile crosses Elena s perfect lips. ELENA  bout time. And the car pulls away from the curb just seconds before a fleet of police cars screeches to a halt in front of the bank. TEAM CLIFFORD BUILDING JAY S OFFICE DAY Jay carefully places the stacks of cash into the wall safe in his unfinished office. KRISTEN That s an awful lot of money. Jay spins round, flabbergasted that someone s watching him. JAY Who the hell.  KRISTEN Not enough though. Gonna need those Diamonds if you re gonna ride out this disaster. JAY What What the hell do you mean Kristen calmly reaches into her purse, pulls out a handful of marbles. Throws them onto the ground, letting them roll towards B Jay. ut they stop, change direction, all coming rolling back in a small circle, until they come to rest in the middle of the concrete floor. KRISTEN The building s built on a sink hole, Jay. You know it, and I know it. Gonna need to think fast if you wanna keep the Cubans off your back. Jay s tiny mind can t take it all in. JAY How d you.how d you know all this. KRISTEN It s what we do. JAY We Elena walks seductively into the unfinished office. It s on. LOCKER ROOM DAY Marie sits in the bleachers by the side of the school dive pool, looking at her Mother s soontobediamond ring through teary eyes. MARIE I just want what s mine. Elena stalks the bleachers behind her. ELENA The diamonds are your inheritance. You deserve them. MARIE My fucking StepMonster ll never give me the Goddamn key.  Elena jumps down the bleachers, sits down next to Marie. ELENA So you take it, one way or another. CHAD S OFFICE DAY Behind closed doors, Chad s completing yet another dubious transaction, handing over a bag of roofies. The buyer this time.Marie. MARIE You take a check CHAD Money talks, bullshit walks. I got strippers to feed. Marie fishes out the money from her purse. MARIE How d you like to make some real cash CHAD Chad likes the sound of that. And it s that simple. TEAM CLIFFORD BUILDING NIGHT Chad uses Jay s teeth mouldings to bite Elena, as Marie trains Jay s video on her, wailing on her in a drunken stupor. ELENA Hey, that hurt MARIE Shut it, bitch. No pain, no gain. Elena s face is pressed against the concrete wall. BLUE BAY FORENSICS LAB NIGHT Chad sits at his video console, all alone, expertly manipulating the audio and video footage. CHAD We ll put you right here, and. Chad presses play. On the video screen a frightened Elena is huddled against the wall.  JAY C mon now baby, you can do it. ELENA S TRAILER NIGHT Elena watches as Marie and Theo drive away, then turns to the glistening Mother Daughter diamonds. She opens a case with two identical GLASS REPLICAS, and replaces the diamonds. All the while, Uncle Marty SNORES his head off. ELENA to Uncle Marty, irritated Will you knock that off They re gone. Uncle Marty s eyes snap open. BEACH PARADISE DAY Kristen and Marie are sunning themselves on the crystalline beach when someone stands before them, casting a shadow over their sizzling bodies. KRISTEN You re blocking our sun. Looks over her sunglasses at.Uncle Marty.Only all cleaned up, in a pair of Bermuda shorts that show off his milky white legs. He clutches a briefcase. UNCLE MARTY Ladies. Hellova job back there. Your best ever if I might be so bold. KRISTEN This is our biggest score. You sure you can move it UNCLE MARTY Not a problem. Kristen nods to the briefcase in Uncle Marty s hand. KRISTEN Let s see the green. Uncle Marty lays the case down on the lounger, opens it, revealing stacks of cash. UNCLE MARTY Got another lead, if you re interested. Was just up in Boston, surveying a mansion that s just been sold.  UNCLE MARTY CONT D Termites already eaten most of it. Owner s shitting bricks. There s gotta be an angle for the Black Widows. Kristen and Elena look to each other. KRISTEN It s over. We had a good run. Uncle Marty shrugs. UNCLE MARTY Shame. Guess all good things come to an end. So, the diamonds. Elena reaches down, pulls the diamonds from the sand. Hands them over and is about to take the case of money when. UNCLE MARTY How do I know these are the real thing Elena looks to Kristen. They smile. EENA You re going to have to trust us. Like fuck. WILD WILD WEST Story by Jim Thomas & John Thomas Screenplay by S.S. Wilson & Brent Maddock and Jeffrey Price & Peter S. Seaman Based on the Television Series Wild Wild West REVISED FINAL DRAFT May, WARNER BROS. � Warner Boulevard WARNER BROS. Burbank, California All Rights Reserved Rev. THE WILD WILD WEST A ALFALFA FIELD NIGHT A A slight breeze gently sways the green and purple crop. The CHIRP of CICADA is the only sound. SUPERIMPOSE ST. TAMMANY PARISH, LOUISIANA But suddenly the CHIRPING GETS LOUDER and LOUDER BZZZZZ until we realize it s not the cicadas, but a SWOOOSH A lethal, razorsharp DISC BUZZES up over the horizon, swoops TOWARD the and OUT OF FRAME The SPINS AROUND to see the disc flying away, chasing a man, THADDEUS MORTON, wearing a strange metallic collar exhausted, horrified, about to die. NEW ANGLE MORTON He looks over his shoulder, panting he s been running forever. MORTON mumbling Madman. Hideous spider. Run. Run Warn the President. Morton zigzags through a grove of trees, a desperate attempt to avoid the horrible serrated disc. But the ruse is futile. The disc goes straight through the trees, slicing a path straight as the crow flies. NEW ANGLE OLD WAGON dilapidated, broken down, weathering away in the field. Morton runs around the wagon but the DISC BUZZES straight through the sideboards Wood shavings spit everywhere There s no stopping this thing. NEW ANGLE MORTON running for his life stops, turns. He turns, incomprehensibly mumbling, pleading for his life, cowering. MORTON Noooooooo WILD WILD WEST Rev. A A And the DISC SWOOSHES TOWARD the BZZZZZZZ BLACK DISSOLVE TO NIGHT SKY FULL OF STARS LOW ANGLE A man leans INTO FRAME. This is GENERAL McGRATH. And he s there to collect the silver death disc. McGRATH to the unseen, dead Morton And they says you scientists are supposed to be smart. DUSTY ROAD LOW ANGLE NIGHT HOOVES THUNDER by. Then bouncing, skidding wagon wheels. Up on the empty buckboard is a pair of murderous exRebs. As the Rebs pass a pint of whisky, lash the sixhorse team on, PAN WITH the wagon to see it s headed for. WATER TOWER NIGHT SALOON GIRL The legendary Captain James West and I finally got him all to myself. WATER TOWER NIGHT WEST is bathing with the beatiful SALOON GIRL. WEST That s right, sugar, and you should feel free to treat him just bad. She moves in and kisses him, long and hard. West hears the CLATTER of the APPROACHING WAGONS. He stops the kiss and peeks out the knothole. WAREHOUSE WEST S THROUGH KNOTHOLE NIGHT Down below, West sees the wagon with the Rebs. WILD WILD WEST Rev. WATER TOWER NIGHT WEST to himself General McGrath s boys. I thought y all was never gonna show up. SALOON GIRL Mister West, you wouldn t be here workin  tonight, now would you WEST No, no.  Course not. Not tonight. Would you be working if you were up here with you SALOON GIRL Good. They start kissing again. He surreptitiously peeks out the knothole, while continuing his kiss. FATCAN CANDY S NIGHT This twostory, Victorian building across town is a gentlemen s sporting house in name only. Drunken roughnecks and exConfederate soldiers goose and maul the rougedup tarts. AT BAR WOMAN shrinks back from the moronic ribaldry. The Toulouse Lautrec lighting only accentuates her garish hair and makeup, identifying her as a SOILED DOVE. A whore not to put too fine a point on it. She s trying not to make eye cont with two men seated at a table across the parlor. SOILED DOVE S GEN. McGRATH AND HUDSON HUDSON is a fearsomelooking Indian in a welltailored suit. Long black braids descend incongruously from under a homburg hat. As for his companion. McGRATH is a mountain of drunken pus. Six foot, sweating like a Devonshire hog with his tattered, undersized Confederate dress jacket buttoned all the way to the top. His ear has been hacked off and replaced by what looks to be a miniature leather Victrola horn. McGrath smiles at our Soiled Dove and makes a little kissing gesture. WILD WILD WEST Rev. ANGLE ON SOILED DOVE Eyes widened in revulsion. What evil abides in this Godforsaken place Now a drunkenly EYECROSSED REB licks Dora s ear, then whispers something in it. Something unspeakably vile, by Dora s expression. DORA I m sorry. That won t be possible. I have. tonsillitis. WAREHOUSE WEST S THROUGH KNOTHOLE NIGHT The Rebs load the boxes onto the wagon. We see the wheel of the wagon up against the rotted leg of the water tower. BIG REB Pack er up good, Virgil. Next stop N Orleans. WATER TOWER NIGHT West is unaware that she s watching him, not watching her. SALOON GIRL admonishing Jim WEST Ah, this hole is a safety issue. I m thinking, what if it starts to rain and the water level goes up. It could suck you right up. I m protecting you. variations Saloon Girl frustrated, has grabbed West s boxer shorts with little horses on them and plugs the hole with them. SALOON GIRL Problem solved. WEST Belle, you don t just ram a man s underbritches into a knothole. You wanna plug the hole, you ram your own britches in there. West is at a loss. She moves in for another kiss. WILD WILD WEST Rev. A. WAREHOUSE NIGHT The HORSES SPOOK as a crate is dropped onto the wagon. CLOSE AXLE caught on the WATER TOWER LEG. It CREAKS. WATER TOWER NIGHT West hears the CREAK. He breaks the kiss. SALOON GIRL Oh, Jim. WEST serious Much as I d like to take credit for that you might need to hand me my gun. The tower starts to topple. WEST Hand me my gun. It CRASHES. WAREHOUSE SKYLIGHT NIGHT West crashes down into the tarp covering the boxes. The only people more shocked than he is are the guards and the Rebs he just dropped in on. West picks himself up, smiles coolly at the drenched slackjaws. WEST Okay, who just made a wish Was it you He looks up at the freakedout Saloon Girl, still in the tank. She hangs on with one hand, the other hand clutches his clothes. WEST I could sure use those clothes now. She responds by Frisbeeing his hat down. West picks it up, with a look. uses it to cover his genitals. WILD WILD WEST Rev. B. BIG REB Well, we got us a shy nig. But he never gets that word Bang West lashes a lightning martial arts kick to the Reb s jaw. WEST Fought five long years with the Union Army not to hear that word again. And you boys lost, remember As the other Reb comes at him, he spins, still holding the hat in front of him. and whap Down that one goes. West looks up at the nonetoobright water tank woman. WEST How  bout some pants As she throws the rest of his clothes down in a heap. FATCAN S NIGHT SAME TIME General McGrath checks a pocket watch, looks up impatiently at the Indian, Hudson. His eyes drift upwards. to the balcony where. ANGLE ON UPSTAIRS BALCONY TWO MORE EXREBS have come up back stairs lugging a heavy steamer trunk. McGRATH I m still waiting on my guns and ammo, but I see my men have brought your merchandise. McGrath subtly gestures with his eyes to the balcony for Hudson to confirm. Hudson nods. McGRATH I had expected to be delivering it personally to Mr. Hudson quickly cuts him off before he can say the name. The Indian speaks in a very precise King s English. HUDSON My employer, here in a brothel a small ironic smile That would be quite. redundant. STREET ON CARRIAGE NIGHT MOVE IN ON an elegant brougham driven by a very large, very striking woman in livery. As the carriage passes under the gas lamp, we can make out the tophatted silhouette of McGrath s employer, DR. ARLISS LOVELESS. Clustered around him inside the cab are three more beautiful women. As he strokes the cheek of the ORIENTAL one with the back of his hand like a cat. FATCAN S McGRATH AND HUDSON NIGHT HUDSON You ll meet him when the time and place are appropriate. Now. stands shall we go upstairs to check the  merchandise  McGRATH Frankly, Mr. Hudson, I wasn t planning to walk those oaken stairs with you. Direct me to the poot, sir. Something young and creamy. A gamer that takes to the crop and spur. McGrath looks to the singer Rita, who beats a hasty retreat from him after her song. So, once again, McGrath lays his rheumy eyes on. ANGLE ON SOILED DOVE She s oblivious, more intrigued by the exRebs on the balcony with the trunk. As she starts for the stairs. a man s hand grabs her. It s the EyeCrossed Reb again. EYECROSSED REB You drive a hard bargain, lady. All right, fifty cents to take them big juicy lips and. DORA Still not interested. She tries to pull away. But the Reb won t let go. EYECROSSED REB But you gotta be interested. You re a whore. Suddenly the coquettishness in the eyes becomes rage. The falsetto becomes a baritone growl. DORA baritone That doesn t mean a girl can t have high standards. Just as the Reb registers the odd new voice. wham Her corsage springs out and whacks him right in the jaw. The Reb s eyes roll back. and he slumps to the ground. Whooa, hoss. the Soiled Dove is a man He s ARTEMUS GORDON and his true profession will be revealed to us shortly. But now, as he/she stashes the unconscious Reb behind the bar, straightens bosom and wig. WAREHOUSE NIGHT West is trying to get dressed. As he pulls on one leg of his pants, a guard lunges at him with a knife. West hops up on one leg, smacks the guy with a mule kick. Now he puts his arm through his shirt sleeve. When the hand emerges out of the cuff, it s balled in a fist which coldcocks the other guard. WEST Could I have a little privacy here As if in response, the water tower, still hovering above, now crashes to the floor obliterating his opponents. WEST Thank you. He calmly looks up in time to catch the falling, naked, screaming Saloon Girl in his arms. WEST You ll have to excuse me, darlin . but my evidence is getting away. West gallantly puts her down, jumps up, grabs the overhead block and tackle system and slides through the warehouse. As the HORSE TEAM, which has spooked, THUNDERS past. CLOSEUP WEST sails onto the runaway wagon. As he pulls himself into the back, he gives the shivering Saloon Girl a tip of his hat now on his head. WEST Sorry about there not being any towels. FATCAN S NIGHT SAME TIME General McGrath leers down a lineup of FatCan s girls. Just as he gets to the beautiful singer, who looks sick at the thought, suddenly Gordon intrudes. He/she blocks out the singer, poses coquettishly sucking a lollypop. McGRATH What s your name, missy GORDON/DORA demurely; back to his falsetto Dora. Would you like to go upstairs McGRATH Oh, indeedy I would. Gordon/Dora starts to go as the EyeCrossed Reb wakes up. He grabs him/her, very pissed. EYECROSSED REB Hey, c mere Who the hell are you anyway McGRATH She s. mine Blam McGrath emphasizes his claim by gutshooting the Reb. The shot makes Dora/Gordon jump and the room go quiet. As the Reb crumples, McGrath turns back to Gordon/Dora, oddly inspired. McGRATH I feel like. a ditty GORDON/DORA A ditty But General. trying to be coquettish again my talents really lay elsewhere. McGRATH Nothing stokes the fire in my loins like a ditty. McGrath hauls him/her over to the piano player. McGRATH You ve got some pretty fair lungs on ya, girl, now use  em He punctuates with a slap to Gordon/Dora s rump. The other singer Rita watches too. FATCAN S NIGHT Gordon/Dora is sweating. Reluctantly, he/she whispers something to the piano player. He clears his throat and begins singing. GORDON/DORA weakly  Buy a drink for the boys In the backroom for me.  COUNTRY ROAD WILD WAGON RIDE NIGHT West spots the contents of an open box. Eyes widen. CLOSE BOX DOZEN GLASS VIALS stuck in sand. But clinking together ominously as the wagon races over the cobblestones. WEST Backwardsass bumpkins got a wagon full of nitro. West tries to steady the glass vials with his hands. but it s no use. He quickly climbs over the boxes, onto the buckboard seat. But the reins are dragging on the ground beneath the frothing horses. West leaps onto the horses as the wagon careens down the street. He pulls himself over the first one s neck. onto the next horse. And as he tries for the lead horse, he falls between them FATCAN S NIGHT Gordon/Dora singing. He/she struggles through the song in a very tough room. GORDON/DORA  And tell them I tried. And tell them I cried.  Just when it looks like the stonefaced rowdies might rip him/her apart, McGrath starts tapping a mudcaked toe. Encouraged, Gordon/Dora belts out the next verses OVER. COUNTRY ROAD WILD WAGON RIDE NIGHT West s custom boots drag in the dirt as he s about to be trampled under the hooves of the freakedout horses. And if he hasn t got enough problems, the lynch pin attaching the team to the wagon has almost worked its way CLOSE BACK OF WAGON NITRO VIALS CLANKING together like chimes. CLOSE WEST Straining with every ounce of strength in his body, he pulls himself up by the harness onto. CLOSE WILDEYED LEAD HORSE West grabs for the halter. WEST Whoa now. But it doesn t whoa. The wagon goes around a corner up on two wheels It s about to tilt over when West grabs both the horses  ears, yanks them back screaming into them. WEST I said, whoa This approach seems to work. RISE ABOVE FATCAN S NIGHT The team comes to an abrupt stop. and with it the wagon hanging over the edge of a steep drop. Jim carefully climbs off. He slaps the dust on his jacket, straightens the crease in his trousers. When he looks up, a bitter smile. WEST Well, well, this is workin  out to be a perfect day. My man. HIS VICTORIAN BUILDING ACROSS STREET The tasteful sign under the red light reads FATCAN CANDY S. And framed in the window, General McGrath with his singing soiled dove. WEST General Bloodbath McGrath. FATCAN S CLOSE McGRATH McGrath is clapping with the crowd of misfits who are now singing along with Gordon/Dora. He/she s won over the room. GORDON/CROWD rousing finish And tell them I tried just the same. He/she curtsies to rousing applause. McGrath beams like a man with the fire in his loins roaring. He grabs his little songbird and up the stairs they go. Out the WINDOWS, we see West tracking them. Simul taneously going up outside steps. FATCAN S UPSTAIRS GORDON/DORA leads the sweating, leering General down the hall. He/she quickly opens and closes boudoir doors ostensibly to find a free room for their assignation. The real agenda is to find the mysterious trunk. ANGLE ON DOORWAY # Quick peek. He/she registers a mild reaction of shock. Closes that door and moves on to. ANGLE ON DOORWAY # Quick peek. The two rebs sitting on the trunk. At their feet is a wriggling burlap sack. The merchandise is alive. Gordon/Dora giggles like a schoolgirl. GORDON/DORA Well, that s a new one. McGrath slams the door, drags Gordon/Dora roughly. BOUDOIR CONTINUOUS ACTION Our soiled dove has her back to the door as if steeling herself for the task at hand. McGrath beckons her over to the bed. McGRATH Don t let the ear scare you. I lost it at Chickamauga. Gordon/Dora squints at the jerryrigged ear. GORDON/DORA Oh really. One can hardly notice. fiddles with her belt buckle Would you mind. I. I. can t seem to release the clasp of my belt. Say no more. McGrath is on her like a flash, fidgeting with it. But it pops open, revealing a spiraling screen courtesy of Dr. Mesmer. His eyes lock onto it. McGRATH Wha. what s this GORDON/DORA It s a deep, deep pool. Maybe your old swimmin  hole. Getting sleepy, General McGRATH gaga Yes, I m sleepy. McGrath sits on the floor. Gordon smiles. this is gonna be easy. GORDON normal voice Good. You re going to be my little doggy. And when I say  speak,  you tell me everything I want to know. Understood McGRATH barks Woof GORDON All right, little doggy. Sit up. as he does Now tell me who s in the sack next door. Is it the scientist, Dr. Escobar Speak McGRATH Woof Woof GORDON Speak words, dumb doggy Tell me the name of the man you kidnapped him for. But McGrath doesn t answer. Gordon s Mesmer spiral slows to a stop. McGrath is coming out of the trance. McGrath starts to growl, rip at his/her petticoats. GORDON Watch the swirling spiral Lie down, bad dog As Gordon notices that his contraption s failed. OMITTED FATCAN S BOUDOIR GORDON/DORA is busy trying to get the spiral going again, doesn t see McGrath reach for his boot knife. Just as the deranged general s about to plunge it into Gordon/Dora. the WINDOW EXPLODES. Jim West comes tumbling into the room, kicks the knife out of McGrath s hand in one smooth move. West rolls to his feet, fixes a gallant smile on Gordon/Dora. WEST Didn t mean to startle you, ma am. Looked like you could use some help. It takes Gordon a moment to recover. He stares at this black Samaritan, obviously having no clue who he is. GORDON clears throat to recover falsetto Looks can be deceivin . dark stranger. I am perfectly fine. West quickly pats McGrath down, removes a revolver and his bag of gold coins. WEST I can see that, darlin . Woman of your caliber probably gets top dollar, too. So here you go. flips her McGrath s coin bag You can run along. I ll take care of McGrath. As West sticks the barrel of his gun in McGrath s gramophone ear, Gordon s eyes pop. GORDON/DORA No I need him WEST C mon, lady. You got the money. Have a little dignity. Gordon jerks West s gun hand away from McGrath s head just as the dogsoldier comes around. McGrath suddenly lunges at him. McGRATH bellows ferociously West. He drives his full weight into Jim s back, pushing him out into. FATCAN S UPSTAIRS HALL McGrath s rebel yell brings help from all directions. DOORS BANG open all along the hallway. Not just McGrath s men, but Hudson and his crew. A melee will ensue. West pushes the monster off of him, rolls as a BULLET SPLINTERS the WOOD where he just was. The SHOT STARTS. ANGLE STAMPEDE OF SEMICLAD WHORES all screaming hysterically and heading for the exits. The beautiful young singer, who d been coming up the stairs alone, is now swept back down them. Gordon, still in character, pushes his way upstream to the room where the scientist is held. FATCAN S ADJACENT ROOM NIGHT Hudson, his back turned, barking orders at his henchmen. HUDSON Get Escobar out of here The henchmen heft the wriggling sack, when GORDON Leave him right there. Hudson whirls to see the grufftalking Gordon/Dora holding the perfume bottle on him like it s a Colt Now Gordon shakes one of the heavy bracelets off his wrist, CLICKS a LOCK, snapping it open. He s accessorized with custom handcuffs. GORDON Let s go, Hudson. hands Hudson gives a sick little smile, reaches for his gun when. WSSSSHT Gordon sprays him in the eyes with the second bulb of the atomizer. The first Mace Hudson howls in pain, drops the gun, rubs his eyes madly with both hands. GORDON Thank. you. Gordon starts to snap the cuffs on the perfectly presented wrists when. FATCAN S UPSTAIRS HALL WEST NIGHT brawling a dozen attackers. West spots McGrath trying to escape down the stairs. He uncorks a lethal kick, sending a thug flying through the doorway and into the back of Gordon. Gordon staggers, drops the perfume/mace BOTTLE which SHATTERS. Hudson recovers his vision enough to send a fist into Gordon s mascaraed face, piledriving him back into the hall. While Hudson and his men make their escape down the back stairs with the scientist sack. CLOSE WEST AND GORDON West is blocked from chasing McGrath, Gordon from going after Hudson. West tries to push her aside. WEST U.S. Army. Now get outta my way, lady GORDON the baritone growl I m no lady I m a U.S. Marshal You get out of my way Gordon whip off his wig, reaches inside it for something. West blinks at the weirdness, reflexively draws his Colt. As Gordon withdraws not a gun, but a badge, from his wig. RISE ABOVE FAT CAN S CARRIAGE NIGHT SAME TIME is waiting at the top of the hill beside the nitro wagon. Dr. Loveless is beside it, face still shadowed. INSIDE CARRIAGE FAIRSKINNED BEAUTY has opera glasses trained on the second story of Fat Can s. Her name is LIPPENREIDER. And now we ll see why. LIPPENREIDER in a monotone Get out of my way. get out of my way. U.S. Army. U.S. Marshal. LOVELESS Oh, dear. The lipreading is interrupted by the arrival of. ANGLE TOP OF INCLINE HUDSON AND HIS HENCHMEN who come racing up with the scientistinthesack. HUDSON Federal agents inside, sir LOVELESS So Miss Lippenreider informs me. sighs Still, I believe good manners dictate we should send . His cane telescopes out and Loveless pokes the lynch pin out of the harness on the nitro wagon. Then he gives the wagon the slightest push. LOVELESS the welcome wagon. Once started, the wagon rolls downhill, toward the back door of FatCan Candy s, picking up speed. Then, as his female coterie pulls the burlap sack into the carriage, Loveless steps in behind. And they re off. FAT CAN S UPSTAIRS HALL NIGHT West and Gordon, oblivious to the impending disaster. WEST So now what. The answer is provided as the NITRO WAGON hits downstairs. KABOOOOOOM THEME MUSIC UP. as we roll. MAIN TITLES The titles are the familiar animated freeze frames from the TV show. In the two corners are our heroes Upper left shows West with his gun levelled toward. upper right Gordon with his wig in one hand and his badge in the other, pointed across toward West. The cowboy/agent in the middle square fights and defeats the various bad guys. Then as he exits, QUICK ZOOM ON main title THE WILD WILD WEST. PAN DOWN TO a sketch of a train caboose as TITLES END. WASHINGTON, D.C. DAY West rides his magnificent black stallion down Pennsylvania Avenue. Besides horsedrawn carriages, West shares the dusty road with people on bicycles the latest craze. He finally pulls his steed up at his destination. WHITE HOUSE DAY West dismounts, ties his horse to a hitching post and winces as he puts his weight on a sore leg. WHITE HOUSE DAY West limps past black floor scrubbers. They stop working to marvel at this handsome black man dressed in custom cowboy duds walking in there like he owns the place. But not everybody s so impressed. As West heads toward the Oval Office, four selfimportant house detectives block his way. HOUSE DETECTIVE Whoa there,  pardner.  as West stops Winning the war may have got you forty acres and a mule, but you can t just traipse into the President s office. Now gimme that gun. He nods at the six gun on West s hip. West coolly flexes his hand above it, like he s about to draw. WEST This gun Then like lightning, with his other hand, he whips out a sawedoff shotgun hidden by his jacket. He pokes the gauge barrels up against Pinkerton s surprised crotch. WEST Or this one A voice stops the situation from escalating further. PRESIDENT GRANT Gentlemen The detective s head swivels around to see. ANGLE OVAL OFFICE DOOR PRESIDENT GRANT stands in the doorway. PRESIDENT GRANT Don t make Captain West any later for his appointment than he already is The detectives back away from the hairtrigger cowboy as fast as they can. West reholsters the gun and continues. WHITE HOUSE OVAL OFFICE President Grant goes over to his desk, lights a cigar. Backlit in the haze, the portly bearded figure lives up to the myth. PRESIDENT GRANT Been a lot of death threats lately Cabinet made me hire some damn detectives. by way of apology Drink, cigar WEST Thank you, sir. West limps across the room to the bar, pours himself a glass of whiskey, takes a cigar out of the humidor. PRESIDENT GRANT I hear you let General McGrath get away Now West s blood is up. WEST Sir, I had him right in my hands when some halfasissy wearin  a dress ruined. PRESIDENT GRANT cuts him off Artemus Gordon. WEST You. know him PRESIDENT GRANT Of course I know him, he s the best marshal I ve got He s a genius. off West s incredulous look Gordon has proven himself time and again as a very cunning operator with a rapacious intellect. Nothing will stop him from completing a mission for his President. except the impulsive actions of a headstrong cowboy West just looks at him soberly. Draws his gun and places it against the President s head. Grant s eyes widen. WEST Who are you PRESIDENT GRANT I am the President of the United States West points the GUN to the ceiling and pulls the trigger. BLAM As Grant jumps a foot and plaster rains down. WEST Wrong answer. Who are you PRESIDENT GRANT I am the President of. as West cocks gun I m Artemus Gordon. West lowers his gun, nods at Gordon s class ring. WEST The President went to West Point not Harvard. PRESIDENT GRANT Will somebody tell me what the hell this stunt is all about WHITE HOUSE OVAL OFFICE SIDE DOORWAY PRESIDENT GRANT DAY the real one stands in the doorway, hands on hips, surrounded by his house detectives their guns drawn. West nudges the fake Grant in the fake belly with his gun barrel go ahead. Sheepishly, Gordon starts peeling off his primitive, but effective, facial prosthetics. GORDON Sir, in perilous times like these, I was simply illustrating how someone impersonating you could actually walk right into the very bowels of the White House. Just as Gordon makes his intestinal allusion, West takes a ceremonial bayonet off Grant s desk and pokes a hole in the inflated bladder that was his fake paunch. The AIR HISSES out, finishes deflating with a flatulent RRRIP. Hey, the first whoopee cushion Gordon scowls at him. PRESIDENT GRANT You re clever, Gordon. One day it ll get you killed. West smirks as Grant looks up at the bullet hole in the ceiling, then fixes West with a disapproving eye. PRESIDENT GRANT And you, West not every situation calls for your patented approach of shoot first, shoot later, shoot again then when they re all dead, try to ask a question or two. shakes his head Working together will be good for both of you. THE WILD WILD WEST Rev. WEST AND GORDON But, sir, I work. PRESIDENT GRANT You work the way your Commander In Chief tells you to work. Grant turns and EXITS FRAME. WHITE HOUSE WAR ROOM CONTINUOUS ACTION DAY The place is a buzzing intelligence operations center stateoftheart for the  s. Maps of the U.S. and the world are on the wall. Various staff and military people work CLACKING TELEGRAPHS, PRINTING MACHINES that GRIND out reports, etc. Grant stops at a display of daguerreotype photos, all depicting distinguished bewhiskered men. PRESIDENT GRANT Ten of our country s best scientists. all kidnapped in the last year. By General McGrath, it now seems. turns to them The f s, gentlemen, you ve both been working on the same case all along. Why did it take you so long to realize it WEST Well, sir, one of us was still trying to figure out if he was a man or a woman. The detectives snicker over that one. Grant s had enough. PRESIDENT GRANT I don t have time for this bickering One week, if we re to believe this. Grant holds out a letter to Gordon and West. Gordon snatches it, reads PRESIDENT GRANT reading  General Grant, the scientists that you seek are in my employ MORE THE WILD WILD WEST Rev. A. A PRESIDENT GRANT CONT D Creating a weapons system beyond the pale of contemporary imagination. History and justice are on my side. I suggest you put your affairs in order. You have one week before you will surrender the U.S. Government.  PRESIDENT GRANT This letter was delivered inside this. An aide presents a glass case. Inside is a cake in the shape of the White House. GORDON reaching inside Marzipan, isn t it PRESIDENT GRANT grabs his hand Wait Suddenly dozens of deadlylooking spiders swarm out from inside the cake. Gordon jerks his hand back. WEST It s McGrath, sir. The South is rising again. I m gonna stop it. GORDON Sir, West s obsession aside, McGrath may be a vicious killer, but a mastermind he is not. So whom do we seek After consulting with Intelligence. WEST cuts him off McGrath s headed for New Orleans. The longer we stand here talkin , the farther away he gets. I don t need  Intelligence  to tell me that. GORDON Ah, so that would mean you rely on Stupidity Grant s had enough. PRESIDENT GRANT Gentlemen I m leaving today for Utah where the transcontinental railroads will be joined at Promontory Po Grant points to a map of the United States. The railroad lines have been drawn in. still a gap between them. PRESIDENT GRANT For the first time the United States will truly be united. turns, holds up letter Someone wants us divided. Now look, you two are the best I ve got. Put aside your differences and stop this madman. whoever he is. If you fail, well. we may never know how great this country could ve been. snaps off a salute You have a week. Dismissed They both return Grant s salute as the President stomps off. His AIDE now approaches. AIDE The President has put a private train at your disposal. Engine number five, track six. holds out a wrapped box Mr. Gordon, the item you requested. Gordon takes the box, hurries to catch up with West. WHITE HOUSE DAY West and Gordon, walking toward the hitching post. West is so beside himself he can barely untie his highvoltage stud. He glowers at Gordon who goes over to where. ANGLE STRANGELOOKING BICYCLE Is parked on the other side of a bush. It has the customary big wheel in the front, little wheel in the back. Hidden from sight is a motor on the front tire. Dual manifolds that sling under the rider s legs. West shakes his head in disgust. WEST Figures. GORDON I call it the Biaxle Nitro Combust. WEST Save it. I ve gotta train to catch. West swings into the saddle. He looks at the SNORTING wild HORSE under him, then down at Gordon attaching the box onto the seat of his Nitrowhatever. WEST snaps off a smug salute Yeehaaa West spurs his horse and leaves Gordon in the proverbial cloud of dust. Although West s intentions are clear, for some reason, Gordon s in no particular hurry. He sighs, climbs on the bike, takes out a hankie and cleans a pair of goggles. Then, finally ready. GORDON Avant VROOOM An ENGINE KICKS IN and Gordon rockets forward. Yep, Artemus has invented the first motorcycle Fiery exhaust blasts out of the manifolds as the bike propels him down the street at about mph right past. ANGLE ON WEST AND HIS STALLION who both look over in wideeyed shock. The horse rears as Gordon SCREAMS by leaving them in a cloud of internal combustion. C STREET TRAIN STATION TRAIN ENGINE DAY From in front, as it CHUGS TOWARDS us. Sitting up in the spanking new steam engine No. is a whitehaired Coleman. The Wanderer is his pride and joy. Coleman pushes the throttle forward and the ENGINE ROARS PAST us. followed by a tender, and two gleaming passenger cars. Then comes West THUNDERING past in a desperate effort to catch up. ANGLE WITH WEST riding like hell. Getting the last ounce of speed out of his welllathered steed, he finally pulls alongside the rear passenger car. He looks up. In the window, we see Gordon engrossed in what he s doing. which appears to be sewing. WEST Stop this train You hear me If Gordon hears him, he pretends not to. He just casually makes the next stitch. West s horse has had it. They re losing ground to the train. At the last second, West leans over at full gallop and grabs a handle on the side of the train. He swings out of the saddle, hanging on for dear life, blowing in the breeze like laundry. Finally, his boot finds a small metal plate to put its weight on. Just as West stands safely on it. whoosh He flies up in the air and drops through a sliding partition in the roof. WANDERER PARLOR CAR DAY The car is like a classy Victorian men s club. Bar stocked with crystal decanters, a pool table, decorative pistols on the wall, books, etc. Gordon, seated in a club chair, looks over as West falls from the ceiling into a seat. He s hot, dusty and very pissed off. He glowers at Gordon murderously. GORDON calmly Thanks for dropping in. WEST Forget the bikes, the beards, the fake boobies. Put down the needlepoint and let s settle this like men He takes off jacket, starts rolling up his sleeves. Gordon remains remarkably cool, continues sewing. GORDON As a matter of clarification, this isn t needlepo This is. He shows him some real needlepo GORDON Right now, I m putting the final touches on a new invention of my creation. I call it. The Impermeable. It s a vest that, when worn under the clothing, can stop any modern bullet fired even at close range. West draws his gun, aims it at Gordon s stomach and cocks the trigger. WEST Really Gordon quickly pulls the vest away from his stomach. GORDON But it hasn t been really tested empirically yet. WEST Get up West takes off his guns and puts them on the table. GORDON yawn, yawn Guns. I find them so primitive and unnecessary. if one has done one s proper planning. WEST Yeah How do you feel about a fist Gordon puts down The Impermeable, stands with a weary sigh. GORDON I must tell you, Mr. West, I ve always felt that allowing a situation to degenerate into physical violence is a failure on my part. WEST Well then,  Mr.  Gordon, you failed. Whap West unleashes a lightning punch that drives Gordon across the train car. He dabs at his bloody lip. GORDON I m sorry, Mr. West, you brought this on yourself. Then to West s utter amazement, Gordon puts his hands together as if praying while at the same time, crooking his right leg storklike. Is this some kind of martial art Then, he bends at the waist, and like a ballet dancer, extends his leg out to the wall and flips a switch. It immediately triggers a leather hammer to swing down from the ceiling. It whacks West on the side of the head, and sends him spinning back onto the pool table. ANGLE ON POOL TABLE WEST shakes it off and is about to attack again. Gordon calmly pokes a hidden button. Suddenly the pool table revolves. West is gone. GORDON I love this train UNDERNEATH WANDERER DAY West, eyes wide, is clinging on for dear life, staring at the ties racing by, inches from his face. WANDERER PARLOR CAR GORDON Gordon pours a fine Bordeaux, speaks loudly toward floor. GORDON The President asked for my suggestions on how to make the Wanderer both comfortable and functional. As he swishes the wine in his mouth. UNDER WANDERER DAY SAME TIME West reaches up to get a handhold in the myriad of tubes and wires on the underside of the car. As he rips one tube out of the undercarriage. WANDERER PARLOR CAR DAY Gordon has just settled into the club chair, puts his wine down on the table. GORDON And while you re down there, you may want to avail yourself of my Subcarriage Interrail Egressor. Suddenly SHACKLES SNAP out of the arms of the chair, pinning Gordon s wrists. Before he knows what hit him, the floor opens and the club chair disappears. UNDER WANDERER DAY Gordon appears upside down in the chair, chagrined at his predicament. West looks from the escape trolley Gordon was talking about back to his partner. WEST Only one doin  any  egressin  is gonna be you. GORDON wideeyed Perhaps the President was right about us putting aside our petty differences. recites above the CLATTER  The opposite is beneficial, from things that differ comes the fairest attunement.  Aristotle. Suddenly they flip OUT OF FRAME and back into the car, shocked to find themselves facing. WANDERER PARLOR CAR DAY Coleman s a scowling, grizzled old man in a coalstained suit. He s got a fire in his eye, brown spittle in the corner of his mouth where a cigarette butt lives permanently, and a large copper pot in his hand. COLEMAN Knock each other about all ya please, but harm my train and I ll douse ya like dogs. He threatens them with the pot of steaming liquid. Now, for the first time, Gordon really looks troubled. GORDON That s my veal reduction sauce COLEMAN Well then, let s get on about our business, shall we, gentlemen Now, where to WEST New Orleans. GORDON Shall we let Professor Morton decide WEST Who WANDERER LAB CAR DUSK A severed human head is in a vise. GORDON Meet Professor Thaddeus Morton, expert in the field of metallurgy discovered in a field of alfalfa. Kidnapped from M.I.T. six months ago. West looks from the head to the open box. WEST That s a man s head Gordon holds up a strange, circular metallic object. GORDON And this magnetic collar was around it when his body was discovered. Haven t figured that one out yet. But West is still staring in disbelief at the head. WEST That s a man s head. Gordon starts fiddling with a lantern positioned behind the head. GORDON According to the Retinal Terminus Theory. a dying person s last conscious image is burned into the back of the eyeball like a photograph. Perhaps there s a clue there. Excited, Gordon turns on the lantern attached to the back of his head. Beams of light are coming through his eyeballs, creating a blurry color image on the wall. GORDON Morton s last image WEST That s a man s head West turns his head sideways to try to view the inverted image projected on the wall. Gordon realizes the problem. GORDON Ah. The refraction of the lenses causes the image to appear upside down. We simply. He turns Morton s head in the vise. It s right side up, but still blurry. ANGLE ON WALL FUZZY IMAGE appears. It s a man who has a tiny Victrola horn for an ear. He s holding a bloody metal boomerang. WEST It s McGrath. I was right all along. Gordon sees something in McGrath s pocket. GORDON He seems to have something in his pocket. too fuzzy to read, though. Gordon drums his fingers on his great frontal lobe, stymied. GORDON Mortification of the aqueous humor seems to have led to the loss of. WILD WILD WEST Rev. WEST glasses. West takes the bifocals out of the box, casually puts them on Morton s nose. West now gestures to the wall. CLOSE IMAGE ON WALL The white blur in the man s pocket is now focused. We can see that it s the top of a piece of paper. He reads the writing on it. WEST  Friends of the South Come to a Surprise Costume Ball. April, eightthirty. Garden Street.   lowers glasses, looks up Like I said. New Orleans. NEW ORLEANS TRAIN SIDING NIGHT We see the Wanderer parked on the siding as we hear voices over. GORDON How about this You could come as my man servant WANDERER LAB CAR NIGHT Gordon has his wardrobe open. Selected from his vast array of costumes and disguises is a full livery outfit. GORDON How about this You could come as my man servant. WEST slave voice Oh yes, Massa Gordon, dats what I ll do. And I ll jus  smile and do as I s tole so those people won  ever know that I would rather shoot myself in the head than play your god damned man servant West is right in Gordon s face. WILD WILD WEST Rev. GORDON I have a horse costume. then, cheery You could be the head. WEST The only thing I need to wear is this. West straps on his holster. GORDON Okay, if you insist on carrying a firearm, I have something I think you ll find intriguing. Gordon displays a belt with a silver buckle. He taps the buckle. a Derringer pops West stares, impressed. GORDON And it would go nicely with this. Gordon takes out a sequined dress, holds the Derringer up against it. WEST Jim West does not wear a dress. GORDON Then what s your plan WEST How  bout this I ll go as a government agent who s gonna kill McGrath. GORDON An armed, Negro cowboy costume, how creative. In a room full of white Southerners, you oughtta fit right in. You might even win first prize West starts to walk away. Gordon grabs him. GORDON Listen to me. The art of disguise is what s going to get us into that party, thus allowing us to find these kidnapped scientists before they re forced to create something that will destroy this great country. MORE WILD WILD WEST Rev. GORDON CONT D Now you and I are the chosen ones, Jim. We re under direct orders from the President himself. And our mission is clear Save our country. Our freedom is at stake and this is our duty as men. Now, you go as a riverboat captain and I ll be a saloon girl. WEST Let me tell you a little something about beloved  art of disguise . That night at FatCan s, I knew you weren t a woman. GORDON But I was propositioned by three men. WEST Gordon, you looked nasty. Your breasts were all hard and stiff, and were sticking straight out like two rusty cannons on a sunken ship. Gordon grabs his fake breasts off the rack. He puts them on. GORDON These are a work of art. Scientifically and aesthetically perfect. WEST They look like shit. GORDON Touch them. WEST I don t wanna touch  em. I can see I don t like  em. GORDON What, are you afraid you re wrong Touch my breasts. West touches Gordon s fake breasts. WILD WILD WEST Rev. A. ANGLE COLEMAN walking through the next car, carrying a tray of tea. Gordon s last line got his attention. What the. Coleman peeks around the corner to see West eyeing Gordon s chest. COLEMAN to himself I knew it. Well, I ll have no part of it Coleman shakes his head and walks off. ANGLE WEST AND GORDON West is thwapping Gordon s breasts. WEST There, Gordon, you happy I m touching your breasts. GORDON Not so rough. The buckwheat ll come WEST Buckwheat That s your problem. West takes one of the cow udders out of Gordon s bodice and dumps the buckwheat onto the ground. GORDON What are you doing West goes over to a wash basin, picks up a water pitcher and fills the cow bladder. West squeezes the cow bladder shut and holds it up to his chest. WEST Now, squeeze this. This is what a breast should feel like. ANGLE COLEMAN Passing back through the next car. When he hears that last line, he can t believe it. He peeks in again to see. GORDON Whoa. WILD WILD WEST Rev. B. WEST Isn t that nice GORDON Very nice. Coleman s mouth drops. He s sweating. WEST Now touch yourself. GORDON You win. I m hard. COLEMAN disgusted Federal officers, bah Coleman walks off, shaking his head. BACK TO SCENE Suddenly, Gordon shoots the cuffs off his jacket. Out of one sleeve comes a pen. Out the other, a small pad of paper. They are both connected to a springloaded metal gizmo up his sleeve. West reacts, drawing his pistol up into Gordon s face. GORDON I was just going to jot down a thought. WEST You know something, that s a good place to put a gun. GORDON But then, where would I keep my notepad. WEST You know, Artemus, I think you underestimate the convenience of a pocket. LOVELESS MANSION NEW ORLEANS CARRIAGE NIGHT carrying some costumed swells pass through wroughtiron gates guarded by some of McGrath s exRebs. FOLLOW it up a Spanish mossdraped drive to a huge Garden District mansion. As the carriage pulls to a stop in front. WILD WILD WEST Rev. C. LOVELESS MANSION CARRIAGE NIGHT Jim West drops to the ground from where he d hitched a ride underneath. He rolls into the shadows of the house. When he stands, he s face to face with a huge GUARD with a gun. GUARD You got about as much chance of havin  an invitation as him. He smirks at a lawn jockey. West reaches into his coat. WEST Matter of fact, got it right here. He withdraws his hand. While the Guard squints at his empty palm, West grabs his head with his other hand and smacks it into the lawn jockey s fist. clang West leans the coldcocked Guard against the house, uses his shoulder as a step, boosting him up to. LOVELESS MANSION BALCONY NIGHT West grabs the ironwork underneath and acrobatically swings himself over the rail. As he BREAKS the PANE on the French door with his gun butt. LOVELESS MANSION UPSTAIRS ROOM NIGHT West lets himself in. Then just as he s about to part the heavy drapes. he hears women s voices approaching. WOMAN in a Spanish accent Hey. get your hands off me Now Miss Lippenreider, Amazonia and Munitia bewigged and wearing costumes wrangle a beautiful and defiant Latina into the room. When she turns we recognize she s the singer from FatCan s. Rita is in her early s, wearing a thCentury camisole so scanty, it makes it hard to concentrate on what she s saying. RITA Put me in the dungeon with all those smelly, dirty bearded men but I am not goin  in there. AMAZONIA You applied for the position. RITA Yeah, a standing up position. I m an entertainer, not a. Amazonia grabs her by the throat, choking the word off. MISS LIPPENREIDER Do not be selfish and stupid. He always spoils his new girl. RITA Yeah. Well gimme a simple diamond bracelet instead of that. THROUGH DOOR INTO BEDROOM A ramp leads to a large bed. A leather and steel prosthesis is hanging from pulleys attached to the ceiling. MUNITIA It is not so bad. once the metal warms up. Amazonia just picks her up and drags the hapless Rita into the room. West emerges from behind the curtains, shakes his head. Weird. He eases out the door and into. LOVELESS MANSION UPSTAIRS HALLWAY NIGHT West hears the PARTY DIN coming from down below. He goes to the balcony. WEST S OVER STAIR LANDING DOWNSTAIRS The scene below is hallucinogenically surreal. A Babel of foreign languages is the first thing that strikes us. Avant garde MUSIC is coming from two x quartet boxes on either side of the room to create stereo. SULTRY WOMAN An authentic cowboy outfit. complete with sixguns West turns to see who busted him. Coming his way is a ravishing Chinese girl dressed up as a DRAGON LADY. DRAGON LADY What a terribly clever costume, Mr. WEST West. Jim West. DRAGON LADY Well. West meets East. Mae Lee East. holds out delicate hand Are you here alone, Mr. West WEST Actually I m, uh trying to surprise an old friend General McGrath. Seen him around anywhere MISS EAST DRAGON LADY I don t believe that name was on our guest list. And I would know. I m Dr. Loveless s personal assistant. The name means something to West. WEST Dr. Arliss Loveless. One of the great founders of the Confederacy with Jefferson Davis. Funny how most people think he s dead. MISS EAST Tonight s his comingout party. We FOLLOW them as she takes his arm and leads him down the stairs, into the party. LOVELESS MANSION DOWNSTAIRS PARTY NIGHT West surveys the crowd. MISS EAST See anybody that looks familiar West scans the room. Stops. WEST Matter of fact, I do. WEST S WOMAN WITH BIG HAIR She s got the mole, too. Gordon has apparently encored his Soiled Dove getup. Miss East sees who he s looking at. She makes a pouty face as there s a flourish from the STEREO QUARTET. MISS EAST I m. jealous. blows a little kiss at him Meet me later. in the foyer. West watches as she joins. LOVELESS MANSION DOWNSTAIRS PARTY REST OF LOVELESS  WOMEN NIGHT Miss East leads them in a sober rendition of The Battle Hymn of the Republic in front of a large doorway. DISTAFF CORPS singing  Mine eyes have seen the glory Of the coming of the Lord.  From behind the doors we hear the WHIR of an ELEVATOR. It stops with a CLUNK. Suddenly. NEW ANGLE DOORWAY bursts open and Abraham Lincoln in a minifloat appears. It s decked out like Lincoln s box at Ford s theater. On its own power, it moves past the laughing partygoers in the foyer. Now the women throw grapes on the floor. DISTAFF CORPS singing  He has trampled down the vintage Where the grapes of wrath are stored  WEST S ANGLE ON WHEELS OF WHEELCHAIR are what s trampling down the vintage. West takes in the whole man. Very curious. Then suddenly. KABOOM ANGLE ON ABE S HEAD It explodes like a pinata. Up from the hole in his neck peeps. DR. ARLISS LOVELESS. LOVELESS impishly Don t you just hate that song The Southern crowd gasps at Loveless s dramatic appearance. LOVELESS Why, y all look like you ve seen a ghost It s me, dear friends, alive and kicking Well, alive, anyway. As he giggles, the distaff corps surround him and remove the Lincoln paraphernalia. Then step aside, revealing. NEW ANGLE DR. LOVELESS is half a man. Literally. Cut off at the waist and mounted on a wheelchair platform that is powered by an engine, he is a man bereft of tuchus, kishkes and everything else in that vicinity that makes life interesting. LOVELESS chuckles We may ve lost the war, but heaven knows. we haven t lost our sense of humor Dr. Loveless looks down at himself, smoothes half of his Fritz Lang Metropolisstyle suit. His face turns dark as he surveys the crowd. LOVELESS Not even when we ve lost a lung. a spleen. a bladder. two legs. thirtyfive feet of small intestine and our ability to reproduce. like a preacher All in the name of the South. then quietly do we lose our sense of humor. You can hear a pin drop. Loveless turns to the foreign dignitaries. LOVELESS I owe a deep debt of gratitude to my friends across the sea for their comfort and. succor. He suddenly seems distracted by the comely beauties that surround him. Then abruptly, manically. LOVELESS So. Mi casa es su casa Ma maison est a vous Let the party begin Loveless signals to the quartets to resume playing. Miss East leans down and whispers in his ear. Loveless looks in West s direction. Now Loveless wheels over to West. West isn t hiding. He s cocky in the face of rolling danger. LOVELESS Mr. West, how nice of you to join us tonight. and add color to these monochromatic proceedings. West keeps a lid on his temper. Two can play at this game. WEST Well, when a man comes back from the dead, it s an occasion to stand and be counted. Loveless smiles slightly. LOVELESS Miss East informs me that you were expecting to meet General McGrath here. I knew him years ago. but haven t seen him in a coon s age. WEST I bet a man like yourself would find it difficult to keep in touch with even half the people you know. Danger flickers in Loveless s eyes. He looks to Miss East. LOVELESS Perhaps the lovely Miss East will keep you from being a slave to your disappointment. WEST Well, you know beautiful women. they encourage you one second, cut the legs out from under you the n Loveless s face drops. He is no longer amused. Miss East winks at West, then accompanies Loveless in the direction of the study where. LOVELESS MANSION OUTSIDE STUDY NIGHT General McGrath waits impatiently. He takes two champagnes off a passing tray, guzzles them, then wipes his mouth on Dolly Madison s bustle. As his eyes sweep the room. ANGLE WEST He ducks behind a mountain man carrying the French tricolor. When Loveless and General McGrath disappear into the study and close the door, West eases after them. He pauses as he passes the Soiled Dove, leans into her big bouffant. He regards a stainedglass window patterned with a spider over her shoulder. WEST Hey, honey. I see a big ole spider up on the wall. Hope it doesn t drop down your pretty dress. As the Soiled Dove jumps a little, West continues over to the study door. Now the Soiled Dove turns, and we see the scared/confused expression. Maybe it s because she is not Artemus. ANGLE GORDON ACROSS ROOM He s the mountain man in the fringe jacket. And right now he s shaking his head as he watches West resort to a decidedly lowtech surveillance method of Loveless s study. GORDON Peeking through the keyhole. So th Century. LOVELESS MANSION STUDY WEST S THROUGH KEYHOLE NIGHT McGrath paces in front of Loveless s desk. McGRATH Dr. Loveless, my men are ready to go to war with no weapons to fight. Ever since the nitro and the guns were destroyed at Fat Can s, lice and demoralization have set in LOVELESS Your men will have their weapons tonight. And my promise that they will be part of the greatest military victory of this century McGrath s face relaxes into a pyorrheic grin. McGRATH Oh, you re a pip, sir I d follow you into the maw of Cerberus himself Loveless takes pencil in hand and draws a map on the desk. LOVELESS And so you shall. makes an X Have your men here at. o clock tonight. Loveless wheels his chair toward the door with McGrath behind him folding up the map. LOVELESS MANSION OUTSIDE STUDY WEST NIGHT ducks out of the way as Loveless and McGrath emerge from the study. As they disappear into the throng of well wishers, West takes a thin lockpick out of his hat band. It takes him a moment or two, but the LOCK finally CLICKS. Then West slips inside, apparently undetected except by an unimpressed Gordon. LOVELESS MANSION STUDY WEST NIGHT moves quickly to the desk past walls filled with oil portraits of various Loveless relatives. The one behind the desk is in the style of Gainsborough. A Loveless uncle is standing on a windswept grouse moor, two English setters by his side, a Holland and Holland double held in the crook of his arm. West turns his attention to the desk blotter. There s a faint imprint where Loveless drew the map. West takes his penknife and a pencil grates some graphite into the depressions. He s just about to do a rubbing on a piece of paper when. someone swipes it out of his hand. ANGLE ON MISS EAST Hands on hips, she gives him a naughty, naughty look. MISS EAST I said to meet me in the foyer. WEST Oh, the foyaay. Sorry, I ve never been much good at French. But instead of scolding him further, Miss East plants an overheated kiss on him. Tongues are involved. As they break, she gives a little nod of approval. MISS EAST Au contraire. She pushes him down into Dr. Loveless s chair. MISS EAST So let s see, Mr. West. are you a dangerous spy of some sort Or just a handsome cowboy who likes to. poke around. WEST Um. that second one. She starts to undo the buttons of his trousers. But West has a job to do. Well, maybe he can do two jobs at once. LOVELESS MANSION PARTY GORDON SAME TIME NIGHT is being the perfect party guest, moving through the crowd chitchatting with this person and that in French, Spanish, German when he sees something of interest. Munitia and Lippenreider come out of an upstairs bedroom, lock it behind them. Hmmm. What s in there As he starts upstairs, Amazonia appears, blocking his way. GORDON Howdy there. big sturdy gal. Yer dance card full Amazonia stares at him, then spiels off a couple lines in a foreign language that makes Gordon s eyes widen. He understands what she said and it s not flattering. Gordon moves off in a shock. LOVELESS MANSION STUDY WEST AND EAST NIGHT are locked in a passionate embrace. West manages to position her nearlynaked rear end over the graphite powder. Very carefully, he stands, pushing her buttocks onto the desk and then rolling her off. The imprint on her left cheek is perfect. But unfortunately, it s backwards CLOSE WEST Damn. He lets Miss East concentrate on what she s doing, which from the SOUNDS , doesn t appear to be a demonstration of the correct way to butter corn. West spies a mirror on the other side of the room and raises her ass up into position so he can see the corrected reflection. ANGLE ON MIRROR MAP COMES INTO VIEW. It clearly shows the meeting place to be Malheureux Point, northeast of New Orleans. But the mirror reflects something else of interest. LOVELESS MANSION STUDY PAINTING NIGHT The painting behind him has come to life. The Loveless in the painting swings a real shotgun around and is pointing it at the back of West s head. CLOSE WEST suddenly contorts his upper torso just as an EXPLOSION rips the back of the chair where his head would have been. He draws and SHOOTS the wouldbe assassin, who falls out of the painting, dead. West turns to see. ANGLE ON MISS EAST A surprised look on her face. A hole in her forehead. He lowers her head gently to the ground, regards her mapimprinted rear end. WEST Thanks for helpin  me get to the bottom of this case. LOVELESS MANSION OUTSIDE STUDY WEST NIGHT emerges just as a Kentucky reel starts up. He weaves his way through the dance floor and spots the Soiled Dove lookalike out on the floor. West reluctantly straightens his shoulders and cuts in. This bold move gets some looks of disapproval from the pecan pie crowd. ANGLE ON WEST AND SOILED DOVE RINGER dancing. Both look straight ahead, not at each other. West so as not to attr any more attention. His partner because she s scared shitless of this strange Negro who keeps hounding her. WEST Real impressed the way you got the dance floor staked Maybe one of your missin  scientists ll cut in. dip Thought you should know that while you were trying to decide what shoes to wear tonight. twirl I found that our host, Dr. Loveless. West looks over to where Loveless is leading a contingent of foreigners out a side exit. WEST is meeting McGrath and his troops at Malheureux Point in an hour. bends her back So you enjoy the party. I m gonna go save the Republic. The Soiled Dove lookalike is speechless. Before he goes, West leans in, smirks. WEST But I will say, good work on your bladders tonight. they re damn perky. And just to dig the grave deeper, West lays hands on them and gives them a little squeeze. This immediately elicits a scream and a slap in the face that shocks the bejesus out of the black cowboy. And he s not the only one. ANGLE ON CROWD staring at him. We know what they re thinking, but the Mountain Man behind West says it for everyone. GORDON/MOUNTAIN MAN Hang him And with that, Gordon opens his deerskin jacket to reveal his own rope, which he throws to the mob. West looks back at the character in amazement. That s Gordon Before West can say or do anything, guns are at his temple, and he s swept out of the room. WILD WILD WEST Rev. Gordon calmly straightens his coonskin cap, seemingly uninterested in West s imminent hanging. In the hubbub of everyone rushing out for the hanging, Gordon heads up the unguarded stairs to the locked room. As he pulls out his high tech autowind lockpick and quickly gains entrance to the door. LOVELESS MANSION COURTYARD NIGHT Handheld torches illuminate. The rope is tossed over a lamp post. PAN DOWN TO where one of the mob, dressed as GEORGE WASHINGTON, is binding West s hands behind his back. GEORGE WASHINGTON Looks like we re gonna have to teach y all a little lesson on how to behave in polite society. WEST Don t grab a white lady s boobies at the big redneck dance. Is that the lesson Well, I learned it. Don t scratch your head with the shrimp fork. I got that one too. So whaddaya say we call this off LOVELESS MANSION UPSTAIRS BEDROOM GORDON NIGHT eases in, stops at what he sees. And it sure ain t scientists. Beside the bed, locked in an iron discolike cage, is Rita, still wearing her scanty outfit. Gordon squints at her, gives a charming smile. GORDON I feel as if we know each other from someplace. RITA Try again, buster. She takes a breath as if she s going to start screaming. Gordon quickly holds up a hand. THE WILD WILD WEST Rev. GORDON Ma am, please While I realize I look like something straight out of James Fenimore Cooper. I mean you no harm. My name is Artemus Gordon. And you look like you re in trouble. RITA dryly Really To Rita s amazement, Gordon opens his jacket and unbuttons his vest to reveal. a complete miniature tool shop. Quickly he pulls out a thin cable and attaches it to a tiny wheel on the spur of one of his boots. RITA I m Rita. I was hired here as an entertainer. Not that I m complaining, but what are you doin  in here GORDON looking up miles of leg Looking for some missing scientists. not that I m complaining. Gordon unsnaps the sole of his shoe. It becomes a pedal that operates the wheels  rotation. Now he removes a bit and handle from his vest and attaches the cable. Starts to pump his foot. It s a footpowered drill. GORDON I m a special U.S. Marshal on assignment from the President. RITA almost impressed If you re so special, how come you re lookin  up here when Loveless has  em all workin  down in the dungeon rattles bars impatiently Get me out of here and I ll take you down there. WILD WILD WEST Rev. GORDON Too late. The  dungeon  is cleaned It was the first place I checked, right after I sampled the gumbo. Bit heavy on the okra. But Rita isn t listening to the food review. Her mind s racing. Finally, the LOCK CLICKS and the cage door swings open. Gordon takes the distressed damsel in his arms, lifts her RITA suddenly a coquettish smile Thank you. Artemus, was it GORDON One doesn t forget a smile like that. Now where in the world was it. Have you ever played the Empire Room. the Bijou Cafe perhaps. LOVELESS MANSION COURTYARD NIGHT SAME TIME West is lifted onto the back of a wagon. With the noose dangling in front of his nose, West addresses the crowd. WEST Can I have everyone s attention please. I think we ve had a series of major misunderstandings and I d like to take a moment to clear them up. First, the whole drumming on the boobies thing. In my native land, Africa, my ancestors used drums to communicate between villages. I m sure y all can see that this young girl here can communicate all the way down to Baton Rouge. Hell, on a clear day, we might even get Galveston. All I was saying was,  How re you doing,   My name s Jim,   How s your mama  MORE WILD WILD WEST Rev. A. A WEST CONT D Second misunderstanding. That redneck comment. I m getting the sense that some of you took that negatively. You know, some of my best friends are whiskeyguzzling, potbellied rednecks just like y all here. then That slavery thing, I don t see what the big deal was. Hell, who wouldn t want somebody to run around for them doing chores. Are you going to get your big, fat, lazy ass out of bed every morning and pick your own damn cotton. I don t think so. then Let s head on inside and knock back some shine. Come on, back inside. No. Okay. to Soiled Dove I stand before you as a man who realizes he has done something wrong and I am prepared to do the right thing. Will you marry me Soiled Dove gasps. WEST I ll take that as a no. Darling, would it help at all if I said I thought you were a man The FINDS the Soiled Dove. She faints. BACK TO SCENE WEST Guess not. As West searches desperately for signs of rescue by his partner, suddenly the wagon lurches forward. GEORGE WASHINGTON Hang him NEW ANGLE WEST S FEET As they plummet toward the ground. CLOSE WEST S NECK The rope catches. and stretches CLOSE WEST S FEET As they slowly touch the ground. Nobody is more confused than West. ANGLE ON CROWD How the fuck did that happen But before anybody can figure out Gordon s trick rope, speak of the devil. GORDON Heyyaa The crowd turns with alarm to see. ANGLE ON TEAM OF CHARGING HORSES Nostrils flared and wildeyed, are having their rumps snapped by Gordon s reins. Rita holds on for dear life as the mad Mountain Man drives the carriage at full speed right into the crowd scattering them. ANGLE ON WEST He sees his opportunity for rescue, puts a foot into the back of George Washington, grabs his gun, and somersaults into the air. ANGLE ON GORDON AND CARRIAGE WEST lands squarely in the back. And just as the rope starts to stretch around his neck again, Gordon whirls around with a Bowie knife and cuts it. NEW ORLEANS STREET NEAR MANSION MOVING WAGON NIGHT West leans into Gordon s ear. THE WILD WILD WEST Rev. WEST Hang  m. Suddenly, there s a VOLLEY of SHOTS from some cracker sharpshooters. West responds with an amazing display of RAPIDFIRE marksmanship, picking off half a dozen of Loveless s shooters, even while the carriage bumps wildly on its getaway. BLAMBLAMBLAMBLAM WEST still pissed, to Gordon Hang m GORDON to Rita Meet my triggerhappy partner, James West. who doesn t seem to realize that my carefully planned diversion gave me the opportunity to search for the missing scientists. Now West notices the halfdressed bombshell in the carriage. WEST Scientist, huh. GORDON This is Rita. I found her locked in a cage in Loveless s bedroom. She s an entertainer. RITA Um, maybe I haven t been quite honest about that. My name is Rita Escobar. I came to find Guillermo Escobar, the scientist, my. father. Gordon s eyes pop. GORDON Professor Escobar He was the one I almost rescued that night when. lightbulb That s where I know you from FatCan Candy s. you sang before I did. RITA Excuse me THE WILD WILD WEST Rev. GORDON That was me. Burgundy dress with the bustle. Gordon starts singing the song. West rolls his eyes, cuts off the chitchat. WEST Look, Rita, I m sorry you had the wrong agent working on your case. When I find your father I promise I ll send him back safely. And with that. West suddenly leaps over Rita lands on the back of one of the horses. He grabs a handful of mane, leans over and unclips the harness. And with a kick in the ribs, West is off at a gallop leaving Gordon, one remaining horse and an awed Rita behind to chew his dust. RITA He s impulsive, James. OFFSHORE LOVELESS BOAT NIGHT Dr. Loveless and his visiting foreign dignitaries are sipping champagne. One of them is holding a little DOG in his arms, BARKING at something in the dark. General McGrath stands at the railing, uncharacteristically pensive. Loveless rolls over, hands him a glass of champagne. LOVELESS Well, General, it s been a long journey from New Liberty. McGrath visibly winces at the sound of it. McGRATH Sir, there isn t a day that passes that I don t contemplate it. LOVELESS Yes, and so do I. So do I. reflexively reaches for missing legs If I d only had the scientific understanding of gunpowder and primers that I have today. McGRATH That s not what I meant. Loveless looks at him, puzzled, then gets it. LOVELESS Oh, you mean the stomachchurning carnage that earned you your unfortunate nom de guerre. Loveless speaks for the benefit of the others. LOVELESS What was that nickname again McGRATH reluctantly  Bloodbath  McGrath. the Butcher of New Liberty.  MALHEUREUX POINT MARSH NIGHT A reb battalion waits in a foggy meadow that slopes down to marsh. Beyond that is the Gulf of Mexico. We recognize one of the REBS from the cathouse. He opens his pocket watch. REB # They oughta be here by now. REB # Maybe we re in the wrong place. REB # rechecks map No, we re supposed to wait  xactly on this here spot. Suddenly they hear a CLANKING and SCREECHING coming from the marsh. They ready their arms and get in defensive positions. What they can t see through the fog is. ANGLE MARSH ARMORED TANK amphibiously sludges up through the mud and reeds, passing by the dumbstruck soldiers as it heads to the center of the field. The contraption has a large cannon and Gatling guns bristling from several ports. The Rebs cheer their new weapon. THE WILD WILD WEST Rev. MALHEUREUX POINT BATTLEFIELD NIGHT Now a MORTAR appears through the turret and FIRES a ROCKET that EXPLODES over the Reb soldiers, illuminating the field. As soldiers shield their eyes from the blinding light. ANGLE AERIAL SHOT LOOKING DOWN ON FIELD Unbeknownst to the Rebs, Loveless has mowed and stained the field with concentric lines to give it a giant dart board appearance. Suddenly the TANK TURRET OPENS FIRE on them. Once over their initial shock, the Rebs FIRE BACK with their Springfield RIFLES. But the BULLETS PING off the tank s impenetrable skin like goober peas. OFFSHORE LOVELESS BOAT NIGHT Lippenreider is viewing the carnage through large binoculars on a stand. General McGrath turns from the rail and faces Loveless, outraged. McGRATH Why you sawedoff sadistic bastard You ve betrayed us Loveless turns to him, cocks his head. LOVELESS My dear General, after donating half my physical being creating a weapon capable of doing this. how did you and General Lee repay my loyalty You surrendered at Appomattox So, who betrayed whom Loveless turns to Munitia holding a steno pad. LOVELESS Munitia, make note. Turret speed needs to be accelerated MUNITIA to Amazonia Change gear ratio from to Amazonia pushes a sick dignitary away from the rail so she can get a sight line to the tank with her lantern semaphore. She begins flashing the new gear ratio. AMAZONIA A bucket for the minister, please Now in the b.g., we hear the GATLINGS OPEN UP. Lippenreider is reading the lips of the tank s victims. LIPPENREIDER Scream. Scream. My head. I m dying. Scream. Moan. Scream. McGRATH Loveless, I demand you give the order to stop this slaughter now LOVELESS ignores him We re going to need more loading drills I m hearing too much time between screams. As Munitia scribbles dutifully, McGrath shoves her aside. He pulls his pistol. McGRATH For the last time, give them the order to desist Loveless, his back to him, is seemingly unconcerned at having a gun barrel pressed against his skull. LOVELESS General, I understand your distress. But believe me, those men are not dying senselessly. It is for a far greater cause than you can imagine. As Loveless s right index finger finds a black button on the arm of his wheelchair. CLOSE ANGLE LOVELESS S WHEELCHAIR ARM The steel tubes that comprise the armrests are actually shotgun barrels facing fore and aft. McGrath s finger tightens on the trigger. WIDER McGRATH Go straight to hell, sir WILD WILD WEST Rev. LOVELESS After you. sir. BOOOM McGrath has a very startled expression as he looks down at the aftereffects of DOUBLEOUGHT BUCKSHOT. As he crumples to the deck, Loveless sniffs. LOVELESS Bloodbath McGrath indeed. The dignitary s DOG starts BARKING, jumps to the deck. It sits next to the fallen General s gramophone ear and cocks his head. With the RCA logo invented we MOVE BACK TO. ANGLE ON LOVELESS He sighs at his pale guests. They don t seem to appreciate the efficiency of his slaughter. LOVELESS Well, that concludes the festivities. Ladies, feed him to the crabs. Munitia and Amazonia unceremoniously dump McGrath s BODY overboard. SPLOOSH. Loveless addresses the dignitaries. LOVELESS But, my friends, that tank is just a little ol  toy compared to what this country s greatest scientists are cooking up for me n So if I ve piqued your interest, bring kilograms of your country s gold to Spider Canyon four days from now. starts to roll off boat Now if you ll excuse me, I ve got a tank to catch. TRAIN SIDING NEAR MALHEUREUX POINT NIGHT A black waits ominously on the tracks. It s less a traditional train car than a riveted, armored, turreted fortress on wheels. Also, it currently lacks an engine. Loveless, over his shoulder to the foreign contingent. LOVELESS My destination is both the future. and the past Forget Paul Revere, this will be the most revolutionary ride in the history of America He looks dotingly at the TANK, which CLATTERS up from the battlefield on its treads. then drives onto the tracks. Wheels drop down out of the chassis, the treads retr up, and the TANK BACKS INTO the rest of the TRAIN. CLANK. It s a neat modular fit. Black death on rails. The foreigners watch with awe as. ANGLE LOVELESS wheels up onto the tank/train. He drops the expansiveness, fixes them with a viper s eye. LOVELESS If you don t want to miss the ride, have the last payment of kilograms of your country s gold in my hands no later than Friday. That s when I make our little proposal to President Grant. One I m ever so confident he s gonna accept. now a jaunty wave of his hat Au revoir, adios, and tata MALHEUREUX POINT BATTLEFIELD STRAIGHTDOWN ANGLE NIGHT It s quiet. The dead men are all in the # or # ring. Now a rider ENTERS FRAME. MALHEUREUX POINT BATTLEFIELD NIGHT West slowly dismounts, transfixed by the slaughter on the prefab battlefield. There s something hauntingly familiar about all this for him the mangled bodies, the tread marks. But we ll find out about that later. West draws his weapon and begins walking through the victims. The pace of his search quickens when he isn t finding what he s looking for General McGrath. NEW ANGLE GORDON AND RITA have arrived in the onehorse carriage. Gordon is trying to recreate the crime scene. Rita trails behind him, his coat thrown over her shoulders, trying not to gag as she passes the mangled corpses. GORDON It came up out of the lake. from the way these corpses are positioned, laid down a degree pattern of cannon fire. then disappeared in moments. puts a foot on a body, scratches his chin My God, what kind of weapon is it Rita can t handle Gordon s clinical posturing. RITA Excuse me, I think I m going to be sick. As she walks quickly away, West comes over, a haunted look on his face. WEST It just rolls on and on. Makes a screeching sound like a wounded animal. Got a  cabin  on top with a cannon. swivels  round like an eagle s head. GORDON You saw it WEST Heard about it. Thought it was crazy survivors  stories. GORDON What survivors There aren t any here. WEST New Liberty, Illinois the free slave town just over the border. Just one week before the War ended in   I was in the th Cavalry that discovered it. Old men, women, children. they used them for target practice. THE WILD WILD WEST Rev. He looks out at the battlefield as if reliving it. Gordon is sympathetic to his obvious pain just shuts up. West s grim reverie is interrupted by MOANING coming from the shoreline. They all follow the sound to find. MALHEUREUX POINT MARSH NIGHT General McGrath, washed up on the shore. West looks down at him. Now Rita, still looking green around the gills, rejoins the party. WEST That s when I vowed to follow McGrath to the end of the earth. As grey as fourdayold mullet, McGrath manages a smile for his relentless pursuer. McGRATH barely audible What s the matter, West Thought you d be happy to find me. like this. WEST I was hoping to kill you myself. RITA That s a nice way to talk to people. McGRATH You ll have to live with it. As I ve lived with the blame for New Liberty. McGrath fades West grabs him and shakes him. WEST What do you mean McGRATH opens eyes It was Loveless. his plan. He operated the killing machine there. Smarter now. left it to others here. With the meaning of it all sinking in, West grabs McGrath by the collar and pulls him toward him. WEST Where is he Where did he go THE WILD WILD WEST Rev. The General tries to speak. West puts his ear to the General s mouth. But before he can say it, McGrath closes his eyes for the last time. West s shoulders sag. Then from behind. RITA Well, I know that. West turns to her. well RITA I ll tell you if you take me along. WEST in no mood Just tell me. RITA The girls at the mansion. They talk. imitating a la Lippenreider  I vonder if my hair vill get frissy in ze desert. Vhere is diss Oootah anyvay  As West and Gordon turn to one another in alarm. WEST/GORDON Oootah TRAIN SIDING NEW ORLEANS NIGHT West and Gordon climb up onto the Wanderer and enter. WANDERER PARLOR CAR ENGINE STOPPED NIGHT West and Gordon burst in, surprising Coleman, who s got his feet up, perusing the Playboy of the day a mail order catalogue. WEST Coleman. let s go Full speed ahead West snatches the catalogue out of his hands, does a take at the pictures of chunky models in bloomers. COLEMAN Aye, sir As Coleman quickly exits, Gordon looks out the window, onto the platform. GORDON wistful I don t see why we couldn t have given her a ride back home to Texas. It is on the way. WEST On the way to Utah where our President happens to be. Maybe we oughta be worryin  about that little coincidence As the ENGINE ROARS to life. TRAIN SIDING NEW ORLEANS SHOT FROM WANDERER NIGHT Rita gives a forlorn little wave as the TRAIN CHUGS away. WANDERER ENGINE CAR NIGHT GORDON We wouldn t have known where Loveless was going if it wasn t for her. Seems a bit ungracious. Possibly perilous. WEST Look, all that would happen would be she d get in our way and I d probably wind up gettin  in the saddle with her. GORDON Funny that you say that. Because I thought she was more interested in me. TRAIN SIDING NEW ORLEANS NIGHT Rita disappears from view in a cloud of steam. WANDERER PARLOR CAR NIGHT West has every weapon on the train out for cleaning and loading. Gordon is in the galley where he continues his conversation with West while preparing dinner. THE WILD WILD WEST Rev. GORDON from gallery You know, I ve been trying to place myself in Loveless s shoes. WEST Good luck on that one. GORDON weakly Ha, ha, ha. You know, I can t imagine what Loveless a man without any reproductive organs could possibly want with Rita. Suddenly there s a WHOOSH and Rita falls through the ceiling and plops in the chair just like West did earlier. He instinctively pulls his gun. Puts it away as Gordon muses about her anatomy. GORDON not realizing she s there Not that Rita doesn t have a figure that would inspire a Botticelli. or a Raphael. Rita raises an eyebrow, looks to the galley as Gordon comes out with a platter of food. He still doesn t see her there. GORDON especially her breasts. Did you notice the way one of them. cups his hands Both of them actually. to say nothing of her buttocks. Gordon turns and looks into the car. Finally sees her. Changes gears without missing a beat. GORDON and the group of foreign ministers at Loveless s party. What were they doing there Gordon gestures for West to join him at the pool table. Rita immediately goes for the food. GORDON using pool balls Here s France, Spain and Britain. sotto voce How long has she been here WEST Since the first breast. Gordon turns to her, exasperated with himself. GORDON I am so embarrassed. WEST I ll spare you. to Rita Make yourself a sandwich to take with you. You re getting off. OMITTED & & WANDERER PARLOR CAR NIGHT Rita hasn t even waited for anyone s approval to start eating. West shakes his head at her chutzpa. RITA But. I can help you. WEST How could you possibly help us RITA Well, I heard you talking about why all those foreign guys were at Loveless s party. You want me to tell you GORDON By all means. She uses the time to get another bite into her mouth. RITA to Gordon, chewing This is fantastic. You can cut it with a fork How d you cook it GORDON someone appreciates him Well, in a daubiere. a clay pot. A French method which. West cuts off the chitchat. WEST What about the foreign guys RITA They were mad about something, you know Something about a real bad deal in Louisiana on purpose. GORDON The Louisiana Purchase RITA And Queen somebodysomebody of France got swindled. GORDON Queen Isabella of Spain. West rolls his eyes. WEST Gordon, this is crazy. She doesn t know what she s talking about West picks up the speaker horn and calls Coleman. WEST into speaker horn Coleman, stop the train Miss Escobar s getting off. COLEMAN over pipe Who the hell s Miss Escobar RITA grabs horn I m a frightened, starving, half naked young woman who only wants to find her father COLEMAN over pipe Halfnaked WEST grabs it back Coleman. stop the train. COLEMAN over pipe We re not puttin  anybody off. Not out here in the middle of nowhere. West looks out the window. Nothing but sagebrush and animal skulls out there. Rita comes up close to Jim, fire in her big, brown eyes. RITA Please, Jim. My father s the only family I ve got. What am I supposed to do Sit home and wait for news he s been killed Or go do something What would you do, Jim That gets the man of action where he lives. WEST Look, I got nothing against you, Rita. It s just that. What s going to happen when we catch up to Loveless. with you on the train She grabs West s hand. RITA I know you d never let him take me back. I ve seen you shoot. West kinda melts a little. This girl does have her charms. Gordon, a little jealous, puffs his chest GORDON I assure you, Rita, an attack by Loveless would be an exercise in futility. stands for tour Allow me to demonstrate how my design suggestions have made the Wanderer impervious to attack. West draws his guns, twirls them and reholsters. WEST I m the impervious part. GORDON Hardly. Completely armor plated. Artemus raps his knuckles on the wall making a METALLIC sound. Then he smugly demonstrates that the light fixture is actually a Gatling gun. GORDON An attacker would find the lighting inside extremely. unflattering. Finally he moves to the billiard table, while Rita nods and keeps eating. GORDON And if, by some inconceivable fluke, they did manage to gain entrance. rolls billiard ball into bumper An innocent billiard ball this way. picks it up, presses the number But depress the number. a sleeping gas bomb. Effective in under three seconds. Gordon unclicks it, triumphantly rolls it into a pocket. GORDON So rest assured, Rita. you are completely safe within these walls. West snorts at his obvious play for Rita s attentions. WEST I don t know about you, ma am, but I know I ll be sleeping a whole lot better tonight. yawns assuming Loveless barges in here and feels like a game of pool. RITA Speaking of sleeping, I m pretty tired. Artemus, do you think I could borrow something to wear West jumps in before Gordon can answer. WILD WILD WEST Rev. WEST I ve got somethin  you might use. It ain t stylish, but it s practical. WANDERER PARLOR CAR NIGHT West and Gordon have bunked down on opposite couches, both deep in thought. WEST Loveless kidnapped two chemists, that means there s gonna be explosives. He s got a metallurgist, so there s gonna be heavy armor. And he s got Rita s father, who according to you is the world s foremost specialist in hydraulics. Which means, whatever it is. it s gonna move. West sits up. WEST So what, is he building that s gonna make the President fall to his knees and surrender the country GORDON A bedside heater. WEST What GORDON Rita. She needs a bedside heater. I mean, it gets cold in there, you know, with the stained glass window right over the ANGLE COLEMAN opens and Rita emerges from the state room. INSERT RITA S BUTT HERE Rita leaves. GORDON Such a pleasant girl. A real breath of fresh ass. WILD WILD WEST Rev. WEST You said ass. GORDON Did I No. OMITTED WANDERER PARLOR CAR DAY Gordon and West re as Coleman s voice booms out of the pipe. COLEMAN over pipe We have Loveless, gentlemen Seven hundred yards and closing As they scramble for boots, weapons, Rita comes out of her room. RITA What s going on Gordon ushers her to the back. GORDON Stay back here, take cover Meanwhile, West pulls on his boot. When he stands on it, a threeinch STILETTO SNAPS out of the toe. WEST What the hell is this GORDON I took the liberty of installing it while you were sleeping. West looks at him incredulously. WEST Leave my stuff alone MOUNTAIN TUNNEL TRACKS TRAIN CHASE DAY Loveless s TANK/TRAIN CHUGS into a mountain tunnel. The Wanderer is just behind it. and goes into the tunnel seconds later. OTHER SIDE OF TUNNEL TRACKS TRAIN CHASE DAY The Wanderer BLASTS out of the tunnel. In the f.g. we might notice a metal post that extends up OUT OF FRAME. WANDERER ENGINE DAY Coleman squints ahead. He sees the tracks up ahead are empty. No Loveless. COLEMAN Am I missin  somethin  here. TRACKS LOVELESS S TRAIN TRAIN CHASE DAY Up on metal stilts. It lets the Wanderer pass underneath it. Then it lowers itself back down onto the tracks. The legs fold to the side, and the tank/train pursues its pursuers. LOVELESS S TRAIN DAY Loveless turns to his three distaff warriors. LOVELESS Amazonia, shall we disabuse our friends of the notion that one s problems are solved when we see the light at the end of the tunnel As Munitia swivels the cannon barrel. OMITTED thru thru WANDERER PARLOR CAR DAY West and Gordon are about to head forward when Gordon glances out the back, grabs West. THE WILD WILD WEST Rev. GORDON Jim, we re the ones chasing Loveless, correct as West shoots him a look Then perhaps you could explain what they re doing behind us. As West looks out the back too. KABOOM A SHELL EXPLODES just to the right of them. Now ANOTHER EXPLOSION to the left of them. The Wanderer rocks precariously from wheel to wheel, throwing a screaming Rita back and forth between West and Gordon. WEST They couldn t fire the cannon at us from in front. Any other questions OMITTED WANDERER PARLOR CAR DAY West jumps up on the pool table. WEST Would it put you out too much to throw me a rope and hit your little secret button With a shrug, Gordon tosses West a rope and hits the same hidden button he had during their fight. Whoosh West is gone as the pool table flips over. As Rita covers her mouth in amazement. GORDON I taught him how it worked. UNDER WANDERER DAY West hanging upsidedown. He handoverhands himself back to the escape trolley. He slides his back on top of it then lowers it onto the track. Little wheels fit on the inside of the track. Once coupled, West releases the cable and he shoots backwards OUT OF FRAME. WANDERER PARLOR CAR DAY Gordon opens a panel in the floor and snaps up a winch with a large handle. He starts to crank it, slowly letting out cable. TRACKS TRAIN CHASE FROM BACK OF MOVING WANDERER DAY Out the back door, we see West emerge from under the Wanderer heading for Loveless s tank/train. INSERT Suddenly there s a PING BONG PING POP The TEETH of the GEARS can t take the pressure and they re flying off the WINCH. WANDERER PARLOR CAR DAY Gordon, realizing another invention of his needs some tweaking, snaps out his pen and pad. As he scribbles a note, Rita considers the exotic pen holder. RITA You know you could put a gun on that thing. Gordon looks up at her disapprovingly. not you too Meanwhile, on the tracks. TRACKS TRAIN CHASE WEST ON TROLLEY DAY Off his wire tether, he flies backwards at mph. TRACKS TRAIN CHASE FROM BACK OF MOVING WANDERER DAY It looks like his head s about to be smashed by Loveless s tank/train. WANDERER PARLOR CAR DAY Rita turns away, buries her head in Gordon s shoulder just as. TRACKS TRAIN CHASE DAY West slides under the train He lies flat as the death MACHINE ROARS over him. At the last second, he lassos the rope around the rear axle. It slows him for a beat. then stretches. He s gotten Gordon s trick rope. We see his silent scream Artemus He slides way behind the tank/train, then springs back. past the tank/train. Finally, West slides back underneath and manages to grab hold of their caboose. He swings his legs up, pulls himself around onto the step. THE WILD WILD WEST Rev. LOVELESS S TRAIN ROOF MOVING DAY West makes his way forward to the smokestack. He tries to flip the flue closed, steam scalding his hands. He doesn t see Hudson come at him from behind. He wraps a garrote around West s neck, pulls it tight practically crushing his larynx. LOVELESS S TRAIN ENGINE DAY Munitia is bent over, has her eye to the cannon sight. As she squints through the smoke at the Wanderer up ahead, Loveless, sitting behind her, has his full attention focused on her tuchus. MUNITIA I have them square in my sights, sire. LOVELESS distracted As do I, Munitia. as do I. looks up, wry smile Fire away But it s a little difficult with him stroking her buttocks. BOOM The CANNON FIRES. OMITTED WANDERER PARLOR CAR DAY Gordon and Rita are looking out the back when they see the latest missile headed their way. Gordon pulls Rita down at the last second as a huge steel arrow shoots through the door, past their heads. and into the parlor wall. As metal barbs flick out, locking the tip in, and the steel chain it s attached to draws tight. LOVELESS S TRAIN ROOF MOVING DAY West and Hudson roll around precariously. West claws desperately at the garrote. It looks grim for our hero until he knocks his boot heels together. CLICK. his STILETTO BLADE appears. Summoning his last ounce of strength, he mulekicks. sinking the blade into Hudson s leg. West grabs him and shoves him head first into the smokestack. The big Indian plugs it up like a cork in a bottle. LOVELESS S TRAIN ENGINE DAY Loveless has only a moment to gloat over his marksmanship before the compartment begins filling with smoke. Choking clouds that send Loveless et al into coughing fits. LOVELESS Close the fire door Just in time, Amazonia swings it shut as the unvented BOILER EXPLODES, sending a FIREBALL ripping through the back of the train, destroying it. Up ahead. WANDERER PARLOR CAR DAY Gordon and Rita are thrown across the car, along with everything else inside, as Loveless s train s sudden stop. jerks them with it. The SCREECH of STEEL WHEELS SCRAPING on IRON RAILS is sickening. They clutch onto one another. as the Wanderer skids to a stop. As they pick themselves up, Gordon looks to Rita who s shaken up and scared. Now FOOTSTEPS coming up the stairs. RITA I won t let Loveless take me again I d rather be dead GORDON recalling West s words That s not a good one to wish for. To defend herself, Rita grabs one of the sleepinggas pool balls rolling around on the ground. Gordon leads her into the stateroom to lock her in, but she grabs his hand. RITA Please, Artemus, don t leave me alone Rita closes the door behind him and locks it. WANDERER PARLOR CAR STATEROOM DAY Gordon and Rita on the bed. FOOTSTEPS APPROACH. Gordon gestures to be still. The door handle jiggles. Rita gets ready to arm the POOL BALL. WEST hoarsely, not sounding like him It s me, Jim. Open up RITA It s a trick, I know Loveless. CLICK, she pushes the number. Gordon makes a grab for it. GORDON Rita, no It s just. CLUNK. she drops it to the floor. ANGLE WEST standing in the doorway. He rubs a raw welt on his neck from the garrote, smirks when he sees Gordon on the bed with Rita. But his smirk drops when he sees the pool ball roll between his feet spewing a purple cloud of sleeping gas. West gives Gordon a Wile E. Coyote look, croaks. WEST Too damn late, is what it is. CORNFIELD DAY A sea of corn tassels waving in the wind. Loveless s destroyed train is in the b.g. The TILTS DOWN to find. ANGLE ON WEST AND GORDON lying on the ground with their BACKS TO us. They stir. West props himself up, looks over at Gordon, who has just regained consciousness. WEST mimicking him An innocent billiard ball this way, but depress the number and on impact. a sleepinggas bomb. West shakes his head disparagingly and stands. He feels the metal band around his neck and surveys the inch wire fence which has been laid around them in a circle. West is about to step over it. Gordon grabs his leg. GORDON Don t move WANDERER BACK PLATFORM DAY Loveless is sitting in his wheelchair, fifty yards from West and Gordon. On Loveless s elbow sits Miss Lippenreider. She looks through binoculars and lip reads West and Gordon. LOVELESS Continue, Miss Lippenreider. MISS LIPPENREIDER doing both voices in a monotone West. Let go of my leg Gordon. Listen to me. Loveless collared us with the same metal device we found on Morton. Loveless turns to Munitia, who is loading two inch diameter metal discs into what looks like a CD changer/claypigeonthrower. LOVELESS Oh, Munitia. I hope we re not going to leave evidence behind like we did last time. MUNITIA Nitro this time, sire. As she arms the device, and a red light comes on. LOVELESS through megaphone Good morning, gentlemen I trust you slept well. CORNFIELD PERIMETER DAY West and Gordon squint through the corn, see Loveless on their train. GORDON What have you done with Rita LOVELESS Rita, is it How familiar Rita is sleeping off the aftereffects in the stateroom. looks toward bedroom Quite lovely, isn t she Who knows. I might even become  familiar  with her myself. Gordon takes a step. West stops him. WEST And that would become one more reason why I m going to kill you. LOVELESS Yes, Mr. West, I m sure a well endowed blackamoor like yourself must find it absolutely impossible. that a freak like me could fully enjoy the pleasure of a woman. But having witnessed my use of mechinology so far. wouldn t you think I could provide myself with something for the lower half of my body that was hardpumping and indefatigably steely Loveless looks LOVELESS And speaking of  hard pumping.  Mr. Coleman, full steam ahead WANDERER ENGINE ROOM COLEMAN DAY In the engine room. Amazonia has a gun to his head. WANDERER STARTING TO MOVE DAY Loveless takes his last shot at them from the back. LOVELESS What a marvelous train You don t mind if I borrow it, do you, gentlemen MORE LOVELESS CONT D Other than a lack of wheelchair access, I find it a most comfortable way to pass the long miles from here to my laboratory in Spider Canyon. louder, as they move off I ll be seeing President Grant soon at Promontory Po What shall I tell him for you I m afraid it can t be that you re alive and well. And as his maniacal giggle hangs in the air. CORNFIELD PERIMETER GORDON AND WEST DAY frustrated, as the train pulls away from them. West tugs at the metal collar around his neck. WEST Gordon, get out your little tool kit and get this damn thing off of me Gordon unbuttons his shirt to reveal his leather tool kit. empty except for a note. Gordon opens it and reads. GORDON  Gentlemen, welcome to the Loveless Experimental Camp for Political Dissidents. There are no guards. No barbed wire. As long as you stay within the designated perimeter, you will stay alive.  CORNFIELD WANDERER MOVING BACK PLATFORM DAY Miss Lippenreider is still eavesdropping for Loveless, through binos. MISS LIPPENREIDER West. How do you know it s not just bullshit Gordon. Step over the fence and find Rita and I will put flowers on your grave every year. CORNFIELD PERIMETER WEST DAY stands next to the little fence, watching Loveless escape. WEST I don t have time for this. GORDON Wait, I have an auxiliary tool kit Gordon peels back the top of his boot revealing it. But it s too late. West has jumped over the fence. Then he hops back inside it. He holds his hands out to Gordon. WEST See Nothing happened. West grabs Gordon by the back of his vest and yanks him over the fence. Now they hear a slight BUZZING in the air and it s not a bee. NEW ANGLE DISC comes whipping over the corn straight for West s head. In a split second, he ducks and the disc cuts the tops of the corn off and banks around for a new attack. GORDON Oh, really. Now both of them step over the fenced perimeter and start running like hell through the cornfield. WEST Is it too late to take it off of me now CORNFIELD DISC LAUNCHER DAY The second disc machine light turns green and the second disc is launched. CORNFIELD WANDERER BACK PLATFORM MOVING DAY Loveless is laughing his head off. Certain of Gordon s and West s impending death, he rolls his wheelchair inside. THE WILD WILD WEST Rev. A WANDERER RITA A is awakening from the effects of the billiard ball gas and tries to control her sense of dread and loathing. She smiles nervously at Loveless, who s being fawnedover by his women. MUNITIA Caviar. LIPPENREIDER Blini. LOVELESS opening champagne bottle Rita, my dear, not that I m ungrateful to Providence for bringing you back to me. Rita jumps as the champagne CORK POPS. LOVELESS I m just a wee bit curious as to how you managed to wind up with them. RITA scrambling Well, they uh. seemed so. sure that they could find you. and I thought if I stayed with them. they d lead me back to. all my friends. Munitia shoots a look at Lippenreider. RITA And not to give you a big head but. wrinkles her nose to Loveless I kinda missed you. LOVELESS not buying it Isn t that a coincidence I miss me, too. CORNFIELD WEST AND GORDON DAY come running TOWARD us. Behind and above are two discs about to make a dive at them. The discs, like giant razors, are mowing off the tops of the corn stalks, heading straight for their heads West and Gordon dive to the ground. the discs just missing them. West stands to run again. We see the back of his head s been buzzed. CORNFIELD AERIAL SHOT WEST AND GORDON DAY running a zigzag pattern toward the end of the cornfield. West sees a gully fifty yards ahead of them. GORDON Head for that gully West zigs out of the cornfield one way. Gordon zags out the other. They re both beatup and exhausted from running and flopping on the ground. RIVER CANYON NEAR CORNFIELD GORDON DAY breathlessly reaches the edge. And looks down. RIVER CANYON GORDON S DAY It s no gully. It s a canyon that drops feet down to a ribbon of brown water. And that s not the worst of it. RIVER CANYON NEAR CORNFIELD DAY West is on the other side of the precipice. They re separated by about feet of air. They both see the discs closing in. Think fast. WEST When I give the signal. Jump off the cliff into my arms. GORDON Are you crazy Do you see what s down there WEST watching the discs approach Five, four, three, two. West holds out his arms. WILD WILD WEST Rev. GORDON Forget it. I m not doing it. WEST One. West takes a leap of faith. and finally, so does Gordon. GORDON Oh shit CLOSE PARTNERS meeting midair. They drop OUT OF FRAME, just as. the two discs collide with a MIGHTY EXPLOSION that is heard by. WANDERER PARLOR CAR DAY Loveless raises his glass to Rita, makes a little kissing gesture. She looks like she d like to kill herself. OMITTED RIVER CANYON NEAR CORNFIELD WEST AND GORDON DAY are still in midair, both looking down. GORDON I just remembered. I can t swim WEST You won t have to They drop OUT OF FRAME and we hear a LOUD THUK THUK. BOTTOM OF RIVER CANYON WEST AND GORDON DAY stuck up to their necks in red riverbed mud. As they slowly begin to extricate themselves. WEST Maybe I should have stayed inside that fence another moment or two. WILD WILD WEST Rev. A. A STREAM DUSK A West and Gordon, caked in mud, are coming up a ridge, below which is a stream. WEST All right, Gordon, what s your plan How are you gonna get this damn thing off my neck Gordon turns to West, simmering, controlling himself. GORDON Excuse me WEST Isn t that why you re here  Cause you re the master of, you know, mechanical stuff GORDON smiles Oh. Oh, I see. Now I m the master of.  mechanical stuff.  As opposed to five minutes ago, when I was trying to collect my thoughts and figure out a way to get us out of these contraptions But no Gordon starts moving towards West, who is forced to back up looking a tad nervous for the first time in the movie. GORDON That wouldn t have been any fun for a certain somebody, and I won t mention any names Jim West who decided to take me on a bracing romp through a cornfield and play a fanciful game of hide and seek with serrated, spinning death discs, while our only mode of transportation is in the hands of a sadistic madman with weapons of mass destruction, who kidnapped Rita, and is on his way to kill our President and take over the country WEST Hey, calm down, Gordon. WILD WILD WEST Rev. B. A A GORDON he s completely lost it No Because I m the  Master of Mechanical Stuff  And I have to help YOU Because you re the  Master of Stupid Stuff  WEST Gordon. GORDON You want to get that collar off Fine Let s do it the fun, Jim West way picks up a rock Let s bash it with a rock WEST Gordon, you don t want to do that. GORDON crazy Oh, but I do. Gordon grabs a rock and smashes West s collar. Suddenly ZIIIINNG West s collar emits a LOW HUM. Suddenly, West is thrown into Gordon, their collars locking. CLANG GORDON suddenly calm That s odd. What did you do WEST I didn t do shit GORDON No, you must ve reversed the polarity of the magnets. WEST I did not do shit he s had enough That s it West lifts his leg to Gordon s collar to push him away, but then CLANG The stiletto in his shoe dislodges and instantly sticks to Gordon s magnetic collar. WILD WILD WEST Rev. C. A A For a megamillisecond, West his foot stuck to his partner s neck is stunned. But before he knows what even happened, West flips upside down onto his shoulders. GORDON Are you all right WEST Oh, I m peachey. Now help me get my boot off First, Gordon trying to get some leverage puts his foot in West s crotch and pulls the boot. WEST Ahhhh GORDON Apologies, apologies. Gordon struggles to free the writhing West from the boot attached to Gordon s collar Finally, West s foot comes free. But when he sits up THWAP His collar is sucked into Gordon s belt buckle. West is face to face with his partner s crotch. WEST Do me a favor. When you re telling this story to your grandkids, leave this part GORDON Don t worry. West starts unbuttoning Gordon s belt. WEST Now, when I undo your belt, I m going to run as fast as I can that way, and you run as fast as you can the other way. Understand GORDON You re going to run as fast as you can one way and I m going to run as fast as I can the other. Ingenious. WEST One. two. undos belt Three WILD WILD WEST Rev. D. A A The men run in opposite directions. Gordon s belt on West s collar, West s boot on Gordon s They get about thirty, forty yards. Then They re yanked backwards into each other. SPLASH They fall in the water back to back. Every time one rolls up and catches his breath, the other is under water. WEST rolling face up Get off me, you steaming pile of GURGLE GORDON rolling face up I m trying, you son of a GURGLE WEST rolling face upGURGLE you GORDON rolling face upGURGLE yourself Finally they roll out of the stream and onto dry land. They sit up, out of breath, stuck together, back to back. WEST I do not want to spend the rest of my life looking like a meatball on a plate. GORDON We re going to have to discuss bathroom etiquette soon. Very soon. ANGLE ON TOOL KIT bobbing in the stream. Gordon grabs it out of the water. GORDON Aha. My auxiliary tool kit. I forgot all about it. It must ve slipped out of my pocket. WEST Your pocket Why wasn t it attached to some springloaded somethingorother that shoots out of your ass WILD WILD WEST Rev. E. A A GORDON Because that, my friend, would be uncomfortable. DESERT NIGHT Gordon, lips parched, clothes tattered, peers impatiently over the metal collar as West works on it with some lock picks. West s collar is already off. WILD WILD WEST Rev. WEST Why didn t you tell me you had an  auxiliary  tool kit GORDON I did tell you, but in your zeal to run and leap off a twohundred foot cliff, I don t think you heard me. West eats the grilled Gila monster voraciously. And eats. And enjoys it more. And eats. He notices Gordon watching him. WEST What Gordon looks to the heavens and recites. GORDON  . Take physic, pomp; Expose thyself to feel what wretches feel, That thou mayst shake the superflux to them, And show the heavens more just.  Gordon s quote has gone on. And on. And on. He notices West watching him. GORDON What WEST You know, Gordon, you can be quite annoying flaunting that fancy education. GORDON Well, truth be told, I never had a fancy education not a formal one, anyway. WEST looks at Gordon s ring The Harvard thing seems pretty formal to me. GORDON This ring This ring isn t real. Do you want it MORE WILD WILD WEST Rev. A. GORDON CONT D takes ring off and tosses it into fire A prop. I m an actor. Or was. I gave it up. I went by the name of Arthur Gordon. Ever hear of me WEST No. How did you wind up in this line of work GORDON The pinnacle of my life in the theater came in a production of Our American Cousin a light comedy at Ford s Theater in Washington. There was this one line I had. always got the biggest laugh in the show. One night, it drowned out the gunshot that killed President Lincoln. beat I decided to devote my talents to making sure that never happened again. CLOSE TARANTULA walks slowly across West s outstretched hand. GORDON Uh. There s a spider on your hand. Doesn t that bother you WEST She doesn t want any trouble. She s just trying to get warm. He puts the spider down into the sand. GORDON How come you know so much about the desert, anyway WEST The Indians taught me. I lived out here when I was a boy. Gordon starts to ask West something but West doesn t want him to pry further. WILD WILD WEST Rev. / WEST Hey watch He points toward a small black wasp flying from above. WEST The desert wasp. one of the world s great hunters. She ll kill the tarantula and lay her eggs on it, so her babies can have something to eat. GORDON Now I m really hungry. beat How did your parents, who I assume were Negroes, feel about you being raised by Indians WEST They didn t have much to say about it. I was sent to another plantation when I was little. Ran away as soon as my legs were strong enough to take me. West can see the effect his story has had on Gordon. GORDON Did you ever see your family again THE WILD WILD WEST Rev. WEST Yeah. stands, kicks out fire They were at the camp at New Liberty. Now they both stare into the fire. Finally Gordon speaks. GORDON I ll help you get him, Jim. UTAH DESERT MORNING West and Gordon trudge through an endless sand dune, side by side, chests out, jaws set. They re partners, goddammit GORDON You have no idea where you re going, do you WEST I know exactly where I m goin  Spider Canyon. Gordon stops to catch his breath. WEST stops, looks back But I m never gonna get there with you draggin  that damn thing around Now we see Gordon s got the heavy metal collar in his hand. West grabs him and they start to walk away Gordon listing noticeably. GORDON While a magneto of this power may not inspire your scientific curiosity, it does mine. Besides, you never know when it might come in handy. Gordon suddenly disappears OUT OF FRAME. West stops to see what s happened to his partner now. THE WILD WILD WEST Rev. ANGLE GORDON He s on his back, arm holding the metal doughnut straight out over his head, being dragged across the desert floor by some unseen force. Gordon snowplows backwards through the sand for feet, finally coming to an abrupt stop with a metallic klang West deadpans this bit of insanity, walks over, and with the toe of his boot, uncovers the explanation iron railroad tracks covered by drifting sand. WEST Arte. when you re right, you re right. GORDON Well I think our partnership is taking a big step forward. You finally admitted I was right about something. West helps him up. Then, as or two heroes follow the tracks into the distance. towards Spider Canyon. GORDON Now. how about admitting you were lost WEST Don t push it. SPIDER CANYON RIM DAY LATER West and Gordon trudge past the Wanderer. It s parked at the end of the line, looks deserted. GORDON Jim, I know I ve hallucinated it several times before, so is that really the Wanderer WEST That s the Wanderer. Gordon seems relieved to know his beloved train is not another mirage. They continue on to the rim of the canyon, peer over the edge. Reacting to what they see. GORDON And would it be too much to hope that I m simply seeing a World s Fair down there. THE WILD WILD WEST Rev. WEST Yeah, it would. That s Loveless  Lair. SPIDER CANYON FROM RIM DAY A natural bowl that appears to have been made by a meteor, is gouged out of the desert floor. In the bowl are several spectacular Victorianstyle buildings made almost entirely of glass, plus a huge silo. Antsized figures are moving around. OMITTED SPIDER CANYON DAY Now they hear a strange sound. To modern ears, a WHINE as from a jet engine. Loveless appears in the f.g. He s rising on a steel platform as if on some unseen elevator. Up, up, up he goes. as now more of the contraption comes INTO VIEW. Alloy girders, multilevels, control boards. all open in an Eiffel Towerlike effect. West and Gordon scramble for cover behind a rock as a giant metal Tarantula steps over the rim in full terrifying glory. Eight legs, five stories high. The thorax of the giant spider bristles with Gatling guns and all manner of weaponry. As the shadow of the monster passes over their faces. GORDON Now that s impressive. WEST Nice to see an invention that actually works. TARANTULA BRIDGE DAY Loveless is sitting in a captain s seat feet in the air. He s surrounded by his adoring crew Amazonia, Munitia and Lippenreider. He spreads his arms wide, world at his feet. SPIDER CANYON RIM ANGLE GORDON AND WEST DAY They watch the Tarantula head toward a narrow opening between two redrock outcroppings. GORDON dismissive We ll see about that. The fool doesn t even realize he s trapped. MESAS NEAR SPIDER CANYON RIM DAY Suddenly. a VOLLEY OF CANNON FIRE EXPLODES the impediment to dust. The Tarantula marches on. OMITTED & & WANDERER PARLOR CAR STOPPED DAY West is dressing for battle. He straps his six guns on his hips, flips the pool table over, grabs a coach gun, tucks that behind his chaps. He belts on his shotgun shell bandolero. An extra six gun gets tucked in the belt. Another in his boot. Pocketfuls of shells. The man s ready for war. WEST Gordon, let s ride pause You do know how to ride. He sticks his head through the door to. WANDERER LAB CAR STOPPED DAY Gordon s Nitrocycle is Gordon fusses with it and some canvas. WEST A horse, I mean. GORDON distracted Yes. I know how to ride a horse. When the situation calls for something primitive. WEST How about now There s a big spider stompin  towards our President But Gordon won t be hurried. He has a big book out, studies it, then looks back to his Nitrocycle. GORDON I was just thinking about another spider. Remember in the desert, when that little wasp killed the tarantula. West rolls his eyes impatiently. WEST Yeah. Well, the wasp had a small advantage. It could fly. GORDON Exactly Gordon excitedly shows the book to West. Pictured is an archaic sepia diagram of a weird aircraft. West looks at it in disbelief as Gordon prattles on manically. GORDON In, Leonardo Da Vinci invented a flying machine called the  Ornithopter.  Though he never actually flew it. West s heard enough. He grabs Gordon, shakes him. WEST Artemus There s no time for plans or halfcocked inventions They don t work. We gotta stick to what we re each good at As West drags Gordon to the wardrobe. DESERT UTAH DAY Two riders galloping TOWARD As they THUNDER PAST, we see West is in the lead, jaw set. And right behind him comes. President Grant. It s Artemus in disguise, of course. And he actually can ride a horse. THE WILD WILD WEST Rev. PROMONTORY POINT CLOSE ON GOLDEN SPIKE DAY being held in the stubby fingers of Ulysses S. Grant. He s reading an inscription on it. PRESIDENT GRANT May God continue the unity of our country. PULLS BACK to reveal a crowd present to watch President Grant knock in the famous spike. Behind him, two train engines are facing each other. The detectives scan the crowd for possible trouble. PRESIDENT GRANT as this railroad unites the two great oceans of this world. Now he swings back the sledgehammer. but at the top of his swing. CLOSE SPIKE starts to shake, wiggle, and actually pop out of its hole. Very curious. As it begins to hop on the ground, bounced by a RESOUNDING THUMPING. ANGLE ON GRANT AND CROWD look across the desert to see. PROMONTORY POINT LONG SHOT DAY The Tarantula in full view. People start screaming in terror as it appears over a ridge, huge even at this distance. The metal beast closes the yard distance in seconds. The citizens flee. The detectives are not far behind them. The soldiers take cover and ready their weapons. Grant stands his ground. even as a huge FOOT CLOMPS down in front of him, VIBRATING the TARANTULA BRIDGE DAY Loveless talks into a microphone which BOOMS his voice out through AMPLIFIED SPEAKERS. LOVELESS Well, isn t this a coincidence I m out for a little mornin  ride, and right in the middle of nowhere, I bump into General Ulysses S. Grant himself leans over edge, mocking salute We ve never been properly introduced. I m Dr. Arliss Loveless, formerly with the Confederate Army. PROMONTORY POINT DAY INTERCUT WITH TARANTULA BRIDGE Cool and collected, Grant lights a cigar. PRESIDENT GRANT Yes, Dr. Loveless, what can I do for you today to his military aides Flank him, left and right. LOVELESS I have a humble abode nearby, and I hope you ll accept my hospitality. I have a little proposition to make. PRESIDENT GRANT What proposition is that LOVELESS The unconditional and immediate surrender of the United States of America to the Loveless Alliance. PRESIDENT GRANT I didn t realize we were at war. Loveless gives the nod to Munitia. PROMONTORY POINT DAY KABOOM The CANNON blows the President s train to smithereens. TARANTULA BRIDGE DAY Loveless giggles. LOVELESS How about now. PROMONTORY POINT BEHIND OBLITERATED TRAIN DAY The crowd who d taken refuge behind it runs away in panic. All but one of them. A second President Grant Artemus Gordon He calmly lights a cigar on the flaming train, strides up to the other Grant, and shouts up at Loveless. GORDON/GRANT In matters of war, the person to talk to would be me. If there s anyone more surprised than the President himself it s. TARANTULA BRIDGE DAY INTERCUT WITH PROMONTORY POINT Loveless, squinting down at the two Grants. This new wrinkle has also attracted the attention of the Lovelettes and everyone else aboard. LOVELESS Now just who are you GORDON/GRANT The President. turns to President, snorts He s just an actor hired to stand in for me on public occasions. A very bad actor, I must say. a little puffy and overweight. As the President eyes him, puffs on his cigar, Gordon/Grant apes his every move, bigger, mockingly. PRESIDENT GRANT aside Gordon, you ve got a lot of brass. Where s West GORDON You know him, sir. Gordon/Grant shifts his eyes toward. OMITTED PROMONTORY POINT REAR OF TARANTULA DAY West running undetected to the rear leg. As the lone cowboy starts to climb up toward the belly of the beast. PROMONTORY POINT TWO GRANTS DAY Gordon/Grant turns to an Army officer, standing behind. GORDON/GRANT loudly Captain, get this man out of my sight And next time get me a real actor As the bewildered captain starts to lead the President away. TARANTULA BRIDGE DAY Loveless has had enough. LOVELESS Take them both Munitia, manning a sort of cannon, takes a bead on the two Grants. She pulls the trigger. PROMONTORY POINT TWO GRANTS DAY and a sticky white silk shoots out covering both Grants with spider web material. PRESIDENT GRANT Well, Gordon. was this part of your plan GORDON I m by your side, sir. That s what s important. Now Munitia hits a lever and they re hoisted up off the ground. They only get a couple of feet when. BLAM West shoots the mechanism and it jerks to a stop. All eyes turn to the source of the sharpshooting. PROMONTORY POINT TARANTULA LEG DAY West has almost reached the lowest deck. Now all the firepower of the Tarantula is trained on him. TARANTULA VARIOUS SHOTS DAY Amazonia s on the Gatling gun. Munitia and several other goons on lower decks OPEN UP on West, too. PROMONTORY POINT TARANTULA LEG DAY West takes cover behind the steel girders, SIXGUNS BLAZING. All his GUNS BLAZING. PROMONTORY POINT DAY But West s bullets, as well as the Union soldiers  covering FIRE, PING harmlessly against the Tarantula s ALLOY SKIN. A ANGLE ON BRIDGE LOVELESS A grows impatient with the gun battle. He pulls a lever. OMITTED & & ANGLE WEST Down below, nozzles on the Tarantula s legs suddenly ERUPT in clouds of skinscalding STEAM. West screams in pain and falls. feet. PROMONTORY POINT DAY to the ground, his head hitting a rock. As the two Grants witness it THROUGH the sticky spider ball. DISSOLVE TO LOVELESS S LAIR AMPHITHEATER DUSK Loveless, wearing a black tunic festooned with medals and a Prussianstyle helmet with a horse hair plume, raises his arms Nixonlike as a band plays a flourish. LOVELESS Bonjour, buenas tardes and good day Great glorious day A day of healing for the wrongs that have been done to us all Framed by a large flag featuring the spider emblem, he looks out from center stage of a Greek theater at the crowd of foreign dignitaries seated around him. LOVELESS Oh, how long have we waited ANGLE AMAZONIA, MUNITIA AND LIPPENREIDER dressed in tight Fascistbrown tankwear, rise from their seats and applaud. The only people not applauding are a row of haggard, bearded scientists and the manacled prisoners Gordon sans disguise, Rita, Grant and Coleman. LOVELESS looks to Englishman, wasn t it, old bean Most expensive cup o  tea in history. As the Englishman dignitary nods soberly. PROMONTORY POINT DUSK West s body hasn t moved. The only change is that now a line of ants crawls across his face. We watch, hoping for a twitch, something. But there is none. The ants march over lifeless eyes, swarm onto the bloody cut on his head. If we re not convinced he s dead. ANGLE VULTURE circles lower, finally landing right by West s head. As the hideous carrioneater leans over West s face. EXTREME CLOSEUP WEST S EYES A shadow falls across them. But instead of the pecking red beak, a human hand appears IN the FRAME. Brushes the ants away. We hear an INDIAN INCANTATION over. Then finally. West s eyelids flutter open. WEST S NAVAJO SHAMAN standing over him. BLURRY, backlit by the sun, the face of West s Indian friend. The healer who can turn himself into a bird. As West sits up groggily, feels his head. Hey, it s okay. As he makes a mental note to always be kind to animals. LOVELESS S LAIR AMPHITHEATER DUSK SAME TIME Loveless continues his speech to the foreign contingent. LOVELESS looks to Hudson the indian Manhattan for a handful of beads raises his hand; injunstyle How to the Mexicans Remember the Alamo indeed humbly to crowd Today I m proud to be able to sit before you and tell you the wrongs will be righted. the past made present. the United, divided To thunderous applause. Loveless signals for the flag to be pulled down, revealing. ANGLE ON MAP OF THE DEUNITED STATES There have been some significant internal changes which Loveless now describes. The delegation from each country stands when they hear their name. LOVELESS Great Britain gets back the thirteen original colonies. minus Manhattan. off applause Florida and the Fountain of Youth go back to Spain off applause Texas, New Mexico, California, Arizona revolve a Mexico off applause And the Louisiana Purchase reverts back to the King of France In the front row Rita leans over to Gordon. RITA Queen of Spain. King of France. I was close. MUNITIA jostles her Shut up and listen to a real genius Finally Loveless taps Colorado, Kansas, Utah and Nevada now labelled as Loveless Land. Smiles impishly. LOVELESS And a tiny piece for me to retire on. There s appreciative laughter. WANDERER PARLOR CAR WEST SAME TIME stumbles in and looks around discouraged. The place has been ransacked. The gun cabinets are empty, the Gatling lamp removed. All that s left is Gordon s Nitrocycle and his wardrobe full of dresses. West tries every secret hiding place. Nothing. Finally he finds Gordon s belt buckle/derringer. He opens the breech. Only one dinky bullet. He throws down the belt in disgust. LOVELESS S LAIR AMPHITHEATER LOVELESS DUSK sits behind a desk that has been brought to center stage. Loveless unrolls a document, signs his half of it. LOVELESS My partner nations insist that we make this as legal as possible. Personally, I like the symmetry of it. After all wasn t it you who made us sign a surrender at Appomattox Loveless snaps his fingers. Amazonia drags Grant out of his seat and sticks a pen in his manacled hands. PRESIDENT GRANT Never will I sign that paper, never will the United States ever surrender LOVELESS Well, sir, we re at loggerheads then, aren t we And I suppose the threat of death to someone with your valorous war record, would mean nothing. Grant sets his jaw intractably. He s right about that. LOVELESS so, if you still refuse to sign this surrender. we ll start by shooting your man, Gordon. Loveless whirls, nods to Amazonia who drags the President back to his seat, pulls Gordon out of his. Rita can t help her outburst. RITA Artemus Artemus smiles at her, extremely brave under the circumstances. He whispers to Rita and the President. GORDON tugs at his vest Don t worry, I m wearing the Impermeable. Rita turns to Grant. What the hell is that Gordon has no time to explain as Amazonia hauls him up on the stage. As Munitia aims her rifle. Gordon holds up a finger. GORDON If I may have one request. it s that she aim at my heart. which has loved this great country so much LOVELESS considers for a moment Shoot him in the head. GORDON Great. Munitia cocks her rifle, then just as Loveless holds his hands up for the signal to fire. the lights dim. LOVELESS S LAIR AMPHITHEATER DUSK A candlepowered spotlight swings across the stage and illuminates. a deepthroated, bluesy black CHANTEUSE who starts singing the popular cathouse song, Hangtown Gals. CHANTEUSE singing  Ohhh. Hangtown gals are plump and rosy.  Loveless wheels his chair around to take a gander and forgets Gordon s execution instantly. And why not She s young and beautiful in a RuPaul sort of way. About six feet tall, wearing the blue sequined number Gordon had in his dressing room. Accessorized with black mesh stockings, big feather boa, silverbuckled belt, lots of frilly petticoats for those cancan moves. CHANTEUSE singing  Hair in ringlets, mighty cozy.  She winds her finger around her ringlets and sticks out her derriere to the crowd. They stare, mouths agape at this piece of ass worthy of Othello. CLOSE LOVELESS Intrigued. Well, maybe more than intrigued. LOVELESS A new girl What a nice surprise He motions to hold up Gordon s execution, rolls to her. CHANTEUSE  Painted cheeks and frilly corsets.  bends over showing her undergarment Touch them.  Loveless hears this as an invitation, reaches out with his hand and whap She slaps him right in the face. CHANTEUSE  . And they ll sting like hornets  There s a hush in the crowd. Loveless, a red handprint on his face, is a little nonplussed. Amazonia moves in threateningly, but Loveless stops her, starts to laugh. LOVELESS making her name up on the spot Ebonia Why are you so cruel to me Ebonia has escaped a headcutting neck bracelet. But she probably shouldn t be teasing a man who s having ghost aches in certain amputated places. ANGLE GORDON waiting to be executed. Something s not quite kosher about her for Gordon. GORDON musing to himself I have a dress like that. ANGLE CHANTEUSE Now with the crowd singing along, she pulls out all the stops. Her gestures and dance moves become more exaggerated, she s in the thrall of her audience. CHANTEUSE singing  Hangtown gals are lovely creatures Think they ll marry Mormon preachers.  She sashays over to the French dignitary, pulls his monocle out of his eye and blows hot breath on it, steaming it up. As she pops it back on his face. CHANTEUSE singing  Heads thrown back to show their features.  Now she puts her cheek next to Rita as if matching their relative beauty while picking the pocket of Lippenreider. Rita pushes her away disgustedly but not before Ebonia hands Coleman the keys to the cuffs. Coleman looks from the keys to Ebonia. He just caught on. COLEMAN Go, Ebonia, go. Then Ebonia prances on stage to Gordon, cuddles up to him. Gordon looks at the big beautiful black woman with a mixture of amusement and relief. Of course, it s his I d rather be dead partner, Jim West. WEST singing Ha. Ha. Hangtown girls. GORDON Not to sound ungrateful, but you re a little over the top. WEST sings Ha. Ha. Ha. West/Ebonia wraps the feather boa around Gordon s neck hiding the derringer in the palm of his hand. Gordon looks worried. What s he going to do with a gun As he tucks it up his sleeve. GORDON Let me warn you about that dress. WEST Gotta go. Big finish. belts it out  Ha, ha, ha Hangtown gals  An immediate standing ovation. The diversion allows Coleman to unlock both Grant s and Rita s shackles. Grant looks at the keys. PRESIDENT GRANT Where d those come from. COLEMAN nods to Ebonia Captain West. Their eyes practically pop out of their heads. RITA She s. no. ANGLE EBONIA/WEST One more time. THE WILD WILD WEST Rev. WEST singing  Ha, ha, ha. Hang. Town. Girls  Suddenly the tassels on his bosoms are spinning to the delight of the crowd. WEST suddenly blinks Wait a minute. What the hell is this He stops, but his tassels are still spinning on their own. LOVELESS S LAIR AMPHITHEATER DUSK Immediately two FLAME THROWERS EXPLODE from his conelike bosoms. Maybe he should ve listened about the dress. He turns to Gordon questioningly, and inadvertently incinerates one of Loveless s goons. He howls in pain, runs panicked. right into Rita. RITA Serves you right for staring at them. As she relieves the charred goon of his keys. Loveless turns to the rest of his goons. LOVELESS Kill him off their confused looks, points Him Him The girl Finally getting it, they rush Ebonia. Even his th of July breasts aren t a match for them. Desperate, West reaches way down in his undergarments to retrieve one of Gordon s billiard balls. He depresses the number and rolls it at the guards. GORDON Was that the eight ball WEST Mmmhmm. Gordon grabs West and Rita, pulls them behind the bar. THE WILD WILD WEST Rev. GORDON That one s an incendiary bomb. KABOOOOM An EXPLOSION rips the place and a Santa Ana sized fire starts immediately. Rita jumps up and makes her way through the smoke to a bearded SCIENTIST. WEST/GORDON Rita She unlocks his neck collar, turns to them and smiles. RITA disappearing into the chaos Meet me after the show Both West and Gordon look after her with yearning as three goons charge them. Coleman, amazed at their torpor, quickly grabs a RIFLE from the incinerated goon and OPENS FIRE. BLAM BLAM BLAM Three goons drop. Gordon and West exchange looks. Not bad for an emphysemic old engineer. COLEMAN Special Marshal. President thought you needed some lookin  after. Speaking of the President. he s grabbed a dead goon s RIFLE, and is LAYING DOWN a pretty good field of FIRE himself. Suddenly, he gets a tap on the shoulder from behind. It s Amazonia. Whap, she sends a right to his chin knocking him She throws him over her shoulder and carries him away. LOVELESS S LAIR AMPHITHEATER BEHIND STAGE DUSK As fire engulfs the place, Loveless has no choice but to retreat. for now. Surrounded by a cadre of his women, who carry the unconscious President Grant, Loveless heads through a round STEEL VAULT DOOR. As Amazonia swings the door closed, the foreign dignitaries BANG on the door begging for admittance. FRENCH MINISTER Monsieur, we are your partners You can t let us die in this fire LOVELESS It s not the first time y all have been burned in America. He chuckles, nods to Amazonia, who SLAMS the DOOR closed. LOVELESS S LAIR AMPHITHEATER WEST, GORDON AND COLEMAN DUSK emerge from the smoking lair, coughing and gasping for breath. They watch helplessly as. AMPHITHEATER TARANTULA DUSK CLAMBERS out of the bowl with Grant captive on the bridge. A AMPHITHEATER DUSK A COLEMAN This is diabolical They ve got the President and I ve still got that silly song in my head GORDON freaking out C mon we gotta go We gotta ride horse Something West is watching the Tarantula, turns to calm him. WEST No, Arte. Right now, we need a plan. Gordon tries to compose himself. WEST That flyin  machine idea of yours. were you just acting like you knew what you were talking ab.. or could you build it OMITTED & & NEAR SPIDER CANYON WANDERER STOPPED DUSK PANNING an expanse of canvas comprising a foot wing span. In the b.g., we hear Gordon SCRIBBLING. GORDON Now Bernoulli s Principle states that the air flowing over a bird s wings. is moving at a lower pressure than the pressure below the wing. that s called  lift.  Course, it s just a theory. it s never been tested. NEW ANGLE GORDON S DRAWING It depicts a wing cutting through the air. Arrows indicating airflow. Circular lines indicating life. Only one problem, it s upside down. Gordon remedies that. Looks sheepishly to West who, like him, is wearing a leather flight jacket and goggles. WEST You re not makin  me feel any better. Now they attach the wing to the frame which is connected to the Nitrocycle. Coleman, his everpresent cigarette dangling from his mouth, readies bombs from the gunpowder of cartridges and Gordon s design. They look like Flash Gordon s spaceship. He passes them COLEMAN Here s a coupla bon voyage presents. GORDON Coleman Must you smoke when handling explosives Gordon grabs them away from him and sits in the saddle of the Nitrocycle. West looks at Coleman apologetically as he stuffs the bombs into his jacket. WEST He s just a little nervous  cause no one s ever flown before. West is barely on the back when Gordon kicks it over and they BLAST OUT OF FRAME. DESERT AND CLIFF NITROCYCLE DUSK builds ground speed. Gordon is nervous at the wheel. West gives him an encouraging pat. WEST Avant. Avant But their speed is not enough to get them airborne. GORDON We re not getting enough lift We need more speed Then in an uncharacteristic move by Gordon, he turns the machine around and heads for the cliff. WEST Hey, uh. that s the cliff over there, you know He guns the accelerator. GORDON Yes, I do know. And with that, the Nitrocycle goes off the cliff It disappears for the count of five. Then suddenly it swoops up and PAST They re flying SKY DESERT WASP IN FLIGHT DUSK GORDON amazed It worked. It worked WEST looking down If you had to get one right, I m real glad it was this one. GORDON exhilarated, with Westlike abandon Yeeehaaa And with that, they bank the Desert Wasp around and fly off to save the Republic. SILVERADO TARANTULA DUSK is entering the town. BRIDGE TARANTULA DUSK Loveless turns to Grant, his face beaten and bruised. LOVELESS Mr. President, I ll ask you once again. Sign the surrender or I decimate this town PRESIDENT GRANT You ve had my answer. Loveless s face darkens as Amazonia hands him a tray of cotton balls. LOVELESS as he puts in earplugs I find the sound of people screaming while they get blown to smithereens, ruins the ear for music. Don t you He offers them to the President. Grant swats them away. LOVELESS Commence firing And with that the Tarantula OPENS FIRE on the town. There s a lot of stomping and smashing, too. SKY DESERT WASP IN FLIGHT DUSK high above the Tarantula. Gordon, lost in the joy of flight, turns to West who is more of a whiteknuckler. GORDON I think I ll call it. WEST Lemme guess. an Elevation Enhancer GORDON why would you call it that No, Air. Gordon. Now West points to the Tarantula and chaos below. WEST Go down, down there GORDON as if to a child You can t just  go down there.  Flight depends on lift, which must be calibrated to the angle of descent. WEST Shut up and go down there, will ya West reaches up, shoves the makeshift joystick forward. As the wasp plummets toward the bridge of the Tarantula and Gordon strains to keep control. TARANTULA BRIDGE DUSK Loveless and Grant are oblivious to our heroes above. He unlocks one of Grant s handcuffs, presents him with a pen. LOVELESS Well, Mr. President. Have you had enough yet Would you like to sign the surrender or shall we set a course for Denver Wichita Washington, perhaps Suddenly there s a LOUD WHOOOSH and. SKY DESERT WASP IN FLIGHT ABOVE SILVERADO DUSK West and Gordon swooping down low. West unfastens BOMBS from his vest, waits for the right moment. As they swing past the Tarantula cannon, he drops them. BOOM BOOM The big gun falls limp. TARANTULA BRIDGE DUSK The dumbfounded Tarantula crew, which has been whittled down to Miss Lippenreider, Amazonia and Munitia. They never counted on having to shoot something in the air, and can t raise their weapons any higher than degrees. SKY DESERT WASP IN FLIGHT ABOVE SILVERADO DUSK West and Gordon banking around for another sortie. TARANTULA BRIDGE DUSK Loveless wheels his chair amid the smoke and chaos, shocked. WARNING HORNS are GOING OFF. PRESIDENT GRANT Well, I ll be damned. it s West and Gordon. flying Grant chuckles at the dauntless pair s pluck. PRESIDENT GRANT Keep that surrender handy. I think you re going to need it LOVELESS Don t be too sure. Loveless thinks for a moment, pushes Grant out of the way, and rolls over to the controls. He pushes a lever and the Tarantula bends down on its knees. He barks to Munitia. LOVELESS I m through with diplomacy. Take him away and kill him DESERT TARANTULA DUSK On its front knees. TARANTULA BRIDGE DUSK Now its rear end is tilted up in the air giving Amazonia at the Gatling gun a shot at. SKY DESERT WASP IN FLIGHT ABOVE SILVERADO DUSK The BULLETS PERFORATE the Desert s Wasp s wings and BLAST through its STRUTS. They re going down WEST What does your boy da Vinci say about puttin  this bird down GORDON I don t think he thought it would ever work, so he didn t get that far. I m open to suggestions. WEST Take out as many bad guys out as you can. Gordon aims wasp at the Tarantula kamikazelike just as. TARANTULA LOWER DECK MUNITIA DUSK Munitia cocks back the hammer of her pistol and aims it at the President. The WASP CRASHES into her. The SHOT GOES OFF wildly and Munitia falls off the deck, to her death. As Grant and the wasp hang over the edge. TARANTULA BRIDGE DUSK Loveless at the controls. LOVELESS Munitia Munitia TARANTULA LOWER DECK DUSK West and Gordon, bruised but alive, climb off the wasp and onto the lower deck. They pick up the President and dust him off. GORDON Sorry about that, sir. Nose up, flaps down. Have to remember that next time. PRESIDENT GRANT Son, never apologize for saving a President s life. As Gordon realizes that he s finally made amends for that night long ago in Ford s Theater. AMAZONIA Soon you all can fly again. This time with little angel wings. West, Gordon and Grant turn to see Amazonia and Lippenreider with the drop on them. WILD WILD WEST Rev. TARANTULA BRIDGE DUSK West, Gordon, and Grant are now under Loveless s control. LOVELESS Gentlemen, I am truly impressed by your effort and ingenuity. Why not swear an oath of loyalty to me. and forego your executions. WEST Why not Well, I guess maybe I d rather see what happens when I stuff your ass into that cannon up there and fertilize the landscape. GORDON Uh, Jim, I think a polite  no  would suffice. Loveless taps a button on his chair and the floor opens up beneath West. He goes crashing down a story. Loveless sics Amazonia on Gordon and Grant and proceeds down the ramp to the level below. LOVELESS Lippenreider, take over the controls. looks down at West We may not have a woodshed on board, but that boy is gonna get a whoopin  anyway BELLY OF THE BEAST DAY West plunges down into the metal chamber. Oiled pistons, thrusting. Steam, billowing. Struggles to his feet. There, out of the shadows, steps. KNIFE GUY He s a mess. no hands, just brass collars where they used to be. They lock eyes. WEST So, I guess you re the one who s gonna give me my whoopin . They square off. A beat. Then, a long steely blade shoots out from where his left hand used to be. WILD WILD WEST Rev. A. WEST Pfft. I got one a  those. West reveals the less impressive four inch stiletto in his boot. Knife Guy responds by producing another blade from his other cuff. WEST But you ve got two of those. beat Okay, lemme talk to Gordon, I ll see if he can. No time for talk. Knife Guy does a badass series of moves. The blades crisscrossing one another at blinding speed. West, unimpressed, retorts with a lame shake of his stiletto and boot. And the fight begins. Knife Guy attacks West narrowly escapes each thrust of the knife, and attempts a kick to the groin. but comes up short The stiletto collides with one of the blades and snaps like a carrot. His only weapon. gone. WEST Damn. West rolls onto the railing to avoid the attack. Sparks fly as the Knife Guy tries to slice and dice West but misses each time, hitting the metal railing instead. West rolls to the floor, sucking air. Knife Guy lands a kick to West s ribs. And to make matters worse. WRENCH GUY just showed up. He swings his wrench at West s head. West ducks but gets kicked in the back. He sails across the room, lands flat on his back. Now. SHOVEL GUY makes an appearance. He hammers his shovel at West s groin, over and over. West is in a crab position and backs up to avoid this. West finally gets a kick in it does a moderate amount of damage. Wrench Guy appears and swings his huge wrench at West s head. West escapes it, barely. Knife Guy thrusts a sidekick at West s chest, but West catches his foot, holds on for dear life. WILD WILD WEST Rev. B. Wrench Guy is inbound, with wrench in hand. He swings on West, but West blocks it with Knife Guy s leg. OUCH West punches both of them. Wrench Guy tumbles OUT OF FRAME. West stands. Looking for a way out, but. no luck. Shovel Guy attacks. West ducks and the shovel connects squarely with Knife Guy s blades. West crouches and throws two simultaneous punches, each connecting with a set of jewels. West stands, follows it up with a right cross and left hook and these two jokers wind up OUT OF FRAME. Now. the Wrench Guy is on his feet and he s pissed He attacks West, lands a solid kick to the chest and West flies backward toward a. HANGING CHAIN which he grabs. He scales the gears, gets a solid grip, then swings, a huge arc across the room, gaining momentum, and kicks Shovel Guy and Wrench Guy at the same time Off their feet they go, slamming onto the metal floor. West lands. Knife Guy attacks. West uses the chain to block the blades which are flying at him, left and right. Sparks fly. West manages to wrap the chain around one of the knives, locks it down, and heaves it into the gears. the blade snaps. WEST No more Mister Knife guy West drops a stiff rightcross on the chin of the Knife Guy. wobbles his legs a bit. But before West can follow up. ANOTHER BLADE SHOOTS OUT to replace the broken one. It stops about a halfaninch from West s nose. A struggle ensues, but West manages to wrap the chain around Knife Guy s neck and string him up. West throws a kick to his back. Knife Guy, hanging by his neck, flies through the belly. the chain is on a track and out of the mouth of the beast, down into the abyss, chain and all. Shovel Guy springs to his feet and swings on West. West grabs the shovel and they struggle for possession. WILD WILD WEST Rev. C. Wrench Guy comes out of nowhere and wants a piece of the action. But West uses the shovel to deflect the swing ing wrench. sparks fly. West gains sole possession of the shovel and mulekicks Shovel Guy OUT OF FRAME. West spins just in time to land a crippling blow to Wrench Guy s back. Shovel Guy grabs the shovel. He and West tugo war again. West ducks under the shovel and moves backtofront with him. West elbows him in the ribs. He responds by putting West in a choke hold. West swings the shovel wildly but hits his target shovel Guy s head West steps back, gets his footing and, for good measure, whacks him in the back. Wrench Guy attacks. West defends himself with the shovel and lands a stiff kick to his stomach. Wrench Guy goes down. West turns, hits Shovel Guy in the chest with the shovel and he goes down. Wrench Guy sneaks up on West from behind and swings at his head. West, on instinct, lifts the shovel and blocks the deadly blow at the last second. West has now found his rhythm. He swings and shovel and connects with. first, the foot, then the chin, and last but not least, the head BOINK West drops the shovel and, World Wrestling Federation style, picks him up and hurls him into the space between the gears. We won t see him anymore West pivots and WHACK. Shovel Guy plants a neat little roundhouse kick squarely on West s jaw. West backs up and catches another in the stomach. Then. Shovel Guy really shows what he s made of. He does a series of jumpkicks, roundhouses and fan kicks into the air. All perfectly timed, all deadly. SHOVEL GUY I learned that from a Chinaman. West, without missing a beat, steps on the shovel, which flips into his hand and WHACK lands a clean one right on the top of Shovel Guy s melon. WEST I just made that up. WILD WILD WEST Rev. D. Shovel Guy reels back and tumbles over the railing, through the hole and he s gone. WEST Don t forget your shovel West casts the shovel out into the abyss. WEST upward Is that all you got for me, Loveless West, exhausted, turns and sees. METAL HEAD all seven feet of him. The top of his head is a metal plate. Extending downward, encircling his eyes. West soaks him in, sighs. WEST Uh, I just threw my shovel So this really isn t fair. If you don t mind, I d like to. West, at lightning speed, throws a suckerpunch/spin ning backfist to Metal Head s jaw. PING That one really hurt. West s hand, that is. Metal Head isn t fazed a bit. West throws another shot, this time to the gut. PING Then a kick to the groin. PING WEST incredulous Noooo. Metal Head has had enough. He effortlessly picks West up by his lapels and flings him across the room. West tumbles, and lands right next to. WRENCH He picks it up and starts swinging A shot to the body PING Then another. PING Then another. PINGGGG Metal Head lurches forward, absorbing each blow with not so much as a twitch of the eye. West furries. PING PING PING PING. nothing He goes for the head. PINNNNNNGGGG. nothing West is out of time. He s been backed up as far as he can go. His heels are dangling over the mouth of the beast, a thousand feet above the rocky cliff. WEST Sorry. WILD WILD WEST Rev. E. Metal head grunts, grimaces and pitches forward, toward West, slowly but menacingly. West braces himself. METAL HEAD Urrrrrrrrrrggggghhh West sidesteps and Metal Head falls face first into the open air. WEST downward You guys just don t get out enough. A TARANTULA BELOW DECK DUSK A West slowly gets up. Loveless is about to roll over him. He jumps up in the air, grabs onto an overhead strut, reverses and shoves the wheelchair off the ramp jamming the wheels. A smile comes to West s face as he watches Loveless s frustrated attempts at going forward and backward. WEST When you get right down to it, Loveless, you just can t beat a good pair of legs. LOVELESS thin smile You re obviously not a poker player, Mr. West. Loveless presses a button, the sound of MECHANICAL GEARS ENGAGING. Suddenly four metal legs appear from underneath the wheelchair, raising his body to a height of six foot ten. LOVELESS Two pair always beats a pair. West stares up at him slackjawed. Loveless rolls up his sleeves, steps away from the wheelchair ready to fight. LOVELESS Now. Was it someone particularly close to you who perished in that military action West responds with a roundhouse kick to the chin that makes Loveless spin around on the platform of his chair. WILD WILD WEST Rev. A A LOVELESS stunned Hmmm. Well, that hit a nerve. Loveless imitates West by kicking with a lightning flash of an alloy leg. It s a rib cracker that sends West sprawling. LOVELESS A mother, perhaps A father CLOSE WEST S HAND He s just trying to get up when a cleated metal foot stomps down with hundreds of foot pounds per square inch. As West screams in pain. TARANTULA BRIDGE DUSK Gordon tries to come to West s aid, but Amazonia points a gun barrel at his temple. Gordon can only watch helplessly as. TARANTULA BELOW DECK DUSK Loveless begins a metallicflamenco, hands on his hips, his pistonlike legs kicking West s body and head. LOVELESS It feels so good to stretch my legs. West can t take much more of this, he s about to pass Loveless lowers his alloy foot over West s head and begins to crush it like a grape. LOVELESS I likes to beat my feet on the Mississippi mud TARANTULA BRIDGE DUSK Gordon watches in a tortured sweat as his partner tries to hold off the metal foot. But he s slowly losing. Gordon turns to his female captors, throws his arms out beseechingly. When he does, the derringer comes snapping out of his sleeve in the device which normally holds his pen. GORDON Stop this violence Gordon blinks at the gun. So do Lippenreider and Amazonia. Grant knows what to say, if Gordon doesn t. PRESIDENT GRANT Drop  em. They obey, chucking their guns overboard. TARANTULA BELOW DECK DUSK West s eyes are popping out of his head, the mechanical pressure of Loveless s leg. GORDON Stop or I ll shoot If possible, West s eyes pop even further. Gordon shoot NEW ANGLE LOVELESS looks up to see Gordon holding the derringer on him from up above. LOVELESS You expect to kill me with that little pea shooter GORDON If I have to. Yes. WILD WILD WEST Rev. LOVELESS Why is it, that I m unafraid chuckles I believe you gentlemen are the polar opposites of a moral dilemma and I m stuck in the middle. On one end, we have Mr. West, a man of primitive vigours uncomplicated by intellect. And on the other, there s Mr. Gordon. A man of ideas, but unlike myself, lacks the passion to kill for them. He d like to be able to his way out of it. And for some reason when he s actin , someone always seems to get killed. Loveless puts more pressure on West s head, he groans. Gordon aims. WEST gasps Shoot him, Gordon. LOVELESS I m right about you, aren t I, Gordon And that s why I m gonna kill your friend here. Then I m going to kill you. POP The SHOT startles Loveless, West and even Gordon. But when Loveless realizes that he s not hit, he laughs. LOVELESS After all that, you missed. GORDON Not exactly. He gestures down Loveless s legs to a punctured metal tube that s spraying a stream of hydraulic fluid all over the deck rendering the foot on West s head, powerless. West gets out from under, rubs his neck to regain circulation. WEST Better than a fountain pen, don t you think. nods behind Gordon By the way, your chivalry s about to be tested. Gordon turns to see. THE WILD WILD WEST Rev. ANGLE AMAZONIA AND LIPPENREIDER Charging him. They smash into him, driving him to the rail. As they pummel him, trying to throw him over, Gordon realizes this is no time for passivity. He retaliates with a series of chops and kicks that would make West proud. Over the rail, goes Lippenreider. In that splitsecond before she drops, Gordon mouths byebye. Before he can savor the moment further, Amazonia clubs him from behind. Gordon whirls and hits her so hard it surprises them both. Over the railing she goes As Amazonia hovers there, President Grant gives her the kick in the pants she needs to go sailing. PRESIDENT GRANT to Gordon, impressed We ll be joining them in a moment if you can t stop that thing TARANTULA BRIDGE DUSK Gordon turns to see Grant gesturing at the horizon. His eyes widen when he sees the flat mesa they are travelling comes to a sudden halt at a foot cliff. PRESIDENT GRANT Let s see how clever you really are. Gordon frantically starts pulling this lever and that. Meanwhile. OMITTED TARANTULA BELOW DECK DUSK West approaches Loveless. There s going to be some payback. WEST For almost four long years I ve been trackin  the animal responsible for the Massacre at New Liberty. And I hear that s you. But with the hydraulic fluid, the fight has gone out of Loveless. His mechanical legs shrivel before our eyes, and Loveless sinks helplessly to the deck like the Wicked Witch. WILD WILD WEST Rev. Whimpering pathetically, he uncouples his body from the useless contraption and slowly backs up to his wheelchair that s stuck against the railing. LOVELESS Please, West. show a little mercy to a poor defenseless cripple. WEST imitating his accent Now, now, Doctor. let s not cloud this otherwise sunny day with that poorol mecrippletalk. Just buck up and say to yourself,  I am indefatigably hardpumpin  and steely  Loveless gets to his wheelchair and collapses in it. LOVELESS After I kill ya, I swear I m gonna boil you down to axle grease WEST Now that s the ol  doctor I know But the smile fades from West s face when he sees Loveless s shotgun armrests pop out leveled at his waist. West has nowhere to go but up as he leaps to grab the Ibeam over his head just as Loveless pulls the triggers on both BARRELS. BOOM BOOM The SHOTS almost blow the heels off West s boots. They PUNCTURE a PIPE behind him. Steam spews This is going to have an effect on something. TARANTULA BRIDGE DUSK Gordon and Grant are trying different combinations to stop the thing. Finally, Gordon throws up his hands. He doesn t know what else to try when suddenly the Tarantula seizes up as if it just had a heart attack and tilts forward. CLIFF EDGE DUSK The Tarantula lurches forward drastically and teeter totters on the brink. WILD WILD WEST Rev. A. TARANTULA BELOW DECK DUSK The sudden stopping jerks Loveless  wheelchair free. Despite his frantic efforts, he s rolling toward the opposite railing. When the wheelchair hits a pool of hydraulic fluid on the deck, it spins him around degrees. West jumps up, grabs a girder. The wheelchair spins under West s legs and then CLANK it slams into the railing and wedges there. CLIFF EDGE DUSK The imp makes the mighty beast jerk forward, inches away from toppling over. TARANTULA BELOW DECK DUSK The jolt shoots West off the girder. He freefalls through the belly and out into the open air. Thinking quickly, he grabs onto the back of Loveless  wheel chair. His arms nearly torn from their sockets. His weight causes the wheelchair to shift, now leaving it hanging on by a thread. West reaches out, grabs the wheel of the chair and hangs there. LOVELESS Well, I ll be a monkey s uncle. How did we arrive in this dark situation WEST I don t know. Guess I m stumped LOVELESS And I m so cottonpickin  afraid of heights. They just give me the spooks WEST Ah, don t be afraid, Loveless. With this being the last leg of our journey and all, you should soak in the view, you re really missing something. LOVELESS Mister West, I m gonna cut this conversation short. WEST Good one, Loveless. I didn t think of that one. WILD WILD WEST Rev. B. LOVELESS furious Mister West I am faced with a difficult decision here. On one hand, there is the overwhelming love that I have for myself, and on the other, the raw, seething hatred I have for you Now, I could kill you very easily, just by pulling this lever. He moves the joystick. The chair jerks back. LOVELESS But, of course, I would die along with you. I guess the only thing that I can take comfort in is the hope that you would hit those rocks a second before me and I could enjoy immeasurable bliss before I vanish. moving joystick back and forth What to do, what to do. West grabs the joystick. WEST Allow me to make that decision easy on you, Loveless. Because I want to see you dead a hell of a lot more than I want to live. LOVELESS Why is it that I have a sneaking suspicion, that although you are as black as the night on the outside. inside, you are yellow They lock eyes. A beat. LOVELESS You don t have it in you, do you. boy WEST You were right. Let s cut this conversation short West yanks the joystick back. WILD WILD WEST Rev. C. ANGLE LOVELESS his eyes widen. The wheels spin for a second, finally catch, and in a flash, Loveless and West freefall into space. LOVELESS Weeeeeeeeeest A beat, then. ANGLE CHAIN which is dangling from the belly of the beast. At the bottom of the chain is the Knife Guy from the fight scene. West is hanging on to his ankles, enjoying a vindictive, belly laugh. WEST downward Now that looked like it hurt. OMITTED PROMONTORY POINT CLOSE ON GOLDEN SPIKE DAY It s driven finally into place to a rousing cheer. PULL BACK to reveal that President Grant, his sleeves rolled up, has delivered the blow. Hats in the air, handshakes, pictures. The specter of Loveless and his evil plot a fading memory. Grant turns to West and Gordon. PRESIDENT GRANT Gentlemen, I now strongly believe the United States is going to be truly united. Not because of this railroad. but because of you. THE WILD WILD WEST Rev. A. Grant scans the crowd, every race seems present at this momentous event. He reaches into his pocket, takes out two silver shields. PRESIDENT GRANT I ve signed into law the creation of an agency whose sole duty is to protect the President and the country from lunatics like Loveless. pins badges on their vests Welcome to the Secret Service, Agents No. and No. The President shakes both their hands. Gordon resists looking down. GORDON Uh, just out of curiosity, sir. who s Agent No. Grant just shakes his head, some things never change. PRESIDENT GRANT I don t think that matters very much, do you Gordon Besides, you ll have plenty of time to discuss it on your new assignment. hands them piece of paper See you back in Washington. He snaps off a salute, starts to go as they read it. Gordon looks up, very troubled. GORDON But, sir. what about our train PRESIDENT GRANT over shoulder Well, I m taking it of course. Hell, you let Loveless blow up mine. As they look at one another in dismay. RITA Jim. Arte. They turn to see Rita approaching them from a crowd of scientists. She s looking extraordinarily fetching in a print dress and parasol. West and Gordon sit up like dogs. WEST Rita You look great. GORDON Ravishing, a vision. She hugs West, she hugs Gordon. Who s it gonna be RITA I just wanted to thank you for everything you ve done for me. before I went back home to Texas. WEST Texas Why re you going back there Why don t you come with me back to Washington GORDON Or better still, come with me to Washington. I could introduce you to people I still know in the theater. WEST She s not really an entertainer, remember RITA intercedes I can t go with either of you. She looks from one crestfallen suitor to the other. RITA It s not that you both don t have your attributes. to Gordon You re so sophisticated and such a wonderful cook. to West Jim, you re good with a gun. and have great legs. to both And you re both so brave. But. I m afraid I haven t been completely honest with you. WEST AND GORDON Uhoh. RITA Professor Escobar s not my father. He s my husband. She gestures to a handsome goateed Latino waiting for her. Shaved and cleaned up, he s not the old man we thought. WEST Rita. why didn t you just tell us that in the first place RITA Well, I was going to. but would you have really brought me along if I said I was married Honestly. Neither West nor Gordon knows what to say. RITA I didn t think so. She turns and starts to walk away. Stops and smiles. RITA At least you still have each other. As West and Gordon look at one another. MONUMENT VALLEY SUNSET We gaze out over one of those achingly beautiful John Ford vistas as we hear our heroes voices. WEST You know, Arte. GORDON What s that, Jim WEST Maybe Rita s right. Suddenly intruding into the f.g. is a huge metal leg. Then another LEG CLOMPS down. and the Tarantula comes INTO FULL VIEW. As our heroes ride slowly into the sunset. WEST Besides. there s a lot of other wmen in the world. GORDON That s easy for you to say. She didn t walk off with your best dress. WILLOW Story by George Lucas Screenplay by Bob Dolman First Draft Third Revision November, c LFL Lucasfilm LTD. All Rights Reserved     NOCKMAAR CASTLE DAY Under gloomy sky a huge fortress looms on a volcanic mountainside. From within WE HEAR the agonizing scream of a woman giving birth. NOCKMAAR CASTLE DAY The scream continues as WE MOVE THROUGH the grim corri dors of the castle TOWARD stairs leading down to a dungeon. DUNGEON DAY Silhouetted in sadows, three Nockmaar MINIONS stand guard. In a jail cell, sex fully pregnant WOMEN watch from behind iron bars. The screaming stops. There s a moment of silence. As WE MOVE INTO another jail cell WE HEAR a slap and the first cry of a newborn BABY. In the cell a blackrobed DRUID watches intensely as ETHNA, a midwife, leans over the MOTHER and wraps the baby in swaddling. DRUID Is it a girl ETHNA It is a girl. DRUID Show me its arm. Ethna peels back the swaddling. On the baby s arm is a small marking. DRUID It s true then. I must tell Queen Bavmorda. With great urgency the druid hurries up the dungeon stairs. Ethna gently places the baby on the mother s breast. The mother comforst the baby lovingly until it stops crying. Then she reaches out and clasps the midwife s wrist. MOTHER Ethna, please. Help me. They re going to kill my baby. Ethna nervously looks out at the guards, then shakes her head at the mother. ETHNA They ll kill you. MOTHER Please save my baby. Ethna hesitates. Then decides. She quickly wraps to gether some rags and gives them to the mother. ETHNA Pretend this is the child. MOTHER Thank you, Ethna. Thank you. The mother kisses her baby and hands it to Ethna, who hides the baby inside the basket of rags. Ethna car ries the basket past the guards and up the stairs. The mother lies back and sighs with relief. Then she hears clinking bootsteps and her eyes widen with fear. QUEEN BAVMORDA sweeps down the dungeon stairs, her black robes flowing behind her. The druid hurries alongside. BAVMORDA We will start the ritual at dusk. You re certain this is the one DRUID It bears the markings. BAVMORDA I must see for myself Just as the omen foretold The guards fearfully move aside as Bavmorda enters the cell. BAVMORDA So. You  were  the one. MOTHER Yes. But nothing you can do will stop the prophecy. BAVMORDA This child will have no power over me. Bavmorda grabs the rags away from the mother and anxi ously tears them apart. BAVMORDA furiously Where s the baby One of the guards looks up the stairs. GUARD The midwife Bavmorda flies into a rage. BAVMORDA Find that baby Use the dogs Sorsha Two guards draw swords and charge upstairs. Bavmorda grabs the third guard and nods toward the mother. BAVMORDA Kill her. Bavmorda storms away with the druid. WE SEE the shadow of the guard move over the terrified mother. War drums begin to beat out an alarm. SNOWY MOUNTAINSIDE DAY TITLES BEGIN. The midwife hurries through swirling show, clutching the baby. VILLAGE DAY Nockmaar troops on horseback charge into a desolate village, driving ferocious DEATH DOGS into huts, violently searching for the baby. The oppressed, poor VILLAGERS are yanked into the street. Some of them are beaten. One is killed. The midwife hides behind a hut, still holding the baby, then runs away from the village. GRASSLAND DAY Ethna treks across an open grass field. WOODS NIGHT She huddles by a fire, exhausted and hungry, her clothes filthy and torn, and she rocks the crying baby. She hears dogs howling in the distance. She clutches the baby, kicks out the fire, and runs. OCEAN CLIFFSIDE DAY She scrambles over rocks on a windswept coastline. FOREST DAWN Ethna runs desperately for her life. Chasing her are two vicious DEATH DOGS. She scrambles across a shallow river. She claws at rock and tears away sticks and driftwood matted together with weeds. Into this she places the baby and sets it afloat downstream. DEATH DOG Bordak The dogs lunge from the woods and splash across the river. The midwife claws her way up a steep bank, lur ing the dogs. As they attack her  MIDWIFE I don t have her No No She grabs a stick and tries to defend herself, thrash ing at the snarling dogs. From the baby s view, as it floats down the river, WE SEE the dogs kill the midwife beyond the distant trees. DOWNRIVER DAY MONTAGE The little raft of sticks swirls precariously in the current. It glances off jutting rocks, tumbles over rapids, and scrapes under overhanging trees. RIVERBANK DAY At last the raft catches in some weeks, almost dumping the baby. TITLE SEQUENCE ENDS Suddenly WE HEAR rustling leaves, possibly another Death Dog. Then WE HEAR giggling. Two children, RANON and MIMS, watch in amazement from the riverbank. UFGOOD FARM DAY Holding onto a plow, WILLOW UFGOOD struggles behind a huge hog. From a heavy sack slung over his shoulder he tosses seeds. RANON Dada We found something in the river Willow beams with joy as his son and daughter race to ward him. They grab his sleeves and tug him away from his plow. WILLOW I can t run off and play with you now. I ve got work to do. RANON/MIMS But Dada, you gotta see it Hurry Willow drops his sack of seeds. The ugly hog glares at him like a guilty conscience. The children squeal with excitement as their father runs toward the river with them. RIVERBANK DAY WE SEE Willow from the baby s view. His eyes pop open. He quickly backs his children away. WILLOW Back Don t go near it. We don t know where it s been. It could be diseased. MIMS It s a baby RANON It s not a Nelwyn baby. WILLOW No, it s too big to be a Nelwyn baby. It looks like a daikini. MIMS Ooh, it s so cute. WILLOW Mims Get back here It might bite you. Willow drags Mims away. Then the baby starts crying. RANON Can t we keep it, Dada WILLOW Absolutely not. BURGLEKUTT Ufgood Willow Ufgood Willow, in a sudden panic, sees BURGLEKUTT in the dis tance. He splashes into the river, grabs the raft, plunks it on the bank and tries to hush the crying baby. WILLOW Shhh, shhh It s the Prefect that s all I need. Mims, Ranon, keep this thing hidden. UFGOOD FARM DAY Burglekutt s beady eyes spot Willow making a mad dash for his plow. Swinging his fat stomach, he angrily points his walking stick and goes after him. KIAYA Mr. Burglekutt He hasn t done anything wrong Willow s wife KIAYA chases Burglekutt across the field, her beautiful long hair flowing behind her. Willow quickly gets behind his plow like he s been there all day. BURGLEKUTT Ufgood What do you think you re doing I tell the planting seeds in this village. KIAYA I told him we didn t steal it, Wil low. Burglekutt furiously scoops a handful of seeds out of Willow s sack and shakes them under Willow s nose. BURGLEKUTT You haven t paid your debts. Where did you get these seeds With pride, Willow puts his arm around his wife. WILLOW In the forest. My family s been gathering them since last fall. There s no law against that, Bur glekutt. Suddenly the children laugh in the distance. KIAYA Willow You left the children alone by the river In alarm she runs off before Willow can stop her. Bur glekutt sweeps the horizon with his walking stick. BURGLEKUTT Too late, Ufgood. You ll never get your planting done before the rains start. You re gonna lose this land. He raises the seeds high above his head, then smashes them down at Willow s boots. He waddles away toward two of his MEN who wait by the road. Then  Kiaya SHRIEKS from the river. Burglekutt stops in his tracks and shakes his head as if to say the whole family s crazy. Off he trudges. Willow watches and waits. Then runs as fast as he can to the river. RIVER DAY Kiaya cradles the baby in her arms. Willow runs up, and with patriarchal authority, puts his fists on his hips. WILLOW Absolutely, under no condition, is anyone in this family going to fall in love with that baby. They all fall in love as he speaks. The children fol low Kiaya up on the bank, walking right past Willow. WILLOW Kiaya We can t keep that baby. Mims, Ranon. Hey I will not be ignored Ignored, Willow huffs after them across his unplowed field. UFGOOD HOUSE DAY Willow nervously paces as Kiaya pours water in a wood tub and the children entertain the naked baby with sticks and brightly colored cloths, apparatus for a magic trick. WILLOW This is bad. If we re caught with that little daikini it ll be the end of us. Careful, Ranon, I need that for the festival. indicates magic cloth Kiaya, what are we going to do KIAYA We re gonna give this baby a bath. The baby squeals with joy as Kiaya lifts her into the bath. WILLOW Burglekutt s right. There s not enough time to finish plowing. We ll lose everything and I ll end up working in the mines. He shudders at the thought. KIAYA Willow, do you think we should take her to the Village Council WILLOW No, no They ll think it s a bad omen. There ll be a flood or a drought or a plague and everybody ll blame me for it RANON Look. What s that Willow leans forward. On the baby s shoulder is a small branded scar in a circular design. It only adds to Willow s fears. WILLOW I don t know. This is trouble. I ll talk to the High Aldwin about it tomorrow at the Festival. The baby kicks and splashes and giggles in the bath. NELWYN VILLAGE DAY The raucous BAND plays as NELWYNS dance and celebrate amid brochs and wheelhouses garlanded with flowers. A crowd cheers wildly as MINERS battle FARMERS in a tug ofwar, finally yanking the farmers facefirst into a puddle of mud. On a stage a HARLEQUIN dances delight fully. While on a raised platform the five members of the VILLAGE COUNCIL sit and observe, mildly amused. The head councilman is Burglekutt. The WE SEE Willow on another stage. He flourishes his colorful sticks and cloths. In the audience WE NOTICE his friend MEEGOSH, who wears a miner s apron, rooting Willow on. WILLOW And now For our final amazing bit of magic, I will make an entire pig completely disappear Meegosh applauds as Mims and Ranon trot out lugging a tiny baby pig in a crate. As Willow takes the pig out it bites his hand and gets away. Willow tackles and squashes it. The crowd laughs and half of them leave, and Meegosh covers his face. Mims and Ranon rapidly wave a bright blanket. Willow cleverly whips the pig under his legs and behind his back and suddenly it s gone Impresse, the crowd gasps. Then the pig squeals and dashes through Willow s legs and leaps off the stage. CROWD Aaww Booo Sssss Burglekutt and the Council shake their heads as Willow, embarassed, picks up his things. Meegosh trots up with the pig under his arm. WILLOW Meegosh, I m in trouble. MEEGOSH Hey, it wasn t that bad. You need a better pig, that s all. But as they walk past the Village Council, and Bur glekutt sneers down at Willow, Meegosh catches on. MEEGOSH Now Burglekutt s got you in the squeeze. Soon you ll be down in the mines like me. WILLOW Mining. I hate closedin spaces. That s the last thing I d ever do. he shudders I gotta get my crop planted. MEEGOSH You know I ll help you as much as I can, Willow. The Village Council members stand up respectfully as the wise old HIGH ALDWIN hobbles through the adoring crowd. Mims and Ranon rush up to Willow with several other children who are eating candy. MIMS Dada, can we get treacle candy Can we, can we Please WILLOW preoccupied Meegosh, can you watch the chil dren I gotta talk to the High Aldwin. MEEGOSH truly amazed The High Aldwin Why But Willow has already wandered into the crowd, leaving Meegosh with a dozen sugarcharged children and a pig. Willow desperately pushes past people and finally reaches the High Aldwin. WILLOW Sir I have to talk to you. HIGH ALDWIN Not today, Willow. WILLOW It s a matter of great importance to me Burglekutt stares angrily from his platform. Slightly annoyed, the High Aldwin stops and places his hand on Willow s shoulder. HIGH ALDWIN Intuition, Willow remember I know you re eager to be my appren tice, Willow. But today is the spring festival. Suddenly a walking stick is pointed at Willow s nose. BURGLEKUTT Apprentice To the High Aldwin Willow Ufgood His belly shakes as he howls with laughter, encouraging his councilmen to join in. Willow shrinks away, em barassed. Then a terrified SHRIEK shatters the festivity. Music stops and people grab their children and run for their lives. A DEATH DOG rips a trail of destruction through the village. Meegosh holds onto Ranon and Mims. But when Mims sees Willow she runs right out into the open. Willow charges twoard her, tackling her and rolling away from the beast s claws. DEATH DOG Bordak Bordak A loud war cry distracts the dog. VOHNKAR, the toughest warrior in the village, leads a charging army of miners and farmers wielding shovels and picks. Wil low and Meegosh grab sticks. The Nelwyns battle the Death Dog. At last, Vohnkar drives a spear through its chest and it dies hideously. MEEGOSH What was it looking for A VILLAGER It said bordak What does it mean COUNCILMAN scholarly Baby It means baby It was look ing for somebody s baby Mothers grab their children, people look around the wrecked village in terror. There s a haunting silence. MIMS Mommy Suddenly alarmed, Willow races towrd his distant farm, his children hurrying behind. WILLOW Kiaya Kiaya UFGOOD HOUSE DAY Willow bursts in and finds Kiaya calmly feeding the baby. Relieved, he throws his arms around her. WILLOW We can t keep this baby, Kiaya. We must take her to the Council. The children run in and they all huddle together, cher ishing their precious lives. COUNCIL BUILDING DAY Arguing villagers pack the churchshaped room to the open door at the back and into the balconies above. The councilmen sit on a platform at the front, with the High Aldwin seated in a special chair above them. Tak ing charge, Burglekutt stands and pounds the floor with his walking stick. BURGLEKUTT An evil beast from the outer world has invaded our peaceful village, looking for a baby This only adds to the frenzy. A VILLAGER It s a sign An omen ANOTHER VILLAGER Our crops will die BURGLEKUTT Silence One beast we can kill. But there may be more And they won t give up their search till they ve found what they re looking for MEEGOSH Whose baby is it OTHER VILLAGERS Who s to blame for this Amid the chaos the High Aldwin slowly stands up. As if he senses something, he looks over the crowd toward the back. At the back door, holding the baby, Willow tries to push his way through the jostling crowd. The High Aldwin raises his hand. It flashes magically. He points as he speaks  HIGH ALDWIN Willow Ufgood Come before me The crowd stands apart as Willow walks the length of the room. Kiaya and the children follow part way and then stand aside next to Meegosh. Burglekutt simmers as Willow approaches the platform. HIGH ALDWIN Earlier today you tried to tell me something, Willow. WILLOW bows his head My family found this baby in the river, High Aldwin. The crowd stirs but the High Aldwin silences them with a simple gesture. He gazes down at the baby mysteri ously. HIGH ALDWIN A daikini child. his eyes close of some importance, I feel. BURGLEKUTT That s what the beasts want Give it back The crowd rumbles, many agree. WILLOW They ll kill her We can t let this baby die BURGLEKUTT What do we care Burglekutt whips up the shouting crowd. The High Aldwin raises his hands, feeling the air above him. Almost in a trance  HIGH ALDWIN importance.yes.this child is special. COUNCILMAN What should we do Instantly, the High Aldwin drops his arms and opens his eyes. HIGH ALDWIN This child must be taken beyond the boundaries of our village. All the way to the daikini crossroads. The room goes silent. A VILLAGER Who will do that SEVERAL VILLAGERS Vohnkar Vohnkar Vohnkar the warrior elbows his way to the front and pounds his chest once with his fist. HIGH ALDWIN The outer world is dangerous and corrupt, Vohnkar. And this baby is hunted by bloodhungry beasts. Are you willing to sacrifice your life Brave Vohnkar swallows and shifts his weight doubtful ly. VOHNKAR If I go, who ll defend you if other beasts attack The crowd rumbles and shouts, and Vohnkar mops his brow and scuttles away from the platform. BURGLEKUTT He s right It seems only fair that the man to take this baby to the crossroads. walking stick up be the very man who plucked it. walking stick down out of the river All eyes turn to Willow. Kiaya gasps and Meegosh holds her back. WILLOW I can t do it I haven t put my crop in A COUNCILMAN You caused this trouble. You found the baby.you get rid of it BURGLEKUTT I nominate Willow Ufgood The crowd cheers wildly. The High Aldwin steps forward to the edge of the platform. With a flourish he waves his arms. HIGH ALDWIN I will consult the bones Something rattles as he shakes his cupped hands. The crowd jumps away. The High Aldwin scatters small bones across the floor below him. He leans down and studies the bones. Willow looks at Kiaya, who is worried and afraid. The High Aldwin speaks softly to him  HIGH ALDWIN The bones tell me nothing. he eyes Willow But I must make a decision. Is there love in your heart for this child Willow hesitates. He looks at the baby. WILLOW Yes. The High Aldwin bolts straight up, broadcasting  HIGH ALDWIN The bones have spoken Willow The security of this village depends on you The people shout and cheer and applaud and begin to leave. Kiaya and Meegosh and the children push their way toward Willow, who stands there staring at the baby. UFGOOD HOUSE NIGHT Kiaya s hair hangs down her back in a long tight braid. Near the fire she packs supplies into a travel sack. On the other side of the fire, Willow diapers the baby. The house is quiet. MIMS Dada Willow sets the baby down. He goes around an opne wall an sits on his daughter s bed, straightening her blank ets and toys. MIMS Watch out for brownies, Dada. WILLOW I will, Mims. Goodnight. He smiles and kisses her. Then crosses over to Ranon s bed. RANON Dada, what s a daikini WILLOW Daikinis are giant people who live far far away. RANON Are you scared Willow shrugs. Ranon sits up in bed. RANON I could be you rguard I could carry your spear WILLOW smiles What a great son you are, Ranon. I wish I could take you with me. Now go to sleep. Ranon slides down under his blankets. Willow kisses him, looks at him a moment, then quietly withdraws to ward the fire. SACRED HILL SUNRISE The silhouette of a distant hill with druid stones on top. Carrying the baby, Willow climbs the hill with his fami ly. He wears a papoose rig, supply pack, and a dagger. He hands the baby to Kiaya, then walks through the towering stones. The High Aldwin solemnly looks out at the distant forest. HIGH ALDWIN Now, you know where you re going Willow shakes his head Down there, through those trees, follow the river. You ll know the crossroads by a big daikini struc ture. Willow, this is serious business. Don t waste any time, the outer world is no place for a Nelwyn. Give the baby to the first daikini you see, then hurry home as fast as you can. WILLOW If I m not strong enough to be your apprentice, how can I do this HIGH ALDWIN You re strong enough. But you re going to need courage, Willow. WILLOW I don t want courage. I don t want to be a warrior. All I ve ever wanted was to do magic, real magic, like you HIGH ALDWIN Real magic, Willow, is simply the art of controlling the reality of others. You lack faith in your self. You must learn to trust your intuition. The High Aldwin picks up a rock. With intense concen tration he squeezes it in his outstretched hand. Then throws it in the air. It changes into a bird and flies away. HIGH ALDWIN Go in the direction the bird is flying. WILLOW amazed Oh, if I could do that I dI d turn Burglekutt into a toad HIGH ALDWIN Waste magic on revenge You have much to learn, Willow. The High Aldwin touches Willow s shoulder and turns away. The children are playing tag among the stones. Willow hugs them. Kiaya places the baby in the papoose. KIAYA Willow, we ve never been apart. I miss you already. Take this. It will bring you luck. Kiaya, whose head is covered with a kerchief, places a braided necklace on her own hair around Willow s neck. WILLOW You cut your hair, Kiaya He kisses her. The adjusts the papoose and heads off down the hill. The others wave goodbye sadly. KIAYA Willow Kiaya rushes down the hill and passionately throws her arms around Willow, tears in her eyes. At last they break apart, and Willow begins the journey. WOODS DAY MONTAGE Willow hikes through strange and wondrous terrain, amazed and frightened. Animals rustle in the brush and he stumbles into a thistle patch, jumping out picking burrs off his legs. He hides from a fierce bear. The bear sees him and runs away. Willow hurries along, shifting the papoose, getting used to the baby s weight. ROAD EVENING The baby is fussing hungrily. Willow impetuously digs a bladder of goat s milk from his sack and struggles to feed her. Then he hears something. Sensing danger, he clutches the baby and runs down a nearby riverbank. He hides under a bridge. NOCKMAAR SOLDIERS on horseback thunder toward the bridge, led by the knight SORSHA whose face is hidden under a black helmet and visor. In the other direction Willow sees a LIEUTENANT and two DEATH DOGS. They all meet on the bridge. The hideous soldiers are part hu man, part beast. LIEUTENANT We ve patrolled the hills. This is where they killed the nursemaid. SORSHA She must have done something with the child. Widen the search One of the Death Dogs is chewing on the Lieutenant s stirrup. LIEUTENANT Get away from there The dog panics and gnashes at the Lieutenant s arm, ripping away a piece of armor with its teeth. Horses rear. The Lieutenant draws his sword lightningfast. He slices and kills the Death Dog. The baby begins to cry but the deathhowl of the beast drowns her out as it does hurtling off the bridge into the river below. The soldiers gallop off into the woods. Willow falls back against the riverbank, shrinking away from the murdered Death Dog which lies bloody and twisted in the water. The terrified baby cries in his arms. ROAD MORNING A harmless rabbit springs across Willow s path. Willow trips over a stone and almost falls flat on his face. WILLOW I hate this. Where am I I should stick you in a tree and go back home. looks at baby I m sorry. I didn t mean that. He hurries along the road, looking over his shoulder. LANDSCAPE DAY MONTAGE Various VIEWS of Willow and the baby trekking across vast hills and valleys. HILL DAY Gasping with exhaustion, Willow staggers up a sloping hill and drops to his knees. His eyes brighten. In the distance he sees a junction marked by a high wooden scaffolding. WILLOW That s it. The crossroads. He stands and heads toward it cautiously. CROSSROADS DAY The place is disgusting. Littered with junk, buzzing with flies, plagued with rodents. Willow creeps toward the scaffolding, covering his face against the stench. From it hang two cages. In one is a heap of filthy rags. In the other a halfclothed skeleton with one bony arm dangling Willow unpacks the papoose and looks up the deserted road. He shivers with cold. WILLOW I hate this. CROSSROADS DAY LATER Willow waits uneasily, brushing flies off his face. The baby fusses and squirms. He peeks inside her diaper. WILLOW I hate this. He looks anxiously up and down the road. The baby s crying gets worse. He begins to change her. CROSSROADS SUNSET Willow finishes building a fire, lighting it with flint and blowing it into flame. The baby lies quietly near by in a kind fo portacrib made of papoose and twigs. Nightfall teems with spooky noises  crickets, frogs, bats, owls and howling wolves. Then a terrible moan frightens him. WILLOW I really hate this. Not sure where it came from. he backs away from the fire, under the ragfilled cage. Suddenly a hand reaches down and yanks Willow up off the ground Wil low screams. The baby cries. And WE SEE the haggard unwashed unshaven face of MADMARTIGAN pressing against the bars of the cage. MADMARTIGAN Hey, Peck.get me some water.or you ll diiiiie. Madmartigan shakes Willow like a ragdoll until Willow nods his head yes. Then drops him. Instantly Willow races around that fire, picking up everything he owns. WILLOW I willI ll getcha watergetcha lotsa wateranything you say Willow grabs the baby and makes a beeline for the bushes. MADMARTIGAN Peck He dives headfirst into the weeds. Madmartigan rattles his cage. MADMARTIGAN You re a weasely little Peck Gimme some water Willow peeks at him and shakes his head. WILLOW I m not coming near you They stare at each other across the fire. Then, Mad martigan puts on a very phony smile. MADMARTIGAN Please I m dyin  of thirst in here. WILLOW Good. How long will it take Madmartigan drops the smile and spits at the fire. MADMARTIGAN Don t make me angry, Peck. WILLOW You be careful. I m a powerful sorcerer. I could turn you into a toad just like that. MADMARTIGAN Miserable Pecks. Willow throws a rock at him. It bounces off the cage. Madmartigan sags down into a heap of rags again. CROSSROADs NIGHT The wind howls through the distant trees as darkness falls. Willow rocks the baby and eats some bread. Madmartigan watches him hungrily, sighing, forlorn, his eyes asking for pit. Willow glances at him. Finally, he can t take any more and he puts down the baby and pous some goat s milk in a cup. He reaches up on tiptoes and offers the milk to Madmartigan. MADMARTIGAN That s more like it. Madmartigan snatches the cup and guzzles the milk, retching horribly at the taste. Then he tosses the cup back. WILLOW Do any other daikinis ever come by here MADMARTIGAN Why. WILLOW I have to give this baby to some body. Madmartigan grabs the bars and raises himself up. MADMARTIGAN I m somebody. Lemme out and I ll take care of your baby. He makes little kissing noises to the baby, trying to be sweet. However, his teeth are filthy. WILLOW No. Somebdoy put you in there for a reason. I ll wait for somebody else. Willow retreats to the fire. Madmartigan whacks the cage with the back of his hand. CROSSROADS NIGHT LATER By the blazing fire Willow feeds the baby. WE HEAR hoofbeats. WILLOW Hey Somebody s coming MADMARTIGAN Peck Quick Douse the fire Excited, Willow tosses more wood on the fire, picks up the baby and waits. MADMARTIGAN No, you fool Put it out I say Out Torches appear up the road. A horsedrawn wagon clatters fullspeed toward the fire. WE HEAR load drunken voices, far from friendly. Willow quickly dives into the bushes. Four boorish PICTS, with tatooed faces and arms, halt at the crossroads, yelling and waving their torches. Madmartigan is hidden under his rags. For fun the Picts set fire to the skeleton cage. Then head for the other. MADMARTIGAN No He rises up in the torchlight. The Picts taunt him. PICT Whose fire They jab their torches at Madmartigan. MADMARTIGAN No Help Stop PICT Where are they Where did they go Madmartigan points way up the road. The Picts ride away. As they go, they swing his cage and st fire to the floor of it. Madmartigan frantically geats the flames. His sleeves ignite. Willow scrambles out of the bushes and scoops up hand fuls of dirt, which he chucks at Madmartigan. MADMARTIGAN spitting out dirt Thanks for your help, Peck. WILLOW Are you okay MADMARTIGAN As if you care. I saved your life, Peck. Those guys woulda killed us points dramatically You wanna give your baby to them They eat babies WILLOW I don t know. Madmartigan literally licks his wounds, dragging his parched tongue along the length of his forearm. Willow begins to walk away. MADMARTIGAN The world s gone insane. Good men locked in cages, criminals running free. It doesn t pay to be honest, Peck. Willow stops and turns around. WILLOW Don t call me a Peck. My name is Willow. Madmartigan slinks down like a cat and slowly extends his derty hand through the bars. MADMARTIGAN Hello, Willow. I m Madmartigan. Willow stares warily at the hand. Madmartigan smiles. Willow quickly shakes his hand and jumps away. Madmar tigan laughs in a harmless, friendly way. MADMARTIGAN You a woodcutter WILLOW Farmer. MADMARTIGAN Farmer I knew it You re a vic tim, Willow. Yep, you and me  victims of a rotten, corrupt, cor rupt, rotten world. A rat lumbers out of the darkness and sniffs toward the baby in the portacrib. Madmartigan suddenly points. Willow screams and chases the rat away. Madmartigan shakes his head as solemnly as an undertaker. MADMARTIGAN Listen, Willow my friend. I m really a good man. Give me my freedom, and I ll look after that baby for you. Trust me. After a moment, Willow takes out his dagger. He stands on his toes under a cage, reaches up, and hacks at the chain lock. Madmartigan s eyes widen overeagerly. he rubs his hands together and licks his lips. MADMARTIGAN That s itgoodgoodlike that, yes, good, good, the chainthat s it, come oncome on Willow suddenly steps away. WILLOW Nooo, I don t think I should. Madmartigan goes berserk. His arms flail and the whole cage shakes and swings and he bangs his head on the roof. MADMARTIGAN Peck Stupid Peck I ll kill ya Let me out Willow scrambles back to the fire and scoops up the baby and rocks her in his arms. CROSSROADS DAWN Madmartigan is making something out of scraps of bark and cloth. He smiles sweetly as Willow wakes up. MADMARTIGAN Morning, Willow. Willow turns his back on him and tends to the baby. MADMARTIGAN Sorry I yelled at you. I ve been in this cage toooo long. Can t think straight anymore. Owww. Willow looks over. madmartigan pats his arms in pain. WILLOW You all right MADMARTIGAN These burns. My arms. Ouch. He holds up his arms in agony. Willow fishes some gooey jelly out of his sack and smears a gob of it on a leaf. He hands it up to Madmartigan. WILLOW See if this helps. Madmartigan wipes the goo all over his arms. MADMARTIGAN Aaaaaahhhh. Better. Here, I made something for the baby. He holds out a ratlle and shakes it. Willow accepts it. WILLOW What s inside Madmartigan sticks his finger in his mouth and pries it open as wide as possible. MADMARTIGAN A tooth. Willow reacts I m strving. I got no used for it. Noise in the distance. up the road Willow sees a MESSENGER charging on horseback. He gallops right past, whipping his horse, almost knocking Willow off the road. Then another MESSENGER follows with the same urgency. Willow grabs the baby and steps out to stop him. WILLOW Stop Wait The messenger screams a Willow who jumps aside as he thunders by. The two horsemen disappear up the road. MADMARTIGAN with authority Smells like a battle. WILLOW Are you a warrior MADMARTIGAN The greatest swordsman that ever lived. Madmartigan slices the air with an imaginary sword. Willow shakes his head and goes back to the baby. CROSSROADS DAY WE SEE the empty road. Willow s head pops INTO FRAME. He grabs the baby. WILLOW What s that I hear something MADMARTIGAN You hear trouble. WILLOW What is it The horizon rumbles. Madmartigan cups his ear. Cyni cally  MADMARTIGAN A hundred horses.five or six wagons. and about six thousand fools. Two CAVALRY OFFICERS gallop into view, raising a plume of dust. Then an enormous ARMY appears  cavalry, foot soldiers, assault wagons  shields, swords, spears, raised banners. The two officers shout orders over the thunderous clamor of hoofbeats, marching boots and clanking armor. Charging back and forth, they shepherd the army through the crossroads. Willow holds the baby. Fighting dust and noise he tries to get the officer s attention. WILLOW Sir Sir OFFICER Out of the way An officer s horse nearly kicks Willow, who scurries out of the way. Huddling with the baby, he notices AIRK THAUGHBAER, a large, muscular, bearded officer, clearly in charge. On horseback, Airk breaks file and rides up to the other officers. AIRK Push  em harder No rest at mid day We need to make ten more leagues by dark Shouting orders, the officers split up, charging to the front and rear of the army. Airk watches the army pass. Willow desperately scrambles up to him. WILLOW Sir Sir I have this baby. We found her in our village. Will you take her. Huge Airk looks down from his huge horse. Little Wil low holds up the baby. AIRK We re going into battle, little one. Find a woman to take care of it. MADMARTIGAN He thought you were a woman, Airk Airk snaps hes head around and his eyes flash. AIRK Madmartigan What did you do this time MADMARTIGAN Nothing you wouldn t have done it my place Airk s horse prances menacingly around Madmartigan s cage. AIRK I always knew you d end up in a crow s cage. MADMARTIGAN Least I m not down there herding sheep Airk laughs sourly and rocks the cage. AIRK You re lucky somebody got to you first, Madmartigan I d ve killed you myself after that stunt at Land s End He swings that cage and starts to ride away. MADMARTIGAN Airk Come on, Airk. Lemme outa here. AIRK really sarcastic Hey, remember You don t need my help, Madmartigan. Little rabbit trap like this Come on I could open it for you, but I wouldn t wanna insult you MADMARTIGAN Gimme a sword, Airk. I ll win your war for you. Airk quickly drops the banter and glares at Madmartigan seri ously. AIRK You re nothing but trouble, Madmar tigan. And I got plenty of that. Stay in your coffin and rot Airk spurs his horse and smashes the cage as he charges off. MADMARTIGAN I ll be around long after you re dead, Airk You slime When I get outa here I ll cut your head off and stick it on a pigpole WILLOW Friend of yours Madmartigan snarls down at Willow as the army continues to march by. But then he quickly gets cute again. MADMARTIGAN Hello, little baby. CROSSROADS DAY LATER A ghostly wind hants the barren crossroads. The road is pocked with hoofprints and wagon tracks. Willow shakes his head at the ashes of his dead fire. MADMARTIGAN Whatcha thinkin  about, Willow WILLOW I hate this. Madmartigan squeezes his face between the bars of his cage. MADMARTIGAN Nobody s gonna take your baby. Know why Nobody cares. beat Except me. wistfully You wanna go back to your farm. You wanna go back to your family. I could take care of that baby. I ll look after her like she was me own. WILLOW You don t know anything about ba bies. Madmartigan kneels and straightens up and points up his finger astutely. MADMARTIGAN Ahhh But I know a lot of women who do. Why, if I had somebody in my lifea little daughter for instanceI d have a reason to live. He clsps his hands together outside the bars, plead ing  MADMARTIGAN Willow. You can t let me die here. Not when I wanna help you. Willow looks at the baby in the portacrib. Then looks up the empty road. Then looks hard at Madmartigan. WILLOW You gotta promise to feed her. MADMARTIGAN I will. WILLOW Fresh goat s milk. MADMARTIGAN Absolutely Willow draws his dagger and begins to hack at the chain. WILLOW And give her a bath everyday, and don t let her get cold. And keep her diaper changed. MADMARTIGAN Of course I promise Willow hacks and pries at the chain until it breaks open. The bottom of the cage falls out, dumping Mad martigan into a heap of rags and dust. MADMARTIGAN Come to Daddy, little darlin . picks her up I think she likes me Kneeling on the ground, he plays with the baby. Willow quickly hitches the papoose to Madmartigan s back and hands him supplies. WILLOW Here are her diaper rags. And this is her milk bladder. And when she criesshe s either hungry or she s tiredrock her on your left shoulder. She likes that. MADMARTIGAN Don t worry, Willow. She s in good hands. You haven t made a mistake. Willow takes the baby and kisses her. WILLOW Bye. He puts her in the papoose. WILLOW to Madmartigan Please take good care of her. Madmartigan stands up. He towers above Willow. He pats Willow on the head. MADMARTIGAN You ve done a great job. Now you go back to your family and get your crop in. Madmartigan smiles, turns, and marches off down the road. Willow sighs with relief, his task accomplished. He watches Madmartigan and the baby disappear over a hill. ROAD DAY Swinging his arms and whistling a tune, Willow struts proudly up a gentle hill. WILLOW Look, it s Willow Ufgood He s come home Welcome back, Willow He deserves a medal  he s quite mystical. For honor, for bravery, for his intuitive powers. he chuckles let s make him Apprentice Aldwin. Better still  High Aldwin Make way It s Willow Uf good, High Aldwin of The baby cries Willow spins around. Flying towrd him is an incredible VULTURE with enormous winds. In its claws it carries the baby, papoose and all. It swoops straight at Willow, buzzing him, and Willow hits the dirt. He looks up. To add to the wonder  riding the vulutre is an ELF. WILLOW Come back here, you That s my baby The vulture zooms off into the tall majestic trees of the forest, with the baby crying. Shouting and waving madly, Willow gallops after it. THROUGH THE FOREST DAY Willow tears after the vulture which vanishes in the towering trees. As the path narrows, something whis tlse past his ear. Fingerlength arrows rain down on him from every direction, peppering the surrounding trees. Some even hit Willow. He plucks them out as he races along. He comes to a fork in the path  Decision He starts down one way, then slams on the brakes. He sees ropes and nets. WILLOW Oh no, it s a trap He hurries back to the fork and takes the safer route WILLOW Oh noooooo and gets swallowed by a deadly pit. ELFIN THRONE ROOM UNDERGROUND Willow wakes up as a pail of water hits him in the face. His feet and wrists are being bound. Several little ELVES are gawking and laughing at him. They wear samuraitype outfits and angry little haircuts. WILLOW focusing Where am I Where s the baby FRANJEAN, the Elfin king, struts forward arrogantly. He speaks a haughty, nasal accent resembling French  FRANJEAN I am Franjean, king of the world. Willow struggles against the ropes that bind him. WILLOW That baby s my responsibility Outraged, Franjean smacks Willow s nose with the back of his hand. FRANJEAN I don t care. We paid for her. Go back to sleep, monsieur. As he leaves, Franjean nods to an intenselooking ARCH ER elf heavily armed with arrows and a spear. The archer dips his spear in a bowl of purple liquid. He pricks Willow s arm. WILLOW Yeow he loses consciousness Madmartigan.I never should ve trusted you. FADE TO BLACK ELFIN THRONE ROOM DAWN Willow s eyes open. A wild little face is looking at him. A wild little person is standing on his chest. TEEMO Tongue. Too groggy to argue, Willow sticks out his tongue. TEEMO the brownie crushes a brittle leaf and tosses the dust into Willow s mouth. Smacking his lips, Willow comes around. He sees, down between his legs, another brownie named ROOL cutting the ropes. WILLOW Who are you ROOL Quiet, you fool TEEMO formal We are emissaries of her majesty, Queen Cherlindrea, of the land of Coshairm. WILLOW Queen Cherlindrea TEEMO She requests the presence of your self and the young princess. WILLOW Who TEEMO You re the guardian, aren t you ROOL Quit yakking, Teemo. We gotta get outa here Willow rolls onto his knees, stands up and bumps his head on the ceiling. The fuzzyheaded brownies creak open the door and becon Willow to follow. He squeezes through. ELFIN HALLWAY UNDERGROUND Like a rabbit warren, compartments branch off the main tunnel. Willow scrunches along behind the tiptoeing brownies. They hear the baby crying. They peek through the door. Inside a cluttered room they see thebaby crying miser ably. Her tears are being carried to a high level in tiny buckets on a mechanized wheel, operated by FOUR ELVES. TEEMO Elves They re always tormenting babies. They make them cry and take their tears. ROOL Somebody has to do it. WILLOW Why ROOL How else they gonna make dew drops The baby shrieks. WILLOW I m getting her out of there TEEMO No You let us handle this. Come along, Rool Teemo ridiculously pushes Willow away from the door. With a macho swagger he adjusts his dagger belt, and he and Rool open the door. ELFIN TEAR FACTORY They enter like gunslingers in a saloon. The four elves, who are twice their size, turn and face them. Teemo draws his small dagger. With confidence he smiles at Rool. TEEMO Watch this. Right between the eyes. ROOL to the elves He never misses. Artfully Teemo poises the dagger above his head. With all his might he throws. His dagger flipflops through the air and lands at the elves  feet, plinkplunk. TEEMO Ooops. Was that right That wasn t right. Suddenly the entire wall implodes. The elves scream and panic as Willow comes crashing in like King Kong. He grabs the crying baby and tucks her under his arm. ELF HOLE DAY The brownies scamper out of a hole in the ground where the elves keep their vultures corralled. ROOL/TEEMO Hyah Hyah Git They untie th evulture and send them flapping away in the forest as Willow wiggles out of the elf hole with the baby. They run for their lives. FOREST CHASE DAY Rool and teemo tear along at incredible speed, Willow barely keeping up with them. Little elf arrows shower the forest as the angry elves chase after them, whoop ing and screaming. DEEP GORGE DAY They skid up to a perilously deep drop into oblivion. The elves are shrieking toward them. The only chance of excape is a huge fallen tree spanning the gorge. The brownies scamper Willow looks down and reels with vertigo. WILLOW I can t go out there with the baby ROOL/TEEMO frantically point Elves The elf army pours out of the forest. Willow holds his breath and ventures out onto the topmost branches of the tree. Arrows zing around him as he wobbles like a drunken tightrope walker toward the middle. The brown ies wait for him. WILLOW Ohhh, I hate this. TEEMO Take your time. Don t worry about the elves. They won t come out here. WILLOW Why not ROOL Because of the trolls. WILLOW Trolls The brownies console Willow with unworried laughter. TEEMO Relax. They only come out at night. An ugly TROLL snarls up behind Willow. They all scream and race for the other side. Another TROLL pops up to meet them. The trolls slink along like possums. The brownies dive through a hole in the hollow tree trunk. The elves, meanwhile, flintstart a fire at their end of the tree. One troll claws at the brownies inside the trunk while the other chases Willow across gangling branches. Then the baby falls out of the papoose She tumbles and catches on a low branch and Willow races the troll and grabs her just before she plummets into the gorge. One troll catches Rool but can t then get his claw out of the trunk. The brownies finally excape. The tree burns and breaks, dangling over the gorge by its roots. A troll howls as he falls to his death. The other scrambles up the tree and grabs Willow s foot. Willow s boot slips off and down goes the second troll. Flames lick at Willow as he at last hauls himself to safety, just as the roots snap and the blazing tree goes crashing down in the gorge. WILLOW This is not going well. TEEMO Hurry Queen Cherlindrea will know what to do. Willow bundles the baby and follows the brownies into the forest. Hobbling slightly on his bootless foot. MAJESTIC FOREST SUNSET Fading sunlight bleeds through awesomely beautiful trees as Willow and the brownies trek into the magical Fairy Kingdom. Elora Danan falls into a peaceful sleep. FAIRY KINGDOM NIGHT Willow comes to a halt. His mouth drops open. The forest is a luminous Milky Way of dancing, flying FAIRIES, like fireflies. The brownies tug at his pantlegs and whisper. TEEMO Come on. This is a privilege. No body ever gets called before Her Majesty. Wonderstruck, Willow walks into a clearing where colorful nightflowers bloom. He lowers himself onto an enormous toadstool, testing it with his hand. Other BROWNIES stand watching, like courtiers. The tiny fairies fly up to Willow s face and giggle  they look like fiveyearold girls, full of mischief and fun. Suddenly a strange LIGHT begins to throb behind the trees, peircing the forest with helterskelter beams. Willow throws up his arms as the bright light stings his eyes. ROOL Stand up It s the queen CHERLINDREA, the Fairy Queen, materializes out of frag ments of moving light, diaphanous, sylphlike, beauti ful. CHERLINDREA Willow Ufgood. WILLOW blinded Yes. CHERLINDREA I hope you are comfortable here, inside my kingdom. Willow says nothing, still batling the bright light. TEEMO Talk Say something WILLOW I can t see anythingshe s too bright CHERLINDREA I m sorry. The light diminishes, enabling Willow to see the queen. She is a beautiful vision, with flowing hair and lumi nous eyes. Her magical presence both stuns and impresses Willow. She turns to the brownies. CHERLINDREA Brokeheart of nightingale for our honored guest. All the courtier brownies snap to attention and go into action, bustling about, going to work, some even trip ping over one another. They bring Willow a drink in a delicate cupshaped leaf, and he takes a sip. The queen dissolves and reappears near Willow. She le ans down and opens the baby s swaddling and looks at the mark on the baby s arm. CHERLINDREA It is Elora Danan The prophecy has come true. The tiny fairies and the brownies stop work and sigh with respect and amazement. Cherlindrea seems to levi tate the baby out of Willow s arms, floating her magi cally onto a special cradle of stram and sticks. The brownies and fairies crowd around, with great rever ence. WILLOW You mean, you know who this baby belongs to CHERLINDREA She belongs to all of us. She is the future queen and ruler of all kingdoms on earth. Willow starts to get up. WILLOW What a relief. Now I can go home. The queen fragments and reappears right in front of Willow. CHERLINDREA No, Willow. Your journey has just begun. It has been foretold that this child shall bring about the downfall of Queen Bavmorda, whose evil powers have darkened our world. Upon you depends this princess s life. WILLOW Me The Fairy Queen flashes and vanishes. Willow lowers himself back down again. She reappears behind him. CHERLINDREA You are the guardian, Willow. You must take her to Tir Asleen. WILLOW What is Tir Asleen Willow can t keep track of her. She keeps changing her shape. The brownies and fairies snicker at Willow s confusion. CHERLINDREA It is a distant castle, where a great king and queen will look after Elora Danan and keep her safe until she is old enough to rule. She is gone again. Willow looks everywhere, frusturated by these riddles and mysteries. WILLOW Where is Tir Asleen How far is it She reappears again. CHERLINDREA The way has been lost in time. But there is one person, a druid sor ceress, who might guide you there. She was exiled by Queen Bavmorda many years ago. Her name is Fin Raziel. WILLOW You need a warrior for this job. I m nobody. CHERLINDREA You are very important, Willow. WILLOW No I m not. Have you really looked at me jumps to his feet I m short Even for a Nelwyn From down at his feet, Rool and Teemo stare up, insult ed. WILLOW continuing Why can t you do it You have mag ical powers. CHERLINDREA My prsence cannot extend beyond this forest. But I can give you these. Cherlindrea drops three small objects in Willow s hand. CHERLINDREA They will protect you. Use them wisely. Willow looks at them for quite a while. WILLOW They look like acorns. CHERLINDREA Anything you hurl them at will turn to stone. Willow looks closely at the acorns, then up at the queen. WILLOW They re magic Are you serious The forest light grows brighter. The queen looms over Willow and he again has to shield himself from the brightness. CHERLINDREA sternly I am very serious, Willow. There is no time to lose. Now she intensifies her light so that Willow backs away, completely covering his face. WILLOW But I ve got a family to think about They need me The queen swirls around him like a solar wind, blowing the forest trees, scaring even the brownies. And then all of a sudden  silence. And total darkness. ALL WE SEE, in dim moonlight, is Willow s face, peeking out from between his fingers. WILLOW Hello. The queen s voice echoes the forest. CHERLINDREA Bavmord a powers are growing like an evil plague. Soon she will con trol the lives of you children, your wife, your village.everyone. Very gradually and beautifully the firey fairies begin to flicker, restoring light to the forest. More light genlty brightens, bathing the woods, and the Fairy Queen reappears. She is holding Elora Danan in her arms. The brownies creep out from behind the trees. All eyes are upon Willow. CHERLINDREA The choice is yours. Willow takes the baby and looks at her for a moment. He struggles with his conscience. The fairies and brownies wait in anticipation. At last Willow looks up at them, resolved and determined. WILLOW I ll do it. Yes, I will, I ll do it The fairy kingdom sends up a great cheer and applause. Fairies giggle playfully around Willow s face, and brownies hug his ankles. WILLOW But I only have one shoe. WOODED HILL DAY WE SEE Willow s feet as he walks along. He has himself a brandnew shoe. Spirits high, he treks in the sunshine, papoose strapped to his back. Teemo rides in his pocket, while Rool straddles the papoose, tickling the giggling baby. WILLOW Wait till I tell my children. Stuff like this never happens in my village. He digs a magic acorn out of his pocket and tosses it high in the air. The brownies gasp. TEEMO Hey, careful there WILLOW How do these work I wonder I got ta save one to show the High Aldwin. ROOL Look Death below Rool points through the trees. Willow hurries down the hill to the treeline. In the valley below, NOCK MAAR SOLDIERS and CALVALRYMEN battle a hundred ragtag REBEL TROOPS. From this sage position high on the hillside, Willow watches in disgust. Weapons clash and men fall to their deaths. WILLOW Daikinis. They hear a CLANK behind them. Willow slowly turns around. There is movement in the trees. The hillside woods are full of Nockmaar HORSEMEN moving right up next to him. In the valley, the oupowered rebels are being forced up the hill toward them. Willow is suddenly standing under several large horses and blackarmored minions. He is frozen in fear. HORSEMEN Hyaaaaahh Swords flash and the horseman charge The brownies jump and run for their lives. Willow stumbles and spins as horse after horse thunders past him, nearly trampling him and the baby to death. The Nockmaar reinforcements descend upon the remaining rebels and crush them. Willow falls and quickly digs the baby out of the papoose. She is shrieking in ter ror. He holds her tight and runs along the treeline, following the brownies, while the bloody battle rages below. WILLOW Let s get out of here. Shhh, don t cry, Elora. Things can t get any worse than this. ROADSIDE TAVERN DAY Bleak rain dribbles down Willow s miserable face. Pro tecting the baby, he hurries toward a tavern. The bot tom of the building is an open stable with several horses. Two burly IRONWORKERS clank a redhot wagon rim, fixing a nearby wagon hitched to a horse. It s a rough place. Rool and Teemo peek out of Willow s pockets. Upstairs PEOPLE drink and sh TEEMO I m not going in there. ROOL Me neither WILLOW Don t worryI m a sorcerer. What could possibly happen Suddenly there s a CRASH up above and two PICTS burst through a balcony and land in the mud, fighting vi ciously. Rool and Teemo duck inside Willow s pockets. Willow steps around the Picts, dashes through the stable and up the stairs. TAVERN MAIN ROOM DAY The place is packed with tattooed PICTS, nomadic FAMI LIES, MOTHERS wit BABIES, THIEVES and CUTTHROATS. Willow enters with the crying baby. WILLOW Could you spare some milk for this poor hungry baby Everyone looks up. Mopping a table is an ugly BARMAID as big as a wrestler. BARMAID Get outa here, Peck PATRONS A Peck Get him out Beat it, Peck They hurl stuff at him and threaten him with their weapons. Willow runs along the wall and takes cover under some stairs. He pulls open his pocket and peers down inside. WILLOW I could use your help, boys. Instantly his pocket whips shut and trembles. Willow cautiously looks out under the stairs. He sees a pail of milk very near some ROUGHNECKS. Willow puts his little finger in the baby s mouth, silencing her. He creeps And bravely reaches for the milk. TEEMO S VOICE Willow Willow slaps his pocket. Then stretches his arm out very, very slowly. And gets the pail and zips back under the stairs. WILLOW This is not fun. He soaks a rag with milk and feeds the baby. Catching his breath, he backs up and leans agains a woodplank wall. WILLOW Woah The plank gives way and Willow falls through the wall. TAVERN DAY Willow somersaults into a bedroom near an unmade bed. Peeking up he sees two women getting dressed in a pan ic. One is a plumpchested WENCH with a pretty face. WENCH Hurry Hurry Very frightened, she looks out the window. The other woman, who wears a kerchief over her hair, packs thick powder and makeup paint on her face. THE OTHER WOMAN in a gruff voice How do I look It s Madmartigan Willow pops up like a jackinthe box. WILLOW You MADMARTIGAN Where the hell did you come from Willow strides toward Madmartigan, holding the baby like a machine gun. WILLOW I trusted you. The brownies peek ROOL Who s he MADMARTIGAN You re crawling with rodents. The bedroom door explodes open. In storms a big, mean, halfdrunk raging lug named LLUG. LLUG Where is he Madmartigan wraps a muffler around his throat. The wench innocently curtsies. WENCH There s nobody here except me and my, um, cousin. Llug knocks his wife out of the way and glares susi ciously at Madmartigan, who bats his heavily madeup eyelashes. He speaks in a high feminine voice. MADMARTIGAN How do you do. Llug sniffs at Madmartigan then fixes his gaze on Madmartigan s flat chest. He goes to squeeze him there, but Madmartigan ducks out of the way and snatches the baby from Willow. WILLOW Hey Give me that baby MADMARTIGAN high voice These Pecks make terrible nurse maids. WILLOW Nursemaid Willow angrily jumps up and down, swiping at the baby. MADMARTIGAN high voice They get too excited. With a swing of the hip, Madmartigan butts Willow aside and maternally puts the baby against his chest. Llug houddogs him around the room, finally cornering him and staaring lecherously into his eyes. LLUG Wanna breeeeeeed Madmartigan protects himself by holding the baby up in front of his face. Then he smells the baby. He winces and groans. WILLOW mischievously Time to change her diaper. MADMARTIGAN Time to leave. Madmartigan throws open the door and dashes But he doesn t get very far. Several NOCKMAAR SOLDIERS push him back in. Then they grab madmartigan and Wil low, and Llug and his wife, and haul them all outside. TAVERN HALLWAY DAY Madmartigan is slammed against a wall. The Willow. Then Llug and his wife. In the b.g. Nockmaar troops are rousting the tavern, taking babies away from frightened mothers and inspecting them. Heavy bootsteps thud toward them. Willow looks out and recognizes Sorsha, the blackhelmeted knight from the bridge. SORSHA You Are you the mother of that child MADMARTIGAN No. looks at Llug; in a high voice I mean yes. Sorsha strides over to Madmartigan, her sword drawn. SORSHA Let me see it. Madmartigan looks at Willow then back at Sorsha. MADMARTIGAN high voice I can t. SORSHA Let me see it. WILLOW No You can t Madmartigan looks at Willow then back at Sorsha. MADMARTIGAN high voice I can t. SORSHA Why not MADMARTIGAN to Willow Why not WILLOW Because she s sick. MADMARTIGAN to Sorsha Because she s sick. SORSHA Give it to me Sorsha stabs her sword into the floor like a spike. She grabs for the baby. Instinctively, Madmartigan el bows her away, whacking her hard and knocking her off balance against a nearby bench. The soldiers tense up, pointing their swords and spears. Sorsha regains her balance. She rips off her black helmet. Long wild red hair tumbles over her shoulders. She is a young woman, and Madmartigan s eyes pop open. He does his best to keep up his femal facade. MADMARTIGAN high voice Gawd.you re.beautiful. SORSHA You re not a woman. Sorsha comes right up to Madmartigan, squinting into his eyes. The she rips away his kerchief and muffler. LLUG Not a woman All hell breaks loose. Llug charges for Madmartigan s throat. Madmartigna tucks the baby under his arm and dashes right out the window. Llug bulldozes Sorsha and her Lieutenant, and the tavern patrons take advantage of the chaos and stampede for the stairs. Willow dives out the window after Madmartigan. SORSHA After them She grabs her sword and waves it at her soldiers who clatter toward the stairs, flinging people out of their way. ROADSIDE TAVERN DAY Madmartigna jumps off the upstairs balcony and lands in the wagon below. The two ironworkers look up with concern. Then they re with surprise as Madmartigan rips away his disguise. WILLOW Madmartigan Wait Up above, Willow charges along the balcony. Madmarti gan juggles the baby and whips the reins. The wagon pulls away, ironworkers scrambling after it. Willow flings himself off the balcony. The brownies tumble out of his pocket. They all land in the back of the wagon as it takes off. It has stopped raining. In the stable under the tavern, horses smash together and people fall in the mud, and the Nockmaar soldiers get tangled up in the traffic jam. ROAD CHASE DAY As Madmartigan lashes the horse, Willow crawls up to hum and takes the baby. WILLOW We could ve been killed, Madmarti gan In the back, the brownies boucne all over the place amid wooden kegs and other objects. When they finally get their balane they look back in alarm. Chasing them are two Nockmaar HORSEMEN plus a DEATH DOG and a war chariot. Willow ducks low and peeks out, protectively hugging the baby. The wagon bounces and flies along, but the minions are quickly gaining. Rool and Teemo spring into action. They struggle with all their might and manage to kck small wooden kegs off the back of the wagon. The kegs bounce onto the road, and the minions lose some ground trying to avoid them. But soon the horse men flank the wagon. One leaps off his galloping horse and climbs on board. The other draws an arrow and gets ready to fire. Madmartigan is about to be shot between the eyes. He quickly rolls into the back. The archer firse and hits the other minion in the chest. Madmartigna snaps a wooden stake off the wagon side and smashes the wounded minion off the wagon  he crashes onto the road. Willow harnesses the papoose to his chest and grabs the reins. At the same time the minion archer leaps aboard. He and Madmartigan fight in the back. WILLOW Heeyah Heeyah Then there s a terrible howl right beside Willow. The Death Dog is leaping alongside the wagon, gnashing and trying to board. Willow yanks the reins and swerves the wagon into the dog, which yelps furiously. In the back, Madmartigan and the minion are thrown by the swerving jolt. WILLOW Oh no Up ahead Willow sees an exposed tree root in the road. The wagon is headed straight for it The wheel hits the root hard and Willow is dumped onto the wagon floor and very nearly goes overboard. In the back, Madmartigan and the minion keep fighting as the wagon clatter along out of control. The Death Dog catches up again and this time spring aboard. DEATH Bordak The dog snaps at the baby. Willow scurries under the wagon seat. The dog stands up on its hind feet. DEATH Bordak It gets ready to attack. But WHACK an overhanging tree branch hits it and Willow looks up from under the seat and sees the mangled dog twitching and dangling from the tree, rapidly disappearing in the distance. In the back, meanwhile, the minion draws a knife. Mad martigan ducks out of his way, hanging onto a post at the edge of the tailgate. The minion comes after him. Suddenly the wagon wheel wobbles and the rim flies off. The jolt throws the minion off balance. Madmartigan kicks him. The minion hurtles off the taligate but holds on, dragged by the wagon. Rool and Teemo grab hold of a rope securing a large wooden keg. Together they yank it. Untying the keg and sending it tumbling off the back. The minion looks up in horror as the heavy keg crushes him. But the danger is far from over. The wagon rocks along with one wheel halfdestroyed. Willow whips the reins and looks over his shoulder. Steamrolling toward them is the war chariot The Nockmaar CHARIOT DRIVER stands up and stuffs the reins in his mouth. He rasise his arm and begins to twirl a deadly weapon, a kind of boloblade, over his head. Madmartigan defends himself with a wooden wagonpost. The chariot driver hurls the whistling blade  CHONK It lodges in the post. Madmartigan tugs. So does the chariot driver. Back and forth, the wagons smashing up each other. At last Madmartigan lets go of the post and the chariot driver is sent tumbling through the airl, over a cliff to his death. WILLOW Woah.woah. Willow tries to stop the horse. But the wheel col lapses and he is thrown off into a ditch. The brownies dive overboard. Madmartigan jumps off and delibrerately sends the wagon up the road. He scrambles down into the ditch and lies flat beside Willow. Suddenly, hoofbeats thunder and Sorsha and the rest of her troops gallop past. Lying flat, Madmartigna raises his head and sees Sorsha s long flowing red hair. MADMARTIGAN That girl is a vision. As soon as the troops are gone, Willow jumps up. WILLOW Where s the baby MADMARTIGAN I thought you had her ROOL/TEEMO Willow The brownies are waving and gesturing madly, pointing at a heap of boards and rubble that broke off the wagon. Willow and Madmartigan race over and start dig ging, flinging debris aside. MADMARTIGAN Now Willow, I know you re gonna blame me for this but it wasn t my fault. WILLOW Elora Danan Willow sees the battered, lifeless papoose. He grabs it and rips it open. Madmartigan kneels in the dirt remorsefully. MADMARTIGAN When I left the crossroads, I got ambushed by an elf WILLOW Madmartigan You saved her life MADMARTIGAN I did Willow holds up the baby. She giggles and smiles. Madmartigan switches gears, boasting  MADMARTIGAN I mean, of course I saved her life. She s almost my daughter, isn t she Willow bundles the baby and looks up the road. WILLOW Let s get out of here before they come back. They hurry off into the darkening woods. WOODS NIGHT A campfire blazes. Willow tends the baby while the brownies point up at the stars. TEEMO Northeast is that way. We ve come west and south. I think. Madmartigan dumps a big log on the fire, spraying the brownies with sparks. ROOL Watch it You re gonna set us on fire. MADMARTIGAN Not a bad idea. Madmartigan terrorizes them with a flaming stick. Then he squats beside Willow and the baby. MADMARTIGAN So you re on your way to Tir Asleen, huh I hate to tell you this, Willow, but Tir Asleen dosn t exist. WILLOW Yes it does. The Fairy Queen told me. MADMARTIGAN The Fairy Queen And the baby here s a princess And these two rodents are your guides He shakes his head sceptically, stretches out and puts his feet up on a log. MADMARTIGAN Yeah well.in the morning I think I ll be on my way. He laughs sarcastically. Willow sets down the baby. He takes off Kiaya s necklace and fingers it sadly. WILLOW Madmartigan, I need your help. MADMARTIGAN My help A great magician like you You don t need any help. Willow stares at him angrily. WILLOW But you re a great swordsman He jumps and starts pacing around the fire. Rool and Teemo dive for cover. WILLOW explodes You re not a warrior, Madmartigan A warrior wouldn t lie there and do nothing He kicks Madmartigan s boot and knocks his feet off the log. WILLOW We re in trouble You ve seen the big army that s after us You re a fake You re a bum You re a you re a coward He picks up a rock and pitches it wildly at the fire, sending up a shower of sparks. Madmartigan eyes him with concern. MADMARTIGAN What s with you, Peck Willow lets it all pour He begins to cry. WILLOW I miss my wife I miss my chil dren My boy Ranon He s growing up so fast, he even helps me on the farm now And little Mims If you ever saw her sweet little face you d  melt  Madmartigan, you d  melt  sniffles Or maybe you wouldn t. You don t know anything about love. You don t know anything about any thing. Willow sits on the ground, exhausted. Madmartigan picks up the baby and sits with her in his lap. MADMARTIGAN I was in love once, Willow. She had a hold on my heart. I could barely function. a pause I  was  a great swordsman I was knighted I could have been king WILLOW You MADMARTIGAN Yeah me. King But she betrayed me. She robbed me of my dream. Madmartigan gently rocks the baby and stares at the fire. Willow watches him curiously. MADMARTIGAN I ll never fall in love again. WOODS MORNING Willow wakes up and looks around. The baby is gone. He panics. He scrambles a short distance through some bushes. WILLOW Madmartigan Madmartigan They ve been camped all night near the shore of a LAKE. Willow finds Madmartigan and the baby bathing happily in the water. MADMARTIGAN Relax, Willow. We re having fun. The baby squeals with delight as Madmartigan twirls her around. He lifts her yp and carries her to Willow on the shore. The brownies crawl thorugh the bushes. Rool points out at the lake. ROOL That s it The sorceress lives there In the middle of the lake is an island with a single tree. TEEMO Are you sure ROOL excited Yes Raziel She lives out on that island Madmartigan lets out a sarcastic, sceptical laugh. Teemo scratches his head and squints out at the island. TEEMO That tree dosn t look like gold to me. MADMARTIGAN Gold Madmartigan rubs his chin with sudden interest. TEEMO Its branches are supposed to be made of gold, solid gold. WILLOW How are we going to get out there Madmartigan is suddenly pacing and thinking. MADMARTIGAN We ll find a way, Willow. Look over therethat looks like a villagemaybe they ve got a boat. Come on, what are you waiting for Madmartigan runs along the shore toward a small village in the distance. DESERTED FISHING VILLAGE DAY Half a dozen decrepit huts sit rotting on the edge of the lake. There are no inhabitants, just a lot of dis carded junk, including a few battered fishing boats. But Madmartigan, keeping one eye on the gold tree out on the island, is undaunted. He rummages through the debris, hauling out a fishing boat and shouldering it toward the water. MADMARTIGAN Give me a hand here, Peck Willow hoists the baby into the papoose and helps Mad martigan. BOY What are you doing They turn around. A goldenhaired BOY is standing waistdeep in th elake. Madmartigan is instantly wary of him. MADMARTIGAN It s nothing to do with you. But the boy looks innocent and harmless, and Willow ap proaches him. WILLOW We need to get out to that island. BOY The island is cursed. Madmartigan scoffs at this nonsense, grunting and push ing the boat into the water. WILLOW We ve traveled a long way. We re looking for Fin Raziel. TEEMO The sorceress. BOY She s there. But you can t go there. The island is cursed. MADMARTIGAN no patience Yeah Who cursed it BOY Queen Bavmorda. Her powers govern the elements. MADMARTIGAN Ahh, he s trying to protect the gold. Come on, Willow. Jump in. Madmartigan climbs into the boat and grabs an oar, eager to go. Willow looks down at the brownies for help. WILLOW What would the Fairy Queen say ROOL She s not here. TEEMO to Rool Obviously. WILLOW Without Raziel we ll never find Tir Asleen. decision We d better go. Willow marches to the boat. Calmly accepting their choice, the goldenhaired boy dives into the lake and disappears. Willow and the brownies board the boat, and Madmartigan poles them away from the shore. LAKE DAY They row across the placid lake toward the island. ISLAND DAY They climb onto the rocky shore. Flies buzz and swarm around them, and creepy bugs crawl around their feet. Broken skeletons litter the shore. Handing the baby back and forth, Willow and Madmartigan claw their way up to the large tree. WILLOW Raziel Hello Fin Raziel Madmartigan greedily reaches up to touch a branch. RAZIEL Get away Get away A littel animal scurries down the tree and hisses vi ciously at Madmartigan, chattering its teeth. RAZIEL You ll die You ll die RAZIEL scampers over to Willow. Her voice screeches like a parrot. She looks like an otter with a bush tail. RAZIEL Who are you Who are you WILLOW I m Willow Ufgood. I m here to find Fin Raziel. She springs right onto Willow s chest. RAZIEL That s me Raziel Raziel Willow looks down at the browines questioninghly. WILLOW This can t be right. This isn t a sorceress. This is some kind of animal. TEEMO Queen Bavmorda transformed her. RAZIEL What do you want WILLOW We need your help. To take this baby to Tir Asleen. She s a prin cess. Still sceptical, Willow shows Raziel the baby s mark. Raziel shoots up onto a branch and frantically flicks her tail. RAZIEL Elora Danan Madmartigan snaps a branch off the tree. A flock of birds suddenly screech and fly away. His eyes bulge. MADMARTIGAN Rool Teemo You were right This whole tree is made of gold He strips away the bark, revealing a vein of gold. RAZIEL Fools You should never have come to this place We re all going to die The wind begins to blow and the sky darkens. Raziel zips over to Willow and whispers intensely. RAZIEL We ve got to get off this island right now. Hurry The boat It s our only chance The wind howls. they hurry down to the boat. WILLOW Madmartigan Madmartigan is greedily breaking branches off the tree. MADMARTIGAN Wait Gold Gold Waves lash at the boat as they jump aboard. Madmarti gan loads up with branches. As they push off, he scrambles down the rocks. Just in time he jumps into the boat as the storm swirls it out into the frothy lake. LAKE DAY Willow clutches the baby as the raging storm pitches the boat. WILLOW Help, Madmartigan The oar Madmartigan hangs onto his gold, but pices of it drop and topple overboard. MADMARTIGAN My gold Suddenly a hand appears on the stern. The water boy climbs in. RAZIEL Kill him WILLOW No RAZIEL Kill him Madmartigna hesitates but then smashes the boy back into the lake. The boy surfaces like a dolphin. His shape begins to change, becoming fishlike, diving and vanishing. Then  he attacks the boat He is now a ferocious sharklike monster. He chomps the boat and the gold branches slide into the water. Madmartigan bashes the monster with the oar, then grabs an anchor. The mon ster attacks again and Madmartigan jabs its gill with the anchor. The monster sinks into the lake. They all sigh with relief. Madmartigan shrugs proudly. Suddenly the an chor line unravels, tangling Madmartigan s legs in fishing nets and yanking him overboard. Underwater, Madmartigan swirls behind the monster. He pulls himself along the anchor line and finally cuts himself free with his dagger. He surfaces and madly swims toward the pitching boat. Willow reaches out to him. The monster surfaces and circles the boat. Then it attacks Madmartigan. MADMARTIGAN No Help Willow Willow digs out a magic acorn. But he drops it He fumbles in the leaking boat and finally finds it. The monster opens its jaws and goes to devour Madmartigan. Willow throws the acorn. The monster miraculously turns to stone. Madmartigan grabs the boat and watches in amazement as the monster sinks. Willow hauls him into the boat. LAKESHORE DAY The storm begins to die down as they jump to shore, ex hausted. Madmartigan wears nothing now but a ragged loincloth. He falls to his knees, coughing and spit ting. MADMARTIGAN Willow.you.you got.magic. Wait.we could team up. He pulls himself up and follows Willow. Suddenly they all stop. Sorsha and her men come out of the woods. RAZIEL Flee Flee The brownies scurry into a hole. Raziel makes a dash for it but a soldier skewers her tail with his spear, dangling her in front of Sorsha. SORSHA Raziel. Did you think my mother would allow you to escape Sorsha gestures, and the soldier takes Raziel away. The lieutenant wrestles the baby away from Willow. He gives her to Sorsha. SORSHA This is what we re looking for. It bears the markings. Willow panics. MADMARTIGAN Don t worry, Willow. If there s one thing I m good at, it s charm ing a woman. He swaggers forward. Sorsha turns and looks at him. MADMARTIGAN So. Couldn t live without me, huh Sorsha looks up and down at his naked body. SORSHA Lose your skirt How embarassing. Madmartigan looks down and adjusts his loincloth. MADMARTIGAN Still got what counts. A pause as he smiles at her. SORSHA Not for long. She raises her fist and zap  Madmartigan is instantly surrounded by spears and swords. SORSHA We ll join the column. Bring them with us. Madmartigan and Willow are roughly taken away. Sorsha and her troops mount horses and ride off. Rool and Teemo crawl lup from under a rock. TEEMO We gotta follow them. ROOL Us We ll never catch them. Any way, we re all done, Teemo. Let s go home. Rool walks off and Teemo grabs him, yanks him back. TEEMO Get back here, Rool ROOL Ouch Let go of me Rool throws a punch, and the brownies somersault into the bushes fighting each other. ROAD DAY Sorsha and her men now ride with a caravan of fifty NOCKMAAR TROOPS. Chained by their necks. Willow and Madmartigan walk behind a wagon. Raziel sits trapped in a cage on the back of the wagon. WILLOW I can t go on. Willow loses strength, falls and is dragged. Madmarti gan picks him up and carries him on his shoulders. Sorsha sees this. MADMARTIGAN Willow, why don t you use your mag ic to get us out of here RAZIEL He s no magician. MADMARTIGAN He turned that monster into stone Raziel peers sternly at Willow, who is eyelevel with her cage. RAZIEL Did  you  give that acorn its power WILLOW No. RAZIEL A magician  makes  magic. Any fool can use it. Madmartigan shakes his head at her. MADMARTIGAN Then you get us out of here. RAZIEL I will But I need help WILLOW I ll help you. MADMARTIGAN I won t. RAZIEL You must learn magic. WILLOW That s all I ever wanted RAZIEL Then I will teach you. Sorsha rides up from the rear of the caravan, carrying the baby, who is crying. Madmartigan, with Willow still on his shoulders, straightens up and flirts with her. MADMARTIGAN Nice horse.nice hair.real nice hair.I d say you ve got the most beautiful hair I ve ever She flashes her eyes at him. SORSHA Wolff wants to boil you in oil. She nods toward her Lieutenant, who snarls viciously. SORSHA Don t tempt me. She turns away. The baby squirms and cries. WILLOW If you rest the baby on your shoulder, she ll stop crying. SORSHA Shut up. Sorsha rides along. She shifts the baby to her other shoulder, and she instantly stops crying. Sorsha throws a look at Willow. Madmartigan takes a long deep breath. MADMARTIGAN Mmmm, I love the smell of a woman. SORSHA angry threat My stepfather s going to tear you apart. Madmartigan pounds his chest and taunts her  MADMARTIGAN I m torn apart already. I mean it Under all that armor is a beautiful CRACK Sorsha whips her horse and gallops ahead. MADMARTIGAN Who is that girl, anyway RAZIEL Sorsha, Queen Bavmorda s daughter. Madmartigan snaps his finger and discourages himself. MADMARTIGAN Forget that one, Madmartigan. Raziel leaps against the bars of her cage, chatters her teeth and whispers to Willow. RAZIEL Willow. To learn magic, first you must make your own philosopher s stone WILLOW What do I need for that RAZIEL We must start with feathers, dung, and a lock of your hair. Willow pulls a strand of his hair out in front of his eyes and frowns at it. Madmartigan, meanwhile, can t take his eyes off Sorsha. MADMARTIGAN Now that s a woman. NOCKMAAR CAMPSITE NIGHT Fires and torches burn around pitched tents. Soldiers eat and drink, and meat is thrown out to Death Dogs. From her cage, Raziel looks down at Willow, still chained to the wagon next to Madmartigan. Willow is grinding a substance with a rock. RAZIEL Keep working at it. Forget all you know, or think you know. A magician s power depends on disord er of the mind. She twists her head through the bars. Madmartigan squints up at her. MADMARTIGAN You got that one covered. Willow hears the baby crying in a distant tent. WILLOW I hope she s all right. How much more do I have to do of this RAZIEL Till it s in a powder. The energy exits within you. WILLOW reciting I know, and the magician s goal is to find his true self. But what s this got to do with it RAZIEL As below, so above. You hold the univers, Willow, in your hand. Madmartigan clasps his forhead. MADMARTIGAN I m beginning to think you two  deserve  to be locked up. WILLOW The universe is a living creature, like you and me, Madmartigan. Madmartigan cynically gazes at the sky, gesturing wide ly. MADMARTIGAN We re a tiny version of all that RAZIEL As above, so below. Madmartigan rolls his eyes. Willow jumps to his feet and shows Raziel the substance. WILLOW I m all finished. Now what RAZIEL Burn it to a fine ash. Willow looks around. Heavily armed Nockmaar minions rip chunks of meat around a campfire. WILLOW How am I gonna do that RAZIEL Patience. Concentrate. You will find a way. Suddenly bootsteps clomp toward them. Willow quickly folds the powder inside some cloth and hides it in his pocket. The Lieutenant marches up and scrutinizes them suspiciously. He abruptly snatches Willow up, hacks the chain and drags him off. WILLOW What s going on Madmartigan sturggles against his chains. Angry and worried  MADMARTIGAN Hurt him and you ll answer to me SORSHA S TENT NIGHT The Lieutenant clamps irons on Willow s wrists, flings him into a tent and exits. Willow looks up and sees Sorsha, still in her uniform, impatiently pacing wiht the crying baby. SORSHA This baby won t do what I say. You seem to know what to do. Here Make it shut up. Sorsha dumps the baby in Willow s arms and then backs away. WILLOW She needs to be changed. SORSHA I changed her already Willow politely shrugs. WILLOW She needs to be changed again. Sorsha crosses her arms in a hugg and watches as Willow changes the baby. Soon the baby stops crying. Re lieved yet still anxious, Sorsha paces to a mirror. Willow rocks the baby gently, absently looking at the fire. Then his eyes focus on the fire. SORSHA Who is that horrible friend of yours WILLOW watching the fire Madmartigan. SORSHA Who is he WILLOW I don t know much about him. Sorsha fiddles with her long red hair. Willow creeps toward the fire. SORSHA He s very bold. Do you really think my hair is beautiful She turns and looks right at Willow. He looks back. She asks the question again by holding out strands of her hair. WILLOW Uh, yes. It s very nice hair. He suddenly strides over to Sorsha. WILLOW She s hungry. SORSHA I know she s hungry. I tried to feed her but she wouldn t eat a thing. I m not a wet nurse. WILLOW Here. Hold her. He hands Sorsha the baby, then goes to the fire where there s a stone crock of milk. He carefully takes his cloth pouch out of his pocket and unfolds it. At the other side of the tent Sorsha awkwardly paces with the baby. SORSHA I tried everything. A spoon. I poured milk into her mouth, she just spat it I don t know what to do, I m not a mother. During this, Willow ignites his powdery substance. It flares slightly then burns to an ash. He gathers it up, then returns to Sorsha with the milk. WILLOW Sometimes she likes it heated. Willow finds a strip of cloth, dips it in the milk, and feeds Elora Danan in Sorsha s arms. He looks up at Sorsha and smiles. WILLOW She s a good baby. Sorsha looks down at the baby. NOCKMAAR CAMPSITE MORNING The caravan packs up to move on. Soldiers drag Willow to the wagon and lift him on board, chaining him beside Raziel s cage. Willow excitedly pats his pocker, and whispers  WILLOW I did it I got the ashes When the soldiers leave, he digs out the pouch and proudly shows it to Raziel. RAZIEL Good The first step is complete. Chained behind the wagon, Madmartigan reaches forward and pokes Willow with his finger MADMARTIGAN Did she ask about me WILLOW Who MADMARTIGAN Come on, Peck, don t give me a hard time. You were in her ten all night. Did she say anything Willow deliberately plays innocent. WILLOW She said lots of thing.s MADMARTIGAN Willow Willow grins. At last  WILLOW She asked about you, Madmartigan. MADMARTIGAN Well what did she say Suddenly Sorsha gallops by on horseback, holding the baby. She flings a wad of clothes at Madmartigan. SORSHA Here. You re going to need these where we re going. She rides off. Madmartigan looks down at the clothes. The looks at Willow. MADMARTIGAN She s in love. WILLOW You re crazy. I think you re in love. SNOW MOUNTAIN DAY The Nockmaar caravan climbs into snowcovered moun tains. In the wagon, Raziel is grilling Willow. He concentrates hard, cramming, memorizing, straining. RAZIEL We don t have much time left Go on Go on WILLOW I must concetrate my imagination.to creat a new.reality RAZIEL What s the magician s weapon WILLOW The limitless power of. Raziel flips around in spasms of impatience. RAZIEL Your will Your will What else could it be WILLOW frustrated I can t remember all these things. What am I learning RAZIEL The art of transformation WILLOW exasperated But what am I gonna transform RAZIEL Me Willow and Madmartigan stare at Raziel. WILLOW You MADMARTIGAN What are you gonna become, Raziel Queen of the rodents Sorsha rides up to the wagon. SORSHA The baby s cold. Take her. She dismounts. With care, keeping the baby bundled, she hands the baby to Willow. Madmartigan watches and listens. RAZIEL You remind me of your father, Sor sha. SORSHA My father was a weakling. RAZIEL He was a great king. Madmartigan reacts Not like your stepfather, not like your mother. He ruled Tir Asleen with kindness, and a generous heart. SORSHA My mother calls that weakness. MADMARTIGAN What do  you  call it Sorsha turns and glares at Madmartigan. SORSHA I do what I m told. MADMARTIGAN Too bad you re not more like your father. She looks at him a moment, then abruptly mounts her horse and rides ahead. ROAD TOWARD SNOW CAMP LATE AFTERNOON The caravan rides toward a large Nockmaar camp. Death Dogs howl and fires burn ominously in the distance. Willow and madmartigan watch as KING KAEL rides out to meet the caravan. Kael is huge, powerful and cruel, partbeast, part man, and he carries a terrible sword at his side. Sorsha carefully shows him the baby. He grabs it from her. SORSHA Be careful. KAEL Don t tell me what to do. Kael viciously hits Sorsha, knocking her off her horse. Madmartgian and Willow watch angrily. Kail gallops to ward camp with the baby under his ar. Sorsha shakes away the pain and, humiliated, mounts her horse. MADMARTIGAN We gotta get the baby out of here. Raziel dashes around her cage. RAZIEL Tonight Complete the philosopher s stone I must be turned back Looking off into the camp, angry and resolute, Willow takes out the ingredients for the stone. WILLOW I ll do it, Raziel. SNOW CAMP NIGHT Now in a kind of portable cell, Madmartigan clutches the jail bars and looks out at the camp. Fires and torches burn, and Nockmaar soldiers patrol. Shivering cold, willow sits crosslegged in the jail, melting snow into a bowl. On a nearby leanto, where skins and shields are kept, Raziel hangs in her cage. Somewhere the baby is crying. In the distance Sorsha goes inside one of the tenst. There s a muffled yel ling between Sorsha and Kael. Then Keal storms out of the tent and goes inside the tent next door. Willow pours the ashes into the melted snow. RAZIEL Let it settle. Carefully, slowly. Concentration and will. Now pour the water off. As Willow works, Madmartigan binds together scrap sticks of wood, making a long pole. He gingerly hooks Raziel s cage with this, lifting it from the spike. WILLOW Oooh, this smells terrible. RAZIEL That s the life spark. Exxence of magic and sorcery Madmartigan angles the pole and the cage slide toard him. He grabs it with both hands and rips it apart. Raziel right away scurries down the cell bars, jumps into the jail and bits Willow s hand. WILLOW Ouch RAZIEL Shhhhh They look out nervously at patrolling Nockmaar sol diers. Willow sucks the back of his hand. WILLOW What d you bit me for RAZIEL We need blood. To nourish the stone. charge the stone with ener gy. Willow drips his blood into the concoction then stirs it with a twig. It begins to glow from within. RAZIEL The components of the stone are fusing. Willow s eyes widen with anticipation. SNOW CAMP NIGHT LATER Fires have burned down. Most of the camp is sleeping. It is nearing dawn. Madmartigan stares out at Sorsha s tent, deep in thought. Willow holds up the completed PHILOSOPHER S STONE, a red ball of pliable putty. RAZIEL Again  what is the magician s weapon WILLOW His will. RAZIEL Now use it. Willow presses the philopher s stone against the chainlock. He sheepishly looks over his hsoulder at Raziel. WILLOW I just wanted to test it first. RAZIEL No Change me back into a sor ceress, Willow. Willow goes to Raziel and concentrates with physical and mental intensity. WILLOW Avaggdu, supriom, luwatha. It starts to work. Raziel curls into a ball of fur. The fur changes to feathers. She begins to squawk strangely. She emerges as a ravensized bird. WILLOW What did I do He sags with exhaustion and massages his blistered hands. Then  CLINK The lock falls open. They all look over, and Madmartigan picks it up off the ground. MADMARTIGAN Not bad, Peck. I m impressed. You busted the lock. Wilow clutches Madmartigan s arm. He holds up the stone. WILLOW Madmartigan. Let s go. Let s get Eloran Danan. With coldness in his eyes, madmartigan stares across the camp at Sorsha s tent. MADMARTIGAN Let s get Elora Danan. They sneak away. RAZIEL Wait What about me Raziel flaps her wings and flies up into the dark sky. THROUGH THE CAMP DAWN Willow and Madmartigan sneak behind tents, hiding from the patrolling guards. Very quietly they creep up to Kael s tent. Madmartigan knocks out a guard and steals his knife. They crawl dangerously over to Sorsha s tent. MADMARTIGAN You re a magician, Willow. But I m a thief. Wait here. I ll get the baby. Madmartigan slits the back of the tent open and slips inside. Raziel flutters down and lands on Willow s shoulder. RAZIEL I m supposed to be a beautiful wo= man. Willow shrugs apologetically. SORSHA S TENT DAWN Crouched inside the large tent, Madmartigan calculates his next move. In the far corner, Sorsha lies asleep. He steals the baby from a crib of straw. Starts to leave. But stops. Willow pokes his head inside. WILLOW whispers Come on, Madmartigan. Madmartigan stares over at Sorsha. Lured by her beau ty, he slowly walks toward her bed. WILLOW What are you doing Get out of there. Madmartigan looks down at her. Morning rushlight il luminates her youthful face, and her long red hair is spread across her pillow. Out of her armor, in soft nightclothes, she looks like a goddess. Upon her breast is a golden necklet, inlaid with ornate jewels. Quietly  MADMARTIGAN I love you. He kisses her lips. Her eyes open. SORSHA One move, and you really will be a woman. Holding the baby, Madmartigan does not move a muscle. Sorsha holds a knife at his crotch. SORSHA You re a fool. Now put her back. MADMARTIGAN I m not going to let this baby die. Sorsha presses the knife. SORSHA Don t make me kill you. Willow watches as Madmartigna carefully backs away from Sorsha. MADMARTIGAN I believe you would. Sitting up, Sorsha waves her knife. Madmartigan places the baby in the straw crib. SORSHA Why did you say that MADMARTIGAN Say what SORSHA I love you. Madmartigan walks back to Sorsha  bed. Willow crawls into the tent, behind Madmartigan s back. MADMARTIGAN Because it s true. SORSHA I don t believe you. Sorsha defensively kneels on her bed as Madmartigan walks toward her. He shows no fear of her knife, com pelled instead by honest passion. For once, he isn t conning anybody. His feelings are genuine. MADMARTIGAN I wish it weren t true. I swore I d never let this happen. I hate you. I hate your beauty, I hate your innocence, I hate the feelings you ve awakened in me. The knife trembles in Sorsha s hand. MADMARTIGAN I m in love with you, Sorsha. I don t want to be, but a power has enchanted me and I stand helpless against it. It s torture. Battle field or prison cell was never half as cruel. He kneels onto her bed. Her hand falls, her knife falls to the floor, her chest heaves with fear and emo tion. MADMARTIGAN I want you and I can t have you so I want you all the more. If this were another time and another place I d He stops. He looks into her eyes. Willow dashes out of the tent with the baby. SORSHA You d what Madmartigan takes Sorsha in his arms and kisses her. Her trembling body surrenders to him. Until  They hear a SCREAM outside the tent. It all happens quickly. Kael rips open the canvas and catches them in their embrace. In one hand he holds the baby. In the other hand  Willow. KAEL What s going on here Sorsha sees the baby, sees the empty crib, and smashes Madmartigan hard across the face. SORSHA Deceiver Kael hurls Willow across the tent and tosses the baby in the straw. Growling horribly he lunges at Madmarti gan. Madmartigan rolls away and sees Sorsha s sword nearby. Grabs it. As Kael draws his sword, Madmarti gan artfully slices away the center pole, and the en tie tent collapses. SNOW CAMP MORNING Bodies writhe under the fallen mass of canvas, and Ra ziel hovers and screeches above. Then, a silver blade slits through the tent, and out jumps Madmartigan wielding Sorsha s sword. Alarm Nockmaar soldiers and Death Dogs charge across the snow. Madmartigan battles them with incredible skill, backing toward the mountain slope. Wilow crawls out from under the corner of the tent, clutchign the baby. Madmartigan kills several so diers, littering the snow with bodies and weapons. Willow reacts, impressed by Madmartigan s swordsman ship. Madmartigan makes the mistake of acknowledging it  he bows, prod and cocky. MADMARTIGAN Whoops He slips on the ice and catches himself. Nearby a shield skids off along the snow. MADMARTIGAN Willow Jump on the shiled Kael howls and thrashes inside the collapsed tent. Then he gashes it open with his huge black sword. He sees Willow and the baby get on the large shield. KAEL Bowmen Horses After them Madmartigan runs toward the shield. Archers draw their bows. Madmartigan turns and sees Sorsha beside Kael. MADMARTIGAN Sorsha I didn t betray you. I love you As arrows rain down around him, Madmartigan leaps onto the shield behind Wuillow. Sorsha watches them as they slide away down the mountain, Raziel flapping and shrieking overhead. KAEL Kill them Kael waves his sward and a crack squad of Nockmaar HORSEMEN gallop down the mountain after the sled shield. DOWN THE SNOWY MOUNTAIN DAY Willow hugs the baby while he sits between Madmartigan s legs, and the shield zooms down the moun tain, zigzagging through trees. Madmartigan steers by using Sorsha s sword as a ski pole. The Nockmaar horsemen gallop after them. The shield skips and flies over snowdrifts and bumps. Raziel squawks in terror above them. Just missing trees and rocks, they pick up speek. Their eyes sud denly widen. Dead ahead is a huge wall of ice WILLOW Nooo Willow shuts his eyes. the shield speeds toward the wall. At the last moment Madmartigan steers them into a small opening, little more than a crack. Raziel, nearly smashing into the wall herself, soars up into the sky and loses them. ICE TUNNEL DAY They slide and sway down a long tube of ice, picking up incredible speed until they loop degrees upside down and around and go shooting out a hole at the other end. MOUNTAINSIDE DAY They soar thorugh the air. Madmartigan and Willow shriek in terror. But Elora Danan giggles  she s hav ing fun But in the air the shield goes one way and they go another, flipping and hanging onto one another and landing on soft snow with a fffump. Inertia keeps them rolling. Clumped together, they tumble down the mountain, gath ering snaw as they go, bouncing and rolling into a snowball that gets bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger and bigger VILLAGE DAY The snowball steamrolls toward a small village at the foot of the mountain. CHLDREN look up and squeal with delight while the adult VILLAGERS run for their lives. It plows through the middle of the village, scattering peole and animals left and right. At last it smashes against a stone house and cracks open like an egg. Raziel flies down and lands on top of the snowball, flapping her wings frantically. madmartigan crawls out as the villagers rush up. They stand back in amaze ment  the baby starts crying. MADMARTIGAN Willow Willow Are you all right Madmartigan drags Willow and the baby out of the snow. Willow s body is limp, he s unconscious. Then a VIL LAGER points up at the mountain. VILLAGER King Kael ANOTHER VILLAGER Nockmaar troops MADMARTIGAN to villagers Help us. In the distance Kael and his squad of about horsemen charge toward the village. The villagers flee into their huts and houses. Madmartigan scoops up Willow and the baby. Some villagers usher them around a corner and into a house just as Kael s army invades the town. HOUSE CELLAR DAY Madmartigan is bustled underground thorugh a cellar into a hidden storage room and a disguised door shuts behind him. MEN, WOMEN and CHILDREN huddle here in silence, like refugees or criminals. Madmartigan hands the crying baby to a WOMAN then lays Willow on the floor. Suddenly a huge hand clamps his shoulder  his old friend and rival Airk Thaughbaer. AIRK Madmartigan. Settled down with a family huh Madmartigan knocks Airk s hand away. MADMARTIGAN You left me to die, friend. AIRK You managed alright. MADMARTIGAN Is this what s left of your army Among the refugees is a handful of warbattered WARRI ORS. One of them, an OFFICER looks out through the ceiling beams. OFFICER Keep that baby quiet. They hear hoofbeats outside. Airk gives Madmartigan a flask of whiskey. He squirts whiskey into Willow s mouth and Willow coughs and shudders awake. VILLAGE DAY Raziel flies onto a rooftop and looks down. Nockmaar soldiers flood the village, dismounting, kicking down doors, searching houses. Then Raziel sees Kael riding alongside Sorsha. In her armor, at a distance, Sorsha looks fierce. But CLOSER her eyes show confusion, hesitation. Kael watches her closely as he waves his sword at the vil lage. KAEL Where is it Tell us or we ll burn your village Sorsha He shakes her roughly. She dismounts. Raziel watches as Sorsha and two other soldiers enter the house where Madmartigan and Willow are hiding. HOUSE CELLAR DAY Willow holds the baby tight. Madmartigan, Airk and the Officer watch through the cracks. Boots pound above, shaking dust down on them. A door opens. Nobody breathes. Willow buries the baby in his chest. Madmartigan peeks through the door. Sorsha, alone, comes down into the cellar. They see her. Searching. Airk s men reach for their swords, begin to draw. Whisper  OFFICER Kill her. Madmartigam shakes his head. MADMARTIGAN You ll draw the others. Airk looks at Madmartigan curiously. Madmartigan watches Sorsha. She is right there, inches away. Inaudibly, be says her name. At last she goes back upstairs. HOUSE UPSTAIRS DAY Sorsha comes up and begins to leave with the other two soldiers. CELLAR In Willow s arms, the baby lets out a cry. HOUSE UPSTAIRS Sorsha and the soldiers stop and draw swords. The baby s cry is suddenly drowned out by a loud SDRRECH. Raziel flaps in through a window and flies madly around the house, cawing and shrieking insanely. Sorsha and the soldiers sheathe their swords and leave. CELLAR Everyone sighs with relief. VILLAGE DAY In the distance the Nockmaar army is setting houses ab laze and Kael is terrorizing the fleeing people with his sword. Sorsha mounts her horse. Her attention is momemtarily caught by a MAN across the street who, from the back, looks like Madmartigan. She gasps. The man turns around. She sags with disappointment, spurs her horse, and rides off. The deadly squad of Nockmaar horsemen gallops out of the village. HOUSE UPSTAIRS DAY Madmartigan and Willow come upstairs with Airk and his men. AIRK It s you they re after, Madmarti gan. What did you do this time MADMARTIGAN They re not after me. They want the baby. Living in the house is a scrawny, shiftyeyed man named CUTH. He watches and listens. AIRK Who is this baby Willow steps forward, both protective and proud. WILLOW The princess, Elora Danan. They all know of her. They all sigh with respeck and awe, and they bow. PEOPLE The prophecy has come true. AIRK Give her to us. We ll protect her. Raziel screeches from a ceiling beam. RAZIEL Not safe Not safe Willow looks up at Raziel hopefully. WILLOW We re taking her to Tir Asleen. She ll be safe there from Bavmorda s powers. Airk looks up at Raziel. Then down at Willow. He clasps Madmartigan s arm. AIRK Tir Asleen is a myth. It doesn t exist. RAZIEL It does It does I will show you Airk impatiently waves the bird away and shoves Madmar tigan in the chest. AIRK You gonna be a hero, Madmartigan I ve lost half my men fighting Kael, and Bavmorda, and the Nock maar army. Now you and this Peck, and that magpie up in the rafters, are gonna take  em on alone MADMARTIGAN challenging Then come with us. Airk angrily stabs his finger at the floor. AIRK The war is here In towns and vil lages like this Airk crosses his arms and turns his back, looking out at the burning houses and the suffering families. AIRK You re chasing a dream. MADMARTIGAN Just get me some horses. Airk glares at him furiously. Then he kicks open the door and storms out into the street. Madmartigan and Willow hurry after him. MOUNTAINSIDE VILLAGE OUTSKIRTS DAY Airk and his men, plus some villagers, watch as Madmar tigan mounts a large horse. Then some villagers help Willow wiggle up onto a small pony. They sling the baby over Willow s back and stuff saddlebags with pro visions MADMARTIGAN Once again, Airk, we say goodbye. Sadly and cynically, Airk laughs. AIRK One day one of us willl stand on the other s grave. They shake hands ruggedly. Madmartigan nods at Willow and they head off. Airk watches them go, clearly am bivalent about staying behind. They ride up the snowy slope, Raziel circling above. WE SEE Cuth. He scratches his filthy beard. He sneaks off through the village, in the direction of the Nock maar army. MOUNTAIN DAY Snow circles around them as they climb. Then, oddly, the mountain becomes warmer, and the snow melts away. They reach a slope of dark vitreous lava. RAZIEL Nockmaar Nockmaar Far away, at the top of the mountain, looms the ominous Catsle of Nockmaar. The black lava flows from it like a deadly shadow. CAVE OF THE EBORSISK DAY Their horses rear up as they approach the mouth of the cave. Raziel waits for them, circling and cawing. RAZIEL This way The cave They dismount and lead the horses. But the horses pan ic, their frightened neighing voices echoing deep in the gloomy cave, and they break away and run off. Willow swallows hard. He and Madmartigan follow Raziel inside. CAVE OF THE EBORSISK DAY Daylight is soon replaced by the orange glow of molten lava. WILLOW Madmartigan I can t stand being in closedin places. MADMARTIGAN Want me to carry Elora WILLOW I m used to her. How s she doing Willow wears the papoose on his back. Madmartigan looks in at the baby s face. MADMARTIGAN She s doing a lot better than we are, Peck. Willow and Madmartigan laugh, which breaks the tension. Then a geiser of steam hisses near them and a bat screeches somewhere and the tension s back. They keep going. DEEPER IN THE CAVE Hot liquid drips from the ceiling. Hissing steam bub bles from the floor. they go singlefile along a ledge over a foaming lava pit. Raziel is squawking way ahead in the distance. MADMARTIGAN Willow.this may be a bad time to ask this question but.what if Raziel s wrong WILLOW She can t be wrong. She s a very very very powerful sorceress. MADMARTIGAN She s a bird, Willow. WILLOW That s my fault, not hers. I ve got to keep practicing. I m still in the learning stage but magic, Madmartigan, requires concentration and MADMARTIGAN Watch it WILLOW Ahhh Madmartigan lunges and grabs Willow just as he is about to fall into the lava pit. He hauls him to safety. They gasp with relief. Then they head deeper into the cave. They stop. They hear something. Something strange. Then, something moves on the wall. WILLOW I hate this. The cave walls come to life. Down them crawl ugly ROCK PUFFERS, pillowsized wall crabs that screech horribly like bats. Madmartigan fights them off with his sword. The Rock Puffers bloat themselves up, tripling their size. Madmartigan stabs one and it hisses away like an untied balloon. Suddenly, distant hoofbeats thunder and echo. Madmar tigan flashes his sword and turns around, ready to de fend Willow and the baby against the army. MADMARTIGAN Go, Willow Run Run Willow listens as the hoofbeats get louder and louder. At last he turns and runs deeper into the cave. Mad martigan waits. The Nockmaar soldiers, now increased to eighty, come charging down the cave. Kael rides in the lead along side the turncoat Cuth. As they gallop along the ledge, Cuth makes the mistake of crowding Kael, who an grily elbos him, horse and all, into the boiling pit. The army tramples over the Rock Puffers, which explode underfoot. Madmartigan braces himself as they stampede toward him. But suddenly the horseman all screech thir horses to a halt. The horses rear and back away. Madmartigan stands there, wondering. Then suddenly a shadow looms behind him. He turns. The EBORSISK roars and the cave shakes and thunders. It s an enormous twoheaded monster that doesn t like visitors. MADMARTIGAN Willow Willow He looks around frantically. Willow is nowhere to be seen. Then the baby cries Madmartigan sees them, cowering behind a rock. He runs toward them. The Eborsisk exhales flames over his head. KAEL Go after them Soldiers obey Kael and go after Madmartigan. He fights them, hacking down a few, while a few others are in cinerated by the Eborsisk. Sorsha s horse rears as she watches Madmartigan battle for his life. Archers shoot arrows, which pierce the Eborsisk and make it even an grier. Willow digs one of his magic acorns out of his pocket. A head of the Eborsisk gnashes at Madmartigan. Madmar tigan looks to Willow for help. MADMARTIGAN Hurry, Willow Throw it Willow winds up and throws with all his might. The Eborsisk blasts a flame, which startles Willow, wreck ing his aim. Madmartigan s eyes pop open and he ducks as the acorn whistles by his ear. The acorn bounces off a rock and flies back, trickles along the ground and hits a Nockmaar soldier, who is already dead. The soldier s body turns to stone. RAZIEL Look out One of the Eborsisk s heads lunges toward the baby. Raziel dives like a rocket and attacks the monster s eye as Willow whisks the baby away. Then Madmartigan leaps up on the Eborsisk. He climbs up over its flaming head and drives his sword down through its skull. The Eborsisk howls horribly and its wounded head falls. Madmartigan topples down its back and leaps onto a horse, knocking its rider off and, all in one swashbuckling move, scooping Willow and the baby up onto the back of the horse and galloping away. KAEL After them But as his horsement charge forward, the Eborsisk falls to its knees, halfdead. The surviving head blasts the soldiers with fire. They rear back on their horses and continue to battle the monster with arrows and spears. CAVE TIR ASLEEN DAY They ride out of the mouth of the dark cave into a lush valley of flowers. In the distance stands the beau tiful CASTLE OF TIR ASLEEN. Raziel zooms up out of the cave an flies above them as they gallop fullspeed to ward it. She soars higher and higher and flies right over the castle wall. TIR ASLEEN CASTLE DAY The door of the castle is half open. Madmartigan and Willow gallop inside. TIR ASLEEN DAY Raziel flies down to meet them as they ride into the castle courtyard. A haunting wind drones amont TWELVE PILLARS which look like stone from a distance. RAZIEL Tir Asleen. WILLOW There s nobody here. They approach the twelve pillars. RAZIEL The Knights of the Pacalcade. The king s bravest warriors. Suddenly they hear hoofbeats and a warcry. TIR ASLEEN DAY Kael and his army charge out of the cave and trample across the valley of flowers. TIR ASLEEN Madmartigan rushes to the heavy door and strains to shut it. RAZIEL Turn them back, Willow Willow stares at the twelve knights. WILLOW How RAZIEL Use the philosopher s stone Hur ry Invocation Release them The castle door is rusted and old. madmartigan heaves against it. Outside he can see the army storming to ward him. Willow digs out his philosopher s stone. He squints and strains, concentrating his energy. WILLOW Beings within, beings without Danu danu walkail funfawtha He continues to chant and to concentrate. One of the knights comes to life. WILLOW I did it Madmartigan Come here Look You gotta see this I did it RAZIEL More More Madmartigan heaves the door shut just as the army charges up, and he locks it with a huge bolt. TIR ASLEEN DAY The Nockmaar horsemen rear back form the locked door. KAEL Assault Scale the walls He sends his men in all directions. They leap off their horses and hack down trees from the nearby woods. TIR ASLEEN Willow brings the knights to life, one by one. WILLOW Tuatha tuatha danu Each knight shakes himself into action. Madmartigan follows them in an armory. WILLOW Raziel I transformed them all I m a magician RAZIEL You didn t transform them, Willow, you released them. That was noth ing. Now change me. Willow s on a roll. He rubs his hands together. WILLOW I feel like I could do anything He drops to his knees and stretches his philosopher s stone apart like an accordian. TIR ASLEEN ARMORY Madmartigan and the knights grab weapons and armor. Two knights wheel a catapult out ot the battlements. Madmartigan wees, displayed specially on a rack, a com plete set of armor of shining silver. He reaches out to touch it. KNIGHT It belonged to our king. TIR ASLEEN COURTYARD The knights light a fire and boil vats of oil. Willow struggles to transform Raziel, trying to remember all he has learned. WILLOW Capture the enery.limitless power of the will.avvdachh doth indicht rredd baerkinhaekin Raziel begins to change. From a bird, she expands, stretches, and turns into a GOAT. WILLOW Raziel Is that you Ohoh. What happened Raziel tilts her goat head. RAZIEL I hate this. Suddenly flaming arrows rain down over the castle wall. Willow scoops up the baby and he and Raziel run for cover. TIR ASLEEN From their horses Kael and Sorsha watch as the soldiers climb the wall. They suddenly hear a hacking noise above and several Nockmaar men tumble down the ladders. Sorsha looks up. High on the wall stands Madmartigan, magnificently dressed in the glimmering armor of the King Kael roars and points his deadly sword up at Madmarti gan. Then several soldiers attack the castle door with a huge battering ram and smash it open. KAEL Attack Kael and Sorsha gallop into the castle with otehr Nock maar horsemen, while Madmartigan continues to battle attackers on the castle wall. TIR ASLEEN Willow looks up as the horsemen charge into the court yeard. He makes a run for the hallway. SIX HORSEMEN chase after him, jumping off their horses and drawing their swords. Sorsha dismounts, draws a sword, and strides up the stairs toward teh top of the wall. ARMORY Willow runs into the armory and sets the baby down in a corner. The six horsement run in and corner him. He grabs an enormous broadsword. Swings it like a base ball bat. The momentum of the heavy sword hurls Willow across the room. The blade pierces a Nockmaar man. Willow grunts and yanks the sword The remaining soldiers come after him. Willow swings and flashes the sword as they close in on him. TIR ASLEEN In the courtyard, Raziel the goat butts a few soldiers as the battle rages. UP ON THE WALL Madmartigan stabs a minion and sends him hurtlin down the wall. Then he turns around. Five more enemy swordsmen slash at him. Madmartigan is amazing  spin nig, lunging, ducking, he takes out one, two, three, four of them with ease. But not the fifth. It s the Nockmaar Lieutenant. He and Madmartigan swordfight. The Lieutenant hacks the sword out of Madmartigan s hand  it clatters down into the court yeard. Madmartigan throws up his arm. The Lieutenant s sword clangs against his wrist armor, knocking Madmartigan onto his back. With two hands the Lieutenant lifts his sword high and goes to kill Madmartigan. madmartigan shuts his eyes. But nothing happens. Madmartigan opens his eyes. the Lieutenant stands there, frozen, staring at him. Then falls forward. Rolls over Madmartigan. And plummets off teh wall. In his place stands Sorsha, holding a bloodied sword. MADMARTIGAN Sorsha. SORSHA Madmartigan. He props himself up on his elbows and smiles. MADMARTIGAN Whose side are you on She reaches down and pulls Madmartigan to his feet. SORSHA Yours. They look into each other s eyes. They go to embrace. MINION Arrrggghhh Out of nowhere a Nockmaar minion attacks them, his sword flashing over his head. Sorhsa hardly moves. She simply dusts him off the wall with her sword. She turns back to Madmartigan. SORSHA I love you. Their armor clanks as they throw their arms around each other and kiss, high up on the castle wall. TIR ASLEEN COURTYARD Kael looks up from his horse. KAEL Sorsha He sees Sorsha and Madmartigan coming down the wall, fighting Nockmaar troops. Kael holds up his great hand. In it he holds the baby. KAEL Bordak Kael waves his men after Sorsha and Madmartigan. KAEL Kill them both He laughs viciously then gallops toward the castle door. As he reaches it he abruptly stops. TIR ASLEEN Two hundred HORSEMEN are charging straight toward Kael. Led by Airk Thaughbaer CLOSER, riding in Airk s saddlebags, with their tiny daggers flashing, are the longlost brownies, Teemo and Rool TIR ASLEEN Kael stuffs the baby deep inside his tunic. KAEL Troops To Nockmaar Ride with me TIR ASLEEN Kael and his men gallop across the valley of flowers and hack their way through Airk s army. TIR ASLEEN Kael and his men gallop across the valley of flowers and hack their way through Airk s army. TIR ASLEEN Madmartigan and Sorsha mount horses. Willow staggers out of the armory, wounded and bleeding. WILLOW I m sorry. There were too many of them. Madmartigan scoops him up. With seven surviving knights, they ride TIR ASLEEN Many of Kael s men fall in battle. But Kael and a dozen horsemen plow through and escape into the cave. Madmartigan rides up to Airk Thaughbaer and their horses powerfully dance around each other. MADMARTIGAN Out for a little ride in the coun try, Airk AIRK Thought you might get lonely, Mad martigan Then they drop the bravado and clasp hands. MADMARTIGAN Thank you, friend. AIRK Let s go. They charge into the cave. The clamor of their hoofbeats echoes and then fades to silence. The valley is littered with fallen soldiers. Then, Raziel trots out of the castle. She clipclops across the valley and follows the others to the cave. VOLCANIC MOUNTAINSIDE DAY The Nockmaar horsemen race out of the cave and gallop up the obsidian mountain toward the dark castle. The army of Tir Asleen thunders out of the cave in pur suit. Arrows fire back and forth. The Tir Asleen army stays right on the enemy s tail. Willow hangs on to Madmar tigan for dear life. Airk and Madmartigan ride side by side, perfect team work, and cut a few Nockmaar ment down. Then Madmartigan turns and sees Sorsha ride up past everybody. What a rider she is She surprises a cou ple of Nockmaar soldiers, swordfighting as she rides, killing them both. But she can t catche Kael. He rides ahead of everyone else, whipping his horse at an in credible speed toward the castle. The chase continues up the mountain. The Tir Asleen army keeps firing arrows at the enemy, or cutting them down with their swords, until only two Nockmaar men ride behind Kael. At last Kael reaches the castle drawbridge and leaps onto it as it begins to rise. His two remaining horsemen leap after him but fall short and tumble into the dry craggy moat. The drawbridge shuts with a loud echoing KLUNGG Mad martigan and Arik screech to a halt on the brink of the moat. They look up. The castle loom, huge, dark, powerful, evil. MADMARTIGAN Sorsha Any way in there Sorsha rides up to his side. SORSHA No. The fortress is protected on all sides. The Tir Asleen warriors, dwarfed by the huge black wall, look at one another with doubt and worry. AIRK Make camp We ll assault at dawn. The army dismounts and begins to unpack supplies. It is late in the day and shadows lengthen toward evening. NOCKMAAR CASTLE LATE AFTERNOON Kael carries the baby through the castle and climbs up the gloomy narrowing stairs of the QUEEN S TOWER. He comes to a large door and hesitates a moment, showing fear. Then creaks the door open. QUEEN T TOWER BAVMORDA looks up. Kael cowers, afraid of her evil power. BAVMORDA Kael Carved in the floor is a MAGICIAN s CIRCLE, and in the very middle of this is a sacrificial altar made of shining copper. Bavmorda stands over the altar, wear ing black robes. Behind her stand two decrepit DRUIDS. Kael bows. KAEL Queen Bavmorda. I have the child. The baby squirms and cries. Seething with hate, Bav morda reaches out her arms, then shrinks back. BAVMORDA We must start the ritual She hears noise outside the castle. BAVMORDA Who is that KAEL An army of rebels and traitors. Bavmorda closes her eyes, holds out her hands and feels the vibrations and energy around her. Psychically  BAVMORDA Where is Sorsha KAEL She has turned against you. Bavmorda opens her eyes furiously. to her druids  BAVMORDA Purify the altar Arrange the im plements I ll deal with Sorsha The druids take the baby from Kael. Bavmorda storms out the door. NOCKMAAR CASLTE DUSK The Tir Asleen rebels pitch tents and build fires. Then they feel a terrible presence and look up at the castle wall. Amid torches and hideous minions, Bavmor da leers down at them and laughs. BAVMORDA This is not an army Sorsha looks up, and her mother seems to laugh right at her. Madmartigan steps forward. Seeing him in the ar mor of the King, Bavmorda stops laughing, taken aback. RAZIEL Willow Get out of here Quick Hide Raziel suddenly butts Willow into a tent. TENT Willlow tumbles into the tent and Raziel follows him. RAZIEL Get down The ritual chant Quick Protect yourself WILLOW Why RAZIEL Just do it Willow takes out his philosopher s stone and begins to chant. NOCKMAAR CASTLE Madmartigan faces the queen. MADMARTIGAN We ve come for Elora Danan Turn her over to us Bavmorda stabs her finger down at him. BAVMORDA You dare to challenge me You are not warriors. You re pigs She waves her hand, casting a horrible spell over the army. Madmartigan s body begins to change its shape. His armor breaks apart. He grows hideous. BAVMORDA You re all pigs The rebel soldiers panic and run. Slowly, horribly, they all expand and contort, ripping out of their armor and clothers, casting down their weapons and shields. SORSHA Mother No BAVMORDA You made your decision Bavmorda points at Sorsha, and Sorsha, too, begins to change. The mountainside becomes a sea of writhing flesh. Every one of the Tir Asleen army is transformed into a pig. QUEEN S TOWER DUSK Bavmorda throws open the door. Her druids are binding the baby in a leather thong. BAVMORDA Begin the ritual. Now Light the first candle. A druid lights on of THIRTEEN ENORMOUS CANDLES. Bav morda glares up at the roof. In the middle of it is a large circular hole showing the starlit sky. BAVMORDA Come, thunder. Come lightning. Touch this altar with your pwer. Come into my tower. Lightning flashes faintly and thunder rumbles in the distance. Bavmorda smiles with satisfaction. A druid places teh baby on the altar. The other druid hits a loud gong, once. Bavmorda enters the Magician s Circle. Her face contorts as she recites  BAVMORDA Dark runes, dark powers Blend and bind, bind and blend, Universal night And the might of Nockmaar Magically she produces a razorsharp knife. Lightning flashes again, getting closer. TENT NIGHT Willow is crouched on his knees, chanting with her eyes closed. RAZIEL It s over, Willow. You did well. You protected yourself. Willow looks up. He hears the grunting outside. With great trepidation, he crawls to the tent door. NOCKMAAR CASTLE OUTSIDE TENT NIGHT Willow shudders in horror at the grotesque sight. Amid horses and tents and weapons, hundreds of pigs wander ab Willow stands and walks through them. He looks down at one point and sees Rool and Teemo  two tiny baby pigs. Then he turns and runs back into the tent. TENT NIGHT Willow collapses to his knees beside Raziel. WILLOW I ve come all this way and now Elora Dana s going to die RAZIEL No I can still defeat Bavmorda WILLOW She s too powerful, Raziel Raziel sternly stamps the ground with her hoof. RAZIEL A true magician, Willow, never surrenders. She is a sorceressI am a sorceress Transform me now and I will destroy her Hexagram Willow grabs a sword and draws a hexagram around Ra ziel. He steps outside of it, holds up his philosopher s stone and begins his magic. WILLOW Banish all disturbing forces from this place. Fire, water, above and below. Balance. Balance. Bal ance. Raziel begins to change. Willow wrestles with his own powers of concentration and will, now and then losing strength. RAZIEL voice distorted Don t give up Willow He chants and strains. Raziel momentarily changes into a partlyformed grotesque creature. Then into a deer. Then she becomes human. At last she becomes herself, a oncebeautiful and now elderly woman. Willow covers her unclothed body with a simple smock. WILLOW Raziel She looks down at her old hands. Then her eyes focus with purpose. RAZIEL We ve got a lot of work to do, Wil low. Bring in our brave men. Willow opens the tent. Some pigs shuttle in, and Ra ziel begins to change them back into warriors. NOCKMAAR CASTLE NIGHT Stationed high on the castle wall, three Nockmaar MIN IONS laugh and drink. Then they hear the terrible SCREAM of the baby. They look up at the Queen s Tower. QUEEN S TOWER NIGHT A druid hits the ceremonial gong, twice. The baby shrieks. Standing over her, Bavmorda crushes a piece of glass with her bare hands and drops the fragments into a Witch s Bottle. BAVMORDA Black fire forever kindled within, Let the second right begin With a pair of razorsharp shears she clips the baby s tiny fingernails and sprinkles them into the Witch s Bottle. The bottle glows and sparks, and teh heavens asnwer with distant thunder. NOCKMAAR CASTLE NIGHT In the dark Tir Asleen camp some figures crouch low and hurry from tent to tent. CLOSER, the faces of rebel warriors, watching the castle wall. Fear. TENT NIGHT Willow, Raziel, Madmartigan, Sorsha, Airk Thaughbaer and a dozen rebel warriors argue back and forth. AIRK Uphill with our rough weapons, we ll never make it SORSHA Elora Danan will die RAZIEL By dawn, upon thirteen tolls of the runic drum WARRIOR Bavmorda is too powerful. We need more forces. I say we retreat The other warriors agree. RAZIEL Bavmorda cannot transform you. I ve protected this camp with a spell. MADMARTIGAN Can you use your magic to get our men into the fortress, Raziel Raziel shakes her head. RAZIEL Bavmorda has shielded it with a spell of her own. The warriors grumble and protest. In a corner, Rool and Teemo poke their heads in under the canvas. Curi ously they look at Willow, who sits in silence and deep though, scratching the ground with his fingernail. The warriors rumble. WILLOW Wait Willow jumps to his feet. They all turn to him. WILLOW I have an idea. Back in my village we catch a lot of hedgehogs. MADMARTIGAN Willow, this is war, not agricul ture WILLOW I know, I know But this is a way to get into that castle. The all gather around Willow to listen. QUEEN S TOWER NIGHT Thunder rumbles. Bavmorda looks up. Her face is gra dually becoming more grotesque as the ritual proceeds. A druid hits the gong three times. Now three candles are lit. The baby screams on the altar. With a demonic laugh, Bavmorda digs her hands into a deep vat of blood then raises them over her head. The blood runs down her arms into the folds of her black cloak. TENT NIGHT They all look at Willow. AIRK It s too much work. WARRIOR It can t be done. SORSHA Kael will never fall for it. Willow looks hopefully at Madmartigan. MADMARTIGAN doubtful I don t know, Willow. WILLOW Madmartigan, you promised me you d take care of Elora Danan like your own daughter. She is all that matters. Are you going to abandon her Madmartigan turns away and scratches his beard. AIRK Come on, Madmartigan. you gonna listen to a Peck You and I are warriors. You know this plan will never work. Frustrated and torn, Madmartigan brushes Airk away. The men rally with Airk. Mdmartigan goes over to Sor sha. MADMARTIGAN We ll probably die here, Sorsha. SORSHA I have no family. The gong rings four time. Raziel turns to Airk and his men. RAZIEL If we do not fight, and the baby dies, all hope for the future is lost. I shall face the danger alone if I have to. The men shake their heads. WILLOW Me, too. Madmartigan, still torn by indecision, raises his arm and silences the protest. MADMARTIGAN Time is running We must now decide who s going to leave and who is going to stay. NOCKMAAR CASTLE NIGHT Light pulsates in the Queen s Tower. QUEEN S TOWER NIGHT The druids cower behind Bavmorda, whose face has taken on the hideous features of a hellish beast. The baby has been streaked with ritual pa BAVMORDA Ocht veth nockkthirth bordak Her voice growls a sickening chant, and light shoots out of her clawliek fingers, enveloping the baby. The baby levitates above the altar in a cocoon of light. NOCKMAAR CASTLE DAWN The sun rises over the volcanic mountain. The gong strikes twelve times. PAN ACROSS the slope outside the castle. The Tir Asleen army is gone. Littered across the ground are flattened tents, borken wagons an dis carded shields. The wind howls, taking bits of debris with it. Alone on the deserted mounatinside stand Willow and Rz ziel. RAZIEL Time is running WILLOW Surrender Nockmaar soldiers peer down and laugh. Willow and Ra ziel trek closer to the castle wall. Willow cups his mouth. WILLOW We are allpowerful magicians Give us the baby or we will destroy you The Nockmaar soldiers roar with laughter. KAEL Kill them The great drawbridge falls across the moat. Willow clutches a spear and trembles nervously. RAZIEL Patience, Willow. WILLOW Courage, Willow. Hoofbeats. EIGHT HORSEMEN ride out of the castle with swords high. Willow lifts his spear with two hands. Turns. And smashes the spear on the ground, striking a loud war drum Suddenly Madmartigan leaps out of the ground on horse back And the entire mountainside comes to life. Tents and shields fly away and out of pits and trenches the Tir Asleen army charges with one loud warcry The eight Nockmaar horsemen are quickly cut down. The rebels storm across the drawbridge into the castle. Airk Thaughbaer scoops Willow up on his horse, and Sor sha scoops Raziel up on hers. NOCKMAAR COURTYARD CONTINUOUS Madmartigan leads the assault, cutting down Nockmaar minions as they run out to defend the fortress. Sorsha slides off her horse with Raziel. Airk sets Willow down. Sorsha leads Willow and Raziel into a dark hall way. Rebel warriors storm into the courtyard. Madmartigan circles behind Airk, their horses dancing handsomely. AIRK Let s squah  em In unison, their swords flash and they charge across the courtyard chopping down the enemy. ENT CASTLE HALLWAY DAY Sorsha hurries Willow and Raziel down a dark hallway. They come to a corner. SORSHA No, Willow She grabs him by the collar and yanks him back. A huge DEATH DOG leaps out wiht a gnashing ROAR and Sorsha kills it with her sword. Willow sags with relief and the women grab his hands and haul him further down the tunnel. TOWER STAIRWAY DAY They come to the gloomy stairs that corkscrew up into the Queen s Tower. Willow climbs nervously behind Ra ziel and Sorsha. At the top in THE DOOR. Light throbs behind it. Suddenly they hear a loud SHRIEK and the door shakes and bangs. Willow fals to his knees, frozen with fear. SORSHA I will face my mother alone. Willow and Raziel stay back on the stairs. Sorsha climbs to the door. Courageously, she opens it. QUEEN S TOWER DAY Bavmorda s monstrous face FILLS THE SCREEN. BAVMORDA Sorsha Sorsha recoils in horror. Bavmorda looks barely human  she has transformed into a grotesque witch. She waves her gnarled hand and her druids attack Sorsha. Sorsha kills them. The baby lies under a deathlike spell on the copper altar. SORSHA I won t let you kill her Bavmorda s voice is a demonic growl BAVMORDA You are a weakling. Like you fa ther Can you not see that I am about to become allpowerful Lightning explodes overhead. Sorsha lunges for the baby. But Bavmorda stops her with a powerful energy force. SORSHA No Pulsating light lifts Sorsha, levitates her across the room, and drives her toward a wall of spikes. Just as she is about to be implaes, another force stops her. Bavmorda can sense the source of it  BAVMORDA Raziel. The door flies open. The twelve burning candles all blow There stands Raziel. Sorsha falls to the floor, unconscious. Raziel raises her arms magnifi cently. The sorceresses face each other. CASTLE COURTYARD DAY Battle rages. Madmartigan and Airk lead the assault, and the Tir Asleen rebels push back the Nockmaar min ions. Down low, where weapons adn bodies fall and horses clop and stamp, the brownies scurry along in terror, arms crossed over their heads, looking for shelter. Like mice, they dart up some stairs. Then a huge boot nearly crushes them. The dive away and look up. Towering high above them, Kael lets out a loud warcry. And brandishes two weapons, a huge sword and a huge axe. Madmartigan and Airk turn and see Kael. They look at each other. Like samurai warriors they stand ready. Kael ralles his weapons and charges toward them. TOWER STAIRWAY DAY Willow creeps toward the door. It suddenly throbs and flashes. He jumps back. QUEEN S TOWER DAY Bavmorda and Raziel oppose each otehr, circling the al tar. The air between them crackles and sparks with the concentration of energy between them. RAZIEL The baby will be queen. It has been foretold, Bavmorda. BAVMORDA My ritual will kill the prophecy Now the child dies with it, its en ergy exiled into oblivion lightning flashes You see I hold the power of the universe RAZIEL Not until your ritual is complete BAVMORDA And who will stop me The elements are slaves to my command She points at the sky. As if oberying her, lightning flashes and thunder cracks. RAZIEL There is no one who can match your sorcery. Except me Raziel waves her arms and light suddenly swirls around the room. Bavmorda counters, and chairs come to life, turning into beasts. Objects fly ab The tower be comes a storm of chaos and witchcraft. CASTLE COURTYARD DAY Kael swings his axe and sword at Airk and Madmartigan. He roars at his army, and six Nockmaar swordsmen hurry over to fight with him. Madmartigan and Airk split up. Madmartigan battles the six swordsmen. Airk battles Kael, who backs Airk up stairs on the castle wall. Madmartigan fights in the courtyard. He hears a yell and looks up. Kael strikes Airk down. MADMARTIGAN Airk Airk falls down the stairs. Madmartigan finishes off the swordsmen, then runs to him, grabs his bleeding body. MADMARTIGAN Airk Airk MADMARTIGAN Madmartigan.you re a brave warrior.a true friend.a good man. MADMARTIGAN We re gonna win this war, Airk. An incredible smile lights up Airk s face as he dies. Madmartigan stands. Picks up his sword. And goes up the stairs after Kael. QUEEN S TOWER DAY The sorceress continue their battle. They change each other into various beasts. They fight, physically and magically. In the midst of chaos, the door opens. Willow pokes in his head, reacting in fear. Then sneaks around the wall of the room and makes a dash for the baby. BAVMORDA As above, so below Universe of evil, Raziel It conquers even you Bavmorda hurls a final spell at Raziel, crippling her, throwing her into a corner. Bavmorda laughs and goes to the altar. The baby is gone. Willow races toward the door with the baby. The door suddenly slams shut. Bavmorda s voice roars out  BAVMORDA  Stop Bring back that child  Willow stops. He turns around. Bavmorda towers over him, grotesque, monstrous, poised to destroy Willow with her magic. BAVMORDA Who are you WILLOW I m Willow Ufgood. I m a magician. Bavmorda laughs. Willopw slowly walks toward her. he digs into his pocket. Takes out the last magic acorn. WILLOW I m a  great  magician. Willow throws the acorn at Bavmorda. Her hand shoots out and catches it. the acron begins to turn her to stone, petrifying her hand, her wrist, her arm. Willow backs away, feeling successful. But with intense con centration of her evil will, Bavmorda fights off the acron s spell. It reverses  her arm, wrist and hand turn back to flesh. She crushes the acorn in her fingers and lets the dust fall to the floor. BAVMORDA Is that the extent of your power Willow stands there helplessly. Thunder cracks and lightning flashes through the open ceiling above the altar. CASTLE COURTYARD DAY The Tir Asleen rebels, outnumbering and overpowering the Nockmaar army, fight toward ultimate victory. Madmartigan battles Kael on the wall outside the Queen s Tower. Up and up they go. A spectacular swordfight. Until finally, Madmartigan stabs Kael through the heart. kael screeches and falls through the air into the moat. Madmartigna hurries toward the top of the tower. QUEEN S TOWER DAY Bavmorda looks up at the sky then down at Willow. BAVMORDA Place it on the altar. WILLOW No. You can t have her. BAVMORDA By ritual, by sorcery, I well draw the lightning and send this child into the destructive realm. Willow straightens up, boldly, courageously. WILLOW And with my magic I ll send her into the.into the. He gropes for a word. Bavmorda laughs at him. BAVMORDA You re no magician. WILLOW Into the good. Bavmorda instantly stops laughing. her eyes flash. BAVMORDA Even I don t have the power to do that. You re a fraud. Willow suddenly starts chanting, loudly and desperate ly. Raziel opens her eyes and watches. The chenting confuses Bavmorda. Then, Willow cleverly whips the baby under his legs and behind his back and suddenly she s gone BAVMORDA Impossible Bordak Bordak Bavmorda flies into a rage. She lunges across the copper altar. Thunder and lightning BAVMORDA Aaaaahhhh A bright fork of lightning, conjured by her own evil, shoots in through the ceiling and strikes her. She howls in pain. Her body contorts then bursts into flame and burns into a shriveling pillar of ash. Madmartigan breaks open the door and stomrs in. He scoops up Sorsha, reviving her with a kiss. And as if Bavmorda s death has ended evil and oppres sion, Raziel stands up with renewed strength. RAZIEL Willow.Willow.how.how did you do that Willow bends down under a nearby chair and picks up the sleeping baby. WILLOW It was just the old disappearing pig trick. Elora Danan s eyes open. And sunlight floods into the tower. TIR ASLEEN DAY Flags fly hihg above the wondrous caslte. The valley is lush with flowers, and the kingdom is once abain alive with happy activity. At the door of the castle, Willow stnds beside a cute little white pony. The court of Tir Asleen has gath ered to see him off. Madmartigan, in robes and armor worthy of a king, stands proudly beside his queen, Sor sha, who holds the baby princess, Elora Danan. A trumpet blares. Raziel comes forward from inside the castle, dressed in druid robes, carrying a sacred BOOK. RAZIEL Willow Ufgood. Take this Book of Sorcery. You are on your way to becoming a great magician. Willow accepts the book. Everyone applauds. Willow smiles gratefully and humbly. He glances down and no tices Rool and Teemo, who have been civilized to a de gree with page boy uniforms, fuzzy haircuts, and nifty little swords. Madmartigan and Sorsha come forward, with Elora Danan. WILLOW Your dream has come true, madmarti gan. Madmartigan smiles with thanks. MADMARTIGAN Goodbye, Peck. Willow has one last look at the baby. She smiles and giggles at him. He happily gives her a kiss. WILLOW Farewell, Elora Danan. Suddenly Willow flies up in the air. Madmartigan lifts him onto the pony s back. Willow and Madmartigan shake hands warmly. And Willow rides across the valley of flowers, everybody waving goodbye to him. NELWYN VILLAGE DAY Musicians stike up a welcoming march. Willow rides thorugh his village on his little pony, proudly carry ing the sacred book. The Nelwyn people swarm around him, wild with excitement and celebration. Meegosh runs up, deliriously happy. The High Aldwin comes forward, beaming with pride, and honors Willow with a nod of approval. Willow presents him with the book. Old Burglekutt peers His mouth drops open and he shrinks away from the crowd. KIAYA Willow Willow stands up in his stirrups. He sees Kiaya fight ing her way through the crowd to reach him. WILLOW Kiaya He jumps off his pony and runs to her. They collide, kiss and embrace. Then Ranon and Mims jump on their father and hug him. Family and friends smother their homecoming hero with love. RURAL ROAD DAY A two lane road carves through an endless forest of towering black spruce. A flock of pintails skims over the treetops, heading south before the first snowfall. A young BOY , undersized and feral, trudges home, bookbagstrapped to his back. Black haired and pale skinned, the boylooks as if he hasn t had a good meal in a long time.Before we hear anything the boy turns, watching the bend inthe road behind him. After a moment we hear the thrum of ahard charging engine.An Oldsmobile Super rounds the bend, accelerating as ithits the straightaway. The boy steps away from the road butthe car comes straight at him.The boy closes his eyes. The Oldsmobile s brakes clamp downon the wheels and the car shivers to a halt with inches tospare. Laughter spills from the car s open windows.Four HIGH SCHOOL LETTERMEN pile out of the car, wearing theirleather sleeved football jackets. GILMAN, the largest of thefour, shakes his head and laughs.GILMANK iddidn t even move. You see that?Where s your survival instincts,boy?The boy says nothing. He readjusts his bookbag and resumeshis long walk northward.GILMAN Hey Gilman grabs the boy s shoulder and spins him around The hell you going? You hear metalking to you? One of the other football players, MASON, walks over andinspects the boy s face.MASONThis is the kid whose old manrobbed the truck stop last year.Gilman curls his meaty hand around the back of the boy s neckand pulls him closer, scrutinizing him. The four lettermentower over the small boy.I  You the one with the convict daddy?The boy stares back at Gilman, unblinking.That s him.What s the matter, you about topiss your pants? Answer me.The boy says nothing, never looking away from the bully.Gilman presses his fist, adorned with a heavy class ring,against the.boy s cheek.You a tough guy like your daddy?Gilman shoves the boy, forcing him to stumble backwards. Theboy regains his balance, never taking his eyes off Gilman.You want to play tough guy with me?Huh?Provoked by the boy s lack of fear, by the insolence of hisstare, Gilman rears back and punches him in the face.The boy falls to the ground. Blood spills from a gash in hischeek where the class ring cut him. a ringside announcer Right cross to the face... and he sdown The football players laugh, looking down at the fallen boy.The boy stands. There is still no sign of emotion on hisface. No fear, no anger, no evident pain.What s the matter? You want somemore?The boy doesn t look away. The bully swings, cracking the boyin the side of the head, knocking him down again. to his friends Let s get out of here. Walking back to the car, Mason slaps Gilman on the shoulder.You gave that little pissantsomething to think about.Gilman grins and looks back at the boy, expecting him to besprawled and crying on the ground.Instead the boy stands again, brushes the dirt off his shirt,and walks toward Gilman.You got to be kidding me. I m gonnaknock the  But Gilman s words die in his throat as he sees somethingimpossible happening. The gash on the boy s cheek knitsitself shut, leaving no sign of injury.Gilman is so shocked he doesn t see the boy s fist whizzingtoward him, striking him in the nose. And then another punch.And then another.The boy is far smaller and weaker than Gilman, but he fightswith a ferocity that seems inhuman, punching and kicking andheadbutting, doing whatever it takes to fell his enemy.Gilman, stunned by the intensity of the assault, goes down,trying to protect his face from the blur of blows.Mason tries to pull the boy off his friend and suffers a biteto the hand. He howls with pain and backs off.The other two football players, amazed to see their leadergetting pummeled by a boy half his size, watch in awe.The boy growls as he batters the bully. He grabs Gilman s collar and lifts the football player s head off the ground,prepared to deliver the coup de grace with his right fist.Three bone claws spring from the boy s hand, serrated andrazor sharp.Everything stops. Mason, clutching his wounded hand, quitshollering and stares. The other two football players blinkand slowly back away.Even Gilman, moaning on the ground, hushes and tries to crawlbackwards, away from this beast on top of him. But the boy is more shocked than any of them. He stares withhorror at the claws, this part of him he never knew existed.He stands and stumbles away from Gilman. Mason runs over,lifts his punch drunk friend to his feet, and hustles himtoward the Oldsmobile.The other football players pile in, slam the doors shut, andspeed off, leaving the boy alone by the side of the road.The boy stares at his claws and for the first time we seefear in his eyes. He screams, a scream that echoes over theblack spruce, into the darkening northern sky.CABIN   MORNIN GLOGAN wakes. with a wordless shout, sitting upright,shirtless, in a bed covered with shredded bedsheets.KAYLA SILVERFOX  wraps her arms around him and whispersin his ear.KAYLAIt s okay... shh... it s okay.Logan pants, chest heaving, eyes wild, gripping the tatteredsheets in his fists. Kayla holds him tight until his boneclaws retract.KAYLA I m right here with you. Okay? I mright here with you.Kayla, a full blooded Innu, wears her long black hair pulledback in a ponytail. She s been sleeping in one of Logan s flannel shirts.The war dreams or the one whereyou re a kid?Logan takes a deep breath, finally calming down. He relaxesinto Kayla s arms.LOGANThe one where I m a kid.Kayla runs her fingers through his thick hair, kissing hisforehead. He sees that she has a small cut on her forearm. Hetakes her arm and looks at the wound.   NTTN T  LOGAN I cut you.It s nothing. Just a scratch.She kisses him.We need new sheets again, baby. CARNIVAL   NIGHTA traveling carnival has come to a seaside New England town.The brightly lit Ferris Wheel spins a few hundred yardsinland from the dark Atlantic.LOCALS roam through the carnival, lining up to ride the Tilt A Whirl. KIDS carrying plumes of cotton candy race from shoot  em up games to free throw competitions.A CARNY BARKER of the old school, wearing a patched suit anda derby, beckons the curious to his attraction.CARNY BARKERCome see the notorious Bird Man Half man, half eagle, is he anangel from Heaven or a spawn of Satan? Ladies and gentlemen,tonight is your last chance to seethe creature you ve all beenhearing about We follow two BOYS who hand the barker their tickets, pullaside the curtain and step into the sideshow.  SIDESHOW joining a small crowd of CURIOUS ONLOOKERS. The tent isdark save for a spotlight fixed on a tiny stage.SHERRLENE, a peroxide blonde in her fifties, whose tannedhide is covered with interlaced tattoos, slaps a tribal beaton a pair of bongos.The crowd hushes. A tall man in a hooded robe shuffles toward,the stage like a boxer long past his prime. He stands infront of the gawkers, head bowed, face shadowed by his hood.  RFNTTNTTPD.Finally BEAK throws off his robe and raises his wings to thecrowd. As advertised, he looks like an amalgam of man andbird, with three toed, clawed feet and dirty feathered wings.His very human, tired brown eyes are set in a face dominatedby a long sharp beak. He stares back at the gaping crowd.Beak looks more pathetic than monstrous. His skinny limbsdon t seem very strong and he projects an air of wearyresignation, not menace.But when he flaps his gray wings and caws at the onlookers,the children shriek in terror and bury their faces in theirfather s legs.INT. BEAK S TRAILER   NIGHTSherrlene and Beak sit at a card table, playing gin anddrinking bourbon. SHERRLENE I m gonna knock with three.BEAKAre you kidding me?He throws down his hand in disgust.You always hold out for gin. Youcould have knocked a while ago.Yeah, well, I m an eternal.optimist.Sherrlene tallies the points.All right, I m gonna hit it. Youwant to come look for shells withme on the beach tomorrow?I don t want to scare away anytourists.Aw, sweetie, it s winter. Notourists. I ll come get you in themorning.Sherrlene collects her things, stands, and kisses Beak on theside of his feathered head.Goodnight, Sherrlene.Night, Beak. Sweet dreams.Sherrlene closes the door behind her and Beak flips throughthe deck of cards, preparing for another lonely night.A knock on the door.You forget your purse? another knock All right, all right, I m coming.He stands and opens the door. BEAK S TRAILER   CONTINUOUSA towering figure in a long black coat looms beside thetrailer s door.Show s over, pal.VICTOR CREED is shrouded in shadows, but when he grins hiswhite fangs gleam. He drapes his arm around Beak and dragsthe birdman inside the trailer.VICTOR CREEDShow s never over for you, freak..INT. BEAK S TRAILER   CONTINUOUSYou want money? There s twentybucks on the dresser. That s all I HAVE  I just want to hear you talk aminute before I cut your lungs out.Creed shoves Beak back into his seat, picks up the bottle ofbourbon, examines the label, and guzzles it. Beak opens hismouth but no words come out. Finally  RONTTNTIED .You re the one that s been killingmutants.Creed wipes his lips with the back of his clawed hand.BEAK But you... you re one of us.Us? There s no us. There s you andthere s me, and in a minute, justme.Creed smiles down at his feathered target. Beak tries toshield his body with his wings.Please... I never hurt anybody, mywhole life...Let me show you how it s done.An awful, prolonged shriek escapes from the trailer. CABIN   DAYThe small log cabin sits in a clearing in a jack pine forest.Winter has come to the north country; the ground and treebranches are covered with several inches of snow.Logan chops firewood behind the cabin, splitting the logswith expert axe strikes, smoking a cheap cigar.His nose wrinkles as he sniffs the air.LOGAN.Smells like government.Behind Logan, two approaching men in dark suits and blackovercoats glance at each other. Logan, halving another blockof wood, doesn t turn around.One of the newcomers, STRYKER, was a colonel in the SpecialForces. He still has the look. His hair is cropped short, hisbearing is military, and his blue eyes are fierce.f r_ONTTNTJF D .CHRISTOPH NORD, A.K.A. AGENT ZERO, looks more like a deathrow convict than a military man. A family of tattooed spiderswalk down his neck.STRYKER SMILING I even showered today.Logan turns, the axe gripped in his hand.STRYKER Been a long time, Logan. Youhaven t aged a day. Everyone elsegets old and gray, but not you.How d you find me?We never lost you, my friend. Ibelieve you know my colleague?Logan and Agent Zero stare at each other. There is a historybetween these two and clearly the memories are not fond.We re with the Department ofAgriculture now.Agriculture? You working withfarmers?Agent Zero grins. There is nothing pleasant about his grin,.AGENT ZEROPest Control Division. Working withexterminators. puffing on his cigar Still shooting first, askingquestions later?In one blindingly fast motion, Agent Zero pulls a customizedautomatic from his shoulder holster, fires, and reholsters.Still smoking cheap cigars?Logan spits the butt of the severed cigar from his mouth andclenches his fists.  C ONTTNTTFTL  That was a buck twenty five,asshole.Stryker holds up both hands, one palm to Logan, one to Zero.Boys, please. to Logan Could we take a minute of yourtime?You re taking it.We want you back.Logan turns away from them. He tosses aside the axe, picks upa load of firewood and . stacks. it beside the cabin.You re a born warrior. You can hideup here as long as you want, that snever gonna change.Not interested.It s... creative work, I can assureyou of that. And it pays well.Already got a job.Lumberjack. Eighteen grand a.year.Eighteen five.You content chopping down trees?Yeah, I am. It s good work. And Ihaven t killed anybody in threeyears.Starting to miss it? CONTTNTIRT .Right about now I am.Agent Zero grins, enjoying the game. Stryker, seeing thatthis is going badly, tries to break the tension.We re putting together a team. Bestmen in the business. Men with...special qualities. Men like you.Forget it.Logan walks around to the front of the cabin. Stryker andAgent Zero follow. Logan s battered old pickup truck isparked beside the newcomers  Lincoln.It s a team of hunters. We re goingafter some very bad people.Logan climbs into the driver s seat.You read the papers, Logan? They rekilling mutants.Logan closes the door, turns the key and revs the engine towarm it. Stryker taps on the window. Logan grits his teethand rolls down the window, not looking at the colonel.Listen to me. They have names. Theyhave addresses.I can take care of myself.All right, forget about yourself.Your country needs you.I m Canadian.He hits the gas, forcing Stryker to jump back lest the tiresrun over his foot. Stryker and Agent Zero watch him go.  DISTRICT UNIFIED SCHOOL   DAYLogan parks in the lot of a sprawling brick grammar school.He gets out of the truck and walks toward the main building.The school day has ended. STUDENTS meet up with their MOMS orDADS for the ride home.As Logan rounds a corner, he stops in his tracks, lookingaround. Something s not quite right.Logan ducks his head at the last. possible second and asnowball whizzes past, missing him by inches.Six FOURTH GRADERS  four boys and two girls  charge at him,hurling snowballs and screaming.FOURTH GRADERSGet him Logan jumps back around the corner, out of sight. The fourthgraders chase after him, round the corner with their throwinghands cocked, ready to launch some serious ice.Logan is nowhere in sight.The fourth graders turn in confused circles, searching fortheir target, snowballs melting in their hands.LOGAN  O.S. Hey, fellas.The boys and girls look up and see Logan sitting on a second floor window ledge. He has already formed six perfectsnowballs, with which he proceeds to pelt the fourth graders.The kids run, screaming and laughing, nearly colliding withKayla, who rounds the corner and stares up at Logan.Nice.Logan, caught with a snowball in his hand, looks sheepish.They started it. INT. PICKUP TRUCK   LATER Logan drives Kayla home over roads slick with black ice. Shesings softly along with the country song on the radio.Stryker came by the house today.Stryker? Colonel Stryker? The oneyou told me about? off Logan s nod What did he want?Wants me back.And?Told him no.So why can t they get someone else?Logan thinks about it for a moment. When he speaks there is adegree of self loathing in his tone.I m the best there is at what I do.And what I do best isn t very nice.Kayla studies the side of his face for a moment.Maybe he s right. Maybe it s theonly thing I m good for.Kayla watches him. Logan shakes his head as if riddinghimself of an errant thought.Son of a bitch had me thinkingabout it for a minute.He wraps his arm around her shoulders and pulls her closer.f CONTTN  Fn.I m not going anywhere. First timein my life, I don t feel like afreak.Hey. You re not a freak.Most guys don t have to worry aboutgutting their girlfriend when theyhave a bad dream.You re not a freak. You ve got agift.A gift?Logan shakes his head, staring at the black ribbon of road.You can return a gift..INT. CABIN   NIGHTA well built fire burns in the fireplace. Logan and Kayla sitnaked in front of it, wrapped in an old flannel quilt.The kids made cornhusk dolls todayin Arts and Crafts.She reaches for her bag and pulls out a little doll.I made one for you.Kayla hands him the doll and he examines it by firelight.Given the limitations of the art form, it s a skillfulrepresentation of Logan, unique hairstyle and all.I look like Elvis.You re Elvis with claws.The moon, swollen and red hued, rises above the dark hills,framed in the cabin s window.I coNTTNTTRn .Full moon tomorrow.You know why the moon s so lonely?Logan shakes his head. Kayla lies back, resting her head onLogan s leg as he plays with her hair.She used to have a lover.Kuekuatsheu. They lived in theSpirit World and every night they dwander the skies together. But oneof the other spirits was jealous.Trickster wanted the Moon forhimself. So he told Kuekuatsheu theMoon asked for flowers. He told himto come to our world and pick hersome wild roses.Never trust a guy named Trickster.Yeah, well, you do some stupidthings when you re in love.Kuekuatsheu didn t know that onceyou leave the Spirit World, you cannever go back. Now he s trappedhere. Every night the Moon searchesfor him and every night he sees herin the sky and howls her name...but he can never touch her again.For a moment they re both quiet, contemplating the sad myth.Koo koo choo got screwed.Kuekuatsheu. The Wolverine. CABIN   NIGHTViewed from a distance, the little cabin looks warm andinviting, the firelight shining from the windows.Something watches from the edge. of the dark woods. Somethingmonstrous, its black talons carving gashes in the trunk of apine tree.  LOGGING CAMP   MORNINGKayla drops Logan off at the logging camp. The site isalready loud with motorized activity. TRIMMERS remove thelimbs from fallen trees. TEAMSTERS in forklifts load logsonto flatbed trucks.Logan comes around to the driver s side window, holding hisorange Husqvarna chainsaw in one hand.Be careful.Logan bends forward to kiss her on the lips. He turns andwalks towards a crew of LUMBERJACKS circled around aSUPERVISOR with a clipboard.Logan turns when he hears a honk. Kayla leans out the window.I love you, by the way.Logan notices that dozens of lumberjacks are watching thisscene. He clears his throat.T love you, too.SUPERVISOR thick Maine accent We all love you, Casanova, butcould we get to work here? We needto let some daylight in the swamp.The lumberjacks laugh loudly. Damage done, Kayla waves acheerful goodbye and drives away from the camp.Logan trudges into the circle of lumberjacks, who make kissie kissie sounds and slap his shoulder.SUPERVISOR All right, I need a team ofchoppers for  B, that s gonna bePhelan, Marcuse, Van Mier andLogan. Two teams for  C... ACCESS ROAD   MORNINGKayla steers the pickup along the access road leading away.from the logging camp. An eighteen wheel flatbed loaded with trimmed logs blocks theroad. Men in reflective vests stand on the flatbed, securingthe load with chains.Kayla hits the brakes and checks her watch. She s late. Shetaps the horn.A FOREMAN ambles over to her, in no particular rush.FOREMANCan t move the truck till theload s tied down.Please? I m already late.Not gonna happen, ma am...The foreman thinks about it, sighs, and changes his tune.FOREMAN yelling to truck driver Hey Zeke Pull this mother over.Lady s got to get through.Moments later the truck rolls forward, enabling Kayla toscoot through in her pickup. She toots her horn and waves.Thanks, fellas. TIMBER STAND   MORNINGLogan and three other lumberjacks   PHELAN, MARCUSE, and VANMIER   tramp through the woods towards their designated area,carrying their chainsaws and helmets.Phelan, whiskey bellied and flushed from the exertion, hasfallen behind.PHELANYou all want to ease the pace alittle bit? Trees ain t goinganywhere.Logan, in the lead, stares at a crude smiley face carved intoa tall pine tree. His gaze travels from the carving tosomething sitting on the forest floor. What you got there?The other lumberjacks gather around Logan. A severed bear shead, haloed by buzzing flies, rots in the sun.Goddamn.VAN MIER Hunter? MARCUSE Why would a hunter leave the head?Bullet didn t kill this bear. BEAT Claws did.INT. TRUCK   MORNING Kayla sings along with the tape on the tape deck.Lolly Lolly Lolly get your adverbshere, Lolly Lolly Lolly got someadverbs here, Come on down toLolly s get the adverbs here...Rounding a corner on the narrow access road, Kayla nearlycollides with a man in a long black coat. She slams on thebrakes and the truck shudders to a halt.The man s back is turned to the truck, his head bowed. Hishair hangs below his shoulders, clotted with dirt, as if he sbeen sleeping in the woods for weeks.Kayla leans out of the open truck window. Before she canspeak, the man in the long black coat turns.It s not just his size that frightens us, though the man ismassive. It s not just the four inch long black talonscurling from his fingertips, or the gleaming fangs he licksas he smiles at her.What terrifies us most are his eyes. They are a shark s eyes,black and loveless and utterly inhuman.f CONTTNT FD  Victor Creed walks toward the truck. He scrapes his talonsover the hood  screeeeee. Five parallel gashes now scar thehood, carved straight through the steel. TIMBER STAND   Logan, hearing a noise the other men can t, rises from hiscrouch. He looks to the west, listening carefully.What s the matter  Logan holds up a hand  quiet. He hears a distant scream. A.voice he knows better than any other.He runs, leaving his astonished co workers behind.No one can run through the woods faster than Logan and Loganhas never needed to run faster. He vaults fallen trees, ducksunder branches, accelerates when he hits the access road. ACCESS ROAD   MINUTES LATER Logan sees the pickup truck in the distance. Even a hundredyards away he can tell that something is.wrong.It seems impossible that he could run any faster, but now hedoes, reaching the truck in seconds. He sees the claw marksgouged through the steel hood.He sees.the driver s side door tossed onto the asphalt twentyyards. from the truck.And finally he sees Kayla, curled in the fetal position onthe side of the access road. Blood puddles beneath her. Herskin has already begun to lose its  color.He runs to her, kneels beside her body, hands checking for apulse, listening for breath, trying desperately to find anysign of life in her lifeless form.Come on, you re okay. Saysomething. Say something, darling.Say something. Kayla, come on.He cradles her in his arms.You re okay. You re okay. He rocks back and forth, her lifeless body clutched tightlyin his arms, his eyes clenched shut.The veins bulge in his neck, every muscle in his body tenses,as if there were a beast inside him trying to break free ofhis skin.CASADY S BAR & GRILL   DAYThe local dive opens early. TOWN DRUNKS sit by themselves,smoking cigarettes, sipping the day s first hair of  the dog,reading the paper or staring into their beer.Victor Creed sits at the bar, carving a crude smiley faceinto the wood with the claw of his index finger. He looks upand sees the BARTENDER staring at him. The bartender doesn tapprove of the vandalism, but he s not about to say anything.Creed taps the rim of his glass. The bartender comes overwith a bottle of George Dickel Tennessee whiskey. He fillsCreed s glass halfway   a standard pour.Creed stares at the bartender. He taps the glass again. Thebartender, hand shaking, fills the glass to the brim.Creed raises the whiskey to the light.Stuff don t work on me. I drink anddrink and I never feel anydifferent.He downs the full glass of whiskey with a swallow. He looksaround the bar, at the pool table in the back, the Wurlitzerjukebox, the stacked bottles of liquor.VICTOR CREED You got any insurance on thisplace?BARTENDERInsurance? I guess so. Why?Creed wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. Cause it s about to get ugly.Logan walks into the tavern, sniffing the air. He sees Creedsitting on the barstool, back to the door. Logan approaches the bar, never taking his eyes off creed.Finally Creed turns to look at Logan. He stands, toweringabove the smaller man.Logan sees a splotch of dried blood on the back of Creed shand. Creed knows Logan is looking at it. He lifts his handto his mouth and licks the blood off.Sweet girl. Tasted like strawberryjam.The bone claws burst from Logan s hands, pale, white, andserrated. He growls and swings at Creed s head.The big man is fast. He ducks under the claws, grinning andcircling like a boxer, happy that he s finally got a decentadversary.The bartender and the local drunks have seen plenty of barfights, but not ones featuring clawed mutants. They run.You can scare off the civilianswith those, sonny boy. But I gotclaws of my own.He swings, raking his talons across Logan s chest, drawingfirst blood. Logan lunges at Creed and the battle begins. The pace of the combat is startling, the physical powerstupendous. A missed swipe by Creed ends with him clawing outthe guts of the jukebox. Logan jumps at his enemy and getsswatted into the wall, smashing the plasterboard.Creed grabs Logan by the collar and tosses him onto the pooltable. Creed brings his fist down, looking to pulverizeLogan s skull, but the smaller man rolls clear. Creed s fistshatters the slate and the table collapses.Clearing his head on the sawdusted floor, Logan sees theeight ball rolling past. He picks it up and hurls it atCreed s head.Creed catches the eight ball in his left hand and squeezeshis fist shut. He opens his hand and lets the powderedremains spill onto the floor.Logan springs to his feet and swings at creed, again andagain, his claws whooshing through the air.l CONTTNTJRT Creed, despite his bulk, is an elegant fighter. He circlesjust out of reach, grinning as the claws slash past his face.Creed grabs Logan s right wrist as it flies by. He grabs theleft wrist. His wet fangs glisten as they plunge towardLogan s throat.IWith no room to dodge, Logan drives his head forward,smashing Creed s face with a glorious headbutt.As Creed staggers back, Logan kicks him in the chest,knocking the big man over the bar, where he crashes into thebottles of liquor and slides to the floor in a tumult ofglass shards and alcohol.Logan sees a lit cigarette in an ashtray on one of thetables. He picks the butt up and flicks it over the bar.The cigarette ignites the spilt alcohol. Creed roars andrises to his feet, a burning man.He vaults over the bar and advances on Logan. The flamesconsume his overcoat, licking at his skin. Creed slaps themout with his palms, apparently oblivious to the pain.You put up a better fight than yourgirl did.Creed snatches Logan and slings him headfirst through theplate glass window. PARKING LOT   Logan hits the snow covered pavement hard, splinters  of glassin his hair, his face bloodied from dozens of small cuts.Creed steps out the bar. As Logan struggles to his feet Creedkicks out his legs and drops him again.Creed crouches beside Logan, grabs the back of his head, andsmashes his face into the concrete.The beating gets savage, creed hammering Logan again andagain. Logan s healing factor cannot keep up with theviolence being done to his body.Time you got declawed, kitty kat.Creed lifts his heavy black boot and brings it down hard onthe extended claws of Logan s left hand.I CONTTNTTFT .Logan howls as the bone claws shatter. Creed repeats theprocess on Logan s right hand.VICTOR CREED. You were a tough little guy. Butthere s always someone tougher.Creed plunges his clawed hand into Logan s chest. Logangasps, eyes widening. His tolerance for pain is world classbut this is another level of suffering.And it s always me.Creed stands, staring down at Logan s unmoving body. Sirensmoan in the distance. Creed walks away.Logan bleeds in the snow. We rise above him, higher andhigher, his battered body dwindling as we rise with thesmoke.HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM   DAYTwo MALE NURSES shove a gurney down the corridor. Logan isflat on his back, bloody and unconscious.A SURGEON hurries after them, pulling on latex gloves.SURGEONWe know what we re looking at?MALE NURSE # .Bar fight.MALE NURSE Multiple knife wounds.INT. OPERATING ROOM   CONTINUOUSThe male nurses transfer Logan from the gurney to theoperating bed. One FEMALE NURSE prepares Logan s arm for anIV while a second NURSE cuts open his blood soaked shirt withsurgical scissors.The frenetic activity in the room ceases. Everyone stares atLogan s unblemished chest.What is this?  COTNnFn   Logan lunges forward, grabbing the surgeon s collar andpulling the startled man s face next to his own.Where is he? MALE NURSE Hey, hey, easy  The male nurses struggle to restrain Logan but he s toostrong for them. The surgeon gasps for air.STRYKER  O.S. His name is Victor Creed.Logan turns and sees Stryker standing at the entrance to theoperating room.I can help you find him. HOSPITAL   DAYLogan storms out of the hospital, followed by Stryker.He escaped from an ultramaxpenitentiary in Nevada last year.Started murdering mutants. Shape changer in New Mexico, pair oftelekinetic twins in California  Logan turns on Stryker, grabbing the colonel by the throatand shoving him against a lamp post.Three years I been here. Threeyears everything s good. Nobodyknows me. And then one day you showup and the next day she s dead.I came to warn you  You knew he was coming.f CONTTNfJRD .Stryker shakes his head as well as he can with Logan s handon his throat. Stryker s face is turning red.How did you know?He got the List.What list?Stryker chokes, gasping for air. Logan eases up on his gripbut doesn t release the man. Stryker takes a deep breath.The List. Every known mutant inNorth America. Government s beenkeeping it for years. Names,addresses, everything.How did he get it?Someone must have leaked it to him.There are people in Washington whowant to see you all destroyed.Logan releases Stryker. The ex colonel straightens his jacketcollar and composes himself.Creed s a mutant, too.Apparently he doesn t have muchtribal loyalty.Logan turns and walks away. He looks like a homeless man, hisclothes torn and bloodied, his hair disheveled. He walksfast. Stryker calls after him.Do you have a plan, Captain?I m not in the Army anymore.Do you have a plan?CnNTTNT TF.Tf .Logan turns and stares at Stryker.I m gonna track him down and I mgonna end him. That s the plan.You already tried that. He s ahundred miles away and you rewalking out of the hospital.Logan s fists are clenched. He s ready to hammer Stryker intothe ground, but the older man does not back down.You can t beat him. Not the way youare right now. You ve probably goneyour whole life without losing afight, but I m telling you now, youcan t beat him.Unless I give you the tools.Logan glares at Stryker, still itching for immediate revenge.You come with me, I promise you twothings. You will suffer more painthan any other man could bear. Andyou will have your revenge.Logan stares into Stryker s eyes. ALKALI LAKE   DAYA black helicopter lands on a concrete helipad inside thewalls of the massive compound.SENTRIES armed with assault rifles man the guard towers,scanning the perimeter with binoculars.Logan, Stryker and Agent Zero step out of the helicopter.Logan glances around the foreboding place before followingStryker inside the main building.INT. SURGICAL PREP ROOM   DAY Logan lies on his back on an examining table, naked save fora strategically placed towel.   A red bearded scientist, DR. CORNELIUS, draws blood fromLogan with a syringe.An Army surgeon, CAROL HINES, marks Logan s skin with anindelible pen. He looks like a Maori warrior, his body mappedwith strange lines, dots and x s. Stryker watches Hines work.Could you unsheath your claws?Logan raises his left hand. The bone claws pop out, the samelength they were before Creed shattered them.Remarkable. Full regeneration.Logan examines the markings on his forearm.The hell you planning on doing tome?Hines gives Stryker a worried look but he ignores her.We re going to make youindestructible. But first we haveto destroy you.Stryker heads for the door but stops midway and turns.I forgot to give you something.He reaches into his jacket pocket, pulls out an old set ofdog tags and tosses them to Logan. Logan inspects the tagswith ambivalence.Never wanted to put these on again.Held on to them for years. Figuredyou d be back one day.Logan slips the steel chain over his head.Now you ll always know your name. INT. CORRIDOR   DAY Stryker walks down a long concrete corridor lit byfluorescent ceiling lights. Hines steps out of the prep roomand hurries after him.HINESSir?Stryker stops and waits.for her to catch up.HINES  I know we ve discussed this before  He knows what she s going to say. He shakes his head andcontinues down the hallway, forcing Hines to chase after him.Ad nauseam, Lieutenant.Anesthetic won t work on him. Hishealing factor neutralizes drugs.Including painkillers.He can handle the pain.We ve never conducted any animal TESTING  No other animal would survive theexperiment. SURGICAL PREP ROOM   CONTINUOUSLogan, wearing a hospital style robe, stands by the closeddoor. No other human could hear the conversation down thehallway. Logan catches every word.HINES  O.S. He might not, either. There s asignificant chance the procedurewill kill him. Correct. Some experiments succeed,some fail. That s why we call them  experiments.  CORRIDOR   The man s well being is not myconcern. Proving that the scienceworks   that s what matters.Hines does not relish confrontation and she s afraid ofStryker. But she gives it one more try.Sir... I took the Hippocratic Oath.I swore I d never intentionallyharm another human being.Stryker turns on Hines, jabbing his finger at her.You also swore. to protect yournation. You remember that oath,Lieutenant Hines?Yes sir, but I don t understand why I don t need you to understand. Ineed you to follow orders.Stryker continues down the corridor, leaving Hines standingalone in the fluorescent light.SURGICAL PREP ROOM   MOMENTS LATERHines enters the room to find Logan sitting on the examiningtable, paging through a magazine. He smiles up at her.You ready for me, SURGICAL THEATER   LATER Hines and two MEDICAL TECHNICIANS accompany Logan to a water filled plexiglass tank the size of a lidless coffin.  Y NTTN WS An array of stainless steel machines crowds around the tank,including a series of robotic arms that taper into foot longneedles.One wall of the theater is glass. Behind the glass is thecontrol room, where Stryker looks on, hands behind his back.Dr. Cornelius and several SUPPORT STAFF enter data intocomputers monitoring the experiment.Logan removes his robe and hands it to Hines before steppinginto the tank of water.See you on the other side.One of the technicians fastens a breathing tube, connected toan oxygen tank, to Logan s mouth.Logan lies down, submerging himself in the cold water. Thetechnician clamps Logan s wrists and ankles into place withstainless steel shackles bolted to the plexiglass walls.Logan s eyes are open as he watches the robotic arms swivelinto place, poised above him like a gang of metal vipers CONTROL ROOM   MOMENTS LATER GENERAL MUNSON stands in the back of the room, observing theexperiment with great interest.Agent Zero leans against the back wall, bored, cracking hisknuckles.Hines takes a seat beside Cornelius, who studies a readout onhis computer screen.CORNELIUS Adamantium temperature? TECHNICIAN  Steady at eighty two eleven.Feed lines clear?TECHNICIAN  Lines one through twelve clear.Prepare insertion. INT. SURGICAL THEATER Logan lies underwater, watching as the robotic arms descendtoward him. The needles begin to spin at high speed, likemassive power drills. They churn the water when they enter.CLOSE on Logan s eyes as the needles enter his body. The manhas suffered gunshots and knife wounds, car crashes andbottles smashed across his face. He has never suffered this.He closes his eyes.INT. CONTROL ROOM   CONTINUOUSCommence feed.The technicians enter commands, watching close up images ofthe procedure on their monitors.Logan writhes in the tank. Twelve long needles have drilledinto his bones, including his skull.TECHNICIAN O.S. Feed commenced at a rate of twentynine cc s per second.TECHNICIAN  O.S. Density probe indicates preliminarychelation of the compact tissue.CORNELIUS  O.S. Body temperature? One zero two point three.Heart rate?One sixty.Stryker turns and addresses the general. You re witnessing medical historyin the making. We ve begun bondingadamantium to Weapon X s skeleton.GENERAL MUNSON IWe tried to use that stuff for tankarmor. Too damn expensive.It took us three years to prepareenough alloy for the skeleton.GENERAL MUNSONSo if this works, I guess Weapon Xwon t be walking through any metaldetectors.If this works, General, Weapon Xwill walk wherever he wants.Logan spasms in the tank like a man being electrocuted.Heart rate one ninety.Density?Four four seven.CLOSE on Logan s clenched eyelids and CLOSER still, enteringthe mind of the tortured man.Horrific images flicker past, selected traumas from a deeplytraumatic life.Logan cradles the lifeless body of Kayla Silverfox.The feral boy stares at his monstrous claws and howls.Logan  looking identical in age to the man we ve beenfollowing  stands in a village in Vietnam as bamboo huts burnaround him. How long before he s missionoperative?Remains to be seen. We re inuncharted territory here.Uncharted territory is a prettygood description of your budget,Colonel. This doesn t work, you cankiss the Eleven good bye.We need the Eleven. Our victory inthe war to come depends on it.Not everyone in the Pentagon thinksthere s gonna be a war.Stryker turns and fixes his gaze on the general.Oh, it s coming, General. The enemywalks among us. We d better beprepared.Logan thrashes in the tank, his convulsions increasinglyviolent, his eyes rolling back in their sockets. The water inthe tank begins to steam.The reel of blood stained images from Logan s past continues.A bull necked man beats the feral boy with an axe handle.Body temperature one zero eight.Heart rate two ten. Sir  A dying Russian lies on his back on a dock in Odessa, staringat the sky, his shirt punctured with three precise holes.Logan stares down at him, bone claws extended. CONTTNi FT .He s a warrior, Hines. He canhandle it.Victor Creed plunges his clawed hand into Logan s gut.Probe rejected, sir.Is there a problem?Stryker allows himself a small smile.On the contrary. The probe isdiamond tipped. It s not hardenough to penetrate adamantium.Heart rate two twenty five. Sir,we re well beyond maximum  You re trained to care for humans,Doctor. Weapon X is not one of us.Logan writhes in the tank, muscles coiling and uncoiling. Themontage of nightmares continues, snapshots from Hell.The feral boy sits alone in the back of a school. bus. Whilethe other children talk and laugh, he cuts his thumb with apocket knife and watches the wound heal.Chelation near completion.Heart rate two forty four... twofifty... two fifty seven...  Adam antium reservoir ninety percentdepleted.Core temperature one hundred andnineteen degrees..A young Stryker, wearing jungle fatigues and a necklace ofhuman ears, holds a revolver to the temple of a sobbing VietCong prisoner. Stryker smiles as he pulls the trigger.Stryker leans close to the glass, watching his test subject sagony. His experiment will succeed or fail in the next fewmoments. Sweat beads his forehead.Easy now. Adamantium claws burst from Logan s hand, shimmeringunderwater.Crazed with pain, he carves through the walls of theplexiglass tank. Steaming water cascades onto the pouredconcrete floor.Bursting free of his restraints, Logan slashes through therobotic arms. Sparks dance like a swarm of fireflies. Thedismembered machines twitch like wounded beasts.Logan rises from the broken tank, drenched with water, nakedsave for dozens of long stainless steel needles drilled intohis body and the wires and hoses trailing from the needles.Hair matted to his head, eyes wild, face contorted, he lookslike a strange amalgam of machine and animal. He tears thebreathing tube from his mouth and stares through the windowinto the control room, panting, claws extended.Hines sits very still, hand over her mouth. Cornelius and thetechnicians rise from their chairs and slowly back away fromthe window.I The general stares at Logan, awed by the sight of the livingweapon. Even Agent Zero no longer looks bored.Magnificent.Logan slashes through the locks of the steel reinforcedtheater door. He charges out of the room.For a moment there is silence in the control room.I take it this is still part of theplan, Colonel?He s got nowhere to run.Closed circuit monitors show Logan running down a tunnel.The only exit is a ton blastdoor. It was built to withstand anuclear detonation.Logan hurries down a long tunnel hewn through solid rock,leaving a trail of watery footprints. He stops in front ofthe battleship steel door at the end of the tunnel.Growling, he carves through the door as if it were cardboard.The savaged blast door flickers on the monitors. Logan Isfree. The general stares at Stryker. Stryker licks his lips. to Agent Zero Alert the containment team. Bringhim back.   r Bagged or breathing?Either way. Just bring him back. ALKALI LAKE   NIGHTA full moon shines down on the frozen landscape. Logan hasexited the Alkali Lake complex beyond the high walls of thecompound. The lake itself shimmers in the moonlight.Logan stares at the lonely moon. A wolf howls in thedistance.His breath rises above him in the cold air; his wet hairfreezes. Ignoring the gusting wind and bitter chill, he runsthrough the snow toward the distant woods. WOODS   NIGHTLogan runs. Pine trees tower above him. He enters a clearingwhere the virgin snow glitters beneath the moon.He stops moving and peers through the darkness. He smellssomething coming closer.A pack of GRAY WOLVES emerges from the woods, surroundingLogan. Snow dusts their fur. They look hungry, their blueeyes unblinking as they watch this pale interloper.The LEADER OF THE PACK, a muscular brute far bigger than hiscomrades, snarls at Logan. Logan stares back at the wolf.The wolf jumps at Logan, fangs bared, aiming for the man sthroat. Logan sidesteps and the wolf hurtles past, skiddingon the snow when he lands.Logan and the wolf circle each other, looking for weakness.The wolf gnashes its wet teeth and pounces again.Man and beast battle in the moonlight, a shadowy combat offerocious velocity, of gleaming fangs and gray fur.The wolf lunges for Logan s throat again, but this time Logancatches the wolf in one hand and slams it to the snow.The wolf, desperate to escape, rakes Logan s arm with hisclaws. Logan ignores the bloody welts. His face is close to the wolf s face and they stare into eachother s eyes, predator to predator.Snikt Logan presses the claws of his left hand to the wolf sthroat. The wolf quits fighting, mewling submissively. Hegoes slack in Logan s grip, rolling over to signal surrender.Logan stands over the newly subservient alpha wolf. The otherwolves in the pack stare at the strange champion.Intense light shines on Logan s face. He turns and sees thathe s surrounded by a dozen SOLDIERS wearing tactical armor.Powerful flashlights are mounted to the barrels of theirguns, which are pointed at Logan.The wolves flee, dodging through the pines, their pawskicking up snow.SOLDIER Put your hands in the air INT. CONTROL ROOM   NIGHTStryker and the others are able to watch Logan in action, asnight vision security cameras mounted in the trees beam aconstant live feed back to monitors in the control room.These soldiers are the creme de lacreme. They re equipped to handlethe situation.Logan tries to gauge his enemies, staring into the harshlights  He growls.Hands in the air, now Logan charges at the soldiers.The soldiers fire their weapons. These are not rifles buthigh powered Tasers. Twelve darts sink into Logan s skin,each connected to a silvery wire.Thousands of volts of electricity course through Logan sbody. fC NTTNIJF.n Gritting his teeth and fighting through the pain, he slicesthe twelve wires with his claws and advances on the stunnedsoldiers.The monitors show the fallen soldiers lying in the snow. Fora moment everyone in the room is quiet.The creme de la creme just gotcreamed.Stryker gives her a very nasty look before turning to GeneralMunson and speaking in calming tones.There s a high voltage fence on theperimeter of the base  Is it made out of adamantium? HUDSON FARM   DAYAn old Chevrolet pickup truck rattles down a snow coveredroad that passes acres of frozen farm fields. A Good Sam Clubsticker is pasted on the rear bumper.INT. CHEVROLET JAMES and HEATHER HUDSON, a middle aged farmer and his middle aged wife, are bundled up in heavy parkas. James drives; hiswife talks.HEATHER HUDSONMarge ll probably make her walnutpie again. I thought I d domeringues this year. Try somethingdifferent. Don t you think?JAMES HUDSONYep.You like my meringues, don t you?  Y NTTN JRr . GOOD HUMORED Yep. Yep. Forty years ofconversation, all I get is yeps.Heather grabs her husband s arm.HEATHER HUDSON Jimmy James turns in time to see a naked man sprint across the snowand slip inside a red sheep barn.I think there s a naked man in thebarn..yep.INT. SHEEP BARN   DAYJames Hudson cautiously slides his barn door open. He holdsan old shotgun in his hands, a gun he hasn t fired in years.He advances slowly into the barn, sunlight from the open doorfalling on the scattered straw. A vintage motorcycle coveredin a tarp stands near the side wall.Hudson looks inside each sheep pen. His thick wooled SHEEP,ready for breakfast, bleat hopefully.In the third pen Hudson finds Logan, who has covered himselfwith straw. A few curious sheep sniff at the fugitive s face.Hudson stares at Logan, who stares back somewhat, well,sheepishly. Son... What in hell are you doing?Sorry... It s a little cold outthere.Uh huh. It s the middle of Januaryand you got no clothes on.That s probably it. Hudson sighs and lowers his shotgun.You re not on the drugs, are you?No sir.Just had a rough night?Pretty rough, yeah.All right, come on. I got some oldclothes ll probably fit you.He turns and Logan begins covering strategic places with wadsof straw.JAMES HUDSON I ll take you around back so mywife don t see you again.Sorry if I scared her.Scared her? SNORTS I m not worried about you scaringher. KITCHEN   DAYLogan sits at the breakfast table with James and Heather. Hewears an old plaid shirt, dungarees, and a pair of scuffedwork boots.A heaping breakfast lies before him  scrambled eggs, porksausages, pancakes with maple syrup, a steaming mug ofcoffee.Logan devours everything in front of him, looking up only tonod in thanks as Heather scoops more food onto his plate.You mind if I ask where you camerunning from?r  Jimmy. Let the boy eat.Logan piles eggs onto a slice of buttered toast.I m just wondering. We re twentymiles from town. It s a miracle youdidn t get hypothermia out there.I ve got good circulation. gesturing toward barn Nice chopper you got out there, bythe way.James s face lights up. Logan has found the man s passion.,You know motorcycles?What is it,  Panhead?Best bike Harley Davidson evermade. First one with a seventy four cubic inch engine, hydraulic valvelifters, aluminum heads  Heather stands to clear the plates.Now you ve got him started. Youneed more of anything?Logan, smiling, holds up his hands to surrender.The smile fades when he sees the red laser dot appear onHeather s shirt.What s the matter, honey?Logan dives across the table, trying to knock her out of theway, but the bullet beats him there, punching through thewindow frame and straight through Heather Hudson s heart.She collapses in Logan s arms.WHAT GET DOWN But it s too late. A second bullet hits James in the back;the farmer blinks and topples forward, dead before he hits the ground. HUDSON FARM   CONTINUOUSAgent Zero lies on his belly three hundred yards from thefarmhouse. He lowers his sniper rifle and speaks into hisheadset.Weapon X is in the farmhouse. Hejust murdered.two civilians.. Fireat will.An APACHE LONGBOW helicopter streaks overhead, fifty feetabove the ground.INT. KITCHEN   CONTINUOUSLogan checks James Hudson s pulse but finds none. He looks upwhen he hears the thrum of the military helicopter.Two Good Samaritans lie dead at his feet, slaughtered forsheltering him. Something bestial has. entered Logan s eyes. HUDSON FARM   CONTINUOUS The Apache circles the farmhouse.INT. APACHE LONGBOW   CONTINUOUSBoth the PILOT and the GUNNER wear helmets with monoculareyepieces that provide images from the external cameras.GUNNER S EYEPIECE POVThe farmhouse is centered in the crosshairs. Scrollingnumbers to the side of the image indicate the range inmeters. The gunner s finger tightens on the trigger. KITCHEN   CONTINUOUSLogan growls and runs for the door. The gunner squeezes the trigger.The Apache fires multiple Hellfire rockets, which blast outof their launchers and rip into the farmhouse.The old Hudson homestead collapses as the explosions blow outthe roof and the support walls.GUNNERDirect hit.Locate the target and fire again.The gunner glances at his pilot. Both men seem mystified bythe command.Sir... the target s destroyed.AGENT ZERO  O.S. Repeat  locate the target and fireagain.The Apache circles the smoking ruin where the house oncestood. No sign of Logan is visible in the scorched debris.They must ve hated this guy bigtime.t C _C?NTTNTTRI .PILOTWhat was he, terrorist orsomething?I don t know but he s a puddle now.The Apache hovers near the sheep barn, rotor blades fanningthe rising smoke.As the gunner continues to scout the ground for any sign of acorpse, the pilot notices something out of the corner of hiseye. He stares at the roof of the sheep barn.A smoke darkened figure stares back at him. SHEEP BARN   CONTINUOUSLogan, claws extended, skin blackened with soot, jumps fromthe roof of the barn. He lands on the helicopter windshield.The pilot nearly jumps out of his seat.Jesus Logan raises his right hand and plunges his claws through thebulletproof glass.Agent Zero watches the Apache plummet to the ground. Hesnorts with amusement and activates his headset.Your boy just took down fiftymillion dollars worth of hardware.Guess I got to do this myself. INT. STRYKER S OFFICE   DAYStryker sits alone in his office, pinching the bridge of hisnose. It s been a long day for the colonel. on headset Negative. Come back to base.Have a little faith, boss.You don t have the weaponry...Don t care what kind of bones he sgot. Fifty caliber bullet throughhis eyeball ought to do it.Nord, goddamnit  I m losing you, boss.Agent Zero clicks off his headset and.raises the sniperrifle, searching through the smoke with his scope.AGENT ZERO muttering to himself Come out and play...Logan emerges from the Apache s wreckage and runs toward thesheep barn door.A bullet cracks him in the forehead and Logan falls backwardsinto the snow, stunned. For a few seconds we can glimpse theadamantium of his skull.His healing factor takes over and his skin begins to knititself back together.Logan combat crawls inside the sheep barn. INT. SHEEP DARN   CONTINUOUSHe throws the tarp off the  Harley. James Hudson restoredthis bike with love and elbow grease. The chrome and leathershine as brightly as any new model on the factory floor.The key is in the ignition. This used to be a safeneighborhood.Logan bursts out of the barn on the Harley. The tires spin onthe snow but Logan is an experienced rider. He steadies thebike, steers it onto the blacktop and accelerates, heading inthe opposite direction from Agent Zero.Agent Zero grabs his rifle and jogs over to a black SUV withtinted windows and off road tires. COUNTY ROAD   DAYLogan speeds down the road, Agent Zero in hot pursuit. Zerogains ground, both hunter and quarry racing past  MPH.INT. SUV   DAYAgent Zero grabs an Atchisson assault shotgun from a rackbehind his seat that holds an impressive array of weaponry.He lowers the passenger window and gets a bead on Logan, whoswerves to keep himself  and his more fragile motorcycle  atricky target.Agent Zero fires six shells in rapid succession. Hundreds ofsteel pellets scream over the motorcycle, perforating theface of a smiling farmer on a fertilizer billboard.Logan turns and sees the SUV closing on him. Agent Zero ramsthe bumper into the Harley and Logan very nearly losescontrol, managing to right the bike at the last second.  C ONTTNTIRF .Logan accelerates and opens up thirty yards of breathingroom. He turns and sees Agent Zero catching up again.Logan clamps on the brakes, hard.He holds out his left hand and extends his claws. The tips ofthe blades scrape the asphalt and sparks fly.The SUV cannot brake in time. As it hurtles past themotorcycle, Logan s claws hit the SUV s front tire and shredit instantly. A split second later he shreds the rear tire.The SUV totters, falls to its side, and barrel rolls acrossthe empty road. It ends up on its roof in a drainage ditch,wheels still spinning in the air.Logan turns his bike and pulls up next to the upended SUV. Helowers the kickstand, stands, and walks to the driver s side.Agent Zero, bloodied and dazed, has managed to push open thedoor. He leans out and aims his shotgun at Logan, who slicesthe weapon into four pieces with a sweep of his claws.Logan grabs Agent Zero by the back of the neck and hauls himout of the car.Those were good people back there.Innocent people.Agent Zero surreptitiously pulls a commando knife from asheath on his ankle.You ever notice good people tend todie when they spend time with you?He swings the knife at the side of Logan s neck.`Logancatches Agent Zero s wrist and slams it against the doorframe. Agent Zero drops the knife with a pained smile. He didn tthink that would work.Maybe you should stick with the badpeople. We re more your speed.I got a message for your boss. SMIRKING Yeah? Tell me.The smirk fades from Zero s face as he sees the adamantiumclaws plunging toward his heart. GAS STATION   DAYLogan stands at a pay phone beside the Texaco station,watching a couple of SKATEBOARD PUNKS practice their ollies.He punches in a number and waits for the connection. OPERATOR  O.S. Department of Agriculture.Get me the Pest Control Division.I m sorry, sir, there is no PestControl Division.Why don t you get  em anyway. Andtell  em Logan s calling.While he waits he watches one of the kids attempt a backsidetailslide on the curb. The kid loses his balance and wipesout, skinning his palms on the asphalt.Where are you? controlled fury You shouldn t have killed thosepeople. All they were doing washelping a stranger.Stryker sits behind the desk of his office. His aide,COLLINS, stands on the other side of the desk, listening inon an extension.You ran on me, goddamnit. We had adeal. Now you get back to base GAS STATION   CONTINUOUSWe continue to INTERCUT between the gas station and Stryker soffice.They had nothing to do with this.You let that mad dog gun  em downlike they were animals.I m giving you an order, soldier Return tobase  Had enough orders for one lifetime.I m going after Victor Creed.For several seconds there is silence on the line.We re bringing you in. One way oranother, we re bringing you in.Logan bows his head, considering his next words.People like you are always waitingfor the next war. You start onewith me, Colonel, you better sleepwith the lights on.He hangs up the phone and walks to his bike. The skateboardpunks give him a wide berth. SAN DIEGO ZOO   DAYClosing time at the big zoo and FAMILIES flock toward theparking lot. SANITATION WORKERS clean the trash from thewalking paths. LEMUR ISLAND   DAYThe lemur habitat is cultivated to mimic the environment ofMadagascar. Four RING TAILED LEMURS swing from the branchesof the baobab trees, shrieking at each other.f rC NTTNTTPD I They congregate in a small wooden hut with a peaked roof,where they scamper up and down the back of FRANCIS, aslender, balding man in a zoo keeper s uniform.Francis has a gentle smile as he feeds the lemurs leaf eaterbiscuits. He speaks to them as they shriek,  clambering overhis lap, biscuits clutched in their tiny hands.FRANCISShe did what? Ninna, that wasn tvery nice.He gives one of the female lemurs an admonishing look. Sheshrieks and dances away, biscuit held to her chest.FRANCIS You must have done something todeserve it, Myrto. Oh, you bit her?Why? Haven t we talked about this?The lemurs all quiet down at the same time. Francis watchesthem. Something is wrong. The lemurs flee, ducking into holesin the baobab trees, hiding from whatever s coming.Francis frowns and turns. Victor Creed stands above him.Everyone thinks you re a lunatic,talking to animals. But I knowyou re not, Francis. You understandthem, don t you? That s your power.Francis looks for help but there is no one in sight.What do they tell you?Francis is quiet for a few seconds, staring at the killer.Nothing very fancy. They tell mewhen they re scared. When they reangry. When they re hungry.You ever talk to a panther,Francis?Francis shakes his head.VICTOR CREED  cont. d Every now and then a white panthercomes along. Albino. The mamapanther won t even look at it. Shewon t lick it, she won t feed it,nothing. So pretty soon the whitepanther dies. You know why? off Francis s silence White panthers are mistakes. Andnature takes care of its mistakes.There are no mistakes. We re allpart of the plan. We re all God schildren.Creed grins, licking his sharp fangs.I don t know who my Daddy was, butit sure as Hell wasn t God.Francis bows his head.I m not afraid of dying.Creed runs one long claw across Francis s cheek.How do you know? You ve never doneit before.CUT TO Ninna the ring tailed lemur mewls softly, trying to hideherself deep within the baobab tree as her human friendSCREAMS. LAS VEGAS STRIP   NIGHTLogan, riding James Hudson s vintage motorcycle, rolls downthe famous strip, lit by the mammoth neon signs above him.He stops at a red light and stares at the lonely moon risingover the desert.LADY OF THE NIGHT  O.S. You look like a man who could use anight off. Logan turns to look at a REDHEAD in a tight silver dress,waiting at the light in her Cadillac convertible. She lookslike she s expensive, and she looks like she d be worth it.You re way out of my league,darlin .LADY OF THE NIGHTYou never know. You looking for agood time with a bad woman?Logan smiles and shakes his head.Not tonight.The redhead purses her lips.You don t know what you re missing.Logan revs his engine as the light changes.I know exactly what I m missing. The courtesan waits at the green light,. watching Logan speedoff into the night   BOXING GYM   NIGHTIn a seedy part of town, far from the casinos  bright lights,Logan walks through the front door of a rundown boxing gym.INT. BOXING GYM   NIGHTEven at this hour the gym is packed with aspiring PUGILISTS.Las Vegas has become the Mecca of world boxing, and many  ofthe fighters here exhibit impressive skills as they batterthe heavy bag, tap at the speed bag, and jump rope.Logan walks toward a ring in the center of the gym. Two youngBOXERS inside the ropes, wearing headgear and sparringgloves, dance around throwing quick jabs that don t land.JOHN WRAITH  stands outside the ring, watching thisaction with evident distaste. He wears a black cowboy hat,sunglasses, and a handlebar mustache. He has the swagger anddrawl of a rodeo cowboy. WRAITH This is a contact sport, ladies. Ifyou don t like hitting people, trygolf.Logan comes up behind Wraith, unseen by the Texan..You talk tough for a guy who alwayslet me do the dirty work.A slow smile creases Wraith s face. He turns.Look at this. You never get old, doyou?The two men embrace. There is genuine affection here, thecamaraderie of men who have fought together, bled together.WRAITH Nobody followed you?You tryin  to insult me?Can t be too careful, brother. I vebeen retired five years I stillcheck under the car every time Idrive.I m looking for Victor Creed.Wraith s face goes serious at the mention of the name. Helooks around the gym, making sure no one s watching them.He glances at the boxers in the ring, who lean on the ropesand breathe heavily, awaiting instructions.Why don t you two get a manicure orsomething and meet me back here inthe morning.Want a beer  Always.  Wraith leads Logan toward an office in the back, draping anarm around his shoulders.I love you like a brother. So I mgiving you thirty minutes. Afterthat, you re too dangerous to know. WRAITH S OFFICE   NIGHTThe windows in the office look out on the training boxers.Wraith leads Logan inside and grabs two longneck bottles ofbeer from a mini fridge.What I hear, our friend theColonel s got eyes all over thecountry looking for you. He ain tabout to let Weapon X go rogue onhim.Wraith pops the caps off the beer bottles and hands one toLogan.What s Weapon X?They tap glass.You are. A walking, talking,hundred million dollar experiment.You know about it.Wraith sits behind his desk and puts his boots up. Logan sitsacross from him.I keep my ear to the ground. Peoplelike us, we never really quit thegame.I did. Woke up one day and knew Iwas done.Logan peels the label from his bottle of beer.Stryker used to give me a new nameevery Monday. And by the end of theweek, I d draw a line through it.I .put a whole lot of people underthe ground. And one day Irealized... Stryker was never gonnarun out of names.Wraith nods, meditative.Our friend the Colonel has bigplans.What kind of plans?Hear a lot of chatter aboutsomething called the Eleven. Myboys in Arlington say it s thebiggest covert weapons projectsince FDR built himself an atombomb. Other than that, no one knowsa goddamn thing.Wraith places his bottle on his desk and sits up straight inhis chair.Look, I... I heard about whathappened to your woman. For whatit s worth, I m sorry.Logan nods. He doesn t want to talk about it.I did a little contract work withCreed back in the day. I ve knownsome seriously foul people, butthat cat... They say he took out awhole village in Nicaragua onetime, every man, woman, and child,killed  em all, just  cause he wasbored.I been screwed, sued, and tattooed,but I never killed no kids.C ONTTNIIRT  I Creed did government work?Till they got wise to him. Whereverhe went there was a trail ofbodies. And not always the rightbodies, you know what I m saying?There is murder in Logan s eyes.Help me find him.He s a hard cat to track.Just tell me where to startlooking. I ll do the rest.Wraith taps the bottleneck, considering.Might want to talk to his friendsfrom the ultramax.The prison he busted out of? NODDING Feds built it to hold the baddestof the bad mutants. Worked prettywell. Only problem   now they allknow each other.You ever hear of a guy named FredJ. Dukes?Nope.People call him the Blob. You findhim, you ll know why. Got out ofthe hoosegow a few months ago. Wenthome to Iowa. Town called Elgin.You think he s still in touch withCreed?f Wraith leans back in his chair and allows himself anotherslow smile.I bet you ll find out. HIGHWAY   NIGHT Logan, on his Harley, speeds past a welcome sign for Elgin,Iowa, Population . ROADSIDE MOTEL   NIGHTThe neon Vacancy sign shines, a beacon for tired travellersin the heartland.INT. MOTEL ROOM   NIGHTLogan lies on top of the bed covers, hands behind his head.The lights are out and Fox News plays on the television,casting the small room in blue light.INSERT TELEVISIONA REPORTER stands in a Detroit alleyway as POLICE OFFICERS inthe background cordon off the area from ONLOOKERS.REPORTERThis is theth confirmed mutantslaying of the last two months, andwith the investigation apparentlystalled, members of the mutantcommunity are voicing theiroutrage.A YOUNG WOMAN wearing a  Mutants are Humans, Too  t shirtspeaks passionately for the camera.YOUNG WOMANOf course there s bias at workhere. If these were normal peoplegetting. chopped up, you betterbelieve there d be an FBI TaskForce investigating, there d be allsorts of resources allocated tofind this killer. Why is it thatwhen violence is done to ourcommunity, the nation turns itsback? MORE  RNNTTWURD YOUNG WOMAN If the government can t protect us,we re gonna have to startprotecting ourselves.In the corner of the TV screen, carved directly into thebrick wall of the alley, is a crude smiley face.END INSERTLogan s expression does not change as he watches the report.Our only indications that he s boiling inside are the look ofdark vengeance in his eyes, and the fingers of his righthand, which clench into a fist, unclench, clench again.He lowers the volume with the remote, picks up the telephoneand dials a number. We hear four rings.KAYLA  O.S.  on answering machine Hey, you ve reached Kayla andLogan. We re not home right now soplease leave a message after thebeep and we ll get back to you assoon as we can. Bye Beep. Logan replaces the receiver in its cradle and  liesback, alone in the world. SUPERMARKET PARKING LOT   DAYA MOTHER pushes her shopping cart towards her minivan. Heryoung, freckled SON holds her hand, gazing fearfully atLogan, who stands on the edge of the lot smoking a cigar. Helooks out of place in this quiet, Midwestern town.Logan winks at the kid. He drops his cigar, grinds it outwith the toe of his boot, and heads for the supermarket.INT. SUPERMARKET   DAYTwo STOCK BOYS, wearing bright blue vests over red shirts,stand at one of the aisle dividers, hiding behind a stack ofbreakfast pastries. They are plainly terrified.STOCK BOY Say something.STOCK BOY You say something. It s yoursection   Dude...The stock boy peeks around the divider. FRED J. DUKES,a.k.a., THE BLOB, stands in the center of the aisle, tearingopen bags of pork rinds and pouring them down his gullet.Dukes is the biggest man you ve ever seen. By a long shot.Just shy of seven feet tall and weighing in at half a ton,he s beyond fat. Beyond obese.His eyes look like pinpricks in the swollen enormity of hisface. When he shifts his bulk, ripples cascade down hisflanks, his flesh trembling with each breath.Jesus, Dukes...Dukes, mouth and chin dusted with fried pork skin, turns hishead to examine the pest standing next to him.Maybe it s time to give the porkrinds a rest.Dukes swings his arm. Despite his enormous mass, the manmoves with surprising speed. Not quick enough to catch Logan,though, who ducks beneath the blow.Dukes s forearm, thicker than a fire hydrant, smashes throughthe steel shelving. Bags of pork rinds and potato chipstumble to the floor.Snikt Logan shows his glittering claws to the big man.I ll fillet you standing, fat man.That what you want?Dukes hesitates. That is not what he wants.,.Where s Victor Creed?Dukes grunts and bulls forward, toppling the heavily ladenshelves into the next aisle. Panicked SHOPPERS scream and runfor the exits.Dukes blasts through the cereal aisle, too, with a greatrending of steel, his giant shoes crushing boxes of LuckyCharms as he stomps into the produce section.CONPTNi F.T .A coconut bounces off Dukes s head. Enraged, the giant turnsand sees Logan standing by a pile of hairy coconuts, tossingone in his hand like a baseball.You re gonna help me, bub. You_justdon t know it yet.Dukes bellows and runs at Logan. A coconut pelts him in theface, angering him further. Logan jumps out of the way asDukes brings down his massive fists. Coconuts explode.Dukes charges after Logan, shattering watermelons, stackedgrapefruits, clusters of bananas.After a thirty second rampage Dukes is exhausted, his giantchest heaving as he gasps for air, his hands and facesplattered with remnants of crushed fruit.Logan jumps onto Dukes  back. The fat man roars and spinsaround, trying to buck the little rider, but Logan s got onearm wrapped around Dukes  throat and he s not letting go.The spinning makes Dukes a little dizzy and he slows down.Three adamantium claws shine in the big fellow s face,reflecting the overhead fluorescent lights.Dukes quits, his massive shoulders slumping. He sinks to hisknees, his great bulk splitting the linoleum floor.Logan presses his claws against Dukes  quivering jowls.Where s Creed? FRED J. DUKESHow the hell would I know?Come on, he s your friend. When wasthe last time you talked to him?Friend? He don t have any friends.All he s got is victims.Careful, Dukes. I can smell a liebefore you even tell it.The Blob begins to cry, the great bellows of his cheekstrembling, tears and snot dribbling down his face.  RONTTNTTEH .I m not lying I don t know wherehe is.Logan pulls a handkerchief out of his back pocket and handsit to Dukes.All right, take it easy.Dukes blows his nose into the handkerchief, one of history sloudest and most violent nasal ejaculations.He offers back the soiled handkerchief. Logan waves it off.It s a gift.Dukes takes a deep breath, gathering himself.You ever been to Superior?The club for mutants? Down in NewOrleans?Creed likes to party down there.Talked about it all the time   howhot the girlies were. That s all Iknow.Logan shaves Dukes  jaw with the edge of his claw.Nah. You know more than that.Dukes tilts his face, trying to keep his face from gettingscraped off.Joint s owned by a guy namedBarbarus. Shared a cell with Creedin the ultramax. Anyone knows whereto find him, it s Barbarus.Logan stares into the Blob s face, gauging the man s words.He better be there, Freddie. And hebetter know something good.  r nNT T NT TF.n   CONTINUED  LOGAN  Cause I m in a mood for violenceand you re way too big to hide.INT. CONFERENCE ROOM   DAYStryker stands by a window overlooking Alkali Lake whileGeneral Munson sits at the head of the conference table.we have information that he was inLas Vegas two nights ago. We llfind him soon.This is turning into a goddamndisaster, Colonel.I disagree. I d say the experimenthas been a success.Success? Are you kidding me?Weapon X is a prototype. Nothingmore. He s the walking proof thatenhanced skeletons are viable.That, along with the healing factorwe ve replicated from his blood,will insure that the Eleven iscapable of protecting our speciesfrom extinction.At this point, Logan is merely aninconvenience. He won t be forlong.I m sorry, William. I ve lostconfidence in your leadership. I mgoing to recommend your dismissalto the Joint Chiefs.Stryker stares out the window at the distant lake, with novisible reaction to the General s words.Disappointing, General. Expected,but still... disappointing.I CONTTN ]M   General Munson takes a sip of water from the glass in frontof him.I know you believe in what you redoing. But I don t. War with themutants is not inevitable.The general coughs. He begins to look confused as he coughsagain, his breathing gone suddenly ragged. He clutches at hischest.A thin smile curls Stryker s lips. He turns to regard theGeneral.You re having a massive heartattack, sir. Leading cause of deathfor men in your age bracket.The general gasps for air, trying to rise to his feet. In hisdeath throes, he knocks the glass of water from the table. Itshatters on the floor.STRYKER.   The war is coming. It s time tochoose sides.The general collapses and Stryker stands above him, staringdown at the dying man with pitiless eyes.You chose treason. CLUB SUPERIOR   NIGHTA heavy rain falls in the French Quarter. There is no signoutside the club, only.a gargantuan BOUNCER standing in frontof an unmarked door in a dark alley.The bouncer apprises the stocky mutant walking his way.BOUNCERYou superior?Only when we go CLOSE ON THE BOUNCER do we realize he has asingle eye, large and bloodshot, centered in his forehead..Logan raises both hands. Snikt A single claw extends fromhis right hand. He shoves the claw straight through his left palm, retractsthe blade, and shows his wounded palm to the bouncer. Thebouncer sees the wound heal and opens the door.BOUNCER Welcome home, brother.INT. CLUB SUPERIOR   MOMENTS LATERThe dimly lit club is the size of a warehouse and jammed withPARTYING MUTANTS. Most of them look like normal humans but afew are  overts,  distinguished by curling horns, scaled skinand other genetic abnormalities.A sexy WAITRESS walks by with a tray of drinks. She winks atLogan. A  Kiss Me, I m a Mutant  button is pinned to hershirt.Industrial beats pour out of speakers bolted to the ceilings.Logan surveys the room. A young PUSHER approaches, his longsideburns shaved into scimitars running down his jawline.PUSHERYou lookin  for help, man? Ups,downs, in betweens. What you need?Wild roses for the moon.Wild roses... That some new hashout of Amsterdam?Something like that. You seen mybuddy Barbarus?The dealer points toward a staircase at the back of the club.VIP room. But hold up,bro,.I gotwhat you re looking for.Trust me, bub   you don t.Logan heads for the staircase. CLUB SUPERIOR, SECOND FLOOR NIGHTLogan tries to enter the VIP room but a muscle bound SKINHEA Dwith Mutant Power brands on his biceps blocks his path.SKINHEAD Private party.I m on the list. Logan.The skinhead raises his clipboard and examines the list.Last name?Logan s fist splits the clipboard and crushes the skinhead snose. The muscle bound brute slumps to the floor,unconscious. Logan steps over him and into the VIP room.Unknown.  VIP ROOM CONTINUOUSThe VIP MUTANTS  sit at plush booths, downing shots oftequila. They grope their GIRLFRIENDS. They arm wrestle andcompare tattoos and gobble down fried oysters.BARBARUS sits in a corner booth. He wears a custom made wife beater. The brutally muscled mutant has four arms, allsleeved in tattoos.One hand pours himself a new glass of Jack Daniel s. A secondhand gouges his name into the table top with a black steelcommando knife. The third drums the beat of the current songon the vinyl booth s backrest.The fourth hand pets PANTERA, the nubile mutant sitting onhis lap, a beautiful young woman entirely covered inglistening black fur. Her yellow eyes glitter.Logan approaches the table. Barbarus stares up at him.Pantera purrs, yellow eyes on Logan.BARBARUS nuzzling his girl Oh, I heard about this li l fella.Mr. Creed beat him to hell.  I came back. Where is he?Somewhere in America. Doing what hedoes best.What s that?Putting people s insides on theoutside.He s killing mutants, bub.Barbarus smiles, twenty fingers drumming on the table top.Some mutants need killing.You got that right.Barbarus shoves his girlfriend out of the way and stands,unsheathing three more black commando knives from his belt.The other MUTANTS quiet down, watching the fireworks.Barbarus swings, the four knives whistling through the air.Logan ducks under them and continues to bob and weave asBarbarus advances behind a whirlwhind of black steel.Logan slashes and one severed hand falls to the ground.Barbarus howls, stabbing at Logan with his three good arms.Logan s claws flash through the air again, and another neatlysevered hand lands on the table.Logan retracts his claws and curls one finger  come at me.Barbarus, shamed and furious, gathers himself and charges.Logan times his punch perfectly, pivoting on the ball of hisfoot and hitting Barbarus with an uppercut that sounds like awell hit baseball.Barbarus crashes to the floor. Pantera hisses and pounces atLogan, her black claws aimed at his face. Logan backhandsher. She hits the floor and slides across the hardwood. Logan kneels beside Barbarus.You want to keep your other hands?Blood dribbles from Barbarus s lip. He spits out a tooth.He don t sent me postcards.No? Way I hear it, you two werepractically boyfriends before hebusted out.Busted out? LAUGHING You been misinformed. Victor Creedgot himself a government pardon.Some fellas from the Department ofAgriculture came and picked him up.You re lying to me.Barbarus grins, his teeth red from the blood in his mouth.No, sir. But somebody is.  PARKING GARAGE NIGHTA five story concrete parking structure on the edge of LasVegas. John Wraith walks to his black. Mustang, whistlinga Jerry Jeff Walker song.When he gets to the car he drops to the floor and checks theunderbody for bombs. Nothing down there.He stands, reaching into his pocket for his keys.VICTOR CREED  O.S. You think I d use a bomb on you,Johnny Boy?Wraith spins around. Victor Creed sits on a concrete parapet,the desert wind blowing his filthy blonde hair.He hops off the parapet and walks toward Wraith. COWTNIIEFL .It s all about human contact forWraith quickly unlocks the car door and get in. He slips thekey into the ignition. The engine turns on the first try.Wraith hits the gas and the Mustang squeals out in reverse.He slams on the brakes, shifts into drive, and guns the carright at Creed.An instant before impact, Creed sidesteps the car and punchesthrough the driver s window.It s a miracle of a punch, timed perfectly, a crushing shotto Wraith s jaw. Wraith loses control. of the car and itsideswipes a parked Hummer, spinning to a stop against aconcrete wall.Wraith blinks and tries to clear his head. Creed reachesinside the broken window and hauls the Texan out. He liftsthe bleeding man into the air and flashes his white fangs.Hear you been talking out ofschool.He ll find you.That s the plan. It s a lot easierthan finding him.Creed slams Wraith against the concrete wall and plunges hisclaws deep into Wraith s gut.The Texan s mouth opens as the full force of the pain hitshim. Creed whispers in his ear.I can feel your spine, Johnny Boy.A sickening crunch as vertebrae are crushed like walnutshells.Never knew you had one.Creed drops Wraith s body to the ground. HINES  HOUSE NIGHTCarol Hines, the Army surgeon last seen in Alkali Lake,unlocks her front door and steps inside her house.she looks exhausted, with deep circles under her eyes. Sheputs her keys and the mail on a table by the door and thenlooks up, startled, when she hears SHRIEKING.Hines, very nervous, advances into the dark kitchen.She flicks on the lights. A red kettle on the stove topwhistles. A mug waits on the counter. Hines, mystified, turnsoff the burner.LOGAN  V. . Pour yourself a cup of tea.Hines spins around. Logan sits at the kitchen table, an unlitcigar in his mouth.It s gonna be a long night.  HINES  HOUSE LATERThey both sit at the kitchen table now. Logan smokes his cigar and watches Hines, who clutches her mug of tea with trembling hands.Logan watches her through the haze of smoke.Careful, Doc. I can smell a lie. Ican hear it. Maybe you start tosweat a little bit. Maybe the pitchof your voice changes. But I llTell me about Creed.Hines opens her mouth, closes it, opens it again.I can t. Please... you don t knowwhat they ll do to me.Nope. But I know exactly what I lldo to you. rnNTTNT FT  I Hines stares at Logan and he stares back.I don t believe you. You redifferent than they are. Youwouldn t hurt an innocent person.You re not innocent, Doc.He leans forward, forearms on the tabletop.What does Victor Creed have to dowith the Weapon X program?It s not the Weapon X program, it sthe Weapon Ultra program. Startedsixty five years ago. They ve beentrying to make the perfect soldierfor a long time. First to fight theNazis. Then the Communists. Nowit s mutants.So where does Weapon X fit in?Hines closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.You don t understand. X is a letterbut it s also a Roman numeral.Weapon  Ex  is a nickname.Officially, you re Weapon Ten.VictorCreed is Weapon Nine.Hines watches him, unsure how he ll react.Both of you are experiments...prototypes. The final product isalmost ready. Weapon Eleven.Logan s face darkens as the extent of his betrayal becomesclear to him.Creed works for Stryker.Hines nods.I CONTTNi]RM Be ordered it. He ordered Creed tokill her.Hines can see Logan s mounting fury. She holds up her hands.I don t know about anyone gettingkilled. I m just a scientist. Iwork in a lab sixteen hours a day.Just following orders, huh?He was your commanding officer foryears. How many people did you killon his orders?Logan stares at her for a long count. she stares back,terrified but resolute.All this time I been hunting Creed,and he s just a puppet. It sStryker pulling the strings.He stubs out his cigar on the breakfast table.You ready to stop following orders?Stryker stands at the window overlooking Alkali Lake. Dr.Cornelius steps into the room, holding a black leather case.The Eleven will be ready withinhours.Good.Sir... Lieutenant Hines hasn treported to base today.Hines?  .Stryker considers the information for a moment and nods.All right, thank you, Doctor. glancing at case What s this?Cornelius sets the case on the table and opens it. Six gleaming, armor piercing bullets rest in green felt niches.We saved the leftover adamantiumfrom the Weapon X procedure.Stryker plucks one of the bullets from its niche and rolls itbetween his fingers, examining it with a practiced eye. CORNELIUS Each one s got a high explosivecore. Two in the head and Logan sbrain will have to regenerate fromscratch.They won t kill him? According to the computer models weran, there s a percent chancehis healing factor willreconstitute the gray matter. Butthose synaptic bridges that formour memories? Gone. If he survives,his brain will come back fresh.A blank slate... easy to train. Stryker fondles the shining bullet lovingly.She s a pretty little thing.She ought to be. That s the world smost expensive bullet.Stryker pulls a revolver from his shoulder holster, dumps thestandard rounds, and begins loading the adamantium bullets. There s another way, a morereliable way, to break down hismemory.Mm?Only problem is, the procedure canonly be done here at Alkali Lake.Stryker swings the chamber shut and holsters his gun.Oh, he s coming back, Doctor. Wehave what he s looking for.Hines, driving an old Ford, pulls up.to the guard house atthe perimeter of the compound. A YOUNG SENTRY salutes her.YOUNG SENTRYMorning, Lieutenant.Hines smiles brightly, trying to hide her nervousness.Good morning The sentry looks into the car s cabin. The passenger seat isempty. The back seat is empty.Could you pop the trunk for me?The trunk?Yes, ma am.It s all standard procedure but Hines is close to panicking.She opens the glove compartment and hits the trunk release.The sentry inspects the trunk... nothing but a coil of ropeand a roll of electrical tape. He slams the trunk door.YOUNG SENTRY You have a good day. He signals to a second SENTRY standing inside the guardhouse, who hits a button. The steel gate rolls open and Hinesdrives into the compound. PARKING LOT DAYHines steps out of her parked car and looks around. No one isin the immediate vicinity.It s safe.Logan crawls out from the underbody, where he had beenclinging. He dusts himself off.Were you aiming for every speedbump in the state?Sorry about that. Now what?We find a uniform that fits.A well built SERGEANT walks toward his vehicle, pagingthrough requisition papers on a clipboard.That ought to work. ALKALI LAKE WEAPONS ENGINEERING CENTER DAYHines and Logan, who now wears a crisp uniform with asergeant s stripes and a black beret, walk into the building.  WEAPONS ENGINEERING CENTER CONTINUOUSYou have some blood on your shirt.Logan sees the drops of blood and tries to blot them out.I barely hit the guy.They don t notice as a small security camera near theentrance pivots, its black eye watching the intruders. C ONTTNI]F.n Hines, very nervous, tries to keep her composure. Logan putsa hand on her shoulder partly to steady her nerves, partlyto keep pushing her forward.Time to visit the Colonel.  WEAPONS ENGINEERING CENTER DAYHines and Logan walk down a long corridor. Several SOLDIER Sand SCIENTISTS walk by, most of them ignoring the pair.One young scientist in a lab coat hurries past, nodding atHines.YOUNG SCIENTISTLieutenant.Murphy.Hines waits till Murphy passes. She stops in front of alocked door and allows a laser scanner to read her retina.The door slides open.Logan looks through the open doorway, his nostrils flaring.He looks primed for homicide.I can smell him.He walks through the door. Hines checks to see if the coastis clear.and follows him. Neither notices the security cameramounted on the ceiling, swiveling to track their movement.  WEAPON XI FACILITY DAYLogan and Hines stand at the top of a steel staircase, fortyfeet above the concrete floor of a massive cavern.Created in the  s by an underground hydrogen bomb test,the Alkali Lake cavern is the second biggest in the country,smaller only than the salt caverns of the Gulf Coast, home ofthe Strategic Petroleum Reserve. CONTTNTTFT .The sheer scale of the place is staggering. Three times thesize of the Super Dome, with walls of rough granite, thecavern is loud with the constant thrum of ventilation andhigh powered machinery. Heavy steel pillars support theceiling of the cavern.Ten thousand stainless steel isolation tanks crowd the floor,arrayed in a grid, each tank slightly larger than a coffin.TECHNICIANS walk in between the tanks, checking gauges,writing notes in clipboards.More technicians sit on a raised podium in the center of thecavern, overlooking the Eleven, entering information into thecomputers that monitor the sleeping army.Logan is awed by the sight. Hines has descended the staircaseahead of him. He follows after her.Welcome to Weapon Eleven. STUNNED I thought it was just gonna be oneguy. This is...Ten thousand.They reach the cavern floor and walk amongst the Eleven. Stryker says mutants and humanswill fight a war soon. gesturing to Weapon XI This is his army.The camera glides over the isolation tanks as Hines continuesto speak. We catch glimpses of the ELEVEN inside, comatosesoldiers with needles and wires protruding from their skin,exactly like Logan during the Weapon X procedure.The men all look identical and they all look oddly familiar.They incorporate the mostsuccessful features of the previousWeapons. Enhanced skeletons,heightened senses, healing factor I Logan stops beside one tank and looks at the man inside, whofloats in his chemical sleep. His eyes widen when he realizeswhat he s looking at.It s Creed...He looks inside another tank. Same cruel face, same powerfulbody. Only their shaved heads distinguish them from VictorCreed.They re all Creed.Stryker s most successful mutanthunter. They cloned him years ago.The Colonel s been planning thisfor a long time. _Logan walks through the midst of this vast, sleeping army,surrounded by ten thousand replicas of his worst enemy.They get into the world, it sgenocide.I think that s the general idea.Logan stops in mid  stride, head raised in the manner of ahunting dog who has just caught wind of his prey.What s the matter?Logan moves, walking quickly, nearly knocking over atechnician entering data into one of the stasis pods.TECHNICIAN Hey...Hines hurries after Logan, smiling apologetically at theannoyed technician.Where you going?Logan never turns. Don t follow me.Hines stops, standing alone in the middle of the Eleven.  HALLWAY DAY Logan walks rapidly down the hallway, his pace acceleratingas he nears a closed doorway. He rests his head against thedoor for a moment before putting his hand on the knob andentering the room.  STRYKER S OFFICE CONTINUOUSStryker sits behind his desk, smiling at Logan. But Logan snot looking at the colonel. He s looking at the young womanwho sits across from Stryker, her back to the door.She doesn t turn. Her long black hair cascades down her back.Hello, old friend. We ve beenwaiting for you.Logan walks toward the desk, slowly now, a man in a nightmarehe can t wake from.Did you really think we just letyou walk away three years ago?You re a dangerous man, my friend.We like to keep an eye on dangerousmen.When Logan reaches the young woman he puts his hand on hershoulder.Kayla Silverfox turns and stares up at him, tears streamingdown her face.I m sorry. I m so sorry.An aluminum baseball bat whirs through the air, smashing theback of Logan s head.Logan falls to the floor, unconscious.Victor Creed stands above him, staring at the flattenedbarrel of the baseball bat. .Man s got a hard head. STANDING Let s go. He ll only be out for acouple minutes.Creed tosses aside the bat and lifts Logan onto his shouldersas easily as a normal man would lift a child of six. Hecarries Logan out of the room, winking at Kayla RE EDUCATION CHAMBER, ALKALI LAKE  DAYLogan, still unconscious, sits on a chair that looks far toosimilar to an electric chair, his arms and legs bound withtitanium manacles that prevent any movement.The room looks like an execution chamber, complete with aviewing window.He opens his eyes and blinks in the bright light. Stryker andCreed stand in front of him but Logan doesn t look at them.Dr. Cornelius and an ASSISTANT stand near a machine that iswired to the electric chair, fiddling with the controls, butLogan doesn t look at them, either.He stares at Kayla, who cannot meet his eyes.Who are you? very quiet You know who I am.No I don t.She s real, old friend. Your eyesare telling you. Your ears. Yournose.Logan ignores Stryker, staring at the love of his life.You re dead.  .ONTTNTWD  I asked you nicely to join theprogram. And you were so stubborn.But I knew if nothing else couldmotivate you, revenge would.Stryker smiles at Kayla, a proud professor beaming at hisstudent.Tell him. Tell him about the dayyou died.Kayla, head bowed, is silent for a long count. When shespeaks her voice is a strange monotone, devoid of feeling.They gave me a syringe full ofhydrochlorothiazide. ACCESS ROAD  AN EARLIER DAYPerhaps the colors are desaturated to let us know that thisis a scene we ve witnessed before, or thought we did.Kayla sits behind the wheel of her pickup. Victor Creed walkstoward her, black talons raking five gashes on the hood.Kayla has been expecting him. She pulls her backpack out frombehind the seat and takes from it a hypodermic needle and aplastic IV bag filled with dark blood.Creed tears the truck s door off its hinges and tosses ittwenty yards. Kayla injects herself with the hypodermic.KAYLA V. . Reduces the heartbeat to almostzero. Breathing virtually stops.Makes you flatline for six minutes.Kayla hops down from the truck. She holds out the IV bag toVictor, who casually pierces it with his claw.KAYLA V. . I d been drawing my own blood everynight for the past week. I had fourliters ready that morning.Kayla smears. her own blood on her body and empties the restof the bag on the pavement. She lies down in the puddle in afetal position, her breathing already beginning to slow. RE EDUCATION CENTER, ALKALI LAKE  DAYWhy? IKAYLA  Same as Victor. Stryker gave me a Ichoice  spend the rest of my lifein prison or come work for him.Prison...Kayla finally raises her head and looks directly at Logan.Shot my Daddy when I was eighteen.Big mistake. Should have shot himwhen I was seventeen.You told me he died of a heartattack.Maybe he had a heart attack after Ishot him. Sat there and watched himbleed. After what that man did tome, I wish he died slower.Logan stares at her for a long time.That sweet little girl you livedwith in the cabin? That was allmake believe.You loved me. I know you loved me.Kayla blinks and looks away.I m a good actress.No one s that good. Everybody s a sucker for something.Figuring out what it is, that s thetrick. For you, it s a woman slove. An easy weakness to forgive.But still a weakness.Stryker signals to Cornelius. The doctor and his assistantattach a nasty looking copper halo to Logan s skull. The halois wired to the electric chair.Logan never takes his eyes off Silverfox.Don t be angry at her. She was justserving her country, keeping themutant menace in check. She andvictor have been a real credit totheir race.It takes Logan a moment to understand this comment.You re a mutant?My Daddy found out when I wastwelve. Said a freak like medeserved whatever I got.My kind of guy.She s a gifted girl. She can plantthoughts in anyone s mind, makethem believe what she wants  aslong as she stays focused on them.He strokes her long dark hair, proud of his protege. Kayladoesn t seem thrilled by Stryker s touch, but she endures it.A useful tool in a seduction.Spent so much time getting you tolove me, by the time the Colonelshowed up I couldn t get you toleave me. r N rTN F.n .Dr. Cornelius finishes calibrating his machine and adjustingthe halo brace.We re good to go.So, Logan... The truth is, you re areal pain in the ass. But we veinvested far too much time andtreasure to terminate you. We restarting over.Cornelius checks the digital gauges on the machine.If I ve calibrated correctly, we llleave intact the hard wiredfunctions, walking and talking, allthat good stuff.You mean I don t get to potty trainhim?But every memory you ve ever hadwill evaporate. Just like it neverhappened.Logan never takes his eyes off Kayla, his personal Judas. to Cornelius Let me know when he s clean. I haveto look in on our other guest.Stryker exits the room, followed by Victor. to Kayla That story you told me... about theguy who goes to get flowers for theMoon. I can t get it out of myhead. Except I had it allbackwards. I thought you were themoon and I was your Wolverine. Butyou re the Trickster, aren t you?   ONTTNTTF. And I m just a schmuck who gotplayed.Kayla is silent for a moment.My mother told me that story.She takes a deep breath and turns to go.It doesn t matter. You won tremember any of this.You didn t trick me into lovingyou.What?The last two months, you weren tplaying around in my skull. Youweren t using. your powers on me. Ithought you were dead and I loved you more than ever. Maybe it makesyou feel better to think it was allfake. But it was never fake for me.Kayla lowers her eyes.You don t know where I come from.You don t know what it was like.I know exactly what is was like. Icome from there too.I didn t have a choice.Course you did. You still do.Kayla stares down at Logan. The tenderness returns to herface. She could free him right now if she wanted.The moment passes and Kayla shakes her head.I m sorry. Yeah, you keep saying that.Come on. Turn on the juice. Let sget this over with.Whenever you re ready, Miss Silver fox. Kayla turns and walks out of the room. Cornelius and his aidefollow, shutting the door behind them.Logan takes a deep breath. He looks like a man who is readyto forget everything HOLDING CELL  DAYHines sits alone on a metal cot. The cell door slides open.Stryker and Victor step inside.Lieutenant. Victor and I were justdiscussing how to kill you and wethought you might have somesuggestions.Silverfox steps out of the re education chamber. She hearsvoices from the holding cell and approaches.When the Turks captured a traitor,they strapped a steel basket to theman s stomach. Inside the basketwas a rat HOLDING CELL  CONTINUOUSNow, even a rat can t chew throughsteel. But it can chew through astomach. So it would. Right throughthe skin and the fat and the muscleand the intestines, right on outthe other side.l CDNTTNi ET I Hines looks like she might be sick very soon. Kayla stepsinto the doorway.Victor thinks the Turks were soft,letting the rats do the dirty work.He s looking forward to spendingyour last night with you.Please, Colonel Stryker pats Hines on the cheek and nods to Victor.Enjoy yourself.Please don t do this... Please Victor drags the screaming Hines off of her cot. Kaylawatches with growing unease but Stryker smiles and wavesgoodbye as he turns the key that shuts the cell door.Logan sits in his electric chair, staring straight ahead,preparing himself for the pain VIEWING ROOM Cornelius stands behind the glass viewing window with his ASSISTANT. He puts his hand on a red switch. RE EDUCATION CENTER, ALKALI LAKE Thousands of volts surge into Logan s skull, forcing his bodyto arch. After several seconds the power shuts off. Tendrilsof white smoke rise from the copper halo.Logan opens his eyes and stares at Cornelius.That all you got? to his assistant This could take a while. Raise theamperage by forty percent.Stryker signs a memo and hands it to his aide, Collins. Kaylastands by the window, picking at her fingers.You re going to let Victor killthat woman.Stryker and Collins ignore her.When you got me out of prison, youtold me we were going to helppeople.Stryker continues to sign papers, never looking up.We are. We re saving humanity.From the mutants?The phone rings. Stryker answers it.Yes? LISTENING Good. I m coming down. hanging up; to Collins The Eleven is ready.He stands and heads for the door. Collins follows. In thedoorway, Stryker stops and fixes his cold blue gaze on Kayla.Don t worry, my sweet. You re oneof the good ones. I ll protect you.He and Collins exit the room, leaving Kayla alone with hermisery. Logan sits panting in the chair, gripping the ends of the armrests with white fingers, waiting for the next surge ofelectricity. It comes and he arches again, all the muscles inhis body contracting, the veins in his neck bulging.Cornelius and his assistant watch Logan with no detectablesympathy. They turn when Kayla walks into the room.Is he clean yet?Cornelius and the assistant face front again..He s stronger than I thought. Wecould be here all night..Kayla watches Logan in his agony. A glimmer of remorse passesover her face.He was good to me.Cornelius, fiddling with the amperage dial, curls his lips ina sardonic smile.You have a funny way of showingyour gratitude.Logan thrashes in his chair. Kayla chews her lip. For a longcount she watches Logan suffer.You should turn it off now.Cornelius turns and stares at her.I should what? BLINKING Oh. I guess that s... I guessthat s a good idea.He turns off the electricity. coNTTN IRD .You two have always hated eachother. You should fight.The assistant blinks and begins to scowl, turning towardCornelius just in time to get punched in the mouth.The two men brawl on the floor with the lack of skill you dexpect from two scientists. RE EDUCATION CENTER MOMENTS LATERKayla steps into the room. Logan sits slumped motionless inthe electric chair. She detaches the copper halo. The skinbeneath the metal is singed but it quickly begins to heal.Kayla stares at the man she betrayed, hesitates for a momentand exhales.She unfastens the titanium manacles. Logan is stillunconscious. Kayla shakes him gently.Hey. Wake up.Logan opens his eyes. He is clearly disoriented, as if wakingfrom a long coma. He stares up at Kayla.Are you okay?Logan stares at her, groggy and confused.Do you understand what I m saying?Do you remember me?In one blinding motion, Logan snatches Kayla by the throatand roughly pulls her to him. She does not resist.I would have done anything for you.Please...Do you hear me? Anything. .Please. Creed s killing yourfriend.Victor Creed holds Hines against the cell wall with one hand.Her feet kick in the air as she struggles.He splits her blouse down the middle with a long black talon.I ve always had a thing for humanchicks. You re all so soft andhelpless.No .Maybe it s time I did a littlesurgery on you, Doctor.The woman said no.Creed turns his head and sees Logan and Kayla standing in thedoorway.He grins and tosses Hines aside. She crashes into the walland slides to the floor, dazed.Starting to think you re addictedto pain. You keep coming back formore.Snikt This is the end.Amen to that.Kayla stands in between them, holding up her hands.Please We shouldn t be fightingeach other. Stryker s using us. little late for the Mutant Powercrap. We hunt freaks for the man.That s why we re free.What s he gonna do with us when theother mutants are dead? Put us in azoo?Creed hesitates, considering the logic of her words. A fangedsmile splits his face.Don t try your head games on me.I ve gutted better telepaths thanCreed rears back to hammer Kayla, a blow that would separateher head from her body.Logan catches Creed s fist inches from Kayla s face.Time you quit picking on girls.Oh, I m happy picking on men.Creed swings at Logan s head, Logan ducks, and the fightbegins.This is melee so efficient that no motion is wasted. Everylunge would kill any other adversary. Every parried blowwould shatter a normal man s arm.Kayla, bleeding from the nose, staggers to her feet. Shehelps up Hines and pushes her toward the door.Get out of here.Hines doesn t have to be told twice. She flees. Creed seeshis plaything running out the door. He snarls in frustration.You re ruining my party.He grabs hold of Logan and hurls him headfirst through thecell wall a concrete support wall. HALLWAY Logan crashes to the floor, covered in rubble. Creed stepsout of the cell, licking his fangs.Creed tries to stomp Logan s face, but the smaller man rollsout of the way and gets back on his feet.The mutants battle down the corridor, claws whistling throughthe air.A team of SENTRIES charge around the corner, wearing tacticalarmor and carrying XM assault rifles. They level theirrifles at the battling mutants.SENTRY   Get down Get down SENTRY   Down on your knees Logan and Creed, trying to punch holes in each other, ignorethe sentries. Kayla, staring down the barrels of the bigguns,. holds up her hands.She concentrates, staring into the sentries  eyes.We re here as guests of ColonelStryker.The sentries  hostility shifts into apologetic obeisance.Very sorry about that.You boys are no longer needed here.Go back to barracks.SENTRIESYou got it. See ya later. Bye The sentries wave cheerfully and depart.Creed and Logan are equally skilled, but Creed s superiorsize and strength begin to wear the smaller man down.Creed slams him into the wall, opening fissures. Holding bothof Wolverine s wrists up with one hand, Creed grabsWolverine s face with his free hand. His black claws slide toward Wolverine s eyes.How you gonna fight without eyes,little man?Logan brings his knee up hard, smashing his adamantium enhanced kneecap into Creed s groin.The big man groans. Logan spins Creed around, jamming himagainst the wall. He tries to skewer Creed with the claws ofhis right hand but Creed moves his head at the last moment.Logan s claws are buried to the hilt in the wall. He strikesat Creed with his left hand, but Creed dodges again. All sixof Logan s claws are deep in the solid rock wall.He brings his hands. together, the adamantium blades slicingthrough granite as if it were cheesecake.Creed ducks under the claws an instant before they shred him.He grabs Logan in a bear hug.A large section of the wall behind them falls out, and,unable to halt their momentum, Logan and Creed tumble throughthe hole, disappearing from sight.Kayla runs over and stands at the jagged precipice, lookingout onto the gargantuan Weapon XI cavern. WEAPON XI FACILITY Logan and Creed fall seventy feet, clawing at each other inmid air.Logan hits the floor hard, the impact blasting a small craterin the concrete.Creed manages a rolling fall, cat quick and dexterous.Stryker stands on the raised podium in the center of thecavern, overlooking his vast, sleeping army. He cannotbelieve what he s seeing. to Lead Technician I want the Eleven combat ready. cnNTTNIIF.T .LEAD TECHNICIANWe can t rush them,.sir. They v been in stasis for I want them ready The Lead Technician flinches and barks orders to hissubordinates, who enter commands into their computers.The lids of ten thousand isolation tanks slide open. As thecamera roams among the Eleven, needles and hoses detach fromtheir bodies, releasing their metallic grip.The cloned Creeds begin to stir in their stainless steelcoffins.Creed pounces on Logan, who is still severely injured fromthe fall. Creed tears into the smaller man mercilessly,slinging him around the cavern, gouging him with his blacktalons.Creed batters Logan with a series of savage blows. Loganfalls, his healing factor overwhelmed, barely conscious.Creed plants one heavy black boot on Logan s face and pressesdown hard. He leers at his defeated foe.Your pal Wraith pissed all over myboots when I crushed his spine.Smell like fear, don t they?Something changes within Logan, a fury so overwhelming itcannot be contained, a rage so vast it could only be calledberserker Logan rolls toward his tormentor, sweeping his claws straightthrough Creed s ankle, severing the foot.Creed screams and falls to his knees.Logan stands, grabbing a handful of Creed s dirty blondehair.This is for the ones who couldn tfight back. `ONTTNTIRT The adamantium blades are a silver blur in the overheadlight.Stryker, standing on the podium, sees his chief henchman shead tumble from his shoulders. He grits his teeth andsurveys his army.Ten thousand enhanced warriors begin to step out of theirsteel coffins, baring their fangs, eyeing their surroundings. to the Lead Technician Activate the PA system.The Lead Technicians flips a switch. Stryker speaks into amicrophone; his voice booms from speakers mounted on thepillars throughout the cavern.STRYKER Soldiers The Eleven snap to attention with machined synchronicity, allten thousand facing Stryker.Logan, bloodied but healing, stares down at his fallen enemy.Logan Kayla runs down one of the steel staircases that clings tothe cavern wall like fire escapes.If we get closer to Stryker, I canwork my magic.Logan stares at Stryker, his true enemy, the.man whodestroyed his life. Ten thousand clones. encircle Stryker, whostands on the raised podium in the cavern s center.I don t want him hypnotized. I wanthim dead.Never taking his eyes off his enemy, Logan advances.I . Stryker sees Logan walking toward him, toward the hordes ofclones. Stryker shakes his head and smiles.The man s committing suicide.He leans into the microphone. The Eleven listen to theircommander s voice, amplified by hundreds of speakersNo army that ever marched couldstand against you You will neverabandon your mission, and yourmission is simple Kill themutants Kill them wherever youfind them Stryker points at Logan.THIS IS YOUR FIRST ENEMY Ten thousand cloned murderers turn on Logan, soulless blackeyes focusing on their target.Logan stops his march beside one of the massive steel pillars.that supports the cavern ceiling.Get the hell out of here.What are you doing?Bringin  down the house.He sweeps his claws clean through the pillar, at an angle.The uppermost section shears off and drills into the floorwith a concussive whump that spiderwebs the concrete forthirty feet around the impact site.Stryker realizes what Logan is doing.ATTACK ATTACK The Eleven charge. From above we can see the full scale ofthe onslaught, wave upon wave of cloned murderers closing in. FTl  Logan runs to the next pillar and slices through it. Creaksand groans sound overhead, as the tremendous weight aboveexerts pressure on the remaining weight bearing supports.Most of the ten thousand can t get close to Logan, but theyall want in on the first kill.Whirling, slashing, stabbing, kicking, Logan scythes a circleof devastation, spray painting the floor with the black bloodof the Eleven.He reaches a third pillar and chops through it.Kayla eyes the ceiling nervously and hurries toward the exit.STOP HIM, YOU IDIOTS STOP HIM Even Logan can t hold back the tide for long. Talons rake hisface, his arms, his chest. But still he battles, slicingthrough a fourth pillar, a fifth.Tremendous fissures split the rock ceiling. Dust and rocksfall onto the cavern floor as the fissures widen.Logan sees that the cavern s collapse is imminent. He can nolonger hold off the Eleven s assault.An instant before the clones can shred him, he jumps, usinghis claws to scale one of the still standing steel pillarswith the grace and speed of a leopard climbing a tree.One of the clones follows, using his black talons in the samefashion, grabbing at Logan s feet.When Logan is forty feet above the throng of teeth gnashingclones, he severs the pillar below his feet. The clonechasing him can climb no farther, can do nothing but roar andhiss at his escaping prey.Logan swings himself onto the steel staircase, where Kaylawaits beside the open door. He races up the stairs.Stryker sees his dream in ruins. He runs for the nearestexit.Kayla and Logan are a few feet from the door, from safety,when the cavern ceiling gives out. Thousands of tons of stoneand steel come crashing down.Logan grabs Kayla and hauls her to safety an instant beforeshe would be crushed. The compound has essentially imploded, the major structuresfalling into the massive pit created by the cavern scollapse.Severed gas lines and ruptured boilers have turned the craterinto a raging fire pit. Smoke billows up from the moltencore.A few dazed survivors, SOLDIERS and SCIENTISTS, have escapedthe carnage, but Alkali Lake no longer exists as a militarybase. Thousands of singed documents flutter in the wind.Logan and Kayla walk away from the burning crater, neverlooking back. They head through the woods toward the lakethat glitters in the sunlight.One of them could have survived.Logan glances at her.The clones. They ve got yourhealing factor.Logan looks back at the devastation.Unless someone comes along who canmove a few million tons of steel,they ain t going anywhere. ALKALI LAKE LATERThey stop at the edge of the lake. Paper from the destroyedbase drifts through the air, falling on the water and theshore.Almost looks peaceful from here.There s something I want you toHe looks at her. CONTTNt F.flMaybe nothing I say mattersanymore. But I m going to say itanyway. I .A blossom of blood opens up on her chest. She stares down atit in wonder before sinking to her knees.Logan turns and sees Stryker walking toward them.Stryker fires again. The adamantium bullet rips throughLogan s forehead with an unholy sound.Logan falls to the ground. Stryker stands above him and firesanother bullet into Logan s head.Stryker turns the gun on Kayla.You don t need to waste anotherbullet. I m already dead.Stryker blinks and hesitates. Kayla coughs, her strengthbeginning to fade.Maybe you should turn that gun onyourself, Colonel.Stryker nods, pointing the gun at his own head.It would be good for the mutants ifI made you pull the trigger Why do you hate us so much?Stryker s finger trembles on the trigger.Is it because your son is one ofus?For the first time, perhaps, we see something human in thecold blue of Stryker s eyes.Enough killing, Colonel. Throw yourgun in the lake.r nNTTNTTFT .Stryker does as he s told. The revolver sinks into the water.Leave us. Keep walking till yourfeet start to bleed.Stryker turns and walks away.Kayla crawls over to Logan. She lifts his head onto her lap.He s unconscious but breathing. The bullet holes in his skinhave already healed. She strokes his jaw. and smiles sadly.One of the scraps of paper from the base blows against herleg. She takes it and looks down at the blank page.She has no pen. She touches her chest, just above her heart,wetting her finger with her blood.She writes four words on the page, blows on it to dry it,folds it once and places it in Logan s hand.She kisses his lips and rests his head gently on the ground.Fighting the pain, a dying woman, Kayla manages to stand.If you ever remember what I did toyou, try to forgive me. I was afool. And you were right . Ialways loved you.She turns and walks toward the lake, never looking back,never hesitating as the waters rise above her knees, aboveher waist, above her shoulders, above her head. ALKALI LAKE SUNSET Logan s eyes flutter and open. For a moment he squints intothe blue sky.He sits up, looking around. The woods are empty.He stands, completely disoriented, a stranger in the world.He realizes that he s holding a piece of paper in his hand.He unfolds it and reads the message written in blood.You are my Wolverine.He stares at it for a moment before folding it carefully andputting it in his pocket.f C ONTTNIIRD .He takes a deep breath of cold air and walks west, toward thefalling sun.He doesn t know who he is. He doesn t know where he s going.But the wind blows through his hair, the last of the sunlightfeels good on his skin. He is a free man.He walks toward his destiny. THE EARTH FROM SPACE The EARTH as seen from space, perfect and seemingly serene. DIANA I used to want to save the world. The distant SOUND OF TRIBAL DRUMS as we DESCEND planet ward. CIRCLING the globe, CLOSER as the DRUMS BUILD. DIANA This beautiful place. LOUDER DRUMS SOARING OVER oceans and continents. CLOSER. DIANA But the closer you get, the more you see the great darkness simmering within. Finally, we arrive in PARIS, FRANCE.  LOUVRE MUSEUM PARIS EARLY MORNING  The LOUVRE MUSEUM with its  thCentury architecture and its I.M. Pei glassandmetal PYRAMIDS a place where the past and the future meet. DIANA PRINCE , antiquities expert, strides towards the Louvre, passing ARMED MILITARY at guard and alert. DIANA And mankind That s another story altogether. A TRUCK pulls up, blocking our VIEW. ARMED SECURITY OFFICERS exit, unloading a CRATE from WAYNE ENTERPRISES addressed to DIANA PRINCE  CURATOR.  LOUVRE MUSEUM CORRIDOR CONTINUOUS ACTION  Diana walks down a HALLWAY with Assyrian basrelief sculptures showing the good, and the bad, of humanity throughout history. She takes this in. DIANA What one does faced with the truth, is more difficult than you think. LOUVRE MUSEUM DIANA S OFFICE MINUTES LATER  The CRATE is delivered to Diana a wallmounted COLLECTION OF ANCIENT WEAPONRY and GREEK ANTIQUITIES behind her. She eyes the WAYNE ENTERPRISES LOGO warily. Now alone at her desk, Diana opens the crate and looks inside, stunned. REVEAL THE ORIGINAL DAGUERREOTYPE of Diana from BvS She s in her WONDER WOMAN ARMOR, surrounded by a band of SOLDIERS her friends from long ago. DIANA I learned this the hard way. A long, long time ago. And now I will never be the same. She holds up the unsigned note accompanying the photo  I found the original. Maybe one day you ll tell me your story. She contemplates the faces of her friends long dead. Her eyes focus in on a man we ll soon know as STEVE TREVOR. She lingers on him, and then drifts to herself. Surrounded by HISTORY, Diana is overwhelmed by the memory of how this photo and Wonder Woman came to be  ARMY TRAINING GROUNDS THEMYSCIRA DAY  THE PAST. Flashes of AMAZONS as they train for COMBAT on VARIOUS PLATEAUS extending from the edge of the CLIFFS of Themyscira. The Amazons train with WEAPONS, CLASHING and TESTING one another to their limits. DOZENS of ARMORED FEMALE WARRIORS AMAZONS engage in a dazzling array of training exercises. Every Amazon is an ageless beauty, between and They spar with BO STAVES, KNIVES, SWORDS. Practice ARCHERY, SPEAR THROWING, and LASSO from HORSEBACK. It s breathtaking and YOUNG DIANA , Princess of Themyscira, watches it all from the edge of the field. Her eyes blaze with admiration. CONTINUED  CONTINUED   ANTIOPE, the demanding GENERAL, oversees the Amazons. She wears a distinctive HELMET. At her side, the Amazon PHILIPPUS African, regal  Diana fixates on one Amazon in particular, FIERCE and POWERFUL ARTEMIS. She sends her opponent to the GROUND, then SPINS to face another ANTIOPE Yes, the blow was strong, but Eliana s footwork betrayed her A battle is like a rivercrossing, every step must find a safe spot Diana REHEARSES Artemis  moves, her young face set in a fierce scowl. She stabs at imaginary enemies, then looks up to find Antiope STARING AT HER from across the grounds. She s caught But instead of hiding she looks back to Antiope  I m ready to fight LET ME TRY Antiope shakes her head but smiles Diana smiles back. MNEMOSYNE O.S. Diana Diana freezes, then BOLTS, before MNEMOSYNE Diana s long suffering tutor can push through the crowd. MNEMOSYNE Diana, I see you  PUBLIC SQUARE THEMYSCIRA CONTINUOUS ACTION  Diana dashes through the crowded marketplace, hoping to lose Mnemosyne, but every Amazon whose path she crosses greets her with a smile or Good morning, Princess Hello, Diana We realize that Diana is the ONLY CHILD in this world. Diana races past a MURAL in the public square of QUEEN HIPPOLYTA, Diana s mother, triumphantly leading the Amazons. MNEMOSYNE Diana, come back A young AMAZON GUARD sees Diana coming, holds out her hand, STOP Diana sees up a narrow stairway, grins an escape She darts up it and back down another straight into a DEAD END. CONTINUED  CONTINUED   Looking for a way out, she sees a long jump she just might make. There s a big fall, but Diana loves a challenge She smiles mischievously, runs and LEAPS but she s NOT GOING TO MAKE IT Diana stretches out, her face falling as she realizes she s missed the jump, when A hand grabs her wrist  OTHER BRIDGE THEMYSCIRA CONTINUOUS ACTION  Dangling, Diana s pulled up to see  QUEEN HIPPOLYTA, ethereally beautiful, holding Diana easily by one arm as if Diana weighed nothing. She sits HORSEBACK, the mounted QUEEN S GUARD behind her. Diana twists uneasily, smiling up at her mother. YOUNG DIANA breathless; innocently Hello, Mother. How are you today HIPPOLYTA sighs How many times, Diana YOUNG DIANA I haven t actually counted. Quite a few HIPPOLYTA smiles; nods Let s get you back to school before another tutor quits. YOUNG DIANA But, Mother. Don t you think it s time to start my training HIPPOLYTA Training You are training. Hippolyta softens, she loves her daughter more than anything, and PULLS DIANA into an embrace. HIPPOLYTA Your mind is your most powerful weapon. beat All battles begin here taps Diana s head before they end here CONTINUED  CONTINUED   Hippolyta motions to the world around them. Diana frowns. Antiope RIDES to meet them, PHILIPPUS at her side. Antiope catches Diana s hopeful eyes. YOUNG DIANA Antiope thinks I m ready. HIPPOLYTA eyeing Antiope Does she Antiope approaches, Philippus respectfully keeping a distance. ANTIOPE I could begin showing her some things. off Hippolyta s silence She should at least be able to defend herself. HIPPOLYTA From whom ANTIOPE In the event of an invasion. HIPPOLYTA Isn t that why I have an army at my command, General ANTIOPE I pray a day will never come where she has to fight, but you, the wisest of us all, know that one cannot deny their inner nature. A scorpion must sting, a wolf must hunt HIPPOLYTA She s a child. The only child on the island. Please, let her be so. ANTIOPE But, sister YOUNG DIANA But, Mother CONTINUED  CONTINUED   HIPPOLYTA a final declaration There will be no training. Hippolyta rides a crestfallen Diana away. She looks back at Antiope, who nods at Diana pointedly.  HIPPOLYTA S PALACE DIANA S BEDCHAMBER NIGHT  Hippolyta attempts to tuck a wideawake Diana into bed. YOUNG DIANA What if I promised to be careful HIPPOLYTA It s time to sleep. YOUNG DIANA What if I didn t use a sword HIPPOLYTA Fighting doesn t make you a hero. YOUNG DIANA not listening Just a shield then No sharp edges HIPPOLYTA Diana. You are the most precious thing in this world to me. So much so, I sculpted you from clay and begged Zeus to give you life. YOUNG DIANA bored You ve told me that story. Hippolyta steps away and removes a GOLDENBOUND TRIPTYCH. HIPPOLYTA Then I will tell you a new one. One of our people, and my days of battle. Diana s face LIGHTS UP, but Hippolyta raises her voice to correct her mood. HIPPOLYTA So you will finally understand. why war is nothing to hope for. CONTINUED  CONTINUED   Hippolyta slowly unfolds the large TRIPTYCH, revealing an elaborate PAINTING illustrating the history of the Amazons. HIPPOLYTA Long ago, when time was new, and all of history was still a dream. the gods ruled the Earth, Zeus king among them. PUSH IN as the painting seems to come alive, subtly animates. Lightning and thunder herald the arrival of ZEUS atop Olympus, surrounded by the PANTHEON OF GODS. HIPPOLYTA O.S. Zeus created beings over which the gods would rule beings born in his image fair and good, strong and passionate. Zeus called his creation. man. beat And mankind was good. Another flash of lightning REVEALS MANKIND. HIPPOLYTA O.S. But one grew envious of Zeus  love for mankind and sought to corrupt his creation. The painting seems to come alive again ARES, features hidden in shadow beneath a fearsome, HORNED HELMET. HIPPOLYTA O.S. This was Ares. The God of War. The sky splits open and fire rains from the heavens. Men take up arms, falling in line around Ares and becoming his ARMY. HIPPOLYTA O.S. Ares poisoned men s hearts with jealousy and suspicion, vengeance and rage. He turned them against one another. The DYING and the DEAD litter a RAGING BATTLEFIELD. A HIPPOLYTA S PALACE DIANA S BEDCHAMBER NIGHT A BACK TO Young Diana , her eyes WIDE. HIPPOLYTA And war ravaged the Earth. PALACE THEMYSCIRA NIGHT  YOUNG DIANA sneaks out of the palace, past her GUARDS. Pleased with herself, she runs off into the night SECRET TRAINING LOCATION THEMYSCIRA NIGHT Antiope and Young Diana , now dressed for training, raise their BO STAFFS. Antiope strikes, gently at first, but not for long. Diana works hard to defend herself.  ,  OMITTED INCORPORATED INTO SCENE , A  , BATTLEFIELD PAINTING APHRODITE, Goddess of Love, stands beside Zeus and the other gods at the shore of a turbulent sea, waving her hands as the ocean churns. From out of the sea rises  HIPPOLYTA, ANTIOPE, and countless other figures WARRIOR WOMEN. HIPPOLYTA So the gods made us, the Amazons, to influence men s hearts with love and to restore peace to the world. Standing behind Aphrodite on the shore, MEN watch the women approach in awe, lowering their weapons. HIPPOLYTA For a brief time, there was peace, even a unity among the world, as the gods and man fought sideby side against a great evil. An ancient war is subtly depicted, but not lingered on. If one looks close you ll see  THREE ARMIES The gods, Amazons, and Atlanteans battling JACOB. Each army in possession of a LOTUS. ARES cleaves Jacob, then he looks to the LOTUS the humans have discarded. He reaches for it ANTIOPE But it did not last. ARES  ARMY OF MEN swing a barrage of weapons at Hippolyta and the Amazons, led by the God of War himself. CONTINUED CONTINUED  ANTIOPE Ares refused to give up his hold on mankind. Tightening his grip, he turned them against us. ARES AND HIS ARMY OF MEN lead Hippolyta and the other Amazons out of a BURNING CITY in SHACKLES and CHAINS. ANTIOPE When Zeus led the gods to our defense, Ares killed them, oneby one. Ares grabs Apollo from behind, slitting his throat elsewhere, he assassinates Aphrodite elsewhere, Hermes ANTIOPE  until only Zeus himself remained. HIPPOLYTA breaks the chains between her bracelets ANTIOPE Your mother, the Amazon Queen, led a revolt that freed us all from enslavement. Hippolyta leads the Amazons in battle against Ares, swinging her sword, a feral CHEETAH fights at her side WOODS THEMYSCIRA DAY Young Diana mimics her mother in battle, thrusting her WOODEN SWORD as she runs. HIPPOLYTA While Zeus used the last of his power to stop Ares. BATTLEFIELD PAINTING Ares and Zeus CLASH in the eye of a STORM, each at the edge of death. Zeus throws his last THUNDERBOLT, hitting Ares. HIPPOLYTA  striking him such a blow, the God of War was forced to retreat. Ares staggers back, a large gash in his chest leaks VIOLENT, BLUE POWER He s swallowed up by DARKNESS. CONTINUED  CONTINUED  HIPPOLYTA With Zeus  dying breath, he created this island to shield us from the outside world. Somewhere Ares could not find us. SECRET TRAINING LOCATION THEMYSCIRA DAY Antiope attacks Young Diana tries to keep up and to Antiope s surprise and satisfaction she does ANTIOPE But in the event he did, Zeus left us a weapon, one powerful enough to kill a God. to destroy Ares before he could destroy mankind. and us. with an endless war. SCENIC OVERLOOK THEMYSCIRA DAY Hippolyta and Young Diana look across their island home. Hippolyta smiles, ending her story. But Diana looks out across the oceans, wondering if Ares is still out there. HIPPOLYTA We give thanks to the gods for this paradise. YOUNG DIANA And the Godkiller Hippolyta isn t sure what Diana is referring to. HIPPOLYTA The Godkiller YOUNG DIANA Yes. The weapon that can kill Ares if he ever finds us. May I see it, Mother Hippolyta s conflicted by Diana s excitement. A beat. Then she nods, Diana elated. ARMORY DAY Hippolyta and Young Diana ride their HORSES to the ARMORY, a heavily guarded keep at the top of Themyscira s hillside. The QUEEN S GUARDS follow. Diana s eyes drift up at a HIGH TOWER with a single window. ARMORY CONTINUOUS ACTION Young Diana follows Hippolyta down a torchlit tunnel and into the openair center. One high window. HIPPOLYTA This is where we keep all the gifts the gods have given us. Diana s eyes drift past a dazzling array of items, including a glowing GOLDEN GIRDLE, LASSO, and at the center, an ornatelycrafted SWORD. Diana gently touches the hilt of the sword, in awe. YOUNG DIANA The Godkiller. It s beautiful. Hippolyta watches her carefully. YOUNG DIANA Who would wield it HIPPOLYTA I pray there will never come a time when it is called to arms. But only the fiercest among us even could. And that is not you, Diana. She takes Diana s hand away from the sword. HIPPOLYTA So you see, my daughter, you are safe. And it is nothing for you to concern yourself with. But Diana is determined to prove her mother wrong SECRET TRAINING LOCATION THEMYSCIRA DAY SWORDS clash Young Diana now continues to train with Antiope more skilled, stronger but not yet the warrior she will one day be. As Antiope pushes her ANTIOPE You re doubting yourself. CONTINUED  CONTINUED  YOUNG DIANA  defiant No, I m not. Antiope swings, the swords clashing Young Diana loses her footing, falling to the ground ANTIOPE Yes, you are. beat But you re stronger than you believe. HIPPOLYTA O.S. Diana Hippolyta rides towards them, her GUARDS follow. The Queen climbs down, furious. She checks her daughter for injury. YOUNG DIANA Mother. I m fine. I was just HIPPOLYTA Training. to Antiope It seems I am not the revered queen I should be. Disobeyed, betrayed, by my own sister YOUNG DIANA Mother It was me. I asked her to HIPPOLYTA to her Guards Take her to the palace. Crestfallen, Young Diana is led away by Hippolyta s guards. She locks eyes with Antiope as she leaves. ANTIOPE You left me no choice, Hippolyta. You neglect your duty if she cannot fight. HIPPOLYTA You speak of a time that may never come. He may never return He could have died of his wounds. Antiope raises her voice to meet Hippolyta s for the first time in three thousand years. CONTINUED  CONTINUED  ANTIOPE You think I don t wish that were true beat You feel it in your bones, just as I do. Ares is still alive. He is out there. and it s only a matter of time before he returns. HIPPOLYTA The stronger Diana gets ANTIOPE Nobody wants this less than I. I love her as you do. beat But this is the only way to truly protect her. Hippolyta s pained eyes look away, pause for a beat, and then return to meet Antiope s with a steely stare. HIPPOLYTA She is to never know the truth about what she is and how she came to be. beat You will train her harder than every Amazon before her. ANTIOPE Hippolyta HIPPOLYTA Five times harder ten times harder. beat You will train her until she is unconquerable. A beat. Then Antiope nods. SMASH TRAINING GROUNDS THEMYSCIRA DAY An AMAZON rolls across the ground with a BOW AND ARROW, rising up and letting an ARROW fly It s DIANA She s now fully grown, striking and formidable, with a sly smile the arrow HITS the target DEAD CENTER and she moves on CONTINUED  CONTINUED  Antiope nods to Diana to look across the audience of Amazons and up to the hillside where Hippolyta has arrived on HORSEBACK. Diana grins, drawing her sword. Diana moves THROUGH and OVER obstacles, where she faces off against one of ANTIOPE S GUARDS African , using her SHIELD, BRACELETS and SWORD then ARTEMIS joins. Diana now taking on TWO AMAZONS and excited for the challenge. Diana dispatches Antiope s guard. The Amazons  brawler Artemis bares her teeth and attacks with no mercy, striking Diana hard Artemis is fierce, revered by the other Amazons. Diana blocks the next blow, then sends Artemis crashing to the muddy ground at the feet of the other Amazons The Amazons step back from Artemis. Humiliated, Artemis scowls. Diana, grins Then Antiope and Diana go into battle Warriors in violent, graceful combat. Antiope feels her holding back. ANTIOPE Come on, Diana. You re stronger than this. Diana attacks Antiope with strength previously unseen The Amazons watch with awe. Even Hippolyta. Unrelenting, Diana strikes hard, AGAIN AND AGAIN, until she knocks Antiope s sword out of her hands Cocky, Diana points the sword at Antiope, who holds up her hands in surrender, proud. Diana nods, lowering the sword she s won. Diana turns to her mother, looking for her approval but WHAM Out of nowhere, Antiope sends Diana to the ground with a BRUTAL BLOW Not so fun anymore. Diana takes a breath, recovering. Hippolyta watches from the hill HIPPOLYTA under her breath Get up, Diana. Diana glances at Antiope it was a dirty move but Antiope faces off against Diana CONTINUED  CONTINUED  ANTIOPE NEVER let your guard down Your opponents will have no honor. They will strike at you from behind They will attack without provocation Antiope knocks Diana s sword aside ANTIOPE Show me the Amazon you are pushing Diana Or was I wrong to put such faith in you Pushed to her limit, Diana brings both arms up then SLAMS her bracelets together BOOSH A FIELD OF ENERGY EMANATES FROM DIANA S CORE. We get the sense that this is just the beginning of her true POWER. Still, it s powerful enough to knock Antiope off her feet. Diana stumbles back. Diana, amazed and elated, realizes that something unbelievable has happened. A tiny GOLDEN SPARK in her eye quickly fades. Diana s ecstatic, scared and confused. She looks to her mother  Did you see that But Hippolyta is worried about the implications of Diana s power and Diana mistakes it for judgment. HIPPOLYTA What have you done Diana looks to Antiope, blood streaming from a cut to the head. Diana rushes to her side. DIANA I m sorry But Antiope holds up her hand ANTIOPE Stay back. Diana looks at the other Amazons, who all stare back in silence, even Artemis then back to her mother s forlorn face, filled with fear. Diana slowly takes a step away, feeling frightened, guilty, rejected And Diana runs CONTINUED  CONTINUED  A COLD WIND blows across the hill. Fear falls on Hippolyta s face, taking in Diana s actions. CLIFF THEMYSCIRA CONTINUOUS ACTION Diana races up a grassy embankment to a CLIFF overlooking the ocean. She looks down at her open palms, clenches them shut. What was that Then An UNFAMILIAR SOUND  a strange gnawing BUZZ. Diana looks upward, quickly spotting A SHAPE on the horizon, moving closer. Something she has never seen before  A GERMAN WARPLANE, a Fokker, out of control, trailing SMOKE. Diana s sharp gaze catches sight of SOMEONE IN THE COCKPIT, struggling to escape. The PLANE dives down, crashing into the water Without hesitation, Diana DIVES off the cliff, hurtling hundreds of feet through the air and into the sea. UNDERWATER AEGEAN SEA MOMENTS LATER The plane SINKS, its PILOT already underwater. He struggles to break free from the cockpit, but his MESSENGER BAG is caught A loud CREEEEAAAK pierces the water. The PILOT looks up to see a deep FISSURE running along the tail. It BREAKS free and the engine and cockpit sink like stones. As he sinks, he loses breath, the light fading. Suddenly, out of nowhere, DIANA APPEARS ON THE PLANE S TAIL, above the surface. The sun blazes, framing her, an epic vision like an angel. The PILOT blinks into the light one last time. The DARK DEPTHS closing in on his face as his eyes fall shut. Diana DIVES in and grabs the Pilot. She braces her feet against the plane and rips him away, kicking to the surface. SURFACE AEGEAN SEA CONTINUOUS ACTION Diana surfaces with the Pilot, swimming effortlessly to shore, unaware that behind them a WWI GERMAN BATTLECRUISER and its THREE LANDING CRAFT head towards the island. GERMAN BATTLECRUISER DECK CONTINUOUS ACTION A GERMAN COMMANDER stares into the THICK FOG with FIELD GLASSES. His LIEUTENANT at his side, bewildered. GERMAN LIEUTENANT Where did this fog come from GERMAN COMMANDER Find the plane. GERMAN LEAD LANDING CRAFT  CONTINUOUS ACTION GERMAN SOLDIER # spots something, pointing GERMAN SOLDIER #  to ship s tillerman It s there Landing craft  steers through the FOG toward the Fokker s TAIL SECTION, still afloat. GERMAN LANDING CRAFT  CONTINUOUS ACTION German Soldier # REACHES OUT over the side and HIS HAND disappears in a BLINDING REFLECTION, like fractal SHARDS of LIGHT hitting a mirror. He briefly sees a flash of a beautiful island startled, he jolts back, the image vanishing into fog. He leans back out and there it is again Beyond the protective RING of FOG and reefs AN ISLAND And Diana swimming the Pilot toward the beach Stunned, he leans inboard, once again enshrouded in a foggy, cold, gray day. GERMAN SOLDIER #  stammering The pilot. He s. there The tillerman is skeptical but slowly turns the boat. BEACH THEMYSCIRA CONTINUOUS ACTION Diana drags the Pilot onto the beach, his bag around his shoulder. She gently lays him on the sand and gets her first real look at the FIRST MAN SHE S EVER SEEN. His mouth, lips, jaw, hair, stubble captivating. This is CAPTAIN STEVE TREVOR s , rugged, handsome. An American fighter pilot undercover for the British. Steve wakes, squinting in the sun, surprised to discover Diana s not a hallucination. He takes in the strange surroundings, blown back by her breathtaking beauty. STEVE PILOT Wow. She backs away as he sits up, surprised by the timber of his voice. Diana studies his eyes. They re so blue. DIANA You are a. man STEVE Yes, I mean lowering his voice Yeah. Do I not look like a. where am I DIANA You are on Themyscira. STEVE Thema say it again DIANA Who are you They re cut off by the earsplitting SOUNDS OF SCRAPING METAL. Diana and Steve turn to see the GERMAN BATTLECRUISER running aground on the protective REEF around Themyscira. STEVE I m one of the good guys, and those are the bad guys. The wounded battlecruiser sinks, but her THREE GERMAN LANDING CRAFT steam towards the beach. STEVE Y know. Germans. CONTINUED  CONTINUED  DIANA Germans STEVE We gotta get out of here. HIPPOLYTA O.S. Diana Diana and Steve look up to the cliffs to see Battleready HIPPOLYTA on HORSEBACK, with the QUEEN S GUARD, all with ARROWS pointed directly at Steve. HIPPOLYTA to Steve; enraged Step away from her NOW STEVE Where are their guns ANOTHER WAVE OF GUARDSWOMEN arrive behind Hippolyta on HORSEBACK, aiming ARROWS at the German ships. STEVE Do they only have arrows We need guns. Because the Germans have guns. Lots and lots of A torrent of FLAMING ARROWS sail from the cliff top, over Diana s and Steve s heads, hitting all three landing craft. The Germans FIRE back in retaliation STEVE Get down Steve pulls Diana behind a ROCK FORMATION, out of sight of the invading Germans now fanning out across the beach. MORE AMAZONS join the others on the cliff, led by ORANA. Orana shoots a GRAPPLING ARROW into the rock wall of the opposite cliff. She swings down the attached line toward the beach, firing ARROW AFTER ARROW at the Germans. ON THE BEACH  Diana and Steve watch her, stunned. Diana turns as a soldier lifts his rifle and FIRES. She sees the BULLET leave the gun, heading straight for her in SLOW MOTION Steve TACKLES DIANA, pushing her to the ground as the BULLET just misses her. CONTINUED  CONTINUED  Diana s heightened senses allow her to see the bullet sailing past she s confused by what she s seeing until it HITS ORANA Diana is aghast as Orana falls slack on the grappling line, her lifeless body swinging against the cliff wall. DIANA STEVE NO Keep your head down The Germans continue to FIRE at the Amazons atop the cliff, several of whom plummet to their deaths on the beach below. Orana s slayer squints down his rifle s eyesight WHUNK An arrow now sprouts from the rifle barrel. A STAMPEDE OF HORSEWOMEN ride through a massive STONE ARCHWAY onto the beach. The AMAZON CAVALRY, led by ANTIOPE. Antiope, MENALIPPE and ARTEMIS at her side, BLOCKS BULLETS with her SHIELD and cuts through Germans with her SWORD, trampling them beneath her horse s feet. Steve crawls out, seeing a soldier taking cover behind a rock nearby. STEVE to Diana Stay here A GLINT of a KNIFE in Steve s hand as he leaps on the soldier, dragging him down then quickly reappearing, SHOOTING a RIFLE. Diana grabs the SWORD and SHIELD of a fallen sister and joins the battle. She s quickly surrounded, but holds her own, fending off a SWARM of Germans. ANTIOPE shouting to her troops Omicron formation Antiope s team organizes into a formation, working together but still overwhelmed until HIPPOLYTA arrives on the beach, joining the battle in spectacular fashion. She slashes through the Germans like no other Amazon, proving why she is QUEEN Diana is in awe of her mother it s the first time she s witnessed her fight. CONTINUED  CONTINUED  Antiope finds relief as Hippolyta joins her side the two sisters fight backtoback, wiping out all but FIVE GERMANS. ANTIOPE to Menalippe SHIELD Steve watches as MENALIPPE takes her SHIELD with both hands, holds it parallel to the ground. Antiope dismounts, runs at her, then jumps onto the SHIELD, springing HIGH INTO THE AIR One of the five remaining Germans raises his rifle to fire at Antiope, but Steve SHOOTS him first, saving Antiope s life, which is not lost on Diana. At the height of her midair arc, Antiope FIRES THREE ARROWS AT ONCE, eliminating all but ONE remaining German who raises his gun at Diana. STEVE Diana Steve aims at the soldier as he fires, but Antiope steps in front of her niece. TAKING THE BULLET, she falls to the ground. Steve fires and the German falls, too. DIANA Antiope The noise, the battle, everything falls away as Diana races to Antiope s side. DIANA No Please no Diana races to Antiope, dying, struggling to speak ANTIOPE Diana. The time has come. you. you must. DIANA ANTIOPE What Antiope barely audible The Godkiller, Diana, go DIANA uncomprehending Go where Antiope No Hippolyta rushes to Diana, falling to her knees in front of Antiope s lifeless body. CONTINUED  CONTINUED  HIPPOLYTA Sister Antiope stills. Diana s devastated, her first experience of death. Philippus looks on, saddened. Hippolyta grabs her sword and turns to Steve. HIPPOLYTA You Diana rushes between them. DIANA Mother, no He fought at my side against the invaders. MENALIPPE Typical. The man fights against his own people. STEVE They weren t my people. MENALIPPE Then why do you wear their colors ARTEMIS Tell us Steve looks down at his German uniform. STEVE I I m not at liberty to say. MENALIPPE What is your name STEVE I can t tell you that, either. VENELIA We should kill him right now and be done with it. Philippus talks, calm despite her friend s death. PHILIPPUS He dies now and we know nothing about why they came here and who they are. CONTINUED  CONTINUED  STEVE Ladies, I m sorry. I can only tell you one thing about me  I ll never talk. PALACE THRONE ROOM LATER Steve s overcome by an unseen force. He struggles. STEVE My name s Captain Steve Trevor. Pilot. American Expeditionary Forces. Serial number  That s all I m at liberty to s REVEAL  Steve, bleeding from injuries sustained in battle, bound by a GLOWING GOLDEN LASSO controlled by Menalippe. Diana and Hippolyta, battle weary, watch him. With them the QUEEN S GUARDS, what s left of ANTIOPE S GUARDS and SENATOR ACANTHA s  Steve strains to keep his mouth shut. He can t. STEVE Seconded. to British Intelligence. re  lasso What the hell is this thing, anyway DIANA The Lasso of Hestia compels you to reveal the truth. MENALIPPE It is pointless and painful to resist. HIPPOLYTA What is your mission STEVE Whoever you are, you re in enough danger as it is. You shouldn t HIPPOLYTA What is your mission CONTINUED  CONTINUED  STEVE exhales; caves I m a spy. FLASHBACK MILITARY INSTALLATION OTTOMAN EMPIRE DAY Steve, in his GERMAN PILOT S UNIFORM, stands on an AIRSTRIP next to several other PILOTS and PLANES. STEVE British Intelligence got word that the leader of the German Army, General Ludendorff, was visiting a secret military installation in the Ottoman Empire. STEVE S  FOLLOWING GENERAL LUDENDORFF as he and his troops enter a large, nondescript WAREHOUSE. STEVE I posed as one of their pilots, then flew in with them. MILITARY INSTALLATION FACTORY/LABORATORY DAY Steve follows the others into the warehouse. STEVE According to our intel, the Germans had no troops left, no money, no munitions of any kind. Steve discovers this is an immense MUNITIONS FACTORY manned by elderly men, women, and children, all of whom appear to be slave labor for the Germans in the mass production of BOMBS. STEVE  but our intel was wrong. The Germans had the Turks making bombs for them. And not just bombs. Ludendorff approaches a SCIENTIST, wearing headtotoe protective gear. Removing mask and goggles, we meet the STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL DR. MARU,  s. She finishes writing a CHEMICAL FORMULA in a NOTEBOOK. She turns, greets Ludendorff with respect and confidence. STEVE New weapons. Invented by Ludendorff s chief psychopath. Dr. Isabel Maru. Steve can t help but stare admiringly. until Maru turns her head, revealing METAL PLATES on her face, hiding damage incurred by her own experiments. STEVE Boys in the trenches call her Dr. Poison. Maru leads LUDENDORFF to her lab, to a fullyenclosed TEST CHAMBER with a VIEWING WINDOW. In the chamber, Steve sees a gruesome site A PRISONER, his terrified face covered by a GAS MASK, his wrists and ankles stretched out and restrained by CHAINS. Another CHAIN leads from the top of the prisoner s gas mask. Out of earshot, Steve watches as Maru shows Ludendorff the formulas in her notebook, explaining them. Maru closes the notebook and sets it down, then releases GLOWING GAS into the chamber. Panicked, the prisoner s terrified eyes widen, MUFFLED SCREAMS cry out behind his gas mask. Enraptured, Maru puts a hand against the window, her anxious eyes follow the SMOKE filling the chamber It has to work this time. Ludendorff watches, waiting. Steve looks on in horror as the prisoner s gas mask begins to show slight signs of disintegration thin cracks in the glass, wear on the straps, corrosion on the metal Maru isn t even aware she s grinning, but then The prisoner realizes the gas mask is resisting the gas, protecting him. He calms. Maru s face falls. Her eyes dart to Ludendorff who shows obvious signs of disappointment. Steve watches as a frustrated Dr. Maru pulls a LEVER and the chain connected to the prisoner s gas mask tears the mask off, exposing him to what s left of the gas The panicked prisoner screams in pain as he breathes in, dying horribly Steve can barely watch, he glances away and his eyes lock on Maru s notebook. STEVE From what I saw. if Dr. Maru was able to complete her work, millions would die. The war would never end. beat I had to do something. Steve makes a decision, knowing it could cost him his life he grabs the notebook. STEVE Dammit. Maru turns to see her notebook gone She looks around just in time to see Steve leaving. They lock eyes briefly as he exits MILITARY INSTALLATION AIRSTRIP CONTINUOUS ACTION An ALARM BLARES as Steve pursued by a dozen German soldiers runs to a FOKKER, props already rotating. SKY ABOVE THE MILITARY INSTALLATION CONTINUOUS ACTION Steve s plane takes off, but he doesn t fly away. Instead, he doubles back toward the warehouse, where Ludendorff and Maru escape in a MILITARY VEHICLE. STEVE S FOKKER CONTINUOUS ACTION Steve uses the Fokker s BARREL ROTARY CANNON to FIRE on Ludendorff s vehicle but it gets away. Steve trains the gun on the evacuated military installation s glass roof, whose WORKERS have just evacuated. He STRAFES it, taking out all of the glass panes before dropping HANDBOMBS into the complex. The factory EXPLODES in a fire ball as he flies off into the sky END FLASHBACK. PALACE THRONE ROOM DAY Steve tries to resist the lasso again, but can t STEVE I was on my way back to London when the Germans shot me down. Steve s eyes firmly on his BAG at Hippolyta s feet. Diana removes Dr. Maru s notebook. STEVE But if I can get those notes to British Intelligence in time, it might make a difference. emotional stop millions more from dying. Stop the war. DIANA War What war STEVE The War to End All Wars. Four years, twentyseven nations, twentyfive million dead soldiers. and civilians. Steve swallows hard, forced by the lasso to reveal all. Not just the facts, but also his feelings about them. STEVE with difficulty Innocent people. Women and children. Slaughtered. Their homes villages looted, burned. Weapons deadlier, more horrifying than you can imagine. Like nothing I ve ever seen. It s like. absolute truth to him like the world is going to end. Steve s head hangs low, Diana looks at him with sympathy and sadness. HIPPOLYTA stoneyfaced Take him to the infirmary. Diana tenses, clearly shaken by this. PALACE COURTYARD NIGHT Diana follows Hippolyta and the cortege into the courtyard, trying to lend voice to their debate. PHILLIPUS Should we let him go HIPPOLYTA And risk him bringing more men to our shores. Phillipus. DIANA quiet Mother PHILLIPUS We can t hold him forever, my Queen. DIANA Excuse me, Mother. But after everything the man said. this must be Ares. They all stop and face Diana. SENATOR ACANTHA What are you talking about, child DIANA Forgive me, Senator Acantha, but. the man called it a war without end. Millions of people already dead. Like nothing he s ever seen. Only Ares could do such a thing. We cannot simply let him go. then We must go with him. HIPPOLYTA We are not deploying our army and leaving Themyscira defenseless to go and fight their war DIANA It is not their war. repeating the history lesson Zeus created man to be just and wise, strong and passionate. HIPPOLYTA That was a story, Diana. There is much you do not know. Mankind is easily corruptible. DIANA But Ares is behind that corruption. It is Ares who has these Germans fighting. And stopping the God of War is our foreordinance HIPPOLYTA We must care to our wounded, honor our fallen DIANA Themyscira has seen death for the first time, Mother. Ares must not be allowed to threaten us again. We know only too well what happens if he finds us and he will. Never again shall we be enslaved. And now mankind must be freed. As Amazons this is our duty HIPPOLYTA You are not an Amazon like the rest of us, Diana. That strikes Diana in the heart. Hippolyta stops herself from revealing more, covering HIPPOLYTA You don t know war like we do. DIANA accusatory You may be afraid to face Ares, Mother, but I am not. HIPPOLYTA angry; for her own good Afraid You know nothing of fear, child. Nothing of war. Nothing of pain. Nothing of sacrifice. So you will do nothing. beat Your Queen forbids it. Diana leaves, brimming with anger Hippolyta with conflict. INFIRMARY EPIONE S ROOM NIGHT EPIONE, a skilled healer, stitches up a wound on Diana s ARM. Diana doesn t flinch. EPIONE Is it true you saved his life DIANA Who told you that EPIONE He did. beat What will the Queen do with him Will she kill him OFF Diana, wondering herself. INFIRMARY STEVE S ROOM LATER Diana enters to find Steve stepping out of a TUB his back to her NAKED. She studies his body as he towels himself dry. Steve s shoulder has been BANDAGED, but his body is covered with CUTS, BRUISES, SCARS from other battles. Diana touches her own wound, sympathetic. Steve finally turns, startled to see her there. STEVE Didn t hear you come in./Didn t hear you knock. Diana stares at him. Puzzled. Steve isn t enjoying the look on her face. DIANA Would you say you re a typical example of your sex Steve raises an eyebrow, slightly offended, but he doesn t cover himself. STEVE I like to think of myself as. above average. DIANA What is that Steve is relieved to see she means his POCKET WATCH on top of his clothes. STEVE It s a watch. DIANA A watch. STEVE My father gave it to me. Been through hell and back with him, and now me, and it s still ticking. DIANA listening to it tick Why STEVE Because it tells time. off her look So, I know when to wake up, work, eat, sleep. DIANA that s ridiculous You let this little thing tell you what to do Steve takes the watch from her, covers up. STEVE Do you mind if I ask you a couple hundred questions Diana shrugs. STEVE What is this place DIANA Themyscira. STEVE I caught that before. I mean what is this place How come I ve never heard of it Who the hell are you people How do you know English DIANA We speak hundreds of languages. We are the bridge to a greater understanding between all men. STEVE Funny, because I understand even less now than before you walked in. The way Steve watches her makes Diana selfconscious. STEVE Hey, I didn t get to say it earlier. but thanks for dragging me out of the water. DIANA Thank you for what you did on the beach. STEVE So. Are you here to let me go DIANA I m sorry. It s not up to me. I tried. I even asked them to send me with you Steve s eyes brighten. Diana backpedals in embarrassment. DIANA or anyone. An Amazon. The Amazons. STEVE The Amazons DIANA It is our sacred duty to defend the world. and I wish to go. But my mother will not allow it. Which, from her tone, clearly disappoints Diana. Steve s surprised to find himself disappointed, too, though his better sense tells him not to be. STEVE Can t say I blame her. off Diana s surprise The way this war is going, I wouldn t let anyone I care about near it. DIANA Then why do you want to go back Steve starts dressing. STEVE I don t think want is the word, but. I ve gotta try. wistful; remembering his father My father used to say. MORE  STEVE CONT D You see something wrong in the world, you can either do nothing, or you can do something. And you already tried nothing. Moved, Diana takes that in. Determination on her face. ARMORY THEMYSCIRA NIGHT On this still, MOONLIT night, the armory stands monolithic amongst the other buildings of Themyscira. Diana surveys from an opposing hillside. The building s face an impenetrable mountainside, accessible by only one main entrance, completely blocked by SEVERAL GUARDS who stand watch and even if she could take them all on, Diana doesn t want to hurt them. Studying the building further, she focuses on the SINGLE WINDOW in the HIGH TOWER. Diana s face darkens with fixed focus. She looks down at her feet, back at the space calculating it all. She turns to the hillside behind her, spots a distant branch twisting from a tree. It looks relatively equidistant to the armory. She takes a step towards it, then another and another and Diana leaps into the air, locked on the branch but she lands far before reaching it As Diana jogs to a stop, her frown fades I know that I can do this. Diana sets off in a dead sprint towards the cliffside she LEAPS over the abyss below. Her face calm as she SOARS through the night THE BUILDING BARRELS TOWARDS HER, her eyes widen. Thinking fast she GRASPS a SPUR and She SLAMS into the side, holding on. She revels in the moment briefly and then sobers Now what The window is at least feet above her below, the abyss. The wind MOANS. Diana s GRIP TIGHTENS on the spur. Suddenly, the SPUR CRACKS Diana falls She scrambles against the wall, her hands grasping at the stone face. SHARDS FLYING around her, she realizes she s strong enough to make her own handholds SLAM Her hand catches and she YANKS to a stop Shocked, she hangs there for a second, then grins fiercely. She begins to CLIMB her way straight up the stone wall, her fingers slamming into the tower, making her own ladder out of solid stone. ARMORY ROOFTOP CONTINUOUS ACTION Diana FLIPS herself up onto a tiny ledge outside of the window. She moves in ARMORY CONTINUOUS ACTION In the moonlit darkness of the deserted armory, Diana moves towards the GODKILLER SWORD. She takes it from its SCABBARD, awed by its weight, its sheer power in her hands. She holds it tight. It feels right. As she leaves, she passes a suit of ancient armor and SNATCHES ITS SHIELD. Then the LASSO OF HESTIA disappears from its hook. Diana, now halfdressed in GREEK ARMOR, admires a glowing GOLDEN BELTLIKE GIRDLE, then looks ahead to something that really catches her eye. BLURRY in our f.g., the silhouette of a woman s form GLOWS GOLD, RED, AND BLUE from its display. Diana s eyes widen with delight. INFIRMARY STEVE S ROOM MINUTES LATER Diana enters, waking Steve STEVE Nice outfit. DIANA without irony Thank you. Now I will show you the way off the island. And you will take me to Ares. STEVE as she s a bit nuts Deal. Steve grabs his watch and bag. HARBOR THEMYSCIRA DOCK CONTINUOUS ACTION Diana and Steve on HORSEBACK emerge from the forest at the edge of a harbor. Diana and Steve turn to the front of a notverymodernlooking by standards AMAZON SAILING VESSEL. STEVE skeptical I m leaving in that DIANA We are. STEVE We re leaving in that DIANA Do you not know how to sail STEVE a touch of bravado Of course, I know how to sail. Why wouldn t I be able to sail beat Just haven t since I was a kid She nods, motions to the boat with encouragement. DIANA Then there s nothing to be afraid of. Steve hesitates. DIANA What Steve nods at the valley behind them, where HIPPOLYTA and the QUEEN S GUARD thunder in on their horses. Hippolyta raises her hand, ordering her GUARDS to halt. She approaches Diana ALONE. Diana takes a breath, reluctantly meeting her mother s eyes, dreading this. DIANA defiant; strong I can t stand by while innocent lives are lost. If no one else will defend the world from Ares, I must. I have to go HIPPOLYTA I know. Diana finds not fury on her mother s face, but sadness. HIPPOLYTA Or at least I know that I cannot stop you. There is so much. so much you do not understand. DIANA I understand enough. That I m willing to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. Like you once did. HIPPOLYTA You know that if you choose to leave us, you may never return. Once you leave this island, its location will fade from your memory. Hippolyta relents, nodding. She climbs down from her horse, taking something from the saddle. She presents Diana with ANTIOPE S HEADBAND. HIPPOLYTA This belonged to the greatest warrior in our history make sure you are worthy of it. DIANA I will. She hands it to her daughter. HIPPOLYTA Be careful in the world of men, Diana, they do not deserve you. Hippolyta tries to memorize her daughter s face, believing it s the last time she ll ever see it. HIPPOLYTA You have been my greatest love. Today you are my greatest sorrow. Diana WALKS AWAY from her mother, and the only home she s ever known, towards Steve and the ship. The weight of this goodbye doesn t go unnoticed by Steve. THEMYSCIRAN SAILING VESSEL AEGEAN SEA NIGHT Diana looks back towards the island, her whole world until now. SHORELINE THEMYSCIRA NIGHT Menalippe approaches, joining Hippolyta s side. MENALIPPE Should you have told her HIPPOLYTA The more she knows, the faster he will find her. THEMYSCIRAN SAILING VESSEL AEGEAN SEA NIGHT A BREEZE moves through Diana s hair as she takes a breath, watching the island drift away, and in a SUDDEN FLICKER of fog it is gone. Bittersweet. She eyes Steve at the TILLER. He looks at his WATCH, still ticking, then pockets it. DIANA How long until we reach the war STEVE The war Well, which part The Eastern Front in France is miles long from the Alps to the Atlantic. Then there s the Dolomites in Italy, Turks in Arabia there used to be a Russian Front but they quit last year so they could kill the Tzar and have a revolution. DIANA Where the fighting is the most intense then. If you take me there, I am sure I will find who I m looking for. STEVE Who s that DIANA Ares. STEVE Ares As in the God of War DIANA The God of War is our responsibility. Only an Amazon can defeat him. With this. Diana points the SWORD at Steve, he holds his hands up. DIANA And once I do, the war will end. Steve gently pushes the sword away from him. He would normally refute this outright, but after all he s seen today, he s turned upside down STEVE Look, Princess, I like your spirit, and maybe you know something I don t, but this war is so sprawling, there s nothing the two of us can do about it. But we can try to get to the men who can. DIANA You re looking at the person who can. And after I find and destroy Ares, the German armies will be freed from his influence and they will be good men again. STEVE as she s nuts I m starting to understand why your mother didn t want you to leave. beat How much do you really know about the rest of the world DIANA The world of men I know all there is to know about them from the great books. Steve can t tell whether she s joking or not. STEVE The great books. Those books explain why there are no men on that island Or kids DIANA I was raised on the island. STEVE Just you off her nod Sheltered upbringing. DIANA My mother sculpted me from clay. I was brought to life by Zeus. STEVE Oh. Well, that s not how babies are made where I come from. Diana turns to Steve, moving closer. The tension between them palpable. Diana gets close DIANA You refer to reproductive biology. STEVE I refer to more than that. DIANA Ah. The pleasures of the flesh. Steve gets closer. STEVE pleasantly surprised You know about that DIANA Of course. I ve read all twelve volumes of Clio s Treatises on Bodily Pleasure. STEVE All twelve, huh off her nod You bring any of them with you Steve moves closer to Diana. She grins DIANA You would not enjoy them. They came to the conclusion that men are essential for procreation, but when it comes to pleasure. unnecessary. Steve gives Diana a look that seems to suggest he d challenge that. Diana takes that look in for a split second, then turns away, selfconscious. Steve does the same. And they sail on. HANGAR BELGIUM DR. MARU S LABORATORY DAY GENERAL LUDENDORFF marches toward a HANGAR that s become Dr. Maru s new FACTORY. He s followed by a CAPTAIN and his GUARDS. Ludendorff does not look happy, despite the hustle and bustle of workers. LUDENDORFF How long until we are operational CAPTAIN Two days, sir. LUDENDORFF You have until tonight, Captain. CAPTAIN Sir, the men have had no food. No sleep. LUDENDORFF Do you think I ve had food or rest, Captain Do you hear me making excuses Your men are weak. Complacent. You ve spoiled them. You ve let them forget that an attack can come at any time from any quarter so let s you and I remind them, shall we Ludendorff SHOOTS the Captain, making an example of him. His body THUDS to the ground. HANGAR DR. MARU S LABORATORY CONTINUOUS ACTION Ludendorff walks into Maru s new lab in midconstruction. BARRELS of CHEMICALS and EQUIPMENT line the hangar. A HANGAR DR. MARU S LAB DAY A Maru furiously works, looking at the chemicals, her formulas, writing in a NEW NOTEBOOK she s at a crossroads. She stops, stuck when Ludendorff approaches. LUDENDORFF Doctor. Are you making progress MARU Not enough. It is over, General. Germany is giving up. MORE  A   A MARU CONT D Von Hindenburg has recommended the Kaiser sign the armistice. We have run out of time. LUDENDORFF Once the Kaiser sees your newest weapon, he will never sign the armistice. MARU But without my book. Ludendorff turns to Maru, gazes at her. LUDENDORFF We will get your book. But I believe in you, not it. I KNOW that you CAN and you WILL succeed. beat It is what you were put on this Earth to do. The way he says it, as if he were God himself. MARU LUDENDORFF Something did come to me ALT last night. For you. It has been a long journey. I need. Doctor Maru pulls out a METAL CASE, produces a GLASS CAPSULE full of BLUE GAS. MARU A different type of gas. beat To restore your strength. General Ludendorff takes the capsule, examines it. MARU And make you into the god you are. He breaks the capsule under his nose, inhales his veins GLOW as he breathes in. He stands taller, re energizes, confident, his hand holds a GUN and CRUSHES it. A STRANGE WIND BLOWS across Maru. she turns, as if she can hear a VOICE. Then she grins. MARU General. I have it. And if it is what I think. it s going to be. terrible.  A   A LUDENDORFF And our war will swallow this world. Forever. PRELAP The HORN and BELLS of a STEAMSHIP. THEMYSCIRAN SAILING VESSEL OCEAN MORNING Diana wakes to find an enormous STEAM SHIP, its HORN BLARING, towing their boat into the harbor. She blinks, never having seen anything like it. STEVE O.S. Good morning. beat We got lucky, caught a ride. Made good time. Over Steve s shoulder, Diana gets her first eyepopping view of industrialized LONDON circa STEVE Welcome to jolly ol London. Diana, awestruck, takes in the city s skyline. DIANA It s hideous. STEVE Eh. It s not for everyone. PICADILLY CIRCUS LONDON DAY Diana, eyeswide, takes in the COBBLESTONE STREETS. OVERDRESSED PEOPLE, a HORSEDRAWN CARRIAGE, NEWSSTANDS shout out headlines of WAR and VOTES FOR WOMEN. These are all FIRSTS for Diana, and she seems fascinated by them to her this is the world of good men. She looks through various STORE WINDOWS with wonder. She moves past a BAKERY, breathing in the wonderful smell. A HORSELESS CARRIAGE HONKS, Diana watching it drive by, moving out of its way but with a smile. STEVE O.S. Diana Steve is working to keep up with Diana. She sees something she can barely fathom a MAN and WOMAN holding hands, very much in love. It s captivating. DIANA Why are they holding hands STEVE Well, because they re. together. Diana takes Steve s hand. He lets it go. STEVE No, we re not together. I mean, like that. Look, we need to go this way. DIANA Because this is the way to the war STEVE points the opposite way Technically, that s the way to war. DIANA Then where are we going STEVE pats his bag I have to get this notebook to my superiors. DIANA I let you go, you take me to Ares. We made a deal, Steve Trevor. A deal is a promise. A promise is unbreakable. STEVE almost finds that endearing Oh, boy. Okay. stuck with her Dammit. beat Come with me to deliver this, then we ll talk about getting you a train ticket. Someone glares at Steve s clothes the remains of a German pilot. STEVE I need to change. to Diana And you. People stare at Diana, her cloak open, revealing her armor. She smiles and nods, Hello, they back away. Steve tries to keep her cloak closed he can t help but take a second glance at her leg. DIANA What are you doing STEVE sneaks a third glance We need to get you some clothes. DIANA Why STEVE Because you aren t wearing any. Diana, confused, looks down at her armor, then looks around at the mostly overdressed women on the street. DIANA What do these women wear into battle STEVE how to say it Well, women don t exactly Diana s eyes snap to a YOUNG MOTHER holding a BABY. DIANA A baby. The mother looks at Diana quite oddly. Steve takes Diana gently by the arm, nods to the mother, and keeps moving. STEVE And that one wasn t made out of clay. They move on, both unaware that they re being following by a MAN IN A SUIT. VOICE prelap It s true You re alive SELFRIDGE & CO. DAY ETTA CANDY, Steve s loyal, cheeky, secretary spies Steve and Diana walking towards her. ETTA Well, thank God for that I thought you were dead this time, I really did, then I got your call to Diana He was gone for weeks Not a word. Very unlike him. Etta extends a hand to Diana. Diana just looks at it. ETTA Hello. I m Etta Candy. Captain Trevor s secretary. DIANA What is a secretary ETTA Well, it means I do everything. I go wherever he goes. Do whatever he tells me to do. DIANA glaring at Steve Where I m from, that s called slavery. ETTA to Steve; re Diana Ooh, I like this one. to Diana It does rather feel like that sometimes. But the pay s good and he s almost never here. Eyes Diana s clothing. ETTA We ve got our work cut out for us. We FOLLOW Diana in SELFRIDGE & CO. CONTINUOUS ACTION Diana examines a CORSET tight on a MANNEQUIN, Etta and Steve with her. DIANA Is this what passes for armor in your country ETTA Of a sort. It s fashion. Keeps our tummies in. DIANA Why must you keep them in ETTA Only a woman with no tummy would ask that question. Etta holds up an OUTFIT for Diana. ETTA Conservative, but not entirely. unfun. Diana looks at Steve as if to say, Do I have to STEVE At least try it on. Diana, sighs, then starts to take off her cloak. Etta s eyes go wide. She rushes to stop Diana from removing it. ETTA Oh, my Aren t you terribly cold out here where everyone can see. everything Let s get you into a nice, warm, private dressing room, shall we Etta leads Diana off, looking to Steve as if to say, Where did you find this woman SELFRIDGE & CO. WOMAN S WEAR MOMENTS LATER Diana, in OUTFIT # frilly and silly stands in front of the mirror, miserable. It s ridiculous. Diana pulls the dress up, wondering aloud DIANA How can a woman possibly fight in this ETTA We fight with our principles. It s how we got the vote. She winks at Diana, who relates to principled fighting. ETTA Not that I m opposed to engaging in a bit of fisticuffs when the situation calls for it, mind you A SELFRIDGE & CO. WOMAN S WEAR MOMENTS LATER A Diana in OUTFIT # a tight skirt and top. Etta admires it. ETTA There we are. Very nice. Diana tries to kick, impossible in this dress. It rips. She shakes her head at Etta. This dress won t do. SELFRIDGE & CO. WOMAN S WEAR MOMENTS LATER Diana, in OUTFIT # almost exactly what Etta wears yanks at its high collar impatiently. DIANA So itchy. And it s choking me. ETTA exasperated I can t say that I blame it. SELFRIDGE & CO. MOMENTS LATER Steve walks up to Etta. He s now dressed in his SUIT. STEVE Where is she ETTA Trying on outfit number two hundred and twentysix. Diana emerges from the dressing room in FASHIONABLE WOMAN S DRESS that, on any other woman, would be unremarkable. On Diana, it s spectacular. DIANA Why is everyone staring Is it because I can barely breathe in this Diana shifts uncomfortably, selfconscious, and disliking the restrictions. Steve, catching himself staring, snaps out of it. STEVE to Etta Etta, the whole point was to make her less conspicuous. Steve looks around the store, grabs a pair of GLASSES. He gently puts the glasses on Diana s face. Looks satisfied. ETTA Really, Steve All it takes is a pair of specs, and suddenly she s not the most beautiful woman you ve ever seen Diana LOOKS into the mirror, takes a deep breath and settles into the dress. She smiles as she fixes her glasses. SELFRIDGE & CO./OXFORD ST. CONTINUOUS ACTION Diana, HAIR UP, in her GLASSES and NEW OUTFIT pushes through the door as DIANA PRINCE. The MAN IN THE SUIT from earlier, holds it open for her. DIANA Thank you. Etta follows Diana and Steve out with the SHOPPING BAGS. Diana tucks the LASSO into the inside of her coat ETTA Right then, I ll take the rest of this. Good luck, I ll take these back to the office and meet you both later. Etta goes for Diana s SWORD, but Diana yanks it back. ETTA It really doesn t go with the outfit. STEVE It ll be safe. You can trust her. beat I don t think we re going to run into Ares at the meeting. Diana reluctantly lets Etta take the sword along with the SHOPPING BAGS, presumably carrying her armor. DIANA earnest Please. Protect it with your life. ETTA raising an eyebrow Who wouldn t STREET LONDON CONTINUOUS ACTION Diana and Steve walk down the street, the SUITED MAN from earlier follows them. He s suddenly distracted by the reappearance of the Suited Man from earlier, who confers with A SECOND SUITED MAN SM # STEVE Come on. DIANA What is it STEVE Hopefully nothing. Steve leads Diana down a lesspopulated street. Diana sees SM # and SM # tracking them on opposite sides of the street. Steve, distracted, bumps right into SUITED MAN # and looks down to find a GUN aimed at his gut. SUITED MAN # Captain Trevor, I believe you have something that is the property of General Ludendorff. ALLEYWAY LONDON CONTINUOUS ACTION SM # backs Steve and Diana into an ALLEYWAY where TWO MORE men wait. Now all FIVE of the SUITED MEN gather, THREE of them have their GUNS out on Diana and Steve. STEVE Quite a reception. SUITED MAN # Give us Dr. Maru s notebook. Steve steps in front of Diana, searching his jacket STEVE Where did I put that thing At which point Steve KICKS THE GUN OUT OF SM # s HANDS, HITTING HIM INTO THE TWO OTHERS HOLDING GUNS. Steve holds his arm up, protecting Diana STEVE to Diana Stay behind me SM # FIRES Steve pushes Diana out of the bullet s path, but Diana reaches out THE BULLET BOUNCES OFF HER BRACELET EVERYONE FREEZES WITH ASTONISHMENT as Diana realizes her bracelets may be more than just symbolic. STEVE Or not. SM # and SM # FIRE Diana RAISES BOTH BRACELETS, deflecting their bullets. Her technique is clumsy at first as she gets used to the torque, impact and SOUND. Steve takes out SM # while Diana grabs SM # as his LAST SHOT fires and lays him out with a blow. Diana deflects the last of SM # s bullets as his gun runs EMPTY. Everyone is amazed, especially Steve STEVE How d you do that She smiles as if to say, you ain t seen nothing yet The remaining THREE SUITED MEN rush Steve and Diana. Diana slams her fist into SM # while Steve takes on SM # Diana grabs the dazed SM # swings him around, crashing him into SM # hard and they re both down. A spilt second later, Steve finishes taking out SM # The suited men run off, leaving only SM # behind. SM # stirs. Diana and Steve turn to see him make a run for it ETTA O.S. I thought you looked suspicious. SM # is stopped in his tracks by Etta, wielding the GODKILLER, shopping bags at her feet. ETTA Where do you think you re going SM # runs in the other direction, but Diana retrieves the LASSO from inside her coat and uses it to pull him off his feet, onto his back. As the lasso glows, Diana kneels at his side, compassionately placing her hand on his chest. In her mind, his actions are not his fault. DIANA I am sorry. You are clearly under his control. Let me help you get free. Tell me where he is. Where will I find Ares But the suited man pops a CYANIDE pill between his teeth before she can get an answer. DIANA He s dead. Diana looks at Steve and Etta, horrified. WAR OFFICE BLDG. ASSEMBLY HALL DAY Diana follows Steve into an ASSEMBLY HALL, where an unruly group of men, MILITARY LEADERS and MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT, shout down SIR PATRICK MORGAN s , kindly faced, a CANE at his side. Diana gazes across the hall like a tourist. STEVE Stay here. Diana nods a beat then she proceeds to follow Steve down the aisle, running her hand across the rows of chairs, nodding and smiling to the dumbfounded men staring at her. SIR PATRICK Gentlemen Germany is a proud nation who will never surrender. The only way to end this war and restore world peace is to negotiate an armistice. The ASSEMBLY ROARS objections at Sir Patrick as Steve finds COLONEL PHILLIP DARNELL s in the crowd. STEVE to Darnell; urgent whisper Colonel SIX COLONELS, who are not Darnell, turn their heads. STEVE to the Colonels Sorry. another urgent whisper Phillip Phil Darnell turns, amazed to see Steve there alive Steve nods toward the door, then realizes the room has gone silent. Every eye in the hall is fixed on Diana, the only woman in a room that doesn t allow women. Diana, oblivious, looks up at Sir Patrick. SIR PATRICK distracted by Diana Our only aim at this moment must be to achieve peace at any cost. The crowd GRUMBLES again, about a woman s presence there as much as Sir Patrick s rhetoric. Steve takes Diana s arm and leads her out of the auditorium, Darnell follows. SIR PATRICK Gentlemen, I beg you, please, if you ll just hear me out DIANA Why will they not let him speak He s talking peace. STEVE That s why they won t let him speak. DIANA But if they want to stop the war, isn t that foolish beat Are they fools STEVE shakes his head no Most of em. WAR OFFICE BLDG. LOBBY CONTINUOUS ACTION An agitated and embarrassed Colonel Darnell makes his way to Steve and Diana, glancing at others watching him. Colonel Darnell makes his way to Steve and Diana. COLONEL DARNELL Trevor What the hell were you thinking bringing a woman into the council chamber Diana looks at Steve, indignant. He holds his hand up, calming Diana STEVE to Darnell I m sorry, sir, but the intel I ve brought back is very time sensitive. We were attacked by men looking for it on the way here. One of Maru s notebooks. STEVE We need to get it to Cryptography. And I need an immediate audience with the Generals COLONEL DARNELL You don t just rush in here, like this, and demand an audience with the cabinet. Cryptography takes time and SIR PATRICK O.S. Captain Trevor Sir Patrick emerges from the auditorium, making his way over to the threesome. SIR PATRICK I d heard you were lost on one of your missions, yet here you are. And you ve brought a friend. Sir Patrick smiles sweetly at Diana, she smiles back, noticing his cane. COLONEL DARNELL Our deepest apologies for the interruption, sir SIR PATRICK Nonsense. MORE  SIR PATRICK CONT D Thanks to this young woman, the room was finally quiet enough for me to get a few words in. a humble bow Sir Patrick Morgan, at your service. Diana bows her head in return. DIANA Diana, Princess of STEVE over Prince, Diana Prince. We. she and I. we work together. She helped me get this notebook here. From Maru s lab Steve presents the notebook. Sir Patrick takes it, understanding the implications immediately. SIR PATRICK Dr. Poison herself My God. to Darnell I suggest we assemble the war cabinet so they can tell us more. Darnell hesitates, then nods. Steve and Diana grateful for the assist A HANGAR DR. MARU S LABORATORY DAY A TIGHT ON a GAS CANISTER. Maru turns a valve on it, adjusting the pressure. She screws the canister onto the side of a small GLASS CHAMBER containing a GAS MASK. She locks the canister in place, then releases the gas into the chamber. Ludendorff and Maru watch as the NEW GAS hisses in, creeping towards the gas mask, enveloping it. The mask begins to disintegrate thin cracks in the glass, wear on the straps, corrosion on the metal. It s just as it was before. Maru, filled with anticipation, wonders Will it work this time It does. The gas continues, eating away at the mask the glass cracks apart, the straps sever, the metal breaks. A sign of the pain and horror it will soon inflict. It is Maru s greatest achievement then even the glass chamber itself starts to shudder and crack  A   A Maru grins, waiting until the last possible second before unleashing a SINGLE SPARK into the chamber, causing the highly flammable gas to COMBUST in a burst of FLAME Elated, Maru looks to Ludendorff. He nods with approval. LUDENDORFF Congratulations, Doctor. OFF the steaming, rotting gas mask. WAR OFFICE WAR ROOM LATER Steve, Darnell, Sir Patrick, GENERAL DOUGLAS HAIG, and the BRITISH WAR CABINET crowd in a room, walls full of MAPS and PHOTOS of LUDENDORFF and DR. MARU before her metal implants and the notebook. A TERRAIN MAP in the center. Diana stands near the door watching, LISTENING. She walks to the wall of PHOTOGRAPHS. COLONEL DARNELL Cryptographers had no luck. It seems like a mixture of two languages. Diana hones in on the PHOTOS OF LUDENDORFF, even examining the PINS holding them to the board, then looks at THE NOTES. DIANA Ottoman and Sumerian. Everyone turns to look at her. DIANA sincere Surely someone else in this room knew that. GENERAL HAIG incorrectly offended Who is this woman Darnell glares at Steve. He d like to know that, too. STEVE She s my. secretary. Having learned what a secretary is, Diana doesn t like being called one. GENERAL HAIG skeptical And she speaks Ottoman and Sumerian STEVE She s a very good secretary. GENERAL HAIG See her COLONEL DARNELL reluctant, but practical If this woman can read it, sir. we should hear what she has to say. General Haig takes a beat, then nods. DIANA nods at Darnell Thank you. beat It s a formula. for a new kind of mustard. Haig scoffs mustard DIANA Mustard gas. Hydrogenbased, instead of sulfur. They react gravely to this. DARNELL Gas masks would be useless against hydrogen. DIANA The book says they plan to release this gas at. the front. unsure what it means Front of what STEVE alarmed; to Generals General, you have to find out where they re making this gas. Burn it to the ground. Destroy it. COLONEL DARNELL Ludendorff was last seen in Belgium GENERAL HAIG dismissive We can t be seen sending troops into Germanoccupied Belgium when we re negotiating their surrender. STEVE Sir, I saw this gas with my own eyes. All the men on the front line could die on both sides unless you GENERAL HAIG That s what soldiers do, Captain. Diana s shocked by the callousness. Sir Patrick looks at her apologetically. GENERAL HAIG What Would you have us abandon the front altogether STEVE Pull the troops Send me in. With some strategic support, I could take Ludendorff and his operation out myself. GENERAL HAIG Are you insane, Trevor I can t introduce rogue elements this late into the game. STEVE But, General Before Steve can argue further, Sir Patrick speaks up SIR PATRICK Now more than ever, the armistice is of paramount importance, we must get it negotiated and signed. That is the surest way of stopping the war. GENERAL HAIG You will do nothing, Captain Trevor. That s an order. Diana expects Steve to defy the General like she defied her mother, but STEVE Yes, sir. I understand, sir. Diana blinks, confused, astonished, disappointed. DIANA I don t. STEVE warning Diana. I know it s confusing DIANA It s not confusing. It s unthinkable. GENERAL HAIG I m sorry, who did you say this woman was STEVE She s with me. With us. DIANA appalled I am not with you. You would knowingly sacrifice all those lives Do they mean less than yours Where I come from Generals don t hide in their offices like cowards. They fight alongside their soldiers. They die with them on the battlefield. STEVE Diana. Enough. to Haig My apologies, sir. Diana gapes at him, sickened, betrayed. DIANA You should be ashamed to the room All of you. Diana storms Steve and Sir Patrick exchange a look WAR OFFICE LOBBY DAY Diana leaves the War Office in a rage. Steve follows. STEVE Diana, wait She wheels on him, furious and confused. DIANA That s your leader How could he say that Believe that points at Steve And YOU Was your duty to simply give them a book You didn t stand your ground You didn t fight STEVE Because there was no chance of changing his mind Listen to me DIANA This is Ares and he isn t going to allow a negotiation or a surrender. The millions of people you talked about They will die. My people They re next STEVE DIANA If you just listen to me How can you call yourselves good men STEVE shouting WE RE GOING ANYWAY DIANA What You mean you were lying STEVE Diana, I m a spy. That s what we do. Now are you coming or not DIANA How do I know you re not lying to me right now Steve grabs hold of Diana s lasso, wraps it around his wrist and looks right into her eyes. STEVE speaking the truth I m taking you to the front. then And we re probably going to die. Steve s surprised that last part came Diana s skeptical. DIANA You have no faith in yourself. STEVE keeps speaking the truth This is a terrible idea. lets go of the lasso; frustrated Come on. If we re going to get to the front on our own. we re gonna need reinforcements. PUB LONDON NIGHT Steve and Diana move towards a shady PUB. Diana squints, doesn t like the look of this place. BRITISH PUB NIGHT Diana follows Steve into the seedy, dimlylit pub. She gets a look at its rough n tumble clientele and frowns. DIANA These are the reinforcements Are these even good men STEVE Relatively good. DIANA Relative to what Steve and Diana move behind a GROUP of OFFICERS, out slumming. One of them, SAMEER s dashing, exotic, has been holding court. SAMEER In Africa, gentlemen, we had no such luxuries. The OFFICERS laugh, agree, as Steve and Diana approach. SAMEER But the luxuries we have now. It s like we can t stop making money. My uncle, the Prince, and I would keep it all, but we want to extend the opportunity to a few good soldiers STEVE Which Prince was that grabs Sameer I need to talk to you, Prince Madras Angora Cashmere. Sameer turns and glares. Sameer smiles to the men around him Forgive my rude friend and excuses himself. SAMEER to Steve You bugger. I been greasing those peacocks all night. sees Diana My goodness gracious, that s a work of art. STEVE Sameer. This is Diana. Diana studies the man with suspicion. And rightly so. He, meanwhile, is infatuated with her, all charm and smiles. SAMEER Diana, call me Sammy. Please. DIANA Sammy. Please. YELLING O.S., TWO MEN are having an argument that threatens to boil over. They tune it out as STEVE Sameer s a top undercover man. Can talk the skin off a cat in as many languages as you. Diana speaks Spanish. DIANA He doesn t look that impressive to me SAMEER You do to me. Your eyes, as soft as your smile. Then in Chinese. DIANA And your eyes look like they want something. SAMEER I know Chinese, too, tricky girl. Then in Ancient Greek. DIANA But can you recite Socrates in Ancient Greek Sammy blinks. He has no idea what she s saying. Diana s unimpressed. STEVE Where s Charlie Sameer points at TWO MEN FIGHTING a huge BRUISER beating the hell out of a smaller, younger man. Diana looks at the Bruiser and nods approvingly. DIANA At least this Charlie is good with his fists. STEVE That s not Charlie. The Bruiser lands a blow that knocks the smaller guy off his feet. Steve winces, nodding at the smaller guy. STEVE That s Charlie. The two GRUNT at one another in Scottish slang, but the Bruiser sees Charlie s got friends and quickly leaves. The surprisingly cheerful CHARLIE s gets to his feet. BRITISH PUB MOMENTS LATER Diana, Steve, and Sameer sit with bruised Charlie, Scottish and deeply drunk. A WHISKEY GLASS in each fist. STEVE All right, Charlie CHARLIE Steven. May God put a flower on your head. Charlie downs the whiskey in a fluid sip. Gone. DIANA What were you fighting about CHARLIE I mistook his drink for mine. Diana looks at Steve, clearly concerned by his choice of reinforcements. DIANA This man is no fighter. STEVE Charlie here s an expert marksman. off her look He shoots people. SAMEER From very far away. Charlie grabs a drink from a patron who isn t looking. CHARLIE cheers They never know what hit em. There s a darkness behind Charlie s polite smile. DIANA How do you know who you kill if you can t see their face CHARLIE I don t. Better that way. DIANA My aunt warned me about men like you. CHARLIE Ain t the first time I heard that, lassie. DIANA You fight without honor. Deep down, Charlie already knows that. CHARLIE Don t get paid for honor. SAMEER What s the job, Trevor STEVE Two days tops. We need supplies and passage to Belgium CHARLIE What s the going rate SAMEER Better be good pay. MORE  SAMEER CONT D to Diana; in French [And perhaps a picture of your lovely face. Something to keep me alive.] Diana hides her disdain as best she can. DIANA [You won t need a picture. I m coming with you.] Sammy s smile fades. SAMEER What is this STEVE We re dropping her off at the front. SAMEER Dropping her off CHARLIE to Diana No offense, cherie, but I don t wanna get killed helping a girl out of a ditch, ya know what I mean The Bruiser that Charlie was fighting returns, this time with several ROUGHLOOKING FRIENDS BRUISER You got your friends. lifts up a gun These are mine. Charlie s knocked to the ground He doesn t see Diana move fearlessly, grabbing the BRUISER as if he weighed nothing and tosses him across the room The Bruiser smashes into the wall, crumpling to the floor. His friends make a quick exit. Sameer is smitten, helping Charlie up. SAMEER I am both frightened and aroused. CHARLIE to Sameer; unimpressed When aren t you ETTA O.S. There they are. Etta arrives, flustered, a forced smile on her face. ETTA Hello, all Sorry, I m late. I got waylaid by DIANA Sir Patrick ETTA That s what I was going to mention. Steve, Sameer, and Charlie STAND out of respect. Steve glares at Etta. She shrugs apologetically, raises a hand Just listen, you ll see. SIR PATRICK Sit, gentlemen. Please, sit. Sir Patrick pulls up a chair. SIR PATRICK I assume you re here planning something that s either going to get you courtmartialed or killed. STEVE I assume you re here to stop us. SIR PATRICK No. Not that I like any of this. beat As one of your American authors, Thomas Paine, so eloquently put it, I prefer peace. But if trouble must come let it come in my time, so that my children can live in peace. Diana nods, liking the sentiment. SIR PATRICK Now nothing can jeopardize the armistice talks, but. I also believe in insurance. I m here to help you. Unofficially, of course. What s your plan STEVE If there is another weapons facility, find it and destroy it. Along with Ludendorff and Maru. A dark understanding passes between them. Sir Patrick nods. SIR PATRICK Etta will run the mission out of my office, to allay suspicion. ETTA nearly wetting her pants Run the mission, sir He slides an envelope to Steve. SIR PATRICK re Charlie and Sameer It s enough for a few days. STEVE Thank you, sir. Diana turns to Steve. DIANA The gas, Ludendorff, Maru. You realize they are all symptoms. Ares is the disease. And once I find him, none of this will matter. Steve looks at her, no time to argue. STEVE I ll take you to the front, but I can t make any promises about finding your friend any more than I can Santa Claus. DIANA You won t need to. I ll know him when I see him. PADDINGTON STATION MORNING Diana takes herself into the throng, OBSERVING all the DIFFERENT KINDS OF PEOPLE hustling and bustling in the station. The atmosphere is weirdly JUBILANT and GUNG HO. Two sikhs ride through the station on bicycles, a WILLFUL LITTLE GIRL runs away from her mother, NURSES and WOMEN FACTORY WORKERS board the train, solemnly and purposefully. Diana takes in an array of HUMAN EMOTION. Mothers CRYING, fathers PROUD, sons COMMITTED and BRAVE, going off to war. GIRLFRIENDS are swept passionately into BOYFRIEND S ARMS. DOGS are scooped up and hugged goodbye. Diana s eyes well as Steve checks his WATCH. STEVE Train leaves in a few minutes. But Diana is engrossed with the joy around her. Steve looks around at what she s seeing, then back at her a beat longer than he would expect. Diana watches a MAN and his DAUGHTER walk away from an ICE CREAM VENDOR, eating an ICE CREAM CONE. Steve spots her eyeing the girl eating, curious. STEVE Hungry Diana nods, smiling. Steve buys TWO ICE CREAM CONES. Hands her one. She examines it, delighted. DIANA It s cold. STEVE It s ice cream. Diana tastes it her eyes go wide, the best thing she s ever tasted in her life. DIANA It s wonderful. to the ice cream vendor You should be very proud. Steve pulls her away, sheepishly smiling and nodding at the confused vendor. STEVE Forget the countries or the territory or the Generals. looks around This is what we re really fighting for. Then Diana sees something odd as they board the train a PUNCH & JUDY PUPPET SHOW, one puppet hitting the other people LAUGHING at the violence and to her, that s very strange. Almost ominous. DOVER DOCKS HOURS LATER The train rolls into the station at the Dover Docks. DOVER DOCKS HOURS LATER The train sits at the top of Dover Docks. Its STEAM engulfs HUNDREDS OF ALLIED SOLDIERS disembarking, among them, Diana, Steve, Sameer, and Charlie. The new recruits are jubilant, singing It s A Long Way To Tipperary as they walk toward the waiting STEAMSHIP. Steve checks his watch again STEVE We ve got to get a move on. Chief won t wait. DIANA Chief STEVE Smuggler. Very reputable. Diana looks at the ragtag team Steve s assembled, shakes her head. DIANA A liar, a murderer, and now a smuggler STEVE Careful, I might get offended. DIANA I wasn t referring to you. STEVE I went undercover and pretended to be something else, I shot people on your beach, and I smuggled a notebook. Liar, murderer, smuggler. beat You still coming Diana s confusion only grows as Steve LEADS a reluctant Diana and the group away from the soldiers, down a different path. NURSES in the same uniforms as the clean and pristine ones who boarded the train are now soiled, stressed, wretched as they transfer the WOUNDED YOUNG SOLDIERS from a HOSPITAL SHIP to a TRAIN back to London. Steve purposely BLOCKS HER VIEW of the wounded men and women. Diana pushes him aside, taking in the horror and despair until she can look no longer. She grabs Steve s arm, firm. Steve looks at her, still thinking she s a bit crazy but right now, she s absolutely right. He doesn t know how to stop it, but he nods at her just the same. The team moves towards a PASSENGER BOAT. SHORELINE BELGIUM DAY Diana looks around warily as she walks off the boat. She follows the team across the docks where workers load and unload HORSES, some of the animals wear GAS MASKS. Diana registers the bizarre sight. DIANA The gas will kill everyone. everything. Steve nods. DIANA What kind of weapon kills innocents STEVE In this war Every kind. CAMPFIRE DUSK The sky grows DARK as the sun sets, Diana and the team walk up to a CAMPFIRE. THE CHIEF O.S. You re late. THE CHIEF , a brighteyed NativeAmerican, steps to the fire, dropping more WOOD into it. He smiles. STEVE Chief He embraces Steve, then nods and smiles to Sammy and Charlie. SAMEER It s good to see you. CHARLIE Aye. The Chief looks at Diana and, for the first time in the world of men, a man looks her square in the eye. THE CHIEF Who is this Chief extends a hand to shake. Diana grabs his wrist in a manner not unlike the Amazons. Chief responds, grabbing hers back, seemingly familiar with the gesture. Both Diana and Steve are surprised. Chief speaks his NATIVE TONGUE THE CHIEF Niitangio, Napi. And Diana understands. DIANA I am Diana. Chief does not let go, still looking intensely in Diana s eyes. She grips tighter. Surprised, he steps back with one foot. To stay on balance, she does so with the opposite. Suddenly, Chief and Diana are arm wrestling, each trying to throw the other off balance. Then Chief laughs, letting go, conceding lest he find himself flat on his face. THE CHIEF Where did you find her STEVE She found me. DIANA I plucked him from the sea STEVE waving Diana to stop It s a long story. Diana looks at a pile of packages behind Chief, along with some GUNS STEVE British tea for the Germans. German beer for the British. MORE  STEVE CONT D Edgar Rice Burroughs novels for both sides. CHARLIE And guns. Charlie grabs a RIFLE, looks through the SCOPE and gives it a kiss like a father reunited with his longlost child. The others help themselves to GUNS. Steve, Sameer, and Charlie take BOTTLES OF BEER they pay The Chief for. THE CHIEF whispering to Diana It s not even very good beer. Charlie s the only one that doesn t seem to mind. Steve looks at a MAP. STEVE Ludendorff was last seen at the front points on the map near the Somme. Front s about three miles away. Chief will get us there. THE CHIEF Then it s another day to safely cross it. STEVE As soon as we have daylight, we move. I ll take first watch. CHARLIE No need. I ll take it. I never sleep on the job CAMPFIRE NIGHT Charlie FAST ASLEEP along with Steve and Sameer, around the fire. Chief is heating cans of food. Diana turns to RUMBLING in the distance. DIANA Strange thunder. THE CHIEF German seventysevens. off her confusion Guns. Big ones. MORE  THE CHIEF CONT D points out That s the front out there. The evening hate. Chief hands her a can of beans. She tries it, frowns. Not all the food here is good. Chief counts his money. Diana eyes him warily DIANA So. who do you fight for in this war Chief stuffs the money in his pocket. THE CHIEF I don t fight. DIANA You re here for profit then THE CHIEF Nowhere better to be. DIANA Nowhere better to be than a war you don t take a side in THE CHIEF I have nowhere else and no side left. The last war took everything from my people. We have nothing left. At least here, I m free. DIANA Who took that from your people Chief cocks his head to the side. How could she not know THE CHIEF motions to Steve; almost casually His people. Before Diana can ask more about that, Charlie suddenly starts to murmur, suffering through some kind of terrible nightmare. Diana watches until Charlie CRIES OUT, waking himself and Steve and Sameer. Diana reaches out to Charlie, compassionately DIANA You re safe. trying to help What did you see Gruff, Charlie pulls away from Diana CHARLIE I m fine, right mumbling Bloody broad. Charlie gets up and grabs another BEER. Chief looks at Diana. THE CHIEF He sees ghosts. Steve takes a BLANKET STEVE You re going to get cold. Here. DIANA No, I m She s not cold, but Steve places the blanket on her shoulders anyway. The gesture isn t lost on Diana. She nods, appreciative. GERMAN OPERATIONS BUNKER NIGHT SENTRIES patrol a fortified bunker deep in enemy territory. Ludendorff enters to find the GERMAN WAR COUNCIL, chief among them COMMANDER VON HINDENBURG. VON HINDENBURG You were absent at the council meeting, General. LUDENDORFF frustrated You ve begun negotiating the terms of the armistice. VON HINDENBURG On the Kaiser s behalf. LUDENDORFF accusatory But on your insistence. MORE  LUDENDORFF CONT D to the council We can easily win this war still. beat If only you had faith in me. The way Ludendorff says it, he almost expects everyone to simply agree with him, but Von Hindenburg gets to his feet, angry VON HINDENBURG We don t. There are shortages of food, medicine, ammunition. Every hour we delay costs thousands of German lives. LUDENDORFF One attack and the war is ours. As we speak, my chemist and her team are VON HINDENBURG We stand against you and your witch, Ludendorff Enough calming Twentyfour hours from now this war will end. It is over. Ludendorff looks around, nods. LUDENDORFF For all of you. Ludendorff turns and exits GERMAN OPERATIONS BUNKER CONTINUOUS ACTION Ludendorff nods to Dr. Maru who throws a CANISTER OF GAS in. Maru watches curiously as Ludendorff then tosses a GAS MASK in. Von Hindenberg and the men look at the mask. Ludendorff closes the doors as the canister erupts. A COMMOTION within the room breaks out as the gas spreads. Unable to escape, the men desperately fight over the gas mask. MARU The mask won t help. LUDENDORFF Yes, but they don t know that. Ludendorff cracks open a CAPSULE of GAS, inhaling it. Again, it s a PAINFUL process again Ludendorff s veins BULGE and PULSATE. With heightened strength, Ludendorff presses against the doors the SCREAMS of the dying men in the bunker seep It s music to Maru. She can hear a HISSING as the gas scars the doors inside. Ludendorff pulls Maru away LUDENDORFF It s time to stage our demonstration for the Kaiser. OMITTED A DIRT ROAD WOODS DAY A DIANA, CHARLIE, SAMMY, and THE CHIEF follow STEVE down a MUDDY ROAD in the woods, the SOUNDS OF BOMBS in the b.g. Diana takes in the bleakness of the world. A cluster of villagers runs past. Fleeing from something. A BABY cries in its mother s arms. Diana stares hears SCREAMS ahead. IN A DITCH on the side of the road, TWO HORSES pulling a CART OF MUNITIONS that has tipped are stuck in the MUD. A SOLDIER whips the horses, trying to get them DIANA Those animals. Why are they hurting them CHARLIE Because they need to move. Like us. DIANA But I can help them CHARLIE There s no time C mon, woman. Steve and the team jog down the road, Diana reluctantly following. A WAILING man is heard ahead. ON THE ROAD. Diana looks ahead to where a WOUNDED SOLDIER crying out in pain, surrounded by OTHER SOLDIERS trying to administer help as best they can  A   A WOUNDED SOLDIER Oh, God. God, help me Please. He continues to CRY Diana horrified. DIANA That man. He s injured. SAMEER There is nothing we can do about it, Diana. We must keep moving. AS THEY MOVED FORWARD, Diana looks ahead sees beyond the woods NO MAN S LAND. PRELAP The SOUNDS of RAIN and THUNDER, which BOOMS, then fades into the SOUNDS of GUNFIRE and EXPLOSIONS. RAINSOAKED COUNTRYSIDE BELGIUM DAY Chief leads the team through the muddy Belgian countryside on their HANDS AND KNEES, bullets flying overhead. They stop at a DUGOUT ENTRYWAY to ALLIED TRENCH BELGIUM CONTINUOUS ACTION the ALLIED TRENCH at the BELGIAN FRONT. The team moves into the muddy trench, occupied by TOMMIES BRITISH SOLDIERS. Diana and the others get to their feet, bullets and shells whistling and EXPLODING overhead. DIANA Where are we STEVE You wanted me to take you to the war. This is it. The front lines. DIANA But where are Ares men the Germans Charlie motions past the shelling and flying bullets. CHARLIE Couple hundred yards that way. In a trench like this one. Diana s dismay grows. She looks at the faces of the frightened, worndown soldiers as they move through a seemingly endless, narrow passage carved deep into the earth, walled on either side by SANDBAGS and DIRT, which is quickly pooling into MUD at their feet. SENTRY Chief shouting down the line Oi Chief s back TRENCH OFFICERS O.S. Chief/Welcome back/Nick of time The Chief tosses out PACKS OF CIGARETTES, MATCHES, and other goods to grateful soldiers. Diana watches the MONEY exchange hands, then she hears the sound of anguished tears A YOUNG MOTHER, MARIE , holds her DAUGHTER, NINA , sobbing to The Chief. Diana listens, though Steve can t understand MARIE The Germans took everything homes, food. the ones who couldn t escape. they took as slaves. DIANA Where did this happen Marie points beyond the trench. DIANA to Steve We need to help these people. Steve looks across no man s land, shakes his head. STEVE We need to stay on mission. THE CHIEF nods to Steve And there s no safe crossing for at least a day ahead. Charlie takes a swig from his wellworn FLASK. CHARLIE Then what are we waitin for DIANA But these people are dying, they ve nothing to eat. And in the village. Enslaved, she said. Women. Children. STEVE There s nothing we can do about that. DIANA How can you say that What is the matter with you STEVE This is no man s land, Diana. It means no man can cross it. This is the worst point on the entire front. This battalion has been here for nearly a year and they ve barely gained an inch because on the other side are Germany s deadliest soldiers. Pointing machine guns at every square inch of this place. This is not something you can cross. It s not possible. DIANA So we do nothing STEVE We are doing something. We can t save every person in this war. Besides, it s not what we came here to do. She steps away from the group, turning away from them. Steve thinks she s upset. But when Diana turns back to Steve, he sees her face of determination, wearing ANTIOPE S TIARA AND FOR THE FIRST TIME WE REALLY SEE WONDER WOMAN DIANA No, but it s what I m going to do. Diana moves past the team, stepping over the top of the trench STEVE DIANA, NO WESTERN FRONT BELGIUM CONTINUOUS ACTION onto the BATTLEFIELD. DIANA stands in her WONDER WOMAN ARMOR with THE GODKILLER SWORD in her hand, THE SHIELD on her back, and THE LASSO SHINING at her side. She surveys the battlefield. It s quiet. Empty. She takes a step forward. IN THE GERMAN TRENCH A SOLDIER takes AIM at Diana and FIRES ON THE BATTLEFIELD The bullet moves towards Diana. With her heightened perception, she watches it in SLOW MOTION, swatting it aside with her bracelet. She blocks another IN THE ALLIED TRENCH Everyone watches Diana with awe. Even Charlie has to admit CHARLIE How the hell d she do that ON THE BATTLEFIELD Diana continues walking across the battlefield, stepby step, blocking bullets. Her pace begins to quicken and then she starts to RUN. IN THE ALLIED TRENCH Steve s heart pounds as he watches Diana. He motions to the team. He can t believe he s about to do this, but STEVE She s drawing their fire Let s go Steve and his team climb over the trench, leaving the hesitant British soldiers behind THROUGH A GERMAN SCOPE Diana races TOWARDS them, knocking bullets aside IN THE GERMAN TRENCH GERMAN SOLDIERS react, unsure of who or even what Diana is. One of the soldiers motions to others they lift a MORTAR, bringing it forward as the others continue to FIRE. Soldier after soldier joins in. ON THE BATTLEFIELD Diana runs, more bullets ricocheting off her bracelets. IN THE GERMAN TRENCH They FIRE a mortar into the air ON THE BATTLEFIELD Diana uses her SHIELD to bat aside the MORTAR SHELLS they EXPLODE around her With her shield, Diana blocks the increasing barrage of bullets coming at her ONE of TWO MACHINE GUN NESTS fires at Diana IN THE ALLIED TRENCH Inspired, the British soldiers SURGE OVER THE TRENCH WITH A CHEER ON THE BATTLEFIELD The SECOND MACHINE GUN NEST fires at Diana She does her best to repel the machine gun fire, but together the two are SLOWING HER DOWN, taking a toll. Diana falls to one knee, then turns, grateful to see behind her Steve, the team and the allied soldiers Steve raises his rifle and takes out some of the shooters, giving Diana some relief. Charlie lays down cover fire as The Chief tosses Sameer a GRENADE. Sameer lobs it at the NEST ON DIANA S RIGHT. The EXPLOSION knocks the machine gun off its base. The second nest continues to fire on Diana Diana leaps up into the air, jumping down into the second nest She lands inside behind the soldiers, spinning around slamming into them. She raises her shield and smashes it onto the machine gun, breaking it apart Steve, the team, and the Allies POUR INTO THE GERMAN TRENCH, battling the soldiers within Diana looks at the village of Veld ahead of them. Grits her teeth. DIANA We re not finished yet. While the allies clear the trench, Diana takes off through the rain and the mud toward the village The team heads after her VELD SECONDS LATER Diana and the team reach the village, taking cover as they re fired upon. Diana looks to Steve DIANA Stay here. I ll go ahead. Before anyone can argue, she races towards the gunfire. Diana, sword at her side, shield on her back runs, avoiding gunfire and grenades Steve leads the team, covering for them as they follow Diana. Steve fires STEVE Go Diana jumps onto the wall of a building, springing off it, SMASHING through a WINDOW of another building the source of more gunfire BUILDING VELD CONTINUOUS ACTION Diana lands in the middle of a group of ARMED GERMAN SOLDIERS. She goes into action, kicking a TABLE smashing it into two soldiers She deflects bullets with her bracelets, turning to the other soldiers sending them flying with her fists, her shield. She hits a SOLDIER, he FLIES through a window TOWN SQUARE VELD CONTINUOUS ACTION the soldier falls onto the street where we FIND Steve, Sameer, Charlie, and The Chief following Diana s trail. They watch as ANOTHER SOLDIER is thrown out of a window, then they round a corner and find themselves pinned down by gunfire. The Chief hands Steve a grenade he tosses it, blowing up the nearby shooters. As they continue to fight their way into Veld BUILDING VELD CONTINUOUS ACTION Diana continues to fight her way through the building, breaking through a DOOR taking on more German soldiers inside Diana rushes one, colliding into him using him as a shield as she crashes out of a LARGE GLASS WINDOW TOWN SQUARE VELD CONTINUOUS ACTION Diana lands on a nearby rooftop. Steve watches her run across it as he and the team head deeper into Veld, all in the same direction. Suddenly, Steve and the boys are pinned down from gunfire by a TANK. Charlie motions to a walkway between two buildings in front of the tank. The Chief throws a grenade Charlie shoots it, causing it to explode The walkway falls, blocking the tank. Steve and the team make it to the center of the village to find a TANK surrounded by DOZENS OF SOLDIERS. Sammy throws more grenades, but it s not enough. The tank has them pinned down until Diana rushes the tank, BARRELING into its side like a bull the tank is thrown endoverend across the town square The soldiers react in shock. Steve and the team use the opportunity to push forward. As the team flanks up against a building, they see locals LOCKED inside, crying out for help from behind CHAINED DOORS. IN THE TOWN SQUARE Diana blocks bullets with her bracelets, soldiers surrounding and firing on her from all sides. Steve throws two CONVENTIONAL GRENADES blowing German soldiers by Diana sky high. Diana turns to see Steve joining her. As more soldiers pour in, one starts climbing the ladder up the BELL TOWER. BACK TO THE VILLAGERS trapped in the building the team breaks open the doors, letting them ANOTHER ANGLE Diana tosses the German soldiers around like rag dolls. A German has Steve in his sights until Diana races in, breaking the German s gun and sending him to the ground. She takes out several soldiers around Steve. Diana continues to block bullets while Steve fires they work sidebyside, until BANG The German in the bell tower starts firing down at them. The team scatters, trying to help the villagers. Steve motions up STEVE Bell tower. Diana sees the SNIPER at the top of the bell tower. Steve motions to Charlie STEVE Charlie Charlie pulls out his rifle, AIMS UP peering through the site. But he s shaking. Sweats. Sameer watches as Charlie FIRES The bullet ricochets off the bell and gives away their position. The sniper turns against Charlie, Chief, and Sameer. The three flank against the wall, Sameer looks at Charlie, who is devastated. SAMEER You don t miss. CHARLIE stammers; lies Bloody scope. lens is cracked. But the lens looks fine. Steve tries to take a shot at the bell tower, but he can t do so without exposing himself to the shooter. DIANA Is there a way inside Steve looks at Diana, an idea forming. STEVE There is if you jump DIANA It s too high. He taps her shield. Diana looks at him, remembering Antiope s jump. Steve holds the shield PARALLEL TO THE GROUND. Diana runs toward Steve, JUMPS UP ONTO THE SHIELD and she launches herself high into the air The sniper looks through his scope HIS Diana leaping up AT him, gritting her teeth, angry BACK TO SCENE Diana SMASHES into the sniper breaking apart part of the tower sending him flying to the neighboring rooftop below UP ON THE TOWER Diana stands, strong and powerful the definition of heroic. Then CHEERS The TOWNSPEOPLE gather, emerging from hiding, celebrating this heroic victory Diana looks down at them Steve among the villagers, in absolute awe of Diana. TOWN SQUARE VELD DAWN A PHOTOGRAPHER takes a DAGUERROTYPE of Diana, Steve, Charlie, Sameer, and The Chief standing in the village. FLASH. The photograph sees our team imbuing a sense of pride and accomplishment. Steve s face is turned towards Diana s, with a look of something more than admiration. Moments later, Diana walks with Sameer. They look back at Charlie, head hung low, shaken. Charlie fumbles with his flask, dropping it. DIANA For all his talk of murdering people from afar, your shooter can t shoot. SAMEER Not everyone gets to be who they want to be all the time. Me, I wanted to be an actor, not a soldier. But I m the wrong color. Diana considers this, then she turns, sees The Chief with a small group of BELGIANS from the trench, including Marie and her family. All of them ragged, sleep deprived, and starving, but hopeful. The Chief dispenses bread and cheese. Diana notices that no money changes hands. Steve walks to her. DIANA to Steve He doesn t charge them SAMEER Money isn t the only profit. beat Everyone s fighting their own battles, Diana. Just as you are fighting yours. Diana studies Chief with new eyes, touched by the man s generosity. Her previous opinion of these men continues to come into question. A CHEER goes up from the liberated TOWNSPEOPLE who are busying themselves in preparation for a party to celebrate their heroes. INN VELD FRONT DESK DAY Diana comes in to find Steve behind the front desk of the inn, on the TELEPHONE. STEVE into telephone Veld. Tiny village. It s probably not even on the WAR OFFICE SIR PATRICK S OUTER OFFICE DAY ETTA is on the other end of the call. ETTA Found it. Steve sees Diana standing on the stairs. He picks up an extension and offers it. Diana listens in it s her first time using a phone  STEVE Have you found Ludendorff s operation ETTA Not yet, but we ve located him. And lucky you, he s only a few miles away at German High Command. At first thought, Steve thinks That doesn t sound lucky. STEVE German High Command SIR PATRICK enters the room, overhearing. ETTA Intel reports Ludendorff is hosting a gala a last hurrah before the Germans sign the Armistice. The Kaiser himself will be there. As will Dr. Maru. STEVE Actually, that gala s perfect cover SIR PATRICK not liking the sound of that Captain Trevor, you are under no circumstances to attend that gala tomorrow night. We cannot risk jeopardizing the Armistice. DIANA to Steve You shouldn t be worried about upsetting the peace accord. Ares would never let that happen. Steve motions her to please stop talking about Ares. Then Diana, a terrible realization. STEVE What is it DIANA Of course. It makes complete sense. Ares developed a weapon, the worst ever devised. STEVE Ares You mean Ludendorff. She turns and look at Trevor. DIANA No. I mean Ares. Ludendorff is Ares. Steve s not sure what to believe at this po SIR PATRICK Steve STEVE Sir, this is our chance to find the gas and learn how Ludendorff plans on delivering it. Maybe our only chance. Our last chance SIR PATRICK I forbid it. Do you hear me Steve A beat of silence as Steve makes a decision. STEVE I m sorry, sir, you re breaking up. SIR PATRICK Steve Are you there But Steve has clicked off. PUB COURTYARD VELD NIGHT The tables are crowded with VILLAGERS and all the food the Germans left behind. Beer flows. Tea lights twinkle. A FEMALE PIANIST plays, singing as couples dance. The atmosphere is warm and jovial. Diana and Steve stand at the edge of the crowd, unable to put the urgency of their mission aside and join in. Sameer approaches them with two tankards of ale. Steve waves them off. STEVE Drinks later, Sameer. I need you to rustle up me a German uniform. Sameer puts the ale in front of Steve and Diana despite his protest. SAMEER Already done. Now you two need to relax. There s nothing we can do until tomorrow. You said it yourself, Steve. Sameer strolls off. Steve drinks. Diana does, too, surprised by the flavor. DIANA It s bitter. STEVE agrees It s an acquired taste. Diana smiles and nods, the world of men is an acquired taste. STEVE It has hints of different flavors, if you look for them. Steve and Diana drink in unison. She nods, seems to like it better. A young girl hands Diana a FLOWER. She s moved. So s Steve. STEVE You did this. DIANA We did. STEVE You have dancing on Paradise Island DIANA Dance on Themyscira is more STEVE Interpretive DIANA Precisely. then Perhaps you d better show me. Diana puts the flower behind her ear then moves out on to the dance floor. STEVE Excuse me DIANA If I m going to a gala, I ll need to know how to STEVE You re not going to the gala. DIANA Of course, I am. Why wouldn t I STEVE Because you don t know how to dance, for one thing. DIANA re the other dancers I would argue that they don t know how to dance. Steve finally smiles and moves out onto the floor to join her. He takes her left hand and moves his arm around her waist. It s the first time they ve touched. Which they re both keenly aware of. DIANA You re awfully close. Their faces are very near to one another s, neither makes a move to pull away. STEVE That s kinda the po DIANA Ah. I see. Diana moves a bit closer to Steve, smiles. The music changes as a NEW PIANIST begins a beautiful melody, breaking into song with an incredible TENOR VOICE. Diana and Steve look towards the piano and see that it is CHARLIE WHO IS PLAYING AND SINGING. Diana can t help but be surprised once again by these men. Sameer and The Chief join the people crowding around Charlie, smiling, laughing, grateful. As the emotional song continues, they sway for a beat, holding each other and then a SINGLE SNOWFLAKE falls. Diana looks up as more and more white ice falls from the sky, sprinkling her hair. She holds out a palm, CATCHING A FLAKE and sniffing it. STEVE It s a snowfall. DIANA It s magical. Steve takes it in, seeing beauty where she does. STEVE You re right. Diana rests her head on Steve s shoulder. Steve can t remember loving anything as much as this feeling. DIANA Is this what people do when there are no wars to fight STEVE This and other things. DIANA What things STEVE I don t know. They. make breakfast. DIANA What else STEVE Read the newspaper. Go to work carefully They. get married. Maybe have babies, grow old together. DIANA What is it like STEVE No idea. But something in his eyes tells Diana he d like to find Diana thinks she might, too. Steve pulls her in closer. She looks deep in his eyes. DIANA Maybe. once I defeat Ares and war ends forever. there will be time to learn ab.. all kinds of things. The way Diana says it that look in her eyes for the very first time in the film Steve finds himself believing her story desperately wanting to believe it. STEVE wistful God, I hope you re right. INN VELD BEDROOM NIGHT Steve lays Diana gently down on the bed, brushing her hair from her neck and KISSING IT. Diana s eyes are wide and shocked by the ELECTRICITY of those LIPS ON HER SKIN. She looks up at him, runs her hands through his hair and pulls him to her, mouthtomouth, the most perfect, passionate FIRST KISS ever. Steve s TICKING WATCH on the nearby nightstand. TOWN SQUARE VELD DAWN The morning sun looks brighter to Diana than normal. She smiles, turns to see the team, Steve dressed in a GERMAN UNIFORM. They re rounded up with HORSES. SAMEER The villagers gave them to us. THE CHIEF A gracious gift. SAMEER They called us heroes. DIANA You are. Everyone looks at Diana. The way she says it, Sameer and Chief believe it and it feels good. Sameer smiles at Charlie who forces a smile back, struggling to agree. STEVE to team Guys, I m fully aware that I said this job was two days THE CHIEF You would get lost without us. SAMEER Yeah, we know Diana s capable of looking after herself, but I m worried you wouldn t make it. STEVE There s no more money, boys. Sameer pets his horse with a smile. SAMEER We ve been paid enough. The Chief nods, but Diana spots Charlie s hesitation. DIANA If you re coming, Charlie, perhaps you ll sing more for us. then; the truth I enjoyed it very much. Charlie brightens at a rare compliment from Diana. SAMEER Ah Don t encourage him Despite Sameer s protests, Charlie starts to SING LOUDLY but joyfully as the team moves on. OFF Diana, moved by the  goodness she s discovering within these unlikely men. CHARLIE prelap She s a real life Amazon FOREST BELGIUM DAY Diana leads the men on HORSEBACK. They trail behind. Diana turns, smiles, unaware Steve s just told them all about her. CHARLIE to the boys That s the craziest story I ever heard SAMEER Wait. There s a whole island of women like her And not a single man among them beat How do we get there STEVE You re not their type. CHARLIE You re all going daft. STEVE It s true. every word. SAMEER And she thinks Ludendorff is Ares The God of War CHARLIE And only by killing him will the war end SAMEER You saw what she did out there. The way she charged that machine gun nest. The way she took out that tower. Maybe it s true Chief nods in agreement. CHARLIE to Steve You don t really believe all this rubbish, do ye Steve wishes he does, but deep down he doesn t. FOREST/CH�TEAU BELGIUM DAY Through the trees, still on HORSEBACK, Diana and the team see the WELLGUARDED fortress that is German High Command. Steve uses FIELD GLASSES to survey the scene. Chauffeured LIMOUSINES go through a HEAVILYGUARDED CHECKPOINT at the gate, behind it, a long line of cars delivering welldressed GUESTS to the ENTRANCE of the ch�teau, a SINGLE SENTRY stationed there. STEVE How the hell are we gonna get in THE CHIEF The way in is through the gate. CHARLIE sarcastic Thank you, Chief, for that ancient tribal wisdom, that s very helpful. The Chief gets off his horse, hands the reins to Sameer, then wanders off into the forest. Charlie looks through his scope several guards at the gate, but only one at the door. CHARLIE If you could get through the gate I only see one guard at the door to distract. STEVE It won t look at all suspicious when I come sauntering out of the woods on foot DIANA I could get in. STEVE You re not going in. It s too DIANA Dangerous STEVE I know how to do stealth been doing it my whole life. I ll follow them to wherever they re working on the gas or better yet find out where it is. MORE  STEVE CONT D beat Plus, we can t make a scene. DIANA I can be stealthy. STEVE Diana, what you re wearing doesn t exactly qualify as undercover. SAMEER attempting humor I don t know, I d say she was pretty under covered. Only Charlie laughs. STEVE to Diana There s no way to get you in. Let me scout it and report back. Worse case, we follow Ludendorff when he leaves and you can use that magic lasso of yours to get him to tell us where it is. DIANA But as long as he s still alive STEVE You can t go into German High Command and kill anyone You have to trust me, Diana. Suddenly, a gleaming, ROLLSROYCE LIMOUSINE pulls into the forest, The Chief in the driver s seat. STEVE to The Chief Where did that come from THE CHIEF Field over there is full of them. SAMEER Can I drive it Lemme drive it. I ll be your chauffeur Steve looks at Diana. STEVE pointedly Diana. Please, stay put. Steve climbs into the back seat and Sameer drives the limo off. CHARLIE We should scout the area. In case we need to beat a hasty retreat. What do you think, Diana But when they look for her, Diana isn t there. CHARLIE Uhoh. CH�TEAU GERMAN HIGH COMMAND MOMENTS LATER A CAR rolls past the CHECKPOINT GATE, another stops. GUARDS take an INVITATION from the driver, then wave the car on. IN THE NEXT CAR Sameer, wearing a TEA TOWEL AS A TURBAN on his head, watches the exchange, alarmed. SAMEER talking through his teeth to Steve Steve. Steve in the back, decked out in his GERMAN UNIFORM. SAMEER they have invitations. Sameer has no choice but to pull up to the guards. One of them holds out his hand, waiting for an invitation but Sameer takes the surprised guard s hand with both of his SAMEER Dhanyavaad, Sahib. The Colonel and I wish many blessings and all manner of other things to fall upon your head Thinking fast, Steve belligerently yells at Sameer, startling the guards. STEVE And your head s empty He wants my invitation, you idiot Sammy grovels to the guard, kissing his hand. The guard tries to pull it away SAMEER I must apologize a thousand thousand times, my masters, for my most horrid, wretched, and unworthy soul has lost the Colonel s invitation Steve checks his WATCH. STEVE SAMEER We drive hours through this I am a snail No, a bug mud and filth You re a No, the dung of a bug disgrace The bewildered and uncomfortable guards shoo them on. As they drive, Sameer grins, glancing back at Steve. SAMEER Blessings be upon us. Steve s smile fades when he sees soldiers setting up a VIEWING PLATFORM with ROWS OF SEATS. Steve doesn t know why. AT THE FRONT OF THE CH�TEAU Sameer opens the LIMO DOOR for Steve. STEVE Keep the car running, Sahib. And no joy riding. Sameer smirks, bows. Steve heads to the ch�teau, watching him bowing and blessing to Germans. Steve shakes his head as he enters. CH�TEAU GERMAN HIGH COMMAND CONTINUOUS ACTION Diana, her cloak concealing her armor, watches from the shadows as Steve disappears inside. Frustrated, she searches the exterior of the ch�teau for another way in, but she s distracted by the insistent HONKING of a CAR HORN behind her. Diana turns to find a stunning, exquisitely dressed woman, FAUSTA GRABLES in an extraordinary gown, leaning over her driver and honking the car s horn in a futile attempt to get the traffic moving again. FAUSTA I am not spending the entire evening out here, you idiots. Move your cars I said, move Infuriated, she marches up the long driveway toward the door. Diana steps out of the shadows and into Fausta s path. FAUSTA snorting at Diana s outfit What are you supposed to be Ha Out of my way. But when Diana doesn t get out of her way and instead sidles up to Fausta to see if they re the same height. FAUSTA What are you doing then; calling out Guards Which is when Diana delivers a quick, judolike CHOP to Fausta s neck where it meets her lovely shoulder causing Fausta to collapse and lose consciousness. Off Diana, catches Fausta as she falls. For the first time in her life, Diana enjoys her own roguishness. Like one of the boys. DIANA realizing That was. fun. CH�TEAU FOYER CONTINUOUS ACTION Steve walks up the stairs, spotting the KAISER at the head of the RECEIVING LINE atop them. Ludendorff is next to him, talking intensely to Dr. Maru. As much as they try not to, people can t help but stare at Maru. MARU They re starting to ask where Von Hindenburg and the others are. LUDENDORFF Soon it won t matter. MARU But, General LUDENDORFF We continue as planned. Now go. I have people to tend to beyond you. Maru is taken aback by his firmness. Feels eyes staring at her. She s used to rejection, but not from him. She nods and breaks off, moving into the GRAND BALLROOM. An ORCHESTRA plays, COUPLES waltz, CHANDELIERS blaze. The room is full of OFFICERS, their WIVES and prominent CIVILIANS in formal wear. Maru moves to a FIREPLACE, staring at the fire. STEVE to Maru Excuse me. Maru turns to face Steve, holding TWO GLASSES OF CHAMPAGNE he offers her one. MARU I don t drink. faintly recognizing him Have we met STEVE No, but I ve been watching you. Following your career, I mean. You re Dr. Isabel Maru. The most talented chemist in the German Army. I m a fan. Steve keeps one eye on Ludendorff. Maru notices. He covers STEVE I hope I m not crossing a line. I hear you and General Ludendorff are very close. MARU We work well together, yes. STEVE flirting I m sure he provides a great deal of support for you and your work, but having someone like me behind you I could provide a lot more. She s not falling for the man, but there s something about him. a faint recognition MARU And who are you STEVE A man who would show you the appreciation a genius like yourself deserves. Maru stares into the fire, captivated. STEVE I love fire, don t you It s like a living act of entropy. The ultimate weapon of destruction, reminding us that, in the end, everything returns to the ash it once came from. There s something reassuring about it. stares into Maru s eyes I see all of that in your eyes. Maru can t help but stare back deeply into Steve s eyes, surprised to find her heart racing. For a brief moment, she s unsure of what she s feeling. STEVE Perhaps you could show me what you re working on. I hear it s extraordinary. Steve s about to get the answers he needs when DIANA, in Fausta s gown, MAKES HER ENTRANCE, at the top of the stairs her uniform underneath, the GODKILLER peeking out from the back of her dress, the hilt looking like a piece of JEWELRY. Heads turn at the stunning Amazon. Steve s completely torn, does he stay and gets his answers from Maru or stop Diana from getting to Ludendorff Maru makes the decision for him MARU I appreciate your interest in my work, but I am loyal to General Ludendorff. Besides, I see now your attention is elsewhere. DIANA AND LUDENDORFF S EYES MEET. It is an INTENSE moment. She examines him, trying to confirm with her own eyes that he is Ares. Steve desperately wants to get to Diana, the tension thick What is she going to do Seeing the most beautiful woman in the room, Ludendorff can t help but give Diana a courtly bow, kisses her hand. LUDENDORFF Enjoying the party DIANA eyes narrow I confess, I m not sure what we re celebrating. LUDENDORFF A German victory, of course. He offers her hand to dance. She takes it, sizing him up. DIANA Victory When I hear peace is so close LUDENDORFF Peace is only an armistice in an endless war. Diana understands, tenses. DIANA Thucydides. LUDENDORFF happily surprised You know your Ancient Greeks. They understood that war is a god. One that requires human sacrifice. Her heart pounds. LUDENDORFF And in exchange, war gives man purpose. A chance to rise above his petty, mortal little life and be better than he is. ON DIANA There s no question now This is Ares. DIANA Only one of the many gods believed in that. and he was wrong. She desperately wants to reach for her sword, but he s still holding her. LUDENDORFF You know nothing about the gods SOLDIER # O.S. General Ludendorff looks over at a soldier. He checks his watch, relaxes his hold on her. LUDENDORFF My apologies. You ll excuse me. beat Enjoy the fireworks. Just as he turns his back on Diana, she reaches for her SWORD. She s about to draw it when Steve gets between them, facing her He pulls Diana away from Ludendorff, taking her hand dancing with her as cover. DIANA What are you doing The dancing is anything but what it was in last time. STEVE You agreed to wait. DIANA You agree to do things all the time then don t do them. Let me go STEVE You can t kill Ludendorff inside German High Command. The Armistice won t be signed. DIANA It won t matter STEVE What if you re wrong, Diana What if there is no Ares DIANA realizes You don t believe me. STEVE I can t let you do this. DIANA What I do isn t up to you. Reminding Steve of her strength, Diana uses only her fingers to PUSH Steve away as if he were nothing and he almost loses his footing. Diana looks for Ludendorff he s left She runs Steve follows. CH�TEAU MOMENTS LATER Diana exits, looks around, spotting Ludendorff, Maru, and the soldiers entering one of the ch�teau s TOWER HOUSES, which is quickly secured behind him. STEVE Diana Diana starts running towards it when the sound of a MISSILE launching from the guardhouse. Then another. And another. STEVE The gas. Their eyes follow the PATH OF THE MISSILES she understands, horrified, see the target is DIANA The village. Diana runs off towards the village while the audience at the ch�teau behind her bursts into APPLAUSE and CHEERS. A FOREST CONTINUOUS ACTION A Sameer has regrouped with Chief and Charlie. Chief and Sameer look up at SMOKING TRAILS in the sky, left by the missiles, while Charlie peers through his SCOPE at the ch�teau. SAMEER They re cheering. Suddenly, they spot Diana racing through the forest on her HORSE. SAMEER Diana Steve rides up to the team, out of breath. THE CHIEF What did they fire  A   A STEVE It was Ludendorff. CHARLIE through scope I see him. STEVE Wherever he goes you follow him. Steve chases after Diana SAMEER calls after to Steve How will you find us THE CHIEF I know how. OUTSKIRTS OF VELD MINUTES LATER Racing through the woods in the distance, Diana now in her armor on horseback her torn off dress discarded, floating behind her. She arrives at the outskirts of the village, which is now entirely engulfed in a THICK, COLORED CLOUD OF GAS. She dismounts, enveloped by the gas. She can t see anything in front of her, but knows immediately that all the villagers have perished. She has trouble breathing, her EYES RED AND STINGING. BLISTERS on her skin. DIANA No. Oh, no, no, no. Tears fill her eyes. STEVE O.S. Diana. Diana walks out to see Steve arrive, dismounting. Diana points at Steve, her blisters HEALING before his eyes. DIANA They re dead. They re all dead. a horrific betrayal YOU DID THIS STEVE Diana, I m sorry DIANA You stopped me from killing Ares when I had the chance. You murderer You killed these people STEVE reaching out for her No, I DIANA STAY AWAY FROM ME Steve freezes in his tracks. DIANA Everything you ve said to me is a lie. fury growing But I see the truth now. It isn t just the Germans that Ares has corrupted. It s you, too. It s all of you. Steve is rattled DIANA determined; dark I will find Ares and I will kill him. Steve sees a TRAIL OF SMOKE in the sky in the distance. STEVE It s a signal from The Chief. They followed Ludendorff Diana rides off in a fury. STEVE Diana Steve starts to get his horse, then sees an abandoned MOTORCYCLE on the road into town and changes his mind. SECURITY POST BELGIUM MOMENTS LATER Along the road, Diana comes upon a GERMAN SECURITY POST THREE GERMAN SENTRIES but she refuses to stop. She KNOCKS the Germans aside like bowling pins. FOREST BELGIUM CONTINUOUS ACTION Steve avoids the security post, tearing through the woods. COUNTRYSIDE BELGIUM MOMENTS LATER The last wash of sunlight FADES as NIGHT takes over. Diana rides on horseback through the countryside at amazing speed driven, possessed by rage. She heads towards Charlie, Sameer, and The Chief who are all at a FIRE Chief has set, used to create the SMOKE SIGNALS. He points to the top of a hill. She rushes past them and up the hill Cresting the hill, we see an AIRFIELD she heads down towards it. Steve isn t far behind her, racing past the team OUTSIDE THE AIRFIELD BELGIUM CONTINUOUS ACTION As Diana storms towards the airfield, her eyes land on the CONTROL TOWER, where she sees LUDENDORFF on the balcony, looking out over the airfield, a hive of activity. She charges the tower, flipping off her horse and over a BARBED WIRE FENCE she takes out more Germans slashes through a SECOND BARBED WIRE FENCE fights to the tower and Diana lassos a soldier on the balcony, yanking him down then leaping up to the tower herself , OMITTED , CONTROL TOWER CONTINUOUS ACTION Ludendorff turns as Diana arrives, wielding the GODKILLER. He smirks, scoffing LUDENDORFF Nice to see you again. This is a surprise. He aims his GUN at her LUDENDORFF But I have things to do. Ludendorff FIRES at Diana She blocks the bullet with her bracelet, ricocheting it back at Ludendorff s gun It explodes in his hand He cries out in pain, shocked Diana lowers her smoking bracelet, looking him in the eyes assuming he knows who she is now after that display of power. DIANA You know why I m here. I am Diana of Themyscira, daughter of Hippolyta. Ludendorff turns away from Diana, cracking open a BLUE CAPSULE. He inhales it s painful but powerful, veins bulging. OMITTED CONTROL TOWER WALKWAY CONTINUOUS ACTION Diana sees Ludendorff s veins bulging, almost supernatural her eyes widen with confirmation. Diana moves quickly, thrusting the Godkiller at him. He dodges it. She strikes him in the face with her fist. They trade blows. He grabs a BAYONETTED RIFLE mounted on the wall. Ludendorff uses the rifle as A GUN, A SPEAR, and A SWORD. He HITS Diana again and again but Diana strikes back with such FORCE that he flies backwards through the WINDOW and onto the narrow walkway outside. Ludendorff struggles to his feet CONTROL TOWER CONTINUOUS ACTION Diana CHARGES AGAIN. Ludendorff manages to escape being gored by CLIMBING UP TO THE TOWER ROOF. Ludendorff stands, holding his bayonet, as Diana LEAPS up on the roof to join him and the BATTLE RAGES on, SWORD AGAINST BAYONET, both so close to plummeting to the ground with every volley. But then Ludendorff lands a BLOW that sends Diana and his bayonet sliding over the roof s edge. She manages to grip the ledge but loses the Godkiller. Pulling herself back up with incredible effort she sees that LUDENDORFF HAS THE GODKILLER. LUDENDORFF As magnificent a creature as you are, you are no match for me. WITH VEINS PULSATING BLUE, LUDENDORFF SWINGS THE SWORD DOWN TO DELIVER THE KILLING BLOW But Diana BLOCKS it with her bracelets DIANA We ll see about that. Ludendorff STRIKES AGAIN AND AGAIN until Diana grabs the blade with her BARE HANDS. It cuts deep, drawing blood, she CRIES OUT in pain. Summoning impossible strength, she grips the blade and SHOVES it back with such force that Ludendorff loosens his grip. For the first time we see that he is afraid. Diana stands over Ludendorff, raising the GODKILLER. DIANA I, daughter of Hippolyta, came here to complete the mission of the Amazons by taking your life, and ridding mankind and my people of you forever Diana PLUNGES THE GODKILLER INTO LUDENDORFF S BODY. His body crumbles to the ground, the blue in his veins fading away like a light going out ARES IS DEAD She breathes heavy, takes in the victory, reveling in it. Her mission accomplished. Her mother would be proud. Antiope. All of the Amazons. The battlefield is quiet. A storm begins to simmer in the sky. Then she hears a GERMAN COMMANDER screaming at his troops. Her brow knits with confusion. Diana looks out over the airfield her face falls. HUNDREDS of HELLMEN SOLDIERS wearing strange customized GAS MASKS emanate from Dr. Maru s lab, working with HUNDREDS OF GAS BOMBS. To Diana s horror, nothing has changed. Ares may be dead but WAR CARRIES ON. STEVE O.S. Diana Steve is on the balcony below. STEVE Diana Relieved she s okay, Steve sees Ludendorff s body on the edge. Diana turns to him, lost. DIANA I killed him. I killed Ares but nothing stopped. You kill the God of War, you stop the war. Steve registers her confusion, but follows her gaze to the growing threat below. No time to explain STEVE Right. Then we ve got to do something about it. She leaps down to Steve, eyes wide with shock. DIANA No Steve. All of this should have stopped. The fighting. It should have stopped. So why are they doing this Steve sees the crisis on her face, forcing himself to slow down and tune into it sad knowing the reality Diana s about to face. His heart breaks for her. STEVE Diana, I m sorry. I know you thought I hoped it, too but I knew DIANA You knew what STEVE That it might not be that simple. DIANA But Ares is dead. They don t have to do this anymore. So why would they Steve finally says what he hasn t had the heart to say all along. STEVE Because maybe people aren t. just good, Diana. Ares or no Ares. Maybe it s. just them. She looks out at them. The truth slowly sinking in as she tries to understand DIANA No. It can t be. Everything I saw They were killing each other. Killing people they can t even see. Killing children. Like it was nothing. It had to be him It can t be them STEVE Diana, sometimes people are complicated Diana s disbelief begins to turn to anger. DIANA My mother was right. She said the world of men don t deserve you. beat That s why she left. They don t deserve our help. Steve knows they re out of time. STEVE It s not about whether they deserve it or not. It s about what you believe. You think I don t get it All I ve seen out there I wish I could tell you that there was one bad guy to blame. Maybe we re all to blame. But that doesn t mean we shouldn t try to do better. beat And if you believe this war should stop, Diana, if you want to stop it, then help me stop it. Now. Diana still isn t there. STEVE If we don t, they re going to kill thousands more. MORE  STEVE CONT D beat Don t give up on them. Don t give up on me. Diana doesn t respond. She isn t there yet. STEVE Please. We gotta go. beat I have to. It kills Steve to release her hand, but he has no choice. He has to. He does and can only look back, hoping she ll follow. Diana s left alone, everything she ever believed in destroyed. She watches as Steve runs off AIRFIELD CONTROL TOWER CONTINUOUS ACTION Steve joins the team as they arrive and regroup SAMEER to Steve Where s Diana STEVE We re on our own. Despite their hesitation and confusion about that, the team follows Steve towards the hangar CONTROL TOWER CONTINUOUS ACTION Diana takes in a breath, SMELLS the CHEMICALS in the air, HEARS the sounds across the AIRFIELD she has become hyper aware of the harshness of the world around her. Diana turns, seeing a FIGURE THROUGH the windows looking at Ludendorff s plans. For a brief moment, she thinks it s Steve. DIANA Steve The figure pauses, then looks over at Diana. Diana wonders Who is it DIANA Who s there beat What are you doing The figure finally speaks VOICE O.S. I ve been waiting for you to see the truth. She looks closer, a shiver up her spine confusion overwhelms Diana as she sees it s DIANA Sir Patrick Sir Patrick is there, like a dream or a nightmare calmly gazing over at Diana THROUGH the glass. SIR PATRICK You re right, Diana. They don t deserve our help. beat They only deserve destruction. Diana freezes. DIANA You re him. You. SIR PATRICK I am. But I m not what you thought I was. You blame me, but the truth is. motions to the airfield all of this I did none of it. Alarmed, Diana reaches for her sword but her hand grasps at nothing she quickly realizes it s still in Ludendorff Diana leaps OUT OF FRAME to retrieve it AIRFIELD HANGAR CONTINUOUS ACTION Steve and the team regroup, taking cover behind a hangar, Charlie scanning the area with his scope. CHARLIE I can t see where they re taking the gas. They duck behind CRATES as gasmasked soldiers march by. Sammy points out over the airfield at the enormous, modern PROTOTYPE BOMBER on the runway, being loaded up with bombs. The workers hurry as the storm continues to build around them. SAMEER Wherever Diana is, I think we re gonna need her. Steve watches as a soldier motioning to the crew to pick up the pace. Steve and the team see soldiers loading bombs in the back of the plane. Steve motions to the team and they head around the back of the hangar. / AIRFIELD CONTINUOUS ACTION Diana leaps down from above, the GODKILLER back in her hands she circles the tower like a tiger, looking THROUGH the glass but Sir Patrick remains very calm. SIR PATRICK/ARES I am not your enemy, Diana. I am the only one who truly knows you. And who truly knows them as you now do. They have always been, and always will be weak, cruel, selfish, and capable of the greatest horror. As he speaks, Diana holds the sword with TWO HANDS, trying to regain her confidence but struggling. Stepping in the doorway, he vanishes. She looks around. Finds he s suddenly outside. DIANA to herself I am Diana of Themyscira, daughter of Hippolyta. and I am here to complete her mission Diana cocks back her sword for battle when Sir Patrick disappears again reappearing behind her. She spins and plunges the GODKILLER into him Sir Patrick simply holds up his hand and the sword DISINTEGRATES INTO A CLOUD OF DUST, right down to the hilt Diana can t believe it DIANA The Godkiller. SIR PATRICK/ARES The Godkiller Oh, child. That is not the Godkiller. truly feels her shock You are. Only a god can kill another god. DIANA I SIR PATRICK/ARES Zeus left the daughter he had with the Queen of the Amazons as a weapon to use against me. Diana s mind reeling DIANA You lie Diana throws her LASSO around Sir Patrick, who doesn t try and avoid it. On contact with Sir Patrick, the lasso glows BRIGHTER than previously seen DIANA I compel you to tell me the truth Sir Patrick calmly looks into her eyes, the lasso s GOLDEN ENERGY courses between them. ARES I am. OMITTED A AIRFIELD HANGAR CONTINUOUS ACTION A Steve and the team put on GAS MASKS and JACKETS pulled from a handful of UNCONSCIOUS SOLDIERS they leave behind as they creep around the hangar to the plane. Steve and the team blend in with the crew working on the plane. AA AIRFIELD CONTINUOUS ACTION AA Sameer boards the plane while Steve moves to the front wheel, trying to get a better look at the plane s position. The Chief spots soldiers examining a MAP just inside the hangar. As they walk away, The Chief sneaks in E CONTROL TOWER CONTINUOUS ACTION E The lasso is still tight around Sir Patrick, crackling. Diana holds it, still unsure what to think SIR PATRICK/ARES I am not the God of War, Diana. I am the god of truth. All I ever wanted was to show my father how evil his creation was. But he refused. As Sir Patrick runs his finger along the lasso, a SURGE of energy runs from his hands and down towards Diana into her, causing her to see FLASHES OF THE PAST. Each is like a pulse that fades and returns us to the scene at hand. EA FLASHBACKS NO MAN S LAND DAY EA We PUSH THROUGH the bleakness of the world. SIR PATRICK/ARES Mankind stole the world from us. They ruined it, daybyday. EB MOUNT OLYMPUS NIGHT EB Ares falling to the Earth. His armor falling off. SIR PATRICK/ARES And I, the only one wise enough to see it, was left too weak to destroy them myself. EC / TBD NIGHT EC Somewhere dark, ARES shivering, powerless. the remnants of his armor CRACKING and BREAKING APART around him.  EC  EC SIR PATRICK/ARES All these years, I ve struggled. Whispering into their ears. ED HANGAR DR. MARU S LAB DAY ED Maru at her workbench. The SPECTRAL FORM of SIR PATRICK whispering silently to her, unseen by anyone. A STRANGE WIND passes as he does. Her eyes light up. She starts mixing chemicals frantically. SIR PATRICK Ideas. Inspiration. For weapons. Formulas. But I don t make them use them. they start these wars on their own. END FLASHBACKS. EF CONTROL TOWER NIGHT EF The FLASHBACKS FADE and we RETURN TO Diana s stunned face. SIR PATRICK/ARES enjoying the revelation All I do is orchestrate an armistice I know they will break, in the hope they will destroy themselves. But it s never been enough. beat When you first arrived I was going to end you, Diana. Then I felt something I haven t for thousands of years. Stronger. Sir Patrick clenches his fists. His neck pulses. SIR PATRICK/ARES It was your power. Healing me more than you could ever hurt me. Diana s eyes narrow, trying to understand. Sir Patrick s hands begin to FLICKER with FIRE SIR PATRICK/ARES And I knew that if only you could see what the other gods couldn t.  EF  EF Sir Patrick runs his finger along the lasso, energy arcing down the lasso and into Diana As it hits her EG VISION NO MAN S LAND DAY EG they are transported to the barren, wartorn No Man s Land SIR PATRICK/ARES All the suffering. All the pain and destruction they create. You would join me. Diana looks around her. SIR PATRICK/ARES SIR PATRICK/ARES With out powers combined, ALT we could finally end this. With our powers combined, we could finally end them. The barren no man s land transforms into a lush, Garden of Eden like Themyscira itself SIR PATRICK/ARES We could return the world to the paradise it was before them. beat And there would be absolute peace, Diana. Forever. CLOSE ON DIANA taking it in. Sir Patrick smiles, pleased. But Diana resists. DIANA struggling No. No, I d never be a part of that. And like that EH CONTROL TOWER NIGHT REALITY EH The VISION around Diana VANISHES, they are back in the control tower. D AIRFIELD HANGAR CONTINUOUS ACTION D Steve tries to pry open a panel on the plane, looking for a way to sabotage it somehow when a German soldier approaches Steve, suspicious. The German is about to yell when THUMP Charlie lowers the butt of his rifle onto the German. Steve nods in appreciation then notices a CHILL as the wind starts to rise. Steve looks over, his face grows tense DR. MARU approaches the plane for inspection with MORE SOLDIERS. They retreat to the shadows B BOMBER PROTOTYPE CONTINUOUS ACTION B Sameer moves past ROWS OF BOMBS already loaded. He spots something a TIMER wired to the bombs C AIRFIELD HANGAR CONTINUOUS ACTION C The Chief examines the map, horror covers his face when he sees the plane s target LONDON. CONTROL TOWER CONTINUOUS ACTION Sir Patrick looks angered he almost had her. His eyes narrow. SIR PATRICK/ARES Oh, Diana. my dear sister. I don t want to fight you beat but if I must. He quickly GRABS the lasso and a VIOLENT ERUPTION OF ENERGY ERUPTS AND THE CONTROL TOWER EXPLODES F AIRFIELD CONTINUOUS ACTION F A DEAFENING explosion erupts across the airfield, demanding everyone s attention It s overwhelming and chaotic, putting the soldiers in panic mode They re under attack Steve and the team react, unable to see what caused it, retreating to the shadows to find out  F  F CHARLIE Hurry up They re onto us STEVE Sammy, let s go Dr. Maru turns to A THREEMAN CREW PILOT, COPILOT, and the BOMBARDIER. She calls out DR. MARU Forget about them Come on, move they hesitate Go now G CONTROL TOWER CONTINUOUS ACTION G Diana lands on the ground, rolling across it. AIRFIELD RUNWAY CONTINUOUS ACTION Steve and the team race across the airfield, searching for cover. G CONTROL TOWER CONTINUOUS ACTION G Diana pushes herself up off the ground, gazing over at Sir Patrick, who simply floats down burning debris all around them. Getting to her feet, Diana runs towards Sir Patrick. CLOSE ON SIR PATRICK calmly looking out at the DESTRUCTION and Diana, he flicks his hand through his sheer force of will, Sir Patrick lifts the TOWER DEBRIS around Diana Girders rise, toppling over on either side of Diana as she races towards Sir Patrick Diana dodges them, running through the gauntlet gazing up as a LIGHT shines down, toppling towards her Diana leaps out of the way AIRFIELD RUNWAY CONTINUOUS ACTION Steve and the team take cover behind SEVERAL CRATES. G CONTROL TOWER CONTINUOUS ACTION G Diana throws her lasso at Sir Patrick, but he holds his hands up and blasts it back SIR PATRICK/ARES Oh, my dear. You have so much to learn. Diana lassos a GIRDER, swinging it back at Sir Patrick but he hovers above it The debris smashes into a gas tank, exploding AIRFIELD CONTINUOUS ACTION Fighting through the growing storm, Diana races towards Sir Patrick he raises his hands like a conductor, ripping chunks of the tarmac up Diana avoids one smashes through another then leaps in the air as a MASSIVE CHUNK OF THE EARTH rises Diana leaps into the air, towards Sir Patrick A AIRFIELD HANGAR CONTINUOUS ACTION A Hidden behind the crates, Steve and the team remove their masks and see Diana and Sir Patrick battling Steve reacts to Sir Patrick levitating CHARLIE What are we going to do STEVE There s not much we can do. if that s what I think it is. Steve looks to the plane. STEVE But we can stop that plane. AA AIRFIELD CONTINUOUS ACTION AA Diana leaps at Sir Patrick, but she blasts her back under the hovering CHUNK OF EARTH Sir Patrick motions, SENDING the chunk CRASHING DOWN TO THE GROUND but Diana zips out of the way in a blur, she slams into Sir Patrick, sending him flying  AA  AA CLOSE ON SIR PATRICK catching himself, gazing up, crackling with LIGHTNING. B AIRFIELD HANGAR CONTINUOUS ACTION B Charlie peers through is SCOPE at the plane. CHARLIE If we radio ahead We can ask Air Corps to shoot her down. STEVE No, if it crashes, it ll wipe out everyone for fifty square miles. We gotta ground it. SAMEER Bad news. It s on a timer. If we ground it here, same thing. Steve looks over at Diana then the plane and he realizes what he has to do. STEVE Is it flammable, Chief THE CHIEF Yeah, she said it was hydrogen It s flammable. STEVE I need you guys to clear me a path to that plane. CHARLIE No, Steve SAMEER Steve But Steve is already running towards it. The team go into action C AIRFIELD HANGAR CONTINUOUS ACTION C Diana grabs a LARGE WOODEN CRATE and throws it up at Sir Patrick. Sir Patrick raises his hand and the crate appears to hit an INVISIBLE WALL, breaking apart, revealing HUNDREDS OF GRENADES INSIDE  C  C The grenades hover for a SPLIT SECOND then Ares sends them down towards Diana Diana grabs a LARGE BOMB nearby and THROWS it into the air towards the GRENADES causing a MASSIVE EXPLOSION The explosion sends Diana and Ares FLYING backwards across the AIRFIELD D AIRFIELD HANGAR D Steve sees Diana smashing across the airfield. He rushes to her side The team watches as the truck moves the plane forward. Charlie aims his gun shooting straight into the engine The truck SMOKES and HALTS, the plane stopped for a brief moment as Steve helps Diana up He starts to talk, but Diana s ears are RINGING. She can see him, but not hear him. DIANA What IN THE FIRE CONTINUOUS ACTION ACROSS THE AIRFIELD, within the BURNING FIRE. CLOSE ON ARES HAND awakening, clutching the EARTH. AIRFIELD CONTINUOUS ACTION Steve talks to Diana, but her ears are still ringing. THROUGH CHARLIE S SCOPE Watching as the truck moves the plane forward. ANOTHER ANGLE Charlie aims his gun shooting straight into the engine The truck SMOKES and HALTS, the plane stopped for a brief moment as  D  D Chief puts his hand on Charlie s gun, lowers it. THE CHIEF Don t shoot The whole thing could go The plane s blades start SPINNING The team fights the airmen around it, clearing the path Steve asked them to. ANGLE ON DIANA AND STEVE struggling to say goodbye. CHARLIE O.S. Come on, this way Steve Steve looks at Charlie, who motions to the plane. Soldiers are firing at the team, others have unhooked the tow truck so the plane is moving forward again He presses his WATCH into her hand. She looks at it, confused, then looks up to see him running away. One last look at Diana, lingering, his heart breaking then he races to the plane. Confused, Diana calls after him DIANA Steve Steve runs past the team, towards the plane. STEVE I have the plane. CHARLIE But, Steve STEVE You destroy the lab Go The team hesitates for a second, looking at the hangar SAMEER to Charlie and Chief If we go in there, we re not coming back. They share a look and then go anyway Steve leaps onto a ladder on the wing of the bomber, climbing up as the plane moves down the runway. AIRFIELD RUNWAY CONTINUOUS ACTION On the WING, Steve pulls himself to the DOOR, opens it. Steve s confronted by the BOMBARDIER as he enters. They grapple, Steve throws him out A AIRFIELD CONTINUOUS ACTION A Diana turns towards a burning fire. CLOSE ON DIANA gazing into the fire. BOMBER PROTOTYPE CONTINUOUS ACTION Steve fights with the BOMBARDIER, throwing him out of the plane. A IN THE FIRE CONTINUOUS ACTION A SIR PATRICK SUMMONS scraps of METAL all around him. One piece slams against his body. Then another. And another. Faster and faster. ANGLE ON SIR PATRICK using the FIRE to FORGE the METAL on his body recreating ARES ICONIC ARMOR he wore in The History Lesson CLOSE ON ARES HAND wrapped in metals, forming a FIST. CLOSE ON ARES FINGERS digging into the MELTING METAL on his head, creating the shape of his HELMET. AIRFIELD CONTINUOUS ACTION Walking out of the fire, WE REVEAL Sir Patrick now in his ARES ARMOR. Diana sees ARES and runs straight at him.  A  A Ares calmly walks towards Diana. He creates TWIN SWORDS out of thin air his power growing thanks to Diana, Ares is able to conjure any MANMADE WEAPON at will and throws the swords at Diana Diana blocks the swords, falling back to the ground. CLOSER ANGLE ON DIANA a BLOODY GASH at her side. ANOTHER ANGLE Ares charges Diana he conjures a SPEAR, throwing it at Diana. She blocks it, but again is thrown back as the weapon combusts slamming into a TRAIN CAR. Ares does not relent, conjuring TWIN SWORDS swinging them at her she dodges the blades, BLOCKS them with her bracelets OMITTED BOMBER PROTOTYPE CONTINUOUS ACTION Steve moves deeper into the bomber to the PILOT and CO PILOT. The COPILOT gets UP, pulling his GUN. The pilot cautions him, motions to the GAS BOMBS PILOT You hit that, we all go up. The copilot nods, puts his gun away spots another weapon. The copilot rips a FIRE HATCHET off the wall, swinging it hard. Steve dodges the hatchet then slams his fist into the copilot, sending him back against the GAS BOMBS Steve wrestles the hatchet away from the copilot. Steve slams his fist into the copilot and he crumples to the ground. Steve fights the Pilot, tossing him back, taking the controls. Steve pulls a lever , OMITTED , AIRFIELD RUNWAY CONTINUOUS ACTION As the bomber lifts up off the runway into the air, BOMBER DOORS open, dumping out the Pilot and copilot. A HANGAR DR. MARU S LABORATORY CONTINUOUS ACTION A Charlie, Sameer, and Chief enter the hangar. GUNSHOTS ring out as Dr. Maru desperately gathers her NOTES, trying to save her work The team looks out across the lab, seeing DIFFERENT DRUMS OF CHEMICALS ready to be MIXED to create the gas. They start kicking over the drums, dismantling the lab, setting CHARGES AB AIRFIELD RUNWAY CONTINUOUS ACTION AB ARES conjures a HOOK and CHAIN, throwing it at Diana, wrapping it around her arm he throws her across the airfield Diana slams into a tank, denting it. She stands up just as ARES swings a MASSIVE SWORD, the power of the blade SLICING everything in its path Diana dodges it as the power SLICES the TANK in two AC EXT AIRFIELD RUNWAY CONTINUOUS ACTION AC Diana leaps up at Ares as he conjures a HATCHET, tackling him they crash onto the top of a HANGAR Diana digs her hand into the roof, stopping herself. A HANGAR DR. MARU S LABORATORY CONTINUOUS ACTION A The team moves out across the lab, The Chief setting CHARGES while Dr. Maru escapes out of the hangar with her notebooks, turning back for one last look before disappearing. AD AIRFIELD HANGAR ROOF AD ON THE HANGAR ROOFTOP Diana THROWS HER LASSO around Ares arm, yanking him forward  AD  AD Diana throws her KNEE into Ares, knocking him UP and then throws her elbow, knocking him DOWN. Ares barely moves out of the way as Diana SMASHES her foot onto the roof, narrowly missing his head. Ares conjures a LARGE HAMMER, Diana dodging it as he swings. She wraps her lasso around him, tossing him over her head. CLOSE ON DIANA her rage growing. ANOTHER ANGLE Ares conjures a LARGE SWORD, stabbing the roof, stopping himself. Ares launches at Diana, grabbing her by the neck, lifting her into the air off the hangar. SIR PATRICK/ARES Is that all you have to offer me AIRFIELD CONTINUOUS ACTION Ares THROWS Diana across the airfield. She slams into TANKS and VEHICLES, springs back onto her feet. Ares uses his GROWING POWER to throw TANK TREADS at Diana. The tread wraps around Diana, slamming her to the ground LIGHTNING CRACKLING across them as they TIGHTEN around her. Pinned, Diana is overwhelmed by a feeling of desperation. HANGAR DR. MARU S LABORATORY CONTINUOUS ACTION Charlie lights a trail of alcohol poured from his flask, leading to a STICK OF DYNAMITE. They run out HANGAR DR. MARU S LABORATORY CONTINUOUS ACTION Outside the lab, Charlie covers Sameer and Chief while they throw GRENADES in and THE LAB EXPLODES BOMBER PROTOTYPE CONTINUOUS ACTION In the cockpit, Steve uses all his strength to fight the GFORCE pulling against his body HANGAR DR. MARU S LABORATORY CONTINUOUS ACTION For a brief moment it s victorious, but DOZENS OF SOLDIERS come at the team from all directions BULLETS whizzing by, the men take cover The team returns fire HANGAR DR. MARU S LABORATORY CONTINUOUS ACTION Charlie fires and CLICK his face falls he s out of ammo. They re all Trapped. They know it s over AIRFIELD CONTINUOUS ACTION Trapped by the treads, Diana turns, seeing the team on the ground, out in the open. Ares hovers over Diana, tightening the treads around her with the movement of his hand. SIR PATRICK/ARES It is futile, sister. But keep trying. Diana hears the sound of a plane and she looks up into the sky the plane soaring up into it. DIANA Steve. A BOMBER PROTOTYPE CONTINUOUS ACTION A Steve breathes, flying the plane high. He looks back at the burning factory, LAUGHS. soars higher into the air. then he looks back at the GAS BOMBS filling the plane. Steve pries his GUN from his holster, pointing it backwards towards the GAS BOMBS. B AIRFIELD CONTINUOUS ACTION B Diana is suddenly overwhelmed by a feeling almost otherworldly a connection to Steve absolute dread on her face C BOMBER PROTOTYPE CONTINUOUS ACTION C STEVE S jaw is set, determined. He shuts his eyes. thinks of Diana. and then HE FIRES HIS GUN D AIRFIELD CONTINUOUS ACTION D DIANA Steve. and the BOMBER EXPLODES Enveloped in a cloud of GLOWING GAS that burns itself up in the explosion. A HORRIBLE SCREAM, emanating from deep within Diana DIANA NO CLOSE ON A LOW PROFILE OF DIANA struggling with the tank treads. She explodes with grief and anger freeing herself from Sir Patrick s hold. He stumbles back IN A RAGE, Diana turns to Ares jumps into the air at Ares, slamming her foot down across him. Diana tackles him, leaps up they crash through a hangar, GERMAN SOLDIERS watching, scattering as Diana slides Ares across the ground. Ares punches Diana off him, motions towards a TANK it turns, FIRING at Diana She rolls out of the way and catches the shell, throwing it back at the tank As it explodes, German soldiers RUN until Ares sees them and using his growing power, takes them over. They all freeze in place. CLOSE ON A GERMAN SOLDIER THROUGH his GAS MASK we see his eyes turn black. ANOTHER ANGLE The soldiers AIM their guns at Diana, firing dozens and dozens of BULLETS she blocks them, charging towards Ares. As the soldiers move in all around her, blocking her way  D  D CLOSE ON DIANA her eyes begin to DARKEN. She s lost in Steve s death, transformed into a VIOLENT MACHINE In a brutal, stunning move, Diana attacks the soldiers in a fit of rage. She decimates the soldiers One after the other Tearing through them She spins through the crowd, slamming into the soldiers building to a SUPER SPIN that blows them all back Diana charges Ares, flipping over and around him, dodging his sword, kicking him, leaping away, landing, and throwing her LASSO around his leg. She wraps her lasso around her own leg, flipping him over her head, slamming him down onto the ground Diana leaps into the air, smashing her elbow into his back. Breathing heavily, full of anger, Diana pulls Ares up, getting close enough to realize ARES IS SMILING. She s almost his. SIR PATRICK/ARES enjoying every second Yes, Diana. Don t stop. Diana pauses, breathing heavy like a wild animal. But resists. Ares blasts Diana back into a TANK. Trying to anger her into fighting. SIR PATRICK/ARES Do it. fight. Diana lifts up the tank SIR PATRICK You came here with such hope and determination and look at you now. Mankind did this to you. Join me in the fight. and we can destroy them forever But still Diana resists, the darkness in her eyes flickering, Ares sneers with disgust, he turns towards THE RUNWAY. using the winds to take hold of a MILITARY VEHICLE Maru is desperately trying to escape in.  D  D The vehicle SPIRALS towards Diana, spinning endoverend and breaking apart. MARU tumbles out lying in front of Diana BENEATH THE UPHELD TANK. SIR PATRICK/ARES SIR PATRICK/ARES Look at her and tell me I m ALT WRONG. Take her. And then take them all. Diana looks at Maru, the anger boiling in her. Maru cowers. Her METAL MASK FLAPPING OFF in the wind, grotesque and pathetic. SIR PATRICK/ARES She is the perfect example of these humans. And unworthy of your sympathy in every way. CLOSE ON DIANA her eyes BLACK as she struggles. she wants so badly to end Maru. SIR PATRICK/ARES Destroy her, Diana. Diana stands over the trembling, terrified woman about to crush her. But Diana hesitates. SIR PATRICK/ARES You know she deserves it, they all do Diana snarls, her arms shaking with the weight of the tank over her head. Her anger threatening to overtake her. Ares uses his power on Diana s lasso, wraps it around her, holding it tight. SIR PATRICK/ARES See the truth for yourself Maru looks up at Diana. Diana looks down at her. STEVE from far away Diana. She closes her eyes and in her mind. but it isn t the ugliness of mankind.  D  D FLASHBACK AIRFIELD NIGHT She sees STEVE. Their last moment together replaying, but this time she hears him STEVE Diana I have to go. DIANA What are you saying Steve, whatever it is, I can do it. Let me do it STEVE No. It has to be me. I can save today, you can save the world. beat I wish we had more time. DIANA What He presses something into her hand. She looks at it, confused, then looks up to see him running away. STEVE I love you. Diana looks down in her hands at Steve s watch. END FLASHBACK. AIRFIELD NIGHT A GOLDEN GLOW begins to emits from Diana, a warmth within her building. The lasso CRACKLES with power, building up a SURGE OF ENERGY that explodes, runs from Diana, running down the lasso and into Ares, blasting him backwards Diana opens her eyes. DIANA You re wrong about them. Ares EXPLODES in a NASTY, SNARLING, VICIOUS rage He raises his hand A MASSIVE STORM OF DEBRIS smashes down towards Diana and Maru It strikes into the tank, but Diana doesn t move SIR PATRICK/ARES NO  D  D The debris combusts around Diana, unable to harm her Diana HURLS what s left of the tank aside. As Diana turns to Ares, Maru runs away. She walks CALMLY towards Ares. DIANA They re everything you say, but so much more. SIR PATRICK/ARES LIES Ares commands everything around him, bringing a MASSIVE SWIRLING STORM of DEBRIS AND WEAPONS TOGETHER he charges at her in a FURY But she holds her ground, deflects the barrage and then absorbing the power sends Ares back Ares falls back, his helmet blown off. Diana walks towards him. He stands, creating a MASSIVE LIGHTNING BOLT SPEAR. SIR PATRICK/ARES They do not deserve your protection. DIANA It s not about deserve. Diana stops, catches the massive lightning bolt in her gauntlets. The energy courses between them. DIANA It s about what you believe. and I believe in love Ares CRACKLES WITH LIGHTNING, summoning EVERYTHING HE CAN from the STORM ABOVE SIR PATRICK/ARES I WILL DESTROY YOU THEN I WILL DESTROY THEM Ares sends all of the lightning at Diana she raises her gauntlets catching it DIANA Goodbye, brother. Diana runs towards Ares as he unleashes the very last of his power, erupting towards her.  D  D Diana LEAPS into the AIR over Ares last blast. She crosses her bracelets midair. She sends the lightning BACK INTO Ares Ares cries out as the lightning strikes him, overwhelming him Ares EXPLODES A HUGE ERUPTION of POWER creates a CRATER in the Earth And the God of War is gone FOREVER. As the rain falls all around her, Diana s feet land softly onto the scorched earth below. E AIRFIELD DAWN E The rain washes away the blackened smoke from the sky, DAWN breaking through the clouds. Diana looks around, the soldiers rousing, as if they were waking up from a nightmare, the better side of man returning. They pull their gas masks off. Dr. Maru has vanished. Diana gazes out over the battlefield, looking at the team, the Germans the last of the ASH swirling around her as the SUN RISES. The sunlight hits Diana s face. Diana looks at Steve s watch it s finally stopped ticking. SERIES OF SHOTS People all over Europe, explode in cheers. For them, the war is over. TRAFALGAR SQUARE DAY Wonderful chaos in Trafalgar Square CONFETTI, STREAMERS, FLAGS, people embracing with JOY. HORNS and BRASS BANDS. CHEERING SOLDIERS with CROWNS OF FLOWERS in their hair GRAB pretty NURSES for a kiss. DRUMS THUNDER BY. Diana and Etta walk towards the massive, wondrous celebration. Diana is dressed as Diana Prince, hair up, glasses on. Etta is dressed up, like everybody else partying in the streets. They take in the joy. ETTA You saved everyone. DIANA correcting her Steve did that. Charlie, Sameer, and The Chief, cleaned and scrubbed and wearing suits, join Diana and Etta. CHARLIE to Diana; excited Did Etta tell you That General whatshisname, you know ETTA Haig. CHARLIE He only went and made us all spies Oops. We re off to Petrograd Oops. ETTA There s a revolution going on. Even Chief s coming. You should, too. DIANA touched I don t think so. Etta stops in front of a recently erected wall of WAR MEMORIAL PHOTOGRAPHS. Steve looks dashing, happy, and very much alive. Diana s already fighting tears. SAMEER Behind all beauty, all wisdom, there is pain. You must take your pain and make it beautiful. DIANA Where did you read that SAMEER I didn t. beat You taught us that. She forces a smile. DIANA I used to want to save the world. LOUVRE MUSEUM DIANA S OFFICE AS BEFORE PRESENT DAY THE PHOTOGRAPH Diana, in WONDER WOMAN ARMOR, and her TEAM. DIANA To end war and bring peace to mankind. She contemplates the faces of friends long dead, her eyes linger on STEVE TREVOR. DIANA But now I ve touched the darkness that lives in between the light. Seen the terrible things men do to each other in the name of hatred. and the lengths they ll go to for love. beat And now I know that only love can truly save the world. beat So I stay and I fight and I give for the love I know can be. This is my mission now. Forever. Diana takes Steve s watch from her pocket, turns it over in her hand twice, feels its smoothness. The watch has stopped and has been stopped since the moment Steve died. She places the watch beside the photograph. AT HER COMPUTER Diana is typing an email, BRUCE WAYNE s name the recipient Thanks for bringing him back to me. Just as Diana presses SEND, a news alert pops up on her screen. A fire has broken out in a downtown building, people trapped. SMASH ROOFTOP DAY Diana in her WONDER WOMAN ARMOR stands atop a building, smiles Then she leaps right AT us, into action SMASH CUT TO BLACK. FADE IN THEMYSCIRA NIGHT POSTCREDITS SCENE. NOTE This is a POSTCREDITS SCENE, leading to JUSTICE LEAGUE. On the SAME CLIFF where Diana saw Steve s plane, HIPPOLYTA stands on the shore, looking out over the ocean, thinking about her daughter. A beat. Then Hippolyta turns as if she hears something just as VENELIA rides up to her. Venelia dismounts. VENELIA My Queen HIPPOLYTA I know. The Mother Box. it has awoken. Alert everyone. PENETRALIUM NIGHT In the center of the PENETRALIUM PUSH IN ON THE MOTHER BOX. IT GLOWS. HIPPOLYTA Something terrible is coming. THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH BOND GUN BARREL LOGO OPENS ON GENEVA SWITZERLAND, an unnaturally clean city that melds old Europe with new money of both dubious and legitimate source. HALLWAY OFFICE BUILDING DAY An engraved brass plaque announcing the name of the private banking institute within. PENTHOUSE BANK OFFICE GENEVA DAY JAMES BOND, dressed impeccably as ever, is being FRISKED by three THUGS in Armani suits. They remove A GUN from inside his jacket, a wellconcealed knife, a metal case, laying them on the desk that separates Bond and. LACHAISE.an extremely wellgroomed gentleman. Behind him, three floortoceiling windows lead out to a rooftop garden. LACHAISE Not the usual Swiss procedure, Mr. Bond, but you understand, a man in my position.. BOND Which is neutral, no doubt. Lachaise takes the joke a little tightlipped. Gestures for Bond to sit. A GIRL ENTERS, a gorgeous Swiss bombshell in a pinstriped suit. She pushes a cart. On it are a BRIEFCASE and a box of EXPENSIVE CIGARS, which she offers to Lachaise and Bond. LACHAISE It wasn t easy, but I retrieved the money. No doubt Sir Robert will be pleased to see it again. The efficient Cigar Girl brings the briefcase to Bond, setting it in his lap and opening it up.inside is a good deal of CASH in pound sterling. LACHAISE In the current exchange rate, minus the fees, of course, and certain unforeseeable expenses. Here is the receipt. The CIGAR GIRL offers Bond a RECEIPT. CIGAR GIRL Would you like to check my figures BOND Perhaps later. She steps back. Bond reaches for the metal case on the desk.the THUGS TENSE. BOND My glasses. Lachaise nods. Bond can have his glasses. He puts them on, gives a cursory look at the receipt.an odd number in pound sterling, calculated down to the penny . LACHAISE It s all there. Bond folds the receipt, slips it into his WALLET.then, he removes the glasses, slowly, deliberately, eyeing Lachaise. BOND I didn t come for the money. The report you sold him was stolen from an MI agent, who was killed for it. He takes a photo from his jacket and lays it on the desk. LACHAISE I did not get the report from an MI agent. BOND Who did you get it from LACHAISE I am just a middle man. I am doing the honourable thing and returning the money to its rightful owner. BOND And we know how difficult that can be for the Swiss. LACHAISE controlled fury) Your last chance. Take the money. BOND Your last chance. Give me the name. LACHAISE Stripped of all your weaponry, you still threaten me He nods. An Armani thug steps up and takes out a gun. BOND Perhaps you failed to take into account my.hidden assets. Bond s mouth edges into a smile. A flicker of doubt on Lachaise s face as Bond s finger finds a protrusion on the tiny arm of his glasses and. KABOOM The pistol on the table FLASHES.blinding those around, they cover their eyes, stagger back.it is a brief effect, just enough to disorient the thugs and give Bond his opening. He KARATECHOPS HENCHMAN unconscious, taking his gun. Kicks HENCHMEN in the face and throws OUT THE WINDOW just as they re getting their bearings. Now he nestles the barrel of his borrowed hand gun into the hollow of Lachaise s cheek. BOND The name LACHAISE I can t tell you. Bond cocks the gun) Alright, alright But you must protect me And he freezes. The handle of a THROWING KNIFE is sticking out of his neck. Bond looks up, catches sight of the CIGAR GIRL as she vaults out the broken window and onto THE ROOF. Bond rushes to the window. VERANDAH ROOFS GENEVA DAY She swings on a WIRE across to another roof, quickly disappearing into shadows. Bond can hear sirens approaching. He returns to. THE OFFICE.he grabs the money and moves fast for the door, casually slipping that cigar into his pocket. Except Henchman has recovered, blocks his way, gun in hand. He starts to squeeze the trigger when a RED DOT appears on his chest.another window SHATTERS as a bullet zings through and pierces the henchman in the heart. Bond looks back once at the shattered window, then heads BANK GENEVA DAY Bond appears on the top floor of the grand old building, by the elevator. Looks over the balcony, sees figures on the stairs. Hears the elevator cage start from below. Thinking fast, he wrenches open the steel gate, leans into the lift shaft, watches the elevator COUNTERWEIGHT as it comes down. Almost nonchalant, he steps. STAIRWELL ELEVATOR SHAFT DAY As the cageful of police rises, Bond is now standing on the counterweight, DESCENDING. STREET GENEVA Lunchtime. Faceless business crowds heading for their brief moment of freedom, among them we spot BOND.one of them, with a briefcase and a suit and tie.HOLD on his face, troubled. HOTEL GENEVA DAY The Cigar Girl enters a huge, highceilinged room. Edgy, she approaches a BIG MAN standing on a balcony overlooking the city. Propped against the doorframe, an assassin s RIFLE with LASERSIGHT attached. BINOCULARS are on a tripod, trained on the rooftop below where we can see cops examining the shattered office windows. The man turns. Powerful, deadly, with a military haircut. There is a raised, red scar of an ENTRY WOUND at his temple. It throbs and shifts with the slightest facial expression, like an insect living just beneath his skin. One EYE seems slightly drooping, deadened. The other eye is sharp and black as anthracite. It is a frightening face. This is RENARD. RENARD What s his name Our friend from MI CIGAR GIRL James Bond. RENARD One of M s more accomplished tin soldiers. CIGAR GIRL He could identify me. RENARD If it concerns you.kill him. He touches her cheek and moves into the room, pouring two glasses of wine. RENARD Let s toast this James Bond. We re in his hands now. RIVER THAMES LONDON DAY A SEAPLANE swoops over the Millennium Dome, banks along the snaking river. MI LONDON DAY Tate Gallery in background, the seaplane moors beneath the vast stepped cake that is MI . Bond exits with the suitcase. SECURITY, MI DAY MOVES with Bond as he enters this secret, hitech world. He passes through countless security procedures, watched by an attentive staff. Bond scoops the money out of the suitcase. Three million sterling in tightly bundled hundreds makes quite a sight. He flicks his finger through the last wad, tosses it down wistfully. A blue light scans it on three axis. The money is bundled into a clear plastic bag, put on a tray and wheeled through a series of barred enclosures into the SECURE ROOM. Bond hands the suitcase to a STAFF MEMBER. BOND Have this checked, see what you can get off it. MONEYPENNY S OFFICE, MI DAY Bond appears, hiding something behind his back. Moneypenny brightens. MONEYPENNY James. Brought me a souvenir from Geneva He produces the cigar, now in a large phallic TUBE. Stands it end up on the desk. BOND Thought you might want one of these. MONEYPENNY beat, deadpan) I gave up a long time ago. nods to M s door) She s in with Sir Robert. M S OFFICE, MI DAY Bond enters. SIR ROBERT KING is perched on the edge of M s desk. Two glasses, a bottle of scotch open. M Sir Robert King, James Bond. King moves toward Bond with an easy, patrician smile. Bond notes a TINY BADGE in his lapel like the glass eye of a stuffed snake. SIR ROBERT Thanks for getting my money back never expected to see it again. You re the kind of man I could use. Though I won t offend certain parties by asking you to join King Industries. King looks to M, smiling. BOND Construction s not exactly my line. M Quite the opposite, in fact. She couldn t resist. King smiles at Bond. As he goes, he gives M a respectful kiss on the cheek. The door closes. M turns. BOND Old friend M Since Oxford. I knew him when he had nothing but a brilliant mind and enough guts to conquer the world. He s a man of great integrity. BOND Who buys classified reports for three million pounds. M picks up the report from her desk. Bond notices it is in Russian, with a SEAL from a Russian military agency in the corner MIRATOM. M It s a report on weapons security in the former Soviet Union, which, as you know, is shaky at best. He s had several instances of sabotage at the pipeline, and he s understandably concerned. He called me the moment he realized its sensitive nature. She pours a scotch for Bond. He drops some ice in, thoughtful. BOND Someone was watching over me in Geneva. A guardian angel with a laser sight. He stops, rubs his thumb and forefinger together a strange SIZZLING where he touched the ice. Realization sinks in. BOND King. M sees the seriousness in his eyes stabs at the intercom MONEY PENNY S OFFICE, MI Moneypenny s eyes shoot to the intercom console M filtered) Moneypenny, stop King leaving. MONEYPENNY flicking switch) Security CORRIDORS, MI Sir Robert King and an MI AIDE walk toward SECURITY. Q DIVISION, MI Q and his men are working on a strange halfbuilt BOAT suspended over a water tank. Q ..the hydro boat can operate in three inches of water. He looks up as Bond runs through. SECURITY, MI THE MONEY lies on the tray, wrapped in plastic. Sir Robert approaches, two rows of security bars between him and the cash. An official produces a bag and moves toward it SIR ROBERT Thanks, but I ll count it myself. apologetic, smiles) Lifetime habit. I m Scottish. LOWER CORRIDORS SECURITY AREA, MI Bond shoots around the corner just in time to see Sir Robert disappearing past the THICK STEEL DOOR of the secure room. BOND Stop King SECURITY, MI The shout is muffled, Sir Robert s more interested in the money. He continues toward , that PIN on his lapel emits a serene HUM and we CLOSE ON THE METAL STRIP IN ONE NOTE AS IT CRACKLES AND KABOOM A MASSIVE EXPLOSION. LOWER CORRIDORS/SECURITY AREA, MI MAYHEM. FIRE blasts out of the open doorway just as Bond reaches it. The STEEL DOOR flies toward him. He dives MI RIVER The building rocks. SMOKE is pouring from a HOLE that s appeared in a lower tier. A wall and a section of roof gone. MI RIVER A figure staggers out, shaken. Catching his breath. BOND. ECU CIGAR GIRL Lining up Bond with her infrared telescopic sight. ANGLE ON BOND In the swirling dust and smoke, he suddenly sees a wand of red light, pointing at his chest. All instinct, he dives for cover. Powerful, high velocity bullet hits blanket the area. Bond prepares to return fire, scanning around for the source. Through the debris he spots an unusual, hitech BOAT on the river long and narrow and low. A figure on board. THE CIGAR GIRL. ANGLE ON CIGAR GIRL She FIRES OFF A ROUND OF SHOTS, forcing Bond back into cover. Then she guns the engines and SPEEDS OFF down the Thames. MI Determined, Bond races back into the wreckage. MI Bond races through the chaos that is MI and into. Q DIVISION Where he leaps into the prototype BOAT. Q protests. Q It s not finished Bond looks at the mystifying number of buttons and gadgets .presses something red and.THE BOAT LEAPS OUT, ENGINE ROARING. SLIPWAY RIVER DAY THE THEME KICKS IN AS JAMES BOND, in the Q boat, SHOOTS OUT of the MI rubble and onto the Thames. RIVER THAMES DAY Bond can see the Cigar Girl up ahead.he is closing the distance. She catches sight of him in pursuit. CIGAR GIRL BOAT DAY She pushes the boat to its limit, it roars to a new level of speed.the chase is on. THAMES DAY Police speedboats, alerted by the commotion, trail Bond. ON THE EMBANKMENT Police cars scream alongside, sirens wailing. ON THE THAMES Bond is losing ground as he and the Cigar Girl weave through traffic on the Thames. In a gutsy bid to keep pace, he corrals the Q boat into a hairraising SHORTCUT, shooting off. UNDERNEATH A PIER He maneuvers the boat under the low pier and emerges EVEN CLOSER to his prey. CIGAR GIRL BOAT DAY The Cigar Girl stops her boat, moving to the back, manning her large, rearmountain MACHINE GUN and taking aim at Bond. RIVER THAMES DAY Bond continues at full speed, fearless in the hail of bullets ricocheting off the vessel. THE CIGAR GIRL Remains calm and cool, shooting with precision. BOND closes in. CIGAR GIRL S eyes widen as. BOND STEERS HIS BOAT RIGHT OVER THE MACHINE GUN AND TURRET. Cigar Girl dives out of the way, as her boat becomes a RAMP, LAUNCHING the Q boat INTO THE AIR before it dives, nose first, into the Thames. CIGAR GIRL BOAT CIGAR GIRL gets up from the deck and sees BOND, turning his boat to close in for the kill. She scrambles to the helm and SPEEDS OFF, seeing ahead of her. TOWER BRIDGE Just beginning to open, to allow for passage of a small tanker. CIGAR GIRL BOAT She streaks toward the bridge, Bond lagging behind. ON BOND As he looses her boat in the distance, he makes a DESPERATE MOVE.he cranks the wheel of his boat and veers off, UP A SLIPWAY and into. FISH MARKET Where the boat hydroplanes on masses of surface water and propels him into LONDON STREET The hurtling boat causes mayhem and panic as he wrestles with the controls, jetting off the street and straight toward. RIVERSIDE RESTAURANT Bond s boat crashes right through it, sending diners LEAPING in every direction. The Q boat SHOOTS OUT over the balcony and splashes down once more into. THAMES DAY Cigar Girl is now clearly in his sights. She is amazed to see that Bond has managed to overtake her. The racing boats dice through an armada of lazy, overloaded BARGES, nearly crashing into the much larger vessels. AT EVEN PACE NOW.Cigar Girl attempts to force her way past him, but Bond, punching buttons on the console of the Qboat, releases a set of catapulting FLAME CANNISTERS which create a massive WALL OF FIRE ahead of them. CIGAR GIRL is forced toward the very edge of the river.the jig is almost up, and then. HER P.O.V. She spots the launching of a HOT AIR BALLOON from the base of the massive MILLENNIUM DOME. She skids her vessel to a stop at a nearby pier and quickly scrambles out of her boat. MILLENNIUM DOME DAY .A crowd around a RICHARD BRANSONlike figure about to climb into his HOT AIR BALLOON. The Cigar Girl, brandishing her gun, forces her way through the crowd and LEAPS INTO THE BALLOON CARRIAGE, just ready to lift off. She cranks open the gas nozzles and the balloon rises with surprising speed. BOND S BOAT DAY Bond steers his craft toward a slipway adjacent to the pier and SHOOTS UP INTO THE AIR. MILLENNIUM DOME An amazing sight.Bond s boat sailing through the air just beneath the balloon. With split second precision he reaches up and GRABS ONE OF THE ROPES dangling down from the balloon. Bond finds himself being CARRIED THROUGH THE AIR as his boat falls away from him, hitting the ground and ERUPTING into a ball of flame. HOT AIR BALLOON As Bond is carried higher and higher, the Cigar Girl begins FIRING AT HIM over the edge of the carriage. Bond, with ONE HAND, returns fire. CIGAR GIRL then leans over the edge of the carriage and begins to SLICE THE ROPE that Bond is hanging from. The fibers split and fray away from each other as. BOND FALLS, heading straight toward. THE MILLENNIUM DOME, which the balloon has drifted over. AS HE PLUMMETS DOWNWARD.Bond, never surrendering, still FIRES HIS WEAPON up at the balloon. A bullet hits the gas tank. BALLOON DAY The BALLOON EXPLODES IN A MASSIVE FIREBALL taking the Cigar Girl with it. MILLENNIUM DOME DAY Bond lands with a spectacular thudding bounce, the roof of the Millennium Dome breaking his fall. MILLENNIUM DOME ROOF DAY He slides uncontrollably down the slope of the Dome as scraps of burning balloon rain down all around, before he FALLS OFF THE EDGE of the Dome and lands with a THUD ON. THE GROUND BELOW He struggles up, wincing in SEARING PAIN as his hand goes to his INJURED SHOULDER. He hold it, and looks up, into the sky as we zero in on the iris of. HIS EYE reflecting the massive smoke cloud from the explosion as the screen transforms into. THE MAIN TITLES COUNTRY ESTATE, LOCH LOMOND DAY BAGPIPES. A chapel atop a green slope overlooking the waters of Loch Lomond. A long line of mourners files out at the end of a memorial service. They mill about on the lawn, among them, M, grim faced, BILL TANNER, CHIEF OF STAFF and JAMES BOND, his arm in a black sling. Bond, ever vigilant, scans the crowd. HIS P.O.V. It s like a state funeral. Rich and powerful people, government ministers, chief executives from around the world.and then. FAR OFF, on a DISTANT RISE, he sees a BIG MAN, not one of the mourners but an isolated observer, standing alone, wearing sunglasses and a military haircut. The man seems to see Bond looking at him. M Bond, we ll meet you inside. Bond looks at her for a brief second.when he turns back, the man is gone, like an APPARITION. Bond walks off, up the grassy slope, toward the rise. THE VIEW ACROSS THE VALLEY Bond stands on the hill, looking below. He sees nothing but a green carpet, not a tree to hide behind. He hears a crunch of leaves.turns. HIS P.O.V. A WOMAN, in mourning black, coming up the hill. Her china doll face is both fragile and proud. WOMAN Beautiful, isn t it BOND Yes. She steps up to the ridge with him. A breeze blows her hair. They stare The sun s rays have broken the clouds and strafe the valley. WOMAN Today, of all days, the sun decides to shine. BOND Perhaps Sir Robert had a word with the Man Upstairs. WOMAN A word I m sure by now he s engineered a hostile takeover. BOND You knew him well The sun glints off her bejewelled earlobe. WOMAN He was my father. BOND I m sorry. WOMAN He died before he could complete his lifelong dream. beat) I intend to finish it for him. A voice interrupts them, calling from the estate. OLDER MAN Elektra ELEKTRA Excuse me. She walks away, the wind pressing her dress against her delicate figure. She looks brave and vulnerable as she walks back toward her father s grand house. LIMOUSINE TRAVELING DAY M, Bond and Tanner in the rear of a limousine. The vehicle swoops through the epic countryside of the Scottish Highlands. M Elektra Running King Industries she broods I ve known that girl all her life. I m not sure she knows what she s walking into. BOND She s not a girl anymore. M looks at Bond. Eyes his sling. M I ve scheduled a medical for you. BOND It s barely a scratch. The Dome broke my fall. M Well, at least it turned out to have some purpose. Bond gives her a look. M Noone goes into the field on this unless they re %. Dr. Greatrex is waiting. CASTLE THANE HIGHLANDS DAY The limousine swoops under the portcullis, into a courtyard. ADJUST ANGLE to reveal huge antennae and satellite dishes within. SUPER MI REMOTE OPERATIONS CENTRE, SCOTLAND CORRIDOR CASTLE THANE Bond walks through the corridors. Just before he enters the medical room, he removes his sling and casually drapes it on a suit of armor. MEDICAL ROOM CASTLE THANE DAY Bond sits on the couch, shirt off, awaits the results of his medical. The very attractive DOCTOR GREATREX looks at her notes. DOCTOR GREATREX Dislocated collar bone. If any more tendons snap. looks up It won t just be two weeks out of action. BOND I need you to pass me fit now, Molly. She moves to him, touches the scarred and bruised bone. BOND It s just a scratch. DOCTOR GREATREX James. It wouldn t really be. His hand comes up, rests on her waist. BOND Ethical Can t we just skirt the issue And he pulls down the zip on her skirt. Flicks the clasp and it drops to the floor. She shakes her head as he starts undoing the buttons on her shirt. She s very businesslike, despite what s happening. DOCTOR GREATREX .if you showed sufficient.willpower. Promised to slow down. Cut out running, jumping.shooting. All kinds of. And he pulls her toward him, they kiss. BOND Strenuous activity Her shirt drops to the floor. She pushes him back, lies on him. Just wearing knickers now. Between kisses DOCTOR GREATREX Then maybe I d be. open to that. BOND smiles Perhaps after this . test DOCTOR GREATREX .yes. BOND I could come for a second opinion BRIEFING ROOM, CASTLE THANE MI HQ LATER A huge chandelier dominates the vast stone room. SEVERAL AGENTS listen to the debriefing. ROBINSON and M watch TANNER explain things; he holds a FIFTY POUND NOTE and KING S LAPEL PIN now blackened, fused, melted to expose electronics beneath . TANNER .The money was dipped in urea, dried, and packed tight. In one note the metal strip had been replaced with a combustible magnesium circuit in effect a tiny detonator. King always wore a pin in his lapel, an heirloom called the Eye of the Glens ; but someone switched it for a copy, a ceramic micro circuit emitting an electronic signature. ANGLE on BOND as he enters the room. He hangs back in the shadows, watches Tanner mime the pin moving to the note TANNER When he came within range of the money boom. Ingenious. M steps forward. Her fury controlled. M We ve been pawns in someone s game. They tricked us into bringing the money to King. Not just elaborate. Cocksure. TANNER And expensive. Cost three million plus. Suddenly the chandelier darkens, the floor brightens into a VAST SCREEN, showing a satellite image of Central Asia and the Mediterranean. M and Robinson walk onto the screen. M Cheap, if it achieves your aim of de stabilizing the Western World. She causes the desired stir. Bond steps forward from the shadows to get a better view. M sees the sling has gone. M . What do you know of the Caspian Sea BOND Caviar capital of the world. Matchless beluga. Firm, yet subtle. M looks askance Largest landlocked body of water on Earth. Oilrich. Hitler wanted it. Stalin beat him to it. M And now it s up for grabs, a goldrush. Far more oil than anyone thought. ROBINSON Latest estimates, six trillion dollars. It ll make the Gulf look like a puddle, see us right through the new century. The problem is getting the oil out of there. M There are four pipelines in the works. Three to the Black Sea, shipping out through the Bosphorus. All vulnerable to unstable governments or Russian blockade. BOND So Sir Robert s goes through Turkey, direct to the Med. ROBINSON A huge project. The most expensive of the pipelines, but the one supported by every Western leader. None of the American oil companies were willing to take it on. But King has connections to the region. He married into the Vavra family, rich local industrialists. He used those connections to hold it all together. BOND Kill the man, kill the pipeline. M Not necessarily. Not with Elektra taking over. Tanner notices a RED LIGHT start pulsing. He moves to M TANNER Your call to the PM. M nods grimly. As Robinson distributes sealed envelopes M Our credibility has been hit hard. We have to hit back harder. Your assignments. They open their envelopes, but Bond received nothing. M to Bond I m waiting for the report on your medical. She leaves. Bond is brooding. RESEARCH ROOM, CASTLE THANE MI HQ NIGHT An ancient nook chock full of hitech equipment. Bond concentrates on a screen displaying PHOTOGRAPHS, NEWSPAPER AND TELEVISION CLIPS all to do with King s life and times. Bond touches the screen on a photo of.ELEKTRA. SCREEN One story dominates the KIDNAPPING OF ELEKTRA KING. A Polaroid of Elektra savagely beaten, ear bandaged, holding a newspaper beneath the photo is scrawled $ NEWSCASTER .somehow managed to shoot two of her captors and escape. POLICE VIDEO Elektra interviewed; bruised, emotional. VOICE . the leader, the one who escaped. Can you describe him ELEKTRA He shouted. He shouted all the time Bond touches Elektra s face, freezing her tears. His eyes wander to the photo with the ransom demand $ A thought forms. He takes out his wallet, opening it and removing THE RECEIPT FROM LACHAISE. E.C.U. The strange figure, in pounds . Bond taps some keys. The words EXCHANGE RATE appear on the screen.pounds to dollars. He enters  POUNDS STERLING and through multiplication by the exchange rate this becomes  , , US DOLLARS. He stares at it. PASSAGEWAY CASTLE THANE MI HQ DUSK Bond paces the flagstones, FOOTSTEPS ECHOING. BRIEFING ROOM CASTLE THANE MI HQ Bond opens the door on M who stands alone by the window, looking out at the long shadows on the moors. BOND Tell me about the kidnapping of Elektra King. She turns, her brow furrowing. M Who told you to look at Elektra s files BOND I took the initiative. M You haven t been given an assignment in this case. BOND I was the one who brought that money in. M I m well aware of your stake in this, . If you have a point, get to it. BOND The amount of money that killed Robert King is the same amount as the ransom demand for Elektra. He hands her a slip of paper. BOND Whoever kidnapped Elektra is the same man who killed her father. M looks at the paper, a long time. M It s a message. He wants us to know he s back. BOND Who M Claude Serrault. A.K.A. BOND this is serious Renard. BRIEFING ROOM, CASTLE THANE MI HQ NIGHT A HUGE, TRANSPARENT D IMAGE OF RENARD S SKULL floats in the centre of the room. Other images of him on wall screens. M Sir Robert tried to deal with the kidnapping with his own.resources, at first. When Elektra s ear was delivered to him in the post, he came to me. measured I advised against paying the ransom. I knew it was Renard. I played it out as long as possible to get a fix on him. BOND Sacrifice the girl to take out the terrorist M How many deaths is he responsible for How many innocent people You may only get one shot at a man like Renard. Same circumstances, I d do the same again. She turns to the hologram. M We sent down to kill him. Before he could, Elektra escaped. A week later our man caught up with the target. Put a bullet in his head. beat That bullet is still there. Bond moves toward the ghostly Renard. We now see THE BULLET INSIDE HIS SKULL. BOND He survived M The doctor who saved him couldn t get it out, so Renard killed him. When Interpol found the xrays, there was mild jubilation. Effectively, he s a dead man. She presses a button, the hologram turns. M The bullet is moving through the medulla oblongata, killing off his sense of touch. He feels no pain. He can push himself harder, longer than any normal man. BOND That which does not kill me makes me stronger. M Now Robert is dead. He got his revenge. BOND He s not through yet. Renard doesn t blow up five million dollars unless he knows there s more coming in. He s working for someone. Someone who wants to stop the pipeline. And they hired the perfect killer. One with a vendetta against King.and you. MONEYPENNY ENTERS with a file, which she hands to M. M looks over the file his medical report. M I see the good doctor gave you glowing testimonials. Exceptional stamina . MONEYPENNY He s always been good at oral exams. Moneypenny disappears out the door. M is all business. M Get out to the pipeline. Find the insider who switched the pin. If your instincts are right, Renard will be back. He hasn t completed the job. The pipeline is still going forward, and we have Elektra to thank for that. BOND The worm on the hook again. They exchange a look. A look of recognition between two professionals, who know the terrible price of what they do. Q S LAB NIGHT A Scot in a kilt plays the bagpipes badly. He spins round, drops the pipe from his mouth, simultaneously fires bullets from one pipe and a jet of flame from another. The target is a realistic dummy now a molten, bulletridden mess. We re in Q s laboratory. He s walking Bond through. BOND Scottish heavy metal, Q Q Oh pipe down, . irritated, hands over a WATCH Your th. Try not to lose this one. It has dual lasers and a miniature grappling hook with fifty feet of hightensile microfilament, able to support pounds. In the background, we see a man in a sleek black jacket. The man PULLS A STRING.the jacket becomes AN AIRBAG.it envelopes him, he gets impossibly tangled in it. Q ignores it, handing Bond a new pair of GLASSES. Q New refinement. Sort of Xray vision. For checking concealed weapons. BOND And other uses, no doubt. Q Abuses in your case. You destroyed my hydroboat in less than seven minutes, as no doubt will be the case with this. He presses a button and a section of ceiling lowers to reveal a BMW Z . A MAN in a white coat is loading A MISSILE into one of the headlamps, then steps off the platform. Q gestures to him. Q , my Deputy Assistant. I m grooming him to follow me. BOND to Man That would make you. R R Ahh, the rampant wit. I, of course, am laughing inside. But I dare say you ve met your match in this machine. touring the car The absolute latest in intercepts, surveillance and countermeasures. Titanium plating and armor, a multi tasking headsup display. Completely indestructible. All in all, rather stocked. Q Fully loaded I think is the term. R pats the fender, he s pretty damned fond of his machine. R Do take good care of her. CONSTRUCTION SITE, NEAR CAUCASUS MOUNTAINS DAY A hot day. soars over tall trees. We can just make out the sleek muscular car, beetleblack and far below, bouncing over rough terrain. Bond taking care of his new BMW Z . BOND S CAR NR CAUCASUS MOUNTAINS DAY We join Bond at the wheel, driving hard, loving it, pushing up extreme inclines, smashing through overhanging limbs. PERIMETER FENCE, CONSTRUCTION SITE, NEAR CAUCASUS MOUNTAINS DAY Bond reaches a PERIMETER FENCE, manned by a GUARD. The guard examines Bond s PASS and waves him through. AIRSTRIP AREA NEAR CONSTRUCTION SITE, NEAR CAUCASUS MOUNTAINS DAY OLD SC. As Bond drives on he passes an area where HELICOPTERS trailing GIANT SAWS are trimming back trees. Felled trees are being dragged away, being replaced by huge metal sheets. An incredibly fast and welloiled operation but why CONSTRUCTION SITE, NEAR CAUCASUS MOUNTAINS DAY Bond pulls up at the CONSTRUCTION SITE, teeming with ultra modern robotic construction machines and vehicles. He gets out, and is immediately surrounded by men with guns. A man in a suit steps forward. DAVIDOV is tall, blonde, with a dangerous charm Bond instantly recognizes as exKGB. He turns Bond around, hands on the car. Pats him down. Pulls out an ID, checks it DAVIDOV excellent English Bond. A government man. I m afraid since you English got the boss killed we ve been a little.jumpy. Bond stares ahead, watches a PRIVATE JET swoops past. OMITTED AIRSTRIP AREA NEAR CONSTRUCTION SITE, NEAR CAUCASUS MOUNTAINS DAY The jet lands on a runway of the metal sheets Bond saw being laid as he passed. CONSTRUCTION SITE, NEAR CAUCASUS MOUNTAINS DAY Davidov pulls out Bond s gun. BOND re gun I d rather you didn t play with that. Davidov ignores him, looking the gun over. DAVIDOV Nice. BOND Quite stunning. Bond turns to watch a LIFTING HELICOPTER swoop in and drop down an airconditioned office. Military precision. Davidov s radio crackles out a message and he tosses the gun back to Bond. They start walking DAVIDOV pleasant Sorry about all that, comrade. Old habits die hard. I am Head of Security. Davidov. Bond eyes him, but is distracted by a jet coming to a halt ahead of them. Stairs swing down and out steps ELEKTRA KING. Beautiful, elegant. So out of place in this world of men. She surveys the worksite. Impressed, Bond takes his ID back from Davidov. OFFICE, CONSTRUCTION SITE Bond and Davidov step into a fully functioning office. Everything Elektra requires is here. Computer, phones, drinks cabinet. She is in the middle of a group of workmen and secretaries, looking at plans, talking, pouring herself a cup of coffee. ELEKTRA to Foreman .they should have been in place two days ago. That is the target my father set. FOREMAN We ve had some trouble with the villagers at Ruan. Some sacred burial plot. DAVIDOV Miss King.James Bond here to see you. She looks up.a brief moment of RECOGNITION.then back to business. ELEKTRA Find me the research on the limestone deposits, go ahead and place these orders, and get the jeep ready. I will go to Ruan myself. DAVIDOV Miss King, I wouldn t recommend. ELEKTRA I said, I will go. She signs some documents and the men file She gets up, turning her back to Bond, hands on her hips. ELEKTRA Would you excuse us, Davidov Davidov nods and leaves. Elektra still keeps her back turned, but he can see her physically change, her shoulders sag, her arms cross in front of her. When she finds her voice, it has a gravelly sound of emotion. ELEKTRA I met you at my father s funeral. BOND Yes. ELEKTRA I haven t been able to recall a single moment of that day.until now. BOND Funerals aren t exactly memorable. ELEKTRA God no. All those horrible loved ones and relatives. I don t want to talk to those people. I just want to.talk to my father. beat I loved him. I m not sure he knew that. BOND Is that why you want to finish the pipeline ELEKTRA Partially, yes. Her muscleman BODY GUARD appears, says briefly GABOR The jeep is ready, Ma am. Will I be driving with you ELEKTRA No, Gabor. We have a guest. Gabor glares at Bond before he leaves. BOND Who is he ELEKTRA My bodyguard. He follows me everywhere. He s decisive, vigilant. And he makes an excellent omelette. BOND How long has he been with you ELEKTRA Since the kidnapping. Why do you ask Bond takes something out of his pocket, he opens his palm, shows it to her. BOND Does this look familiar to you ELEKTRA It s my father s pin. He wore it everyday of his life. She swallows back emotion. Looks in his eyes, with a sad half smile that unsettles him. ELEKTRA Are you trying to break my heart Or is it just your way with women BOND It s not the pin your father wore. It s an exact duplicate. Inside is a tiny electrical detonator. We have reason to believe the assassin had an inside accomplice, someone who worked at this company. ELEKTRA If you ve come here to look after me, Mr. Bond, thank you, but no thank you. I have two bodyguards, I don t need a third. She starts to walk He follows her. CONSTRUCTION SITE BOND The killer doesn t want to see this pipeline continue, doesn t want to see you take over. ELEKTRA That s every man within a five mile radius. Including you. off his look That s why you re here, isn t it You think I can t do it. You think I m going to screw up. Or get myself killed. BOND I think running this pipeline would be a difficult job for anyone. Especially King s daughter. ELEKTRA You are wrong, Mr. Bond. In fact, I am the only person who can do it. JEEP, TRAVELING OILFIELDS DAY Elektra drives the allterrain jeep with casual assurance. Bond is beside her, coldweather gear in the back. They re following a huge pipeline, passing a blighted petrified forest of twisted iron derelict oil derricks. Elektra gestures at the oil fields they re now leaving behind. Receding into the distance, a DELTA OF ROADWAYS perched on rusting stilts juts out into the sea. ELEKTRA My mother s people discovered oil here ninety years ago. The Bolsheviks slaughtered them for it. beat Some say oil is in my family s blood. I say our blood is in the oil. This is the very heart of the planet. Up here in the hills was Eden, literally. Look what the Russians did to it. Now we have a second chance and this time we ll do it right. When the other wells have all dried up, she ll still be pumping her lifeblood to the world. And this proudly, of pipeline Will be one of the main arteries. OMITTED FROM HELICOPTER DAY Bond and Elektra travel beside the vast pipe through dramatic, beautiful, scenery. HELICOPTER DAY Davidov and Gabor, in the helicopter, watch the jeep below. CONSTRUCTION CAMP, FOOTHILLS OF THE CAUCASUS MOUNTAINS CAPPADOCIA, THE VILLAGE OF ZELVE DAY The jeep reaches a break in the pipe a SURVEY CAMP, flags, strings. The SURVEY CREW cower behind a WD, local tribesman are stoning them from a village carved into the rock. A lot of SHOUTING. Before Bond can stop her, Elektra gets out, moves toward the tribesmen. The stoning ceases. They know who she is. She begins to speak quietly in their own tongue. CHAPEL, ZELVE DAY A stunning preByzantine chapel hewn from the rock. Flames illuminate beautiful mosaics and paintings on the cavern wall. A COPTIC PRIEST proudly shows Elektra about, jabbering in his mother tongue. She answers in his language. Bond watches her, impressed. CONSTRUCTION CAMP DISTORTED ELECTRONIC , FROM ABOVE We hear the click of highpowered electronic binoculars, zeroing in on Bond and Elektra as they return to the survey team. This can t be Davidov s view, as the helicopter has settled down below. CONSTRUCTION CAMP, FOOTHILLS OF MOUNTAINS DAY Bond is edgy. Someone is out there. He s sure of it. He sees Davidov and Gabor scanning the area as well. Elektra speaks to the foreman. ELEKTRA Send the pipe around. FOREMAN It will take weeks, cost millions. Your father approved this route. ELEKTRA Then my father was wrong. The first time Elektra has asserted her own authority. The foreman is surprised, angry. But he doesn t question her. She moves toward the helicopter, says to Bond ELEKTRA I have to check the upper lines. Gabor will drive you back. BOND Always wanted to see the upper lines. ELEKTRA You don t take no for an answer, do you BOND No. She shrugs, mischief in her eyes. ELEKTRA Alright then. Do you ski Bond just smiles. BOND I ve been known to. INT/ HELICOPTER DAY The chopper swoops over SNOWY WASTES. It reaches a mountain peak, hovers. The wind is strong, buffeting. Elektra and Bond are both now in ski suits, Bond wearing a sleek black jacket. PILOT Can t land. Wind s too strong ELEKTRA Just hold her steady. to Bond You wanted to see it. She steps into her skis, opens the door. Wind rushes in. MOUNTAIN TOP DAY Without a moment s hesitation, Elektra leaps out of the chopper and falls fifteen feet, landing on the move. INT/ HELICOPTER DAY Unbelieving, Bond quickly dons skis and leaps after her. MOUNTAINS DAY Below him on the mountain, she is already a way ahead. Her skiing is fearless. Bond likes a challenge. They wind down the slope, competitive, testing one another, enjoying it. MOUNTAINSIDE DAY After an exhilarating run, she stops on the edge of a huge drop. Bond joins her. They look down at the snowy valley below. A line of survey FLAGS visible through the middle. ELEKTRA We re building from both ends. This is where they ll meet. Fifteen hundred miles from the Caspian to the Mediterranean. Bond and Elektra stand on the mountainside, feeling like the only two people in the world, when they hear THE DISTANT HUM OF A PLANE. SKY DAY They see FOUR OBJECTS falling out the back of the aircraft. As the objects plummet silently toward the earth, they POP PARACHUTES, their fall slows and then, as Bond and Elektra watch in disbelief. GUNFIRE echoes out from the black shapes, now visible as PARASKIS, lowflying, sleek, deadly snow vehicles. MOUNTAIN TOP DAY Bond turns to Elektra, he has to yell over the sound of the approaching machines. BOND Head for that gully, I ll lure them into the trees He points her off to one side, where a shallow gully offers cover.she skis off to shelter and he skis ..INTO THE OPEN.where the paraskis trail after him. He streaks toward the trees as the vehicles gain on him, firing. FOREST He makes it to the woods, finding cover in the trees, whipping in and out of sight as PARASKI tries to follow, sinking lower and lower until. HIS SKIDS catch on some over hanging branches.the Paraski is CATAPULTED into a tree and EXPLODES. WOODS Coming in to pick up the pursuit of Bond is Paraski , firing down at Bond, dropping bombs which explode just behind him in the snow. The other two paraskis LAND and eject their chutes, now RACING THROUGH THE WOODS on the ground. Bond looks behind him, sees them gaining.he zigzags through the trees and suckers Paraski to glance off one tree, hit another and wipe out behind. But the remaining predator on the ground, Paraski , is gaining on him.Bond bursts out of the trees and finds himself heading toward. THE EDGE OF A PRECIPICE. He cranks himself right, narrowly avoiding a tumble over the edge. Paraski isn t so lucky and SAILS OFF THE CLIFF to a hundred and fifty foot drop. BOND smiling Should have stuck to snowboarding. But the smile is wiped off his face as.AN EMERGENCY PARACHUTE deploys from the back. The Paraski does a climbing turn and heads straight back for him. Bond skis for his life, away from Paraski when PARASKI appears in front of him.guns blazing. One ahead and one behind, Bond turns back.he has nowhere to go but. OVER THE EDGE He sails through the air and lands on the Paraski , slashing the parachute with his ski pole before bouncing off and doing an amazing tumbling hundred foot fall to the snow, where he lands on his skis. Paraski four, the chute tangling in the rotors of its propeller, struggles to maintain control, his vehicle inexorably hurtling toward PARASKI  both of them having set their course for Bond, they are now on a collision course with EACH OTHER. IN THE GULLY BELOW Bond meets up with Elektra as above them. The two Paraskis collide, crashing into the snowy hill above and tumbling down, end over end. Bond and Elektra huddle together as shards and debris rain down on them. Then.silence. An eerie silence. ELEKTRA Are they gone All of them Bond nods, ripping from his pole a PIECE OF THE PARACHUTE he slashed and wiping his face with it.he looks at the piece of fabric in his hand. He sees CYRILLIC LETTERS.undecipherable to us.but there is a look on his face, a look of recognition as. AN EARTH RATTLING RUMBLE grows above them. Bond stuffs the parachute fragment in his skisuit as he turns. The exploding Paraskis have triggered AN AVALANCHE on the slope above. MOUNTAINSIDE/AVALANCHE AREA DAY They try to outrun it riding the sliding hill but they haven t a hope. the rest of the snow is catching them, they re going to get swallowed. MOUNTAINSIDE/AVALANCHE AREA DAY The ground shudders, the THUNDER CLOSING. Their ankles are soon covered, Elektra falls. Bond stops, pulls her up. They re about to die. He pulls her to him. BOND Hold on to me. She s confused and frightened but does as she s told. They hold one another tight as here it comes the white fury hurtles over them, burying them. At the last moment, just as their heads vanish from view. CLOSE ON BOND PULLING THE Q GADGET ON THE JACKET. The AIRBAG slams open. The snow covers it and them. More and more snow slides over. SNOW HOLE MOMENTS LATER Darkness. The RUMBLING CEASES. Light emanates from Bond s watch. In the shadows he pulls a knife, punctures the air bag. It deflates, leaving them cocooned in an icy tomb. Elektra looks around, staring, unbelieving. ELEKTRA Oh my God.we re buried alive. BOND We re alright. But her breath is coming in short, irregular bursts. ELEKTRA I can t stay here. BOND You re not going to. Bond takes a knife from a sheath around his ankle. Flicks open the small blade. He starts to cut a hole in the snow above their heads. She stops him. ELEKTRA No It will cave in BOND It s the only way. The snow CREAKS eerily, she gasps, terror mounting. ELEKTRA I can t breathe, I can t breathe. Bond grabs her, holds her tight. She resists, bucks. BOND Elektra, look at me, look in my eyes she does You re alright. Everything will be alright. Trust me. Finally, arrested by the strength in his eyes, she calms. MOUNTAINS MOMENTS LATER A beautiful expanse of smooth virgin snow. All is quiet. CLOSER Bond s fist PUNCHES through the white. He pulls the snow away, climbs Leans in, lifts Elektra Bond and Elektra stand, lone figures in the perfect white. They hear a sound.HELICOPTER ROTORS. Rescue on its way. ELEKTRA S VILLA DAY An establishing shot of Bond s BMW parked outside the ornate villa on the shore of the golden Caspian. ENTRANCE HALL, ELEKTRA S VILLA DAY Palatial. Hallway dominated by a LARGE PAINTING of a bearded man in traditional Turkish garb, sitting proudly on a horse. Davidov, Gabor, waiting, pacing. Bond is sits in a chair, ON EDGE, writing something over and over on a small pad of paper.THE CYRILLIC LETTERS on the parachute fragment. A DOCTOR comes down the grand staircase. The men stand. DOCTOR She s fine. Contusions. A slight strain to her ankle, but otherwise, fine. to Bond She wants to see you. ELEKTRA S BEDROOM SUNSET Bond enters. Elektra is standing by the window watching the golden ball of the sun sink into the sea. She wears nothing but a silk embroidered robe; the sun shows through it, outlining her naked body in soft, shadowy curves. ELEKTRA Are you alright He nods. He is wound tight, she senses it. BOND I can t stay. ELEKTRA I know. A moment. ELEKTRA I need to ask you something. And I need you to tell me the truth. He waits. ELEKTRA Who is it Who is trying to kill me Bond looks at her; vulnerable, fragile, trying to be strong. He cannot tell her the truth. BOND I don t know. But I will find him. She stares at him, sensing he is withholding something. She turns back to the window. He approaches behind her. ELEKTRA After the kidnapping.I was afraid to go outside, to be alone, to be in a crowd, to do anything at all, until I realized. pause There s no point in living if you can t.feel alive. She looks out at the fading sun. ELEKTRA I can t huddle in the shadows. I can t let fear run my life. I won t. She turns to him. ELEKTRA The way I acted, in the snow.you must think I m a coward. BOND I think you re one of the bravest people I ve ever met. She looks up at him, into his eyes; they are so close. All she has to do is tilt her mouth upward.she kisses him. His hands come up across her back, pressing her toward him, her body melting into his, and then. He pulls back. Has to physically step away from her. ELEKTRA What is it BOND .you should rest. That was exactly the wrong thing to say. He sees the rebellion flair in her eyes. ELEKTRA James. BOND I have to go. ELEKTRA Then take me with you. BOND No. You ll be safe here. ELEKTRA I don t want to be safe BOND I have to go to work. He starts toward the door. ELEKTRA Now who s the coward He stops, his back up.then heads out the door. IN THE HALLWAY He passes Gabor, standing faithfully outside. EST. SHOT CASINO NOIR D OR, BAKU NIGHT Elegant, mysterious. A modern day Casablanca. CASINO NOIR D OR, BAKU NIGHT Bond in evening dress in the sumptuous casino. He takes out the Q glasses, slips them on, surveys the room HIS XRAY He can see all the WEAPONS carried by the players. All sizes of pistol, even the odd grenade. The obvious sideeffect of this view he can see through clothes. His eyes alight on two girls walking away from him. One of them turns to look back, unaware that she is on display. She returns Bond s smile. Her friend turns to look. Bond s smile grows she has a small pistol concealed over one breast. CASINO NOIR D OR, BAKU NIGHT He looks over the lenses and spies someone on the fringes. His old adversary, exKGB, VALENTIN ZUKOVSKY, talking to some suspicious types. Zukovsky looks across. Bond walks toward him. BOND Valentin Zukovsky. ZUKOVSKY BondJamesBond. What brings you here BOND You, of course. I need some information. ZUKOVSKY Bond, I m a civilian. This is my place. Used to be the royal family s, now it s mine. I run my little business, I stay out of trouble. BOND looking about Mafia warlords, Diplomats and spies, consortiums from every country in the world. A nice little rat s nest. ZUKOVSKY offering hors d ouevres Have some of the rat s nest caviar. From my own fishery. They buy my caviar, drink my champagne, lose to my House. He turns to a suspiciouslooking Heavy. ZUKOVSKY Let me introduce you to a former colleague of mine at the KGB. Dmitri Palov, you may know him as.the Boa. The Boa is completely bald, muscular; huge, deadly hands. BOA The great . For years I have dreamed of closing my hands around your neck. BOND Boa. Have you had any therapy since Perestroika ZUKOVSKY Why am I suddenly worried I m not carrying enough insurance The Boa leaves, glaring all the while. ZUKOVSKY See You re upsetting my customers. What do you want BOND How does a terrorist like Renard supply his men with stateoftheart Russian Army weapons ZUKOVSKY What This is not possible. Bond takes from his pocket the fragment of the PARACHUTE. Zukovsky examines the letters. BOND If I remember my Cyrillic that says st airborne division. ZUKOVSKY Where did you get this BOND Off a highpowered Paraski that was trying to kill me. Zukovsky shakes his head. Sighs. ZUKOVSKY The Russian Army, they spend millions on flying skis, but they cannot afford to pay the soldiers. The men, they do what they have to do to feed their families. In this country, for the right price and a pack of cigarettes, you can get anything you want. He notices Bond watching THE HOSTESS BAR.a dark alcove of the casino, where slinky HOOKERS flatter the guests. ZUKOVSKY That too. Everyone does what they can to survive. BOND How high up does this.arms dealing go ZUKOVSKY Bond. If someone wants you dead, it is Renard. Our government has nothing to gain by killing you. BOND But you would have something to gain by killing Robert King. And stopping his pipeline. This hits Zukovsky. He closes down. A chill between them. ZUKOVSKY Poor Bond. The cold war is over. What have you got left Economic espionage. Murder in the boardroom. So dull. Bond s eyes catch something, someone entering the casino. HIS  ELEKTRA.more vibrant than we have ever seen her, living up to her name. She is impossibly glamorous in a sparkling dress that fits like second skin. Her hair is full and tumbling, her eyes are fiery and wild. BOND Oh, you d be surprised. Bond starts toward her, but she tosses her head, defiant, and turns away, making her way to the Roulette tables. Bond follows her across the casino. They are like two cats, moving through this neon jungle, their energy dangerous and sexy, all eyes on them. He takes note as she passes.MINIMUM $ , then $ , $ . She finally stops at the No limit table. Crowded with the nastiest and richest of the high rollers, Armenians, Turks, South Americans, a computer nerd American and a Russian industrialist s wife, heavy with jewelry and drink. ZUKOVSKY is suddenly there, pulling out a seat for her in the center. ZUKOVSKY We ve kept your father s chair free. ELEKTRA And his account ZUKOVSKY You have a credit line of a million and a half. He gestures to the Dealer, who pushes ten towering stacks of CHIPS toward her. A WAITRESS is right there to take her order. ELEKTRA Vodka martini. BOND Two. Shaken not stirred. He leans in, smiling his charming smile as he says BOND What the hell are you doing here ELEKTRA smiling right back Someone wants to kill me, I d rather die looking him straight in the eye. lightly What are you doing here Looking for a woman a little more your type How about that one She points to a SHOW GIRL in a feather headdress and pasties. BOND If this little show is for my benefit, I ll take you home right now. ELEKTRA You had your chance, James. Now I m looking for a bigger thrill. She pushes half her chips back onto the table, letting them stand on her bet. The whole table exhales. Then, it starts bets are placed, gamblers energized by her arrival. Bond scans the room, vigilant, nervous. HIS P.O.V. He zeroes in on Davidov, sidling off, away from the table, trying to look nonchalant, his eyes shifting this way and that.he looks suspicious as hell. Bond watches, his blood running, and then. Davidov slips into the HOSTESS BAR. A HOOKER is soon wrapping herself around him. After a few words, she leads him off toward the back. Bond returns to the game, shaking his head. He watches as THE DEALER DEALS FROM THE SHOE. SALON PRIV� NIGHT A small room. Lit by sconces that sport LIVE FLAMES. Tacky luxurious, a refracted Eastern reflection on an old west whore house. Davidov undresses in the little bathroom alcove. He faces a small ornate mirror over the sink, in which he can see THE HOOKER behind him, on the bed. HOOKER You want to be.on top, or not on top DAVIDOV On top. She slowly pulls a pair of SILK ROPES out from her bra and DANGLES THEM. HOOKER Tied up, or not tied up Davidov smiles, struggling with his belt. He looks down, gets it, looks up.his heart stops.it is not the hooker in the mirror but. RENARD S FRIGHTENING FACE. Davidov spins. HIS . Renard s henchman stands by the door, an automatic rifle cocked at Davidov. RENARD Dead, or not dead CASINO THE BLACK JACK TABLE Elektra with black king showing. A seven beneath. BOND I understand it s normally good practice to get the feel of the cards before going off the deep end. ELEKTRA Really And with a smile she scratches her cards on the table for a hit. The Dealer gives her an eight. She reveals her cards. DEALER Bust. He rakes in her chips. But Elektra is undeterred. She pushes another pile forward as the next deal commences. ELEKTRA I like the deep end, James. SALON PRIVE The HENCHMAN holds Davidov against the wall with his huge fist around his neck. Near his head, the live flame of a SCONCE hisses, burning blue and yellow, drawing their fuel from the glass basin of hot oil attached beneath it. The HOOKER, obviously one of Renard s gang, has finished donning her khaki pants and combat boots and straps a gun onto her shoulder. Renard looks distastefully at the room. RENARD Is this how you spend the money I pay you And with the rest you hire fools who shoot like blind men DAVIDOV croaks out Bond. RENARD Should be dead as well. Your failure today is astonishing. It is a disgrace. He approaches close to him, stopping at the flaming SCONCE near his head. RENARD Do you know why the color is blue at the wick Davidov starts to sweat. RENARD Because that is where the flame is the hottest. Renard touches the glass well of oil. RENARD The temperature is close to five hundred degrees. Renard uses his knife and POPS the seal from the lamp, removing the well of oil.a DROP of the hot oil FALLS ON HIS HAND and SINGES IT BLACK in an instant. Renard does not even flinch. Davidov starts talking, trying to placate. DAVIDOV The plane.it s all been arranged. RENARD Then you are completely unnecessary. Renard raises the container of oil over Davidov s head DAVIDOV I have the documents, the landing authorizations, the security passes. Renard stops, the oil tilted, just ready to pour. His dead eye.has it drooped further since we last saw him.seems to glitter in the light. RENARD Bond is suspicious. We are moving sooner, tonight. We understand each other DAVIDOV Yes.yes. Renard lets a TRICKLE OF OIL drop onto Davidov s head. HE SCREAMS as his hair smokes and singes. Renard makes a motion, the THUG releases Davidov, who falls to the floor, clutching his head. CASINO THE BLACK JACK TABLE Another deal. ZUKOVSKY and others watch, as Elektra stakes even more. People move closer for a view. The Dealer shows a five. Elektra shows Bond her cards. Elektra is holding two eights. Dealer s upcard is a six. BOND Stand or split them. She smiles. He holds her gaze. ELEKTRA Surely you believe in living dangerously. BOND Not at that price. Time to surrender. They eye one another a long while sex firmly in the air. She smiles. She moves ALL HER CHIPS forward. Bond catches a look between the Dealer and Zukovsky DEALER The House has no limit. General kerfuffle. Bond looks back toward THE HOSTESS BAR.no sign of Davidov s return. ELEKTRA to Dealer Hit me. The Dealer scoops a card from the shoe. Tension. Everyone holds their breath.as he turns over. a six. Bust. The audience inhale as one AS THE DEALER TAKES ALL HER CHIPS AWAY. Elektra stands. She has dignity in defeat. She turns to Bond, holding out a hand. ELEKTRA Time to surrender. CASINO NIGHT Bond, Elektra, Gabor outside, Davidov soon joining them, trying to look like he hasn t been through hell. Bond notices the burn on his head. Davidov touches it self consciously. DAVIDOV A little accident. BOND A night of burning passion Davidov scowls at him. Bond leads Elektra away. A DISTANT . FROM HIGH ABOVE. Someone watches Bond and Elektra move toward his BMW. HENCHMAN V.O. What about Bond CASINO ROOF RENARD and his henchmen, watching. Renard seems mesmerized by the sight of Bond s HAND on the small of Elektra s back, their easy sensuality as they both get into the car. HENCHMAN Sir Sir RENARD seething I will take care of Mister Bond. ELEKTRA S VILLA NIGHT Bond and Elektra emerge from the BMW. Behind them, Gabor and Davidov get out of her car. Bond watches as Davidov slams his door and marches off, angry, toward the SECURITY QUARTERS at the side of the house. Bond and Elektra walk to the front door, anticipation thick in the air. Gabor opens the door. Elektra sweeps through. ENTRANCE HALL, ELEKTRA S VILLA NIGHT Bond pauses just inside the open doorway. HIS . Two figures in the cavernous entrance hall, Elektra having a brief word with Gabor, before he turns and exits, leaving only. ELEKTRA AND BOND. She starts upstairs, Bond s eyes locked on her body, and then SHE LOOKS BACK.just once. But it says everything. She continues upward. Bond taps the front door closed with his foot. BEDROOM, ELEKTRA S VILLA NIGHT Halflight. They re entwined between the sheets. This is something slow, languorous, not to be rushed. We can t make out the mechanics, but they re beaded with sweat. Her fingers trace the contours of his torso. Linger on his bruised collarbone. ELEKTRA You knew when you first saw me. You knew it would be like this. BOND Shush. Her hand dips in an ice bucket beside the bed. She rubs a slither of ice down her chest, shudders with pleasure. It s a move Bond hasn t seen before. Now she brings the ice to his shoulder. ELEKTRA Poor shoulder. Looks painful. She kisses his purple flesh. Licks. BOND .needs constant attention. She slides her tongue back and fore along the groove above the tendon. And he pulls the ice from her hand BOND Enough ice for one day. Tosses it across the room as passion takes over. BEDROOM, ELEKTRA S VILLA LATER A puddle of water where the ice fell. Postsex on the bed. He traces a hand down her naked back. The sweat glistens off the curve of her spine. She turns. The light glints off her jewelled earlobe.he touches it. BOND You never take this off Elektra looks at him. ELEKTRA Why do men always want to undress the one part of a woman s body she doesn t want to reveal She reaches to the large, diamondencrusted earring and gently plucks it away. Pulls her lush hair back. The lower half of her ear is gone, reduced to a misshapen clump of scar tissue. It is the only mark on her perfect body. A physical reminder of her ordeal. It breaks his heart. BOND How did you survive ELEKTRA I used my body on the guards. It gave me control. I got to a gun and I took my chance. beat I ve never told anyone that. They are looking at each other, both suddenly feeling something dangerously close to real connection. It is not what Bond expected. ELEKTRA Do you ever stop, James Do you ever think ab..another kind of life He holds her gaze for a long time before he looks away. BOND I can t afford to. She frowns, slightly. Settles into his chest. ELEKTRA Don t worry. I know who you are. He holds her, eyes full of conflict, staring into the dark. VILLA NIGHT LATER The lights of a car pulling up at the security office by the perimeter wall of the property. SECURITY QUARTERS SAME Bond s car, several of Elektra s vehicles, all parked around the security office. They have been joined by A WHITE ECONOMY CAR, a Russian make, with a familiar SEAL painted on the door.we ve seen it before, the seal on top of the stolen report at the beginning.Miratom. Out of the driver s seat steps.DAVIDOV. He carries a briefcase from the car to the front door of the security office. He looks around furtively before he disappears inside. The parking area is dark and silent and then JAMES BOND sits up in the driver s seat of his BMW. BMW SAME Bond sticks his key in the ignition and activates the car s various systems. HIS . Davidov is a shadow in the office window. Bond flicks a switch. A NEEDLETHIN BEAM is directed from the BMW to the window of the office. He can HEAR a synthesis of Davidov s voice. DAVIDOV V.O. I m running late.no, no, I ll make it.how will they know I m your man.romashka.romashka.alright. Bond hears the click of a phone hanging up. He flicks another switch in his car, an infrared tracking system activates in his WINDSCREEN. He can now see Davidov perfectly as he comes out of the security quarters, carrying a briefcase and a large DUFFLE BAG which he carries to the car and loads into the TRUNK. He goes back inside. BOND gets out of the BMW. He moves stealthily to the Russian vehicle and, using the laser beam on his watch, opens the lock on the trunk. It pops open. Bond sees the briefcase, and the dufflebag, and.SOMETHING ELSE.something beneath them.he moves the objects aside A MAN is folded into the back of the trunk, his head slumped forward, dark hair on the back of his head slightly wet .blood Bond tips the head back, revealing GLASSY DEAD EYES. Bond leans in and plucks a BADGE from his white shirt pocket. It has a photo of the dead man and reads, in English and Cyrillic LEONID TASHKA FIELD INSPECTOR. On the corner of the badge.THE RUSSIAN SEAL.Miratom. The one from the report. Bond touches it with his thumb, recognizing it. AT THE OFFICE Davidov is coming. Bond LOWERS THE TRUNK DOOR and crouches behind the car. AT THE OFFICE ENTRANCE Davidov pauses to lock the door. He walks toward the Russian car.he is actually WHISTLING a happy tune and then. HE STOPS. He has heard something. He draws his gun. He walks AROUND the entire car. When he gets to the rear. THE TRUNK IS CLOSED. Bond is not there. No evidence he ever was. Davidov gets in the driver s seat and starts the car. AIR STRIP NIGHT The Russian car drives onto the grounds of a small, deserted AIRPORT consisting of one outbuilding and a crudely cleared airstrip. CAR Davidov pulls off the road and parks his car in a wooded area. CAR Davidov s feet crunch in the dirt as he walks to the back and opens the trunk. He removes the briefcase. Then the duffle bag. He looks down at the dead body, head slumped forward, as before.but something is different, the clothes not quite right and then THE DEAD BODY MOVES, the head turns, Davidov gasps. It IS JAMES BOND. BOND Problem, comrade Davidov pulls his HAND GUN from inside his coat, but Bond is quicker. With a silenced pistol he shoots Davidov in the head. One little red hole forms in his forehead as his eyes go wide and he crumbles, dead. Bond climbs out of the trunk. Crouches to examine Davidov. BOND Old habits die hard. He straightens. Picks up the briefcase. It is locked. He searches Davidov and finds a set of keys in his pocket. He opens the lock. INSIDE THE BRIEFCASE FOUR STACKS OF MONEY. Documents headed with the official crest of Miratom. A new security tag, it looks just like the dead guy s, but has Davidov s name and picture.some hologrammed blank security tags and a polaroidtype . He picks up a blank security tag and inserts it in the . Points at himself, takes a shot. Punches in Davidov on the KEYPAD. Out comes a brand new pass. Bond goes to look in the dufflebag but. A PLANE is approaching.HE LOOKS UP. HIS . A Russian military jet appears over the trees, flying low, its red landing lights blinking. AIRSTRIP NIGHT A door opens on the sinisterlooking plane. A hydraulic step unit folds out of it. A BIG SOLDIER with a machine gun waits in the doorway. BOND, standing at the edge of the runway, clips on his badge and picks up the briefcase. He has NO IDEA what he s walking into. BOND Here goes nothing. He hoists the dufflebag over his shoulder and walks out to the plane. He starts up the steps THE SOLDIER POINTS HIS GUN DOWN AT HIM. Says something to him IN RUSSIAN. Bond pauses. And then, thinking, says BOND Romashka. The soldier looks at him, then lowers his weapon. PLANE Four soldiers. The first guy and a moustachioed PILOT and two young men, a nastylooking private, cadaverously thin, and a big, thicknecked tough. They all look at Bond, expectantly, waiting for him to say or do.what He decides to take the lead. He opens the briefcase and hands over the STACKS OF MONEY. The Pilot passes it But that isn t the end. They still stare at him. The Pilot says something IN RUSSIAN that sounds like. where s the rest Bond swallows. Thinks, without showing it. He decides to OPEN THE DUFFLE BAG. He looks inside. Pauses, then reaches in and takes ..A BOX OF NIKE SHOES. The thin soldier smiles. That s the ticket. Bond hands out shoes to the rest of the guys. TEST FACILITY KAZAKHSTAN DAWN A red dawn. Dominating the landscape, a valley of weirdly shaped rocks. To one side, an airstrip. The plane approaching. PLANE LANDING The three soldiers wear their new shoes and smoke and chat amongst themselves. Bond sits in the rear of the plane, which is dominated by heavily buffered receptacles, clearly awaiting some deadly cargo. There is Russian writing everywhere, and one symbol he clearly recognizes DANGER RADIOACTIVE. Bond looks out of the window. Beneath a huge MESA, a huddle of low buildings. They come to a stop near the end of the runway. A SMALL JEEP is driving out to them. One of the soldiers throws something to Bond. An ORANGE JUMPSUIT that says Miratom on the breast. He catches it. PILOT subtitles You have fifteen minutes. AIRSTRIP VALLEY TEST FACILITY KAZAKHSTAN DAWN Bond, in the orange overalls and wearing his ID tag, is driving with a Russian soldier through the weird rock valley KABOOM A cloud of dust from a detonation rises up on the other side of the hill. TEST FACILITY KAZAKHSTAN DAY They turn the corner and see trucks marked IDA, several Kazakhstan army personal carriers, soldiers dotted around, IDA International Decommissioning Agency scientists and personnel quietly going about their business. A vast protective bubble is inflated at the front of the building. BUBBLE TEST FACILITY KAZAKHSTAN DAY CHRISTMAS JONES  The sound of breathing LOUD, we re looking from inside the visor of a protective suit. It s hard to tell what s going on, but our hands are removing a sphere of cobalt blue plutonium from inside a corroding WARHEAD. FACILITY SAME An officer eyes Bond s pass. COLONEL AKAKIEVICH subtitles You are late. The transport documents Bond shows him the case. Akakievich examines the documents. COLONEL AKAKIEVICH subtitles They are waiting for you below. It should be ready. Check with the IDA physicist. He points toward the bubble. Inside the transparent bubble, a protectivesuited FIGURE finishes placing a blue PLUTONIUM CORE into a box. As Bond and the Colonel walks toward the bubble, the FIGURE steps out, still enveloped in the white protective suit. Moving fast, off comes the helmet to reveal a BEAUTIFUL AMERICAN GIRL. CHRISTMAS JONES is midtwenties, shortish hair, hot right now. In one movement she unzips and steps out of the suit, revealing a khaki sports bra, cutoff shorts, heavy duty boots. A nastylooking hunting knife strapped around her hips. She has a deep tan and an incredible figure. She grabs a bottle of water, guzzles. Bond tosses an arched brow to Akakievich, who nods bitterly, also unable to take his eyes off her. He spits on the floor and speaks in ENGLISH, so Christmas can hear. COLONEL AKAKIEVICH Not interested in men. Take my word for it. Akakievich isn t exactly what you d call a looker. Bond offers a disappointed tut as Akakievich walks away. Christmas approaches. He notices her IDA tag and an incongruous PEACE TATTOO just above her hip. She s checking him out as well. CHRISTMAS You new BOND Russian accent Yes. Viktor Davidov, Miss. CHRISTMAS Doctor. Jones. Christmas Jones. No jokes, I ve heard them all. BOND Don t know any doctor jokes. She is wary. It s been a long time since a man this attractive stepped onto her beat. They walk toward the building. CHRISTMAS What happened to Len Tashka BOND Couldn t make it. Splitting headache. CHRISTMAS The soldiers may give you a hard time. Whatever. If we weren t around, they d have their whole nuclear arsenal lying by the roadsides, rotting in the sun. Bond looks at the ominous radiation WARNING SIGNS. BOND Will I need protection She squints at him, taken aback. CHRISTMAS There s no radiation danger down there. Bond turns to go, knowing he misstepped. Christmas then speaks to him, asking a question, IN RUSSIAN. CHRISTMAS subtitles Where is this stockpile going Bond turns, answers IN PERFECT RUSSIAN. BOND subtitles To the nuclear facility at Penza . She nods. Watches him disappear into the building. TEST CHAMBER MAIN ELEVATOR MOMENTS LATER Bond descends, going down deep. TEST CHAMBER ELEVATOR/CORRIDOR LATER The elevator creaks to a halt. He slides the elevator doors OPEN revealing. TWO SOLDIERS waiting for the elevator. Bond shows them his ID. SOLDIER subtitles See the corporal, at the end of the chamber. The soldiers get into the elevator and disappear, leaving Bond completely ALONE. Dead silence in the shadows. Bond s in his element, that alert glint in his eye as he takes in his surroundings. HIS . A long, dark corridor.leading off to a more open circle in the distance, lights and an ominous humming there. Bond starts down the passageway. TEST CHAMBER Ahead of Bond, like a deadly spider at the centre of a web, a NUCLEAR BOMB suspended over a pit. Blast openings range around to channel its fury to measuring equipment. Bond is alone with the bomb. An eerie moment. Then, he comes to notice a figure, across the expanse of the pit, on the opposite side of the catwalk, a man, with his back to him, in Russian Army fatigues. BOND Corporal The man turns. IT IS RENARD. He smiles. RENARD I see my friend Davidov ran into some difficulty. BOND Indeed. Renard starts toward him. Bond draws his gun. BOND Don t come any closer. MAN You can t kill me. I m already dead. He and Bond face off, the malevolent bomb between them, a ROBOT DEVICE beginning to lower it into the pit. RENARD Go ahead. Shoot. My men will still steal the bomb, and the shot will bring them directly to you. Renard gestures into the pit. BOND S . TWO OF RENARD S MEN in the pit, unaware of what is happening above, working directly with the bomb. One of them is using a manual.IT IS JUST LIKE THE STOLEN REPORT, the Miratom seal in the corner. Bond aims his gun at Renard s head. BOND Who s paying you to destroy the pipeline Renard resumes walking, around the catwalk at the edge of the pit, toward Bond, slowly, surely, totally fearless. RENARD To die by a man who can t even grasp what he s caught up in. Bond, out of the corner of his eye, sees Renard s man remove a SMALL DEVICE from inside the bomb. It is the size and shape of a credit card, black, with shiny transistors on it.the man slips it into his pocket. BOND Revenge isn t so hard to fathom. What s clever is getting someone else to pay for it. RENARD Not many people in this world have that kind of fortune. Bond cocks the pistol. BOND Who is it RENARD You think I fear death I welcome it. I get on my knees and pray for it. You, on the other hand, you have something to live for, no closer now She s beautiful isn t she You should have seen her before. Flawless, and still so innocent, not such a whore in bed. Bond s eyes flare in fury. He shoves Renard into the wall and presses the gun to his temple. BOND You will never touch her. You will never get near her. RENARD Have you forgotten who saved your life in Geneva BOND Consider me ungrateful. RENARD It s I who should thank you for taking that money back to MI . So distressing for M. An explosion inside her lair. BOND She ll get over it. RENARD You even brought the plane for us. We really couldn t have done it without you. Bond strikes him across the temple with his pistol. Renard drops to his knees. He touches his temple, looks at the blood curiously, feeling no pain. RENARD A man tires of being executed. As Bond screws a silencer onto the muzzle of his gun RENARD But then again.There is no point in living if you can t.feel alive. Bond knows that, he s heard it somewhere before.IT FREEZES HIM, just a beat, but it is enough. SUDDENLY, the noise of footsteps CHRISTMAS JONES, with COLONEL AKAKIEVICH and two armed soldiers. We re with them as they turn the corner of the passageway and see Bond with silenced pistol aimed at the kneeling Renard classic execution stance COLONEL AKAKIEVICH to Bond Drop your gun. BOND Keep away, Colonel. The soldiers guns are trained on Bond. CHRISTMAS He is an impostor. clutching a printout There s no Davidov at Miratom. BOND Here s your imposter. He s paid off the men on the plane outside. They re not taking the bomb to any Russian facility, they re flying it wherever he tells them. Christmas is listening, but Akakievich cocks his rifle. COLONEL AKAKIEVICH to Bond I said drop it. And he means business. Bond delays . but has no choice. He pulls the clip from his gun, tosses it down. RENARD to Christmas Well done he would have killed us all. I suppose you to Akakievich were you the one who allowed him down Colonel Akakievich looks suitably stung. But Renard is looking past him now, as with a quiet WHIRR, the BOMB raises into view on a trolley. Renard s team is ready to move. RENARD to Akakievich Take him away, I don t want him around as we move the bomb. whispered, to Bond You had me. I knew you couldn t shoulder the responsibility. And Renard jams his hand onto Bond s shoulder, squeezing his collarbone hard. Pain jolts through Bond, he drops to his knees in agony. He shoves Bond down. Bond s hand goes to his shoulder, his mind now racing how did he know to hurt him there Renard s men start to maneuver the bomb toward the curving passageway. It s all too much for Colonel Akakievich COLONEL AKAKIEVICH No the bomb does not go anywhere until I am satisfied. All of you to the surface, now. Renard stops and turns. Bond sees him nod to two of his men one quietly slopes off down the tunnel. The other innocently opens a container. CONTAINER shows the INSIDE of the container s lid; the man releases a false lining to reveal several MACHINE GUNS. TEST CHAMBER DAY RENARD urgent now Very well, Colonel. We will all go up. One of Colonel Akakievich s men gestures with his gun that Bond should get up. Knowing it s now or never, Bond PUSHES him away, yanks a PISTOL from his holster, GRABS Christmas, LEAPS down into the bomb PIT just as RENARD S MEN open fire. Akakievich dies straight away. So do two of his men. The gunfire RICOCHETS around the chamber and ceases. Renard hangs back. His radio crackles a message RENARD nods, into radio Shut them. THE GUY ON THE OTHER END OF THE RADIO Right next to the ELEVATOR. He turns a switch that activates two sets of red buttons and two sets of green. He punches one green button. INSIDE TEST CHAMBER Heavy doors close all exits but that to the tunnel. THE PIT Bond and Christmas know they are being sealed in. CHRISTMAS Meltdown doors. If he gets them closed, they won t be opened again for forty eight years. Bond peers over the edge sees Renard and his men working the nuclear device into THE PASSAGEWAY. THE PIT If Bond doesn t get through now, they re trapped forever. He points his wrist watch toward the cat walk above and presses a button.THE TINY GRAPPLING HOOK shoots out, Q s super filament wire that can hold up to pounds is attached.Bond uses the rope to RAPPEL UP THE SIDES OF THE PIT and into TEST CHAMBER Where he LEAPS ON TOP OF Renard s last man. They fall THROUGH THE IRIS, it SHUTS behind them. The man swings his machine gun at Bond it hits the wall next to him, breaks apart. Bond grabs a broken section and kills him with one strike. He pauses at his dead body and reaches into his jacket, retrieving.THE CARDLIKE DEVICE. PIT Christmas looks around, desperate to help. Using Bond s wire, she climbs up to the CLOSED IRIS DOOR. She pries open a panel next to it and reveals complex WIRING. PASSAGEWAY Up ahead of Bond, the bomb disappears down the passageway. He can see it is attached to A PULLEY above, helping the men to move quickly, Renard, pulling, the two men pushing Renard signals one of them to drop back to cut off Bond. Machinegun fire turns the wall next to Bond to dust Bond dives to a recess. An overhead LIGHT SHATTERS. His section of the tunnel darkens. PASSAGEWAY BOND S END Bond looks up at the broken LIGHT. Takes careful aim at the next one along. BLAM. It disintegrates. Again. PASSAGEWAY RENARD S END The other guy answers with another spray of bullets. Watches uneasily as Bond takes out light after light. A funnel of darkness coming to swallow him concealing Bond s approach. Nervous, he fires, muzzle flash and sparks illuminating the void. To keep it lit, he keeps firing. PASSAGEWAY WITH BOND as the bullets cease with a loud CLICK. What Bond was waiting for. He moves. The gunman frozen in the light, grappling to fit another clip BLAM He goes down. Bond not wasting bullets. OTHER END OF PASSAGEWAY Renard is loading the bomb it into the ELEVATOR. He flicks a switch on the panel by the elevator. The IRIS starts closing on Bond. PASSAGEWAY Bond rushes for the door but he s shocked as the man he shot lunges. Clings to him. Bond hits him away, he LEAPS for the cart blocking his way and SHOVES IT INTO THE IRIS DOOR just as it almost closes. Bond squeezes through. OTHER SIDE OF IRIS Renard is getting in the ELEVATOR. Sees Bond made it, fires. Bond rolls into a corner. RENARD We have our fireworks. Now you can have yours. And he machineguns some barrels. Rocket fuel spills He digs a finger into one of the holes, effortlessly rips the metal so more fuel cascades CATWALK ABOVE PIT Christmas cuts some wires together and with a hum, her IRIS DOOR OPENS. AT THE ELEVATOR Bond fires at Renard, hitting his shin. WITH RENARD looking down at his shin, noticing the blood. Inconvenienced but not in pain. He shuts the cage doors. Pauses only to fire off half a clip at the SWITCH PANEL. Shreds it. Bond leaps to his feet, racing forward, firing gets to the elevator as Renard disappears upwards with a smile. He POINTS DOWN.underneath him. Bond looks down. HIS . BENEATH THE ELEVATOR.A makeshift explosive device.sticks of dynamite wrapped around a detonator, set to explode Eyes wide, Bond looks back to the doors then to the switch panel now just a chaos of sparking wires. LIFT SHAFT The pipe bomb ticking. PASSAGEWAY BY ELEVATOR Bond is trapped. He looks up. THE PULLEY HOOK HANGS DOWN. He jumps up, grabbing it, just as. KABOOM The bomb ignites the spilled oil, A FIREBALL shoots along, scorching after Bond, who is SAILING THROUGH THE PASSAGE WAY, the force of the blast sending him hurling down the passageway ON THE PULLEY.heading straight for A CLOSED IRIS DOOR which miraculously begins to OPEN as he SHOOTS THROUGH. Ahead, the next door is OPEN as well. He sees CHRISTMAS on the other side. HER . Bond hurtling toward her, ahead of a MASSIVE FIREBALL. BOND Close the door Close the door But before she can, two of the FUEL BARRELS HURTLE through the closing iris, clattering into the pit, starting a fire below. Flames licking up the sides of the pit toward them. Bond looks up, sees the ARM OF THE ROBOT LIFTER, stretching upward toward an old SHAFT t the top of the ceiling. He and Christmas scramble up the robot arm, walk along the spiderlike web that supported the bomb and find. AN OLD ELEVATOR.powered by a hydraulic system. They get in.hear the rumbling of the fire below.the old elevator moves slowly.the rumbling grows louder. BOND Shame you had to spot I wasn t the real thing. CHRISTMAS So who are you BOND Bond Bond FIRES HIS GUN at the hissing hydraulic pulleys and. THE ELEVATOR shoots through the shaft at breakneck speed as BELOW THEM.THE PIT EXPLODES. ELEVATOR Fire shoots up. Bond lunges to cover Christmas. As the smoke clears BOND finishing James Bond. MESA TEST FACILITY KAZAKHSTAN Christmas and Bond climb out of the duct. Through a cloud of dust he can see people running about, panicked. There s been some shooting fresh corpses litter the ground. Bond looks past them to a plane coming this way. The plane. It roars past, level with them. He follows it with his eyes, helpless as it gets smaller and smaller. CHRISTMAS They won t get far. Every warhead has a locator card. A Miratom device. Emits a highpitched signal on Russian emergency frequencies. We can track the bomb. BOND With this Bond removes the locator card from his jacket and shows it to her. It flashes in the sun. Christmas shakes her head, disgusted. OMITTED DISSOLVE BRIEFING ROOM, CASTLE THANE MI HQ DAY Busy. Analysts huddle over monitors showing satellite images, trying to track the plane. M Do we have the range of Renard s plane TANNER Anywhere in this circle. Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Afghanistan. M Marvellous. Moneypenny enters. MONEYPENNY Elektra King is calling from Baku. M is surprised. MONEYPENNY It s a video line. M Put her on the wide screen. The face of ELEKTRA materializes on a large WALL MONITOR. ELEKTRA I m sorry. I would never call you except.Bond s disappeared. He.he left my villa, some time in the middle of the night and. M exchanges a look with Tanner. ELEKTRA My head of security has been found near a local airstrip, murdered. M leans on the console in front of her. M I ll send someone ELEKTRA Could.could you come M looks up. ELEKTRA, on the monitor, looks about as lost as she ever has. ELEKTRA I just can t help thinking.I m n M stares at the girl s face, her whole sordid history written there. M turns away from the screen and says to Tanner. M Get me out there. OMITTED ELEKTRA S VILLA, BAKU STORM APPROACHING Elektra s villa against blueblack storm clouds, the Caspian choppy, wind blowing. ELEKTRA S VILLA BAKU DAY Elektra works in her father s STUDY, illuminated by a halo of light from a single desk lamp. Pictures of her grandfather and father stare down at her from the walls. The wind BLOWS A WINDOW open. She gets up, crosses the room, shutting the window. She stands there, listening to the silence and then. SHE HEARS A THUD. A strange, unsettling thud. She listens, a long time, to the silence. ELEKTRA Gabor. She goes to the door, opens it.it whines on its hinges. She steps into. LIBRARY A big room lined with books. Three french doors lead out to a balcony. She walks a few paces in. THE DOOR SHUTS BEHIND HER, she whirls. GABOR, propped up behind the door, stares, wideeyed, before he FALLS TO THE FLOOR. Elektra gasps, she turns again. A DARK FIGURE LOOMS, a shadow against the windows. He moves forward, his face becoming visible.IT S BOND. ELEKTRA James She stares at him, shocked, hesitant. BOND You look surprised. She moves to Gabor, gets down to help him. He stirs, he is alive, but unconscious. Elektra looks up at Bond. ELEKTRA What s wrong with you Are you crazy BOND A little. Does it matter After all, what s the point of living if you can t feel alive Isn t that right, Elektra Isn t that your motto ELEKTRA What are you talking about BOND Or did you steal it from your old friend Renard ELEKTRA .what BOND We had a runin, he and I. He knew about us, he knew about my shoulder, he knew exactly where to hurt me. Elektra stands.she begins to tremble. ELEKTRA Are you saying.Renard is the man who s trying to kill me BOND You can drop the act, it s over. ELEKTRA I don t know what you re talking about BOND I think you do. He walks toward her, threatening. BOND At MI we call it Stockholm Syndrome. It s common in kidnappings. A young impressionable victim. Sheltered, sexually inexperienced. A powerful kidnapper skilled in torture, in manipulation. Something snaps in the victim s mind. The captive falls in love with her captor. At the word love, Elektra explodes. She SLAPS an unsuspecting Bond hard across the face. ELEKTRA How dare you How dare you That animal That monster He disgusts me You disgust me So he knew where to hurt you, is that it You had a sling on your arm at the funeral I didn t have to sleep with you to find that BOND He used your exact words. ELEKTRA You knew. You knew all the time, that he was out there, that he was coming for me, and you lied. You used me, you used me as bait. You made love to me what, to pass the time as you waited for him to strike He has no answer. He can t deny what she says. The phone rings, cuts through the tension. Bond and Elektra staring at one another. She lets it ring. Then picks up. Listens, looks to Bond. ELEKTRA He s struck again. beat Five men are dead at the pipeline. He moves toward her. BOND I m coming with you. ELEKTRA You do what you have to do, but I ve called in M. She s en route from London even now. PIPELINE CONTROL CENTER, TURKEY DAY The MI chopper lands. We can see M through the window. Face set hard. PIPELINE CONTROL CENTER, TURKEY MOMENTS LATER SCIENTIFIC, MILITARY and TURKISH POLICE VEHICLES parked around a mediumsized industrial plant. Bond accompanies M and Tanner toward a clutch of offices. All around, SOLDIERS, IDA personnel, POLICE scour the area. M to Bond Glad to see you ve turned up. He is moving fast, talking fast a sense of urgency. BOND They hit about minutes ago. There s a scientist here from the International Decommissioning Agency, Dr. Jones. She has ten crews combing the area. They step out of the bright sunlight and into  CONTROL CENTRE FIVE BODY BAGS are being carried out by soldiers. M surveys the scene; in an unlit corridor CHRISTMAS JONES and several men sweep the area with CLICKING Geiger counters. ELEKTRA is a distance away, listening to a Turkish policeman explain what s happening. She nods acknowledgement to M. Tanner senses that Bond wants to talk to M alone TANNER I ll see how they re coming with the power. They watch him go. M turns to Bond M You had your hand on the bomb and you let Renard get away with it. He draws her away, to a small alcove. Takes something out of his jacket.THE LOCATOR CARD. BOND The report King bought. It s a manual. Renard s men used it to remove this radio tracking device from the warhead. M Then Robert was right about a Russian connection. BOND They re getting their weapons from the Russians, but where are they getting the money to buy the weapons I can t help thinking.the person close to King, the one who switched that pin. M The inside man BOND Is maybe.the inside woman. NOW THE LIGHTS POWER UP, disrupt the intimacy and intensity of their exchange. The room is lined with MONITORS and a huge SATELLITE MAP of the pipeline s meandering path. M A woman But before he can speak, ELEKTRA calls out, gesturing to A DIM LIGHT flashing on a console in front of her. ELEKTRA That s not right. A Technician comes over. Tanner too, followed by Bond and M. TANNER What is it ELEKTRA It s an observation and repair rig. Travels along the pipe, checks for broken seals. But it s not supposed to be there. BOND thinks Stop it. The Technician flicks two switches. The light continues to flash. Confused, he tries others. No change. TECHNICIAN I don t understand. M Where is the rig Harried, the Technician activates the wall schematic of the pipeline. A pulse of light travels along the line. And with it, a sense of horror descends. M The parcel s in the post. TANNER It s heading for the oil terminal. M Where it can do the most damage. ELEKTRA My God. to one of her men Have the terminal evacuated. The man gets on the phone. BOND to Tech Speed TECHNICIAN Full on. Seventy miles an hour. He punches buttons. Christmas has come, stands next to Bond. TECHNICIAN One hundred and six miles from the terminal. BOND quick It ll reach the other end in seventy eight minutes. to Tech Any more of these rigs The Technician checks his records, looks up, nods. TECHNICIAN There s one parked in the passageway ahead of it. Decisive, Christmas heads for the door, turns to her team CHRISTMAS I ll need some help. Her IDA colleagues look sheepish. Bond moves to her. BOND Come on. For just a moment, Christmas looks wary BOND Unless you d like to see my ID first. She almost smiles. M nods to Tanner to follow them. Bond doesn t look at Elektra. But she watches him go. HELICOPTER DAY The MI helicopter swoops along the pipeline. Tanner is beside the pilot. Bond and Christmas in the back. They look at one another, the danger ahead melting the frost between them. PIPELINE LATER Bond and Christmas climb through an access hatch down onto the electric RIG. Its lights blaze fifty yards into the tunnel. Then darkness. Christmas takes the driver s spot, Bond the rear, nearest to the approaching BOMB. Tanner leans in TANNER sealing them in Good luck. Bonds nods, checks his watch. Christmas looks nervously down the pipe. BOND Be one along any minute. And she starts the machine off. ELECTRIC RIG PIPELINE TRAVELLING It quickly picks up speed, its lights flooding the seemingly endless pipe before them. Christmas looks behind, apprehensive. Waiting for the lights of the explosive rig. It s tense. They travel along, expectant. BOND When this is over we should bury the hatchet. Celebrate. A champagne dinner CHRISTMAS When this is over our bodies may be blown to smithereens. BOND Alright then, brunch. His lightness relaxes her, she appreciates it. COMMAND ROOM PIPELINE CONTROL CENTRE Elektra, M, and others. The room is crowded with concerned personnel. M watches the two blips on the schematic getting closer together. One of her MEN approaches, a radio in his ear. RADIO MAN Tanner reports Bond is headed for the rendezvous. M Excellent. Evacuate Miss King and the others. ELEKTRA You can evacuate my workers, but I m not going anywhere. M looks at her, then nods, impressed by her courage. PIPELINE TRAVELLING DAY Bond and Christmas waiting expectantly. Tense silence. Finally, a WHOOSHING NOISE, GETTING LOUDER. Lights appear behind, reflecting on a bend, then. here it comes, the rig tearing through the pipe. Bond looks over his shoulder at Christmas speedometer.she s only at fifty. BOND Faster Get our speed up Christmas presses forward.Bond turns, his feet OUT toward the approaching rig.the lights getting closer. closer. Bond s rig jolts as the other makes contact. He cushions the blow with his feet. Both rigs moving together now, he CLIMBS ONTO THE BOMB RIG.Puts out a hand, helps Christmas across. The bomb sits there, daunting, deadly. CHRISTMAS Tactical fission device. Low yield. They look at one another, then set straight to work. COMMAND ROOM PIPELINE CONTROL CENTRE The room is quiet, tense. M and her two men, Elektra, Gabor, the King TECHNICIAN and three armed security guards at the doors. They are the only ones left. Going down with the ship.if it goes. M and Elektra watch the two lights now together on the console. A tense silence. Everyone s edgy. Elektra perhaps a little more than the rest. She exchanges a glance with Gabor. ELECTRIC RIG PIPELINE TRAVELLING DAY CLOSE INSIDE THE BOMB the timer.  MINUTES. Bond s face betrays the difficulty of what they re attempting. The digital clock ticks down.  ,  . OMITTED PIPELINE DAY The rigs speed through the tunnel. Nothing to see. But WHOOSH As the rigs hurtle past. ELECTRIC RIG PIPELINE TRAVELLING DAY The pipe suddenly dips. They cling on as the machine bucks like a rollercoaster. Back on a straight. Her brow furrows. CHRISTMAS The plutonium is missing. They ve taken the core BOND Then it s no longer a bomb CHRISTMAS back to work, urgent It s a bomb alright. We re still dead if the trigger charge goes off. Bond s mind races in the ghostly light of the tunnel. He stares at the timer  ,  . Makes a decision. BOND Let it blow. Christmas shoots a look, astonished. CHRISTMAS But we can stop it. Taking her arm. BOND Let it blow. She can t believe what he s saying. His eyes shoot to an INSPECTION HATCH the lights illuminate up ahead. BOND Trust me. Leave it. He grabs her, wrenches her away from the bomb. PIPELINE DAY The rig zooms past the exit hatch Bond leaps off, taking her with him. They tumble along the pipe. Agile, Bond springs to his feet, pulls her up. They run like hell for the hatch, into the darkness. PIPELINE DAY The pipeline. A long beat, then. KABOOM A section of the pipe explodes, debris rocketing in every direction. As the smoke clears we see a fifty yard section of pipe has been destroyed. OMIT PIPELINE CONTROL CENTER SAME On the consoles, red concentric circles pulse outward from the point of impact, emitting one, monotone BEEP. The watchers are frozen, stunned, shocked. Gabor, a radio earpiece in his ear, reports information. GABOR It wasn t nuclear.the bomb was a dud. The trigger charge blew out a fifty yard section of pipeline. M And Bond An agonizing beat. The alarm beep sputters and dies. GABOR Nothing. M and Elektra share a look. ELEKTRA Do you think he s dead M can t answer. She shakes her head. M We just have to wait. M shifts. The hitech room is eerily lit by the pulsing red lights on every screen, showing the explosion. ELEKTRA to M I have a gift for you. Something that belonged to my father. He would have wanted you to have it. M feels uneasy. M Perhaps this isn t the time. ELEKTRA Please. She hands M a small box. M unties the ribbon. ELEKTRA He often spoke of how.compassionately you advised him on the best course of action during my kidnapping. M opens the box. It is THE EYE OF THE GLENS.the heirloom pin, the original. ELEKTRA It s very valuable, you know. I just couldn t let it explode with the rest of him. M looks up, horrified, when GABOR AND ANOTHER SECURITY MAN SHOOT M S TWO GUARDS IN THE HEAD.point blank, cold blood. The men fall. M looks back at Elektra, a bloodcurdling glare. ELEKTRA to her men Take her to the chopper. PIPELINE DAY From on high we follow the snaking pipeline . until it disappears in a VAST, SMOULDERING BOMB CRATER. Beyond, the pipeline continues unperturbed. Two TINY FIGURES on the banks of the crater. CLOSE ON THEM Bond and Christmas, very much alive. She s angry. CHRISTMAS What the hell were you doing You nearly killed us BOND I did kill us. She thinks we re dead. And she thinks she got away with it. CHRISTMAS What the hell are you talking about BOND It s part of some plan. She dresses it up like a terrorist attack. The explosion covers up the theft of the plutonium. CHRISTMAS Who s she BOND Elektra King. CHRISTMAS Elektra King Are you insane This is her pipeline. BOND Makes her look even more innocent. CHRISTMAS skeptical What would she want with weapons grade plutonium BOND I was hoping you could tell me. Christmas stares at him. Wheels turning. CHRISTMAS You steal an old bomb, small by today s standards, about the size of the one that destroyed Nagasaki, take the plutonium core out of it, intending to use it. beat To make a bigger, better bomb. They re both chilled by the thought. CHRISTMAS I have to get after that core. This is my ass. She starts fiddling with the radio. Suddenly there s a CRACKLE. TANNER Tanner to , do you read Bond grabs the radio. BOND Loud and clear. I have to speak to M. TANNER She s gone. BOND What TANNER She s disappeared. And two of our men have been killed. It impacts on Bond. His eyes harden. CHRISTMAS What is it BOND She just upped the stakes. All her chips are on the table now. And M s life is part of the bet. He looks out at the long stretch of pipeline, like a deadly snake with the world for its bed. BOND I know I promised you champagne, but would you settle for caviar MAIDEN S TOWER BOSPHORUS ISTANBUL TWILIGHT A boat puts in at an ancient tower in the middle of a vast body of water in fact, the Bosphorus . Renard disembarks with several of his retinue, heavily laden with bags and cases. They enter the tower. MAIDEN S TOWER A fantastic space stained glass windows cast myriad patterns over elaborate tile and marble surfaces. Pillars, iron lattices, velvet drapes and flowers embroider the huge room. As they enter, Elektra swoops across the floor and into Renard s arms. He holds her. She pushes him away. ELEKTRA You re hurting me. He senses something different between them. She tries to hide it. ELEKTRA Brought me something He smiles, grabs a case off one of his men, opens it up, pulls out a sphere of cobalt blue metal. She looks at it with wary fascination. RENARD Go on. It s safe. Touch your destiny. She traces a finger along the metal. A flicker of wonder ELEKTRA Warm. RENARD pointed Is it She s sensitive to his buried frustration ELEKTRA I ve brought something for you as well. ROOM MAIDEN S TOWER MOMENTS LATER Elektra opens a heavy door, she and Renard past through to. A SMALL ROOM.a window set in the stone on one side. The other side is divided off by a WALL OF BARS, creating a cell which now contains M The cell is bare, except for a camp bed in the corner. M betrays no fear. A quiet defiance burns in her. ELEKTRA Just as I promised. Renard steps forward. Bars separate him from M. RENARD My executioner. M Overpraise, I m afraid. But my people will finish the job. ELEKTRA Your people Your people will leave you here to rot just like you left me. You and my father. He didn t think my life was worth the chump change he spent on a day at the stock market. M Your father. ELEKTRA Is nothing. His kingdom he stole from my mother. The kingdom I will rightly take back. Elektra leaves. Renard is left alone with M. M She s insane. Is that what you did to her RENARD No. I m afraid it is what you did. He crosses close to the bars. RENARD When I took her she was.promise itself. So clever, so vibrant, so.full of life force. And you left her there, at the mercy of a man like me. You ruined her. For what To get to me She is worth fifty of me. M For once, I agree with you. He shakes his head, amused by her pluck. M So she used all that brilliance to get revenge on her father, on me. RENARD No. I wanted you. I wanted you for myself. He takes something out of his pocket. A small TRAVEL CLOCK. He sets it. RENARD Since you sent your man to kill me, I have been watching time tick slowly away, marching inevitably toward my own death. Watch these hands, M. At noon tomorrow, your time is up. And I guarantee you.I will not miss. You will die. Along with everyone in this city and the future of the West. He places the clock on a tall stool, just out of reach through her bars. He leaves. We hold on the clock Eight p.m. CITY OF WALKWAYS BAKU DUSK OLD SC. Valentin Zukovsky in the back of his chauffeured Rolls Royce. We PULL BACK, to take in an amazing sight the car is on a network of raised walkways and platforms that extends as far as the eye can see. A decaying legacy of the Soviet years. CAVIAR FISHERY CITY OF WALKWAYS DUSK OLD SC. Zukovsky limps purposefully away from his Rolls along a walkway leading to a Beluga fishery built over the water. CAVIAR FISHERY CITY OF WALKWAYS DUSK OLD SC. Nailed on the battered old door, the lid of a caviar jar, a label illustrated with a LINE DRAWING OF ZUKOVSKY. Zukovsky opens the door and finds himself. Staring straight down Bond s pistol. Bond and Christmas are silhouetted by the gold dusk light. At their feet lies one of Zukovsky s workers. ZUKOVSKY What are doing, Bond Trying to impress this innocent thing BOND She s no innocent. This is my nuclear consultant. ZUKOVSKY Ah, I see. A purely.plutonic relationship. Hands held clear of his body, Zukovsky enters, his evening dress decidedly out of place here. ZUKOVSKY Really Bond, couldn t you find a nice Russian scientist with hair growing out of his ears BOND What s your business with Elektra King ZUKOVSKY I thought you were the one in her business. BOND She dropped a million and half dollars to the House your House. And you didn t even bat an eyelid. She was paying you off. What for ZUKOVSKY As ever you are the spy who has to see a plot wherever he looks. Bond SLAMS Zukovsky hard against a vat of caviar. Wood splits, roe spills onto the floor. Zukovsky is appalled. ZUKOVSKY That is , dollars of Beluga ruined BOND You are out of your league. She s working with Renard. Christmas moves in, intense but firm CHRISTMAS They ve stolen a nuclear device. A subtle change in Zukovsky s countenance. BOND Tell us what you know, Zukovsky. Tell us, before its too late. But it may be already The SOUND OF A HELICOPTER. Zukovsky frowns, the SOUND GETTING LOUDER Bond is the first to move as CAVIAR FISHERY NIGHT OLD SC. wood suddenly splinters everywhere the wall and roof tear open behind them GIANT VERTICALLYSUSPENDED SAWS RIP THROUGH, just missing them. THE SPINNING TEETH OLD SC. The blades churn through the corrugated roof, spraying CAVIAR everywhere. CAVIAR FISHERY CITY OF WALKWAYS OLD SC. Bond BURSTS OUT OF THE BUILDING.Zukovsky and his guards and even the chauffeur are firing at the chopper. RAMP TO LOWER WALKWAY OLD SC. Bond makes for his BMW, running down a flight of steps, onto a lower walkway when.THE SECTION AHEAD OF HIM EXPLODES.the second chopper above hitting its mark with a thrown grenade. Bond is trapped by the fire and smoke, the only way out is ALONG THE PIPELINES.he runs along a narrow section of pipe and then JUMPS DOWN to another walkway. The PIPES are now above him.the chopper s relentless saws CUT THROUGH THE PIPE.GAS JETS ..Bond HURLS HIMSELF up a stairway. CAVIAR FISHERY Zukovsky and Christmas watch in horror as Chopper One blades away more roof above them. LOWER WALKWAY Bond takes something out of his pocket, a remote control device.he presses some buttons.HIS CAR COMES TO LIFE.lights on, it drives toward him. He rushes to meet it. Chopper Two follows behind Bond, slicing up the walkway just behind him. Bond gets to the car and JUMPS IN as the chopper veers away. CAR Bond activates his missile device as he watches Chopper Two pass behind the factory. Suddenly there s a huge roar behind him as the blades from Chopper One RIP THROUGH THE ROOF, SLICING HIS CAR IN HALF. But Bond is undeterred. He sets off the missile toward the disappearing Chopper One. CHOPPER A DIRECT HIT. Chopper One explodes and falls onto the walkway setting the scene ablaze. WALKWAYS SAME Zukovsky and Christmas see the explosion, then see Chopper Two dropped FOUR ARMED MEN onto a nearby walkway. The men make their way toward the factory, firing at the guards. Zukovsky and Christmas are forced inside. ANGLE ON BOND Who sees the danger to the others and runs off along the walkways back to the factory. The Chopper follows him, shooting. Bond outruns it, until, ahead of him A GRENADE EXPLODES, destroying the walkway and hurling Bond into the water. FACTORY The gunfight continues as the armed men take out Zukovsky s guards. Then, two of the assailants follow ZUKOVSKY and CHRISTMAS into. FACTORY NIGHT The chauffeur is shot and killed. The gunmen then turn their attention to Zukovsky and Christmas, when suddenly BOND APPEARS through a trap door in the floor boards. Bond shoots one of the gunmen, then fires on the other. Zukovsky grabs Christmas and they make their escape Bond sees a third gunman firing from the basement and takes him WALKWAYS SAME Zukovsky and Christmas make a dash for Zukovsky s Rolls. They dive in.Zukovsky rams the car into reverse.behind him, A CHOPPER SLICES the walkway to smithereens.Zukovsky can t stop it as the car leaps backward and into THE WATER BELOW. FACTORY Bond finishes off the remaining two armed men in a furious gunfight and exits. WALKWAYS SAME Bond sees Zukovsky and Christmas swimming to safety. The chopper bears down on him. He leaps back to what s left of the building, picks up a flare gun. He jumps down to a walkway at water level and cranks open a rusted GAS JET.he then waits for the Chopper to line up over it as it approaches Bond for the kill. Bond fires the flare gun. THE GAS EXPLODES The Chopper tries to pull away, but it s too late. The flames engulf it, igniting a fireball. IN THE WATER Zukovsky pulls himself back onto a walkway and heads for the factory, but speeding at him are to FREEFLYING SAW BLADES from the chopper that has just exploded OMITTED S to Z WALKWAY Zukovsky dives away into a CAVIAR PIT. The saws embed in the cabin behind him. The caviar pit is like sinking sand, deep he s going under. Flounders, trying to cling to a crate blown in there by the explosion. Then he looks in horror SIDE OF CAVIAR PIT OLD SC. ZUKOVSKY Bond appearing at the edge of the caviar pit, dragging himself up, soaking wet. He s holding another harpoon gun. Points it directly at Zukovsky. This time he really means business. CAVIAR PIT/SIDE OLD SC. Zukovsky, on the point of being swallowed by the caviar, clawing at the crate. Bond, steely eyed, cold BOND Now.where were we ZUKOVSKY A rope BOND No. The truth beat She thought I was dead those blades were meant for you. What do you know that she would kill you for Zukovsky is sinking. ZUKOVSKY I don t know what you re talking Zukovsky sees Christmas appear beside Bond ZUKOVSKY Help me, don t let me drown. She looks to Bond sees he s serious. BOND to Zukovsky You re in this thing up to your neck. Zukovsky sinks alarmingly he talks rapidly, staccato ZUKOVSKY Alright, alright Sometimes I smuggle machinery for her. Russian stuff. BOND And the payoff on the tables ZUKOVSKY A special job. A.a.a submarine. CHRISTMAS What ZUKOVSKY To haul some cargo. My nephew, he is Captain of a sub in the Black Sea Fleet. BOND Where s the sub going ZUKOVSKY No Get me out BOND This is too big for even you. Where is it ZUKOVSKY This is a family matter If my nephew is in danger, we do it my way, or nothing Now get me out But he looks more worried than ever as Bond takes aim with the harpoon gun squeezes the trigger. ZUKOVSKY No Bond CHRISTMAS alarmed Bond Bond fires. Zukovsky YELLS as the HARPOON SHOOTS TOWARD HIM. It takes him a moment to realize he hasn t been hit the harpoon splintering the crate, just missing him. He clings to the crate, exhausted, as Bond and Christmas drag him to safety. CHRISTMAS Commander Bond, you are dangerous, unpredictable, and a hothead. He just looks at her. CHRISTMAS But then again, explosive devices are my specialty. Zukovsky scowls, wet, angry, looking from his ruined suit to the devastation that was once his caviar factory as, behind him, walkways CREAK, teeter, and CRASH into the sea. ZUKOVSKY So. My way. No MI , no Interpol. Just you, me and my people. BOND Where ZUKOVSKY Istanbul. OMITTED BALCONY MAIDEN S TOWER BOSPHORUS NIGHT Beyond iron balustrades we see one of the most fabulous views in the world on one side the still waters of the Golden Horn, on the other, the dancing waves of the unsheltered Bosphorus and in between, the tumbling roofs, soaring minarets and crouching mosques of the Pera district. RENARD scans the water with nightvision binoculars. BOSPHORUS NIGHT HIS GREEN  A SUPERTANKER churns along. ADJUST ANGLE The SINKS BENEATH THE WAVES, steals through the gloom eventually comes upon something sitting just beneath the belly of the tanker. The silhouette of a SUBMARINE, hugging the tanker s shadow, creeping undetected into the Bosphorus. M S CELL NIGHT M paces her cell. Looks out, at the clock It is MIDNIGHT. Twelve hours to go. She crosses her arms. Returns to pacing. Puts her hands in her coat pockets She feels something. Takes it THE LOCATOR CARD. Black and shiny, with two copper terminals on one end. M taps it on her hand. She looks back TO THE CLOCK. BEDROOM MAIDEN S TOWER BOSPHORUS NIGHT Renard and Elektra. She is on the bed, Renard stroking her, worshipping her skin. RENARD So beautiful. So smooth, so warm. ELEKTRA How would you know It stings him. Elektra sits up, pulling a robe around her. RENARD Why are you like this Because Bond is dead It s what you wanted. ELEKTRA beat Of course. Renard gets up. Paces the floor. RENARD He was a.good lover ELEKTRA What do you think Renard leans against her desk, closing his eyes, squeezing out the images. After a moment, he SMASHES HIS FIST through the handpainted wood. Elektra looks up. HER . A huge splinter of wood juts out of Renard s hand. Renard looks at it, curious, unfazed. RENARD Nothing. Elektra comes to him. Leads him to the bed. Sits. Gently removes the splinter. Then, she takes an icecube from the bucket. Runs it along his wound. ELEKTRA What about this And she runs the ice down his cheek. He shakes his head. Tormented. RENARD Nothing. Now she runs the ice down her neck. ELEKTRA But surely. .her fingers becoming wet, she runs the ice down between her breasts, leaving a trail. Teasing. ELEKTRA .You can feel this She s moving the ice lower on herself. We see her lips open, enjoying the sensation. A beat, then his smile slowly grows. As she does something else. ELEKTRA sensual Remember . pleasure DISSOLVE MAIDEN S TOWER DEAD OF NIGHT Eerily quiet. The calm before the storm, except M S CELL SAME M is at the door of her cell. Her arm is stretched out through the bars. She is using her highheeled shoe to try to HOOK the leg of the stool and drag it toward her. She can only jut tap the leg with the tip of the heel. She swipes out at the little threelegged stool, tapping it, tapping it. It scoots toward her a little.she taps it again, gets her shoe HOOKED on the leg of the stool and starts to drag it when. The rickety stool hits a bump on the ancient stone floor and SPILLS OVER.the clock HITS THE GROUND and SKIDS across the stones, coming to rest ACROSS THE ROOM, on the floor near the window. M leans against the bars. SHE HEARS HER THE OUTER DOOR CLANKING OPEN. She hurries to her cot and lies down. GABOR ENTERS.a burly shadow in the light from the hall. He walks in. Looks at M. Picks up the clock and sets it ON THE WINDOW SILL. He leaves, shutting the door behind him. M sits up. Looks out to the clock, glowing in the dark. IT READS TWO A.M. She drops her head back on the wall. She will not sleep tonight. DISSOLVE TO OMITTED ISTANBUL DAWN ESTABLISH the vast city astride the Bosphorus. ISTANBUL STREETS SAME The sun starting to rise. Street vendors are the only people about, moving their carts into place, getting ready to place out their wares. We hold on a BUILDING. DYE FACTORY SAME A multilevelled, rickety old building full of colourful fabrics drying high overhead; the light shafts through them casting pools of different coloured light. It is a working factory, bolts of fabric and vats of dye, but it is also AN OLD KGB SURVEILLANCE CENTER Pushed to one end of the large room are stacks of radio equipment, old consoles, audio equipment and radar screens. Once a hightech surveillance center, it has gone to seed. There are men and women here, smoking, using the equipment, slightly dissolute, very sinister, where the only membership card is an old KGB ID. Zukovsky is here, leaning behind a RADIO OPERATOR. ZUKOVSKY Any luck reaching Yevgeny OPERATOR Negative, comrade. He moves to CHRISTMAS AND BOND, pouring over a large MAP OF ISTANBUL spread out on a table. CHRISTMAS to Zukovsky What is this place ZUKOVSKY Former KGB surveillance post. The Dye Factory was just a front; now it turns a good profit. Bond notices THE BOA in the corner with some others. BOND Your old friend Dmitri. Zukovsky nods to his old friend. ZUKOVSKY Today, you are glad to have the Boa on your side. Zukovsky looks at the map. ZUKOVSKY In the good old days, the KGB had three or four spots where our submarines could surface without anyone knowing. But Yevgeny is supposed to be loading cargo. CHRISTMAS What class sub does your nephew run ZUKOVSKY Cclass. BOND Nuclear. CHRISTMAS Not just nuclear. Powered by a nuclear reactor. the penny drops He s not loading any cargo. They want the sub. The sub itself. Put weapons grade plutonium inside the sub s reactor Instant, catastrophic meltdown. BOND Made to look just like an accident. ZUKOVSKY Mother of God. BOND The right kind of explosion in the right spot it would block the Bosphorus, cut off the Black Sea. CHRISTMAS But why Eight million people would die, the land irradiated for a hundred years. A cloud of radiation the size of Europe. BOND chilled Because an explosion like that would kill all the other pipelines. There would be only one way to get the oil out of the Caspian and pump it to the world. CHRISTMAS The King pipeline. BOND Elektra would control it all. ZUKOVSKY If what you say it true.it may be too late for Yevgeny. SECRET QUAY MAIDEN S TOWER ISTANBUL DAY The ancient arched underbelly of a waterside building. Something is disturbing a large expanse of water. A black shadow looms beneath the waves. A SUBMARINE SURFACES. SECRET QUAY MAIDEN S TOWER ISTANBUL DAY Waiting at the newly excavated quay Renard and his men. The submarine s hatch opens. A YOUTHFUL CAPTAIN EMERGES, vaguely resembling his uncle, Zukovsky. RENARD Captain. YEVGENY Sir. We are ready to load your cargo. We only have a few hours before we ll be missed. RENARD You came with a skeleton crew YEVGENY That s all we can afford these days. RENARD Of course. We are grateful for your efforts. One of his men comes forward with several bottles of brandy and other food. RENARD We have brandy and other refreshments for your men. The Captain nods, pleased. DYE FACTORY Bond and Christmas and Zukovsky watch as the radio operators scan the airwaves. ZUKOVSKY If we re not in time and something has happened to him. you must let me kill them. Bond stares hard at him. A long beat. BOND Whoever gets there first, Zukovsky. They have M. SUBMARINE DAY Eerie, dark, the lights inside green and sickly. CLOSE ON A halfeaten sandwich. An empty glass of brandy on the floor, just near the hand it fell from. PULL BACK TO SEE The dead face of Yevgeny, poisoned. Others of his crew around, also dead. Renard and his men tour the grisly scene. RENARD Take them up and throw them in the sea. As they drag Yevgeny away, his HAT falls on the ground. Renard picks it up and PUTS IT ON HIS HEAD. RENARD We ll be underway in two hours. Use that time to refamiliarize yourselves with your stations. Then ponder how rich you ll be. The rebreathers for the escape are already on board. A man appears holding a heavy lead box containing the plutonium. Renard takes the box as if it weighs nothing. Stronger then ever. CELL MAIDEN S TOWER MORNING Elektra stands at the door looking in at M. ELEKTRA Now you know how it feels. To be locked away, to wonder if they re coming for you, if anyone will ever come for you. M Someone will come. ELEKTRA Who Bond Bond is dead. Elektra walks to the window. She looks ELEKTRA Somehow, I find that strangely .disappointing. M watches her, her heart beating. M Elektra. What time is it Elektra picks up the little clock. Walks over to the cell bars. ELEKTRA Time for you to die. And she reaches through the bars and HANDS M THE CLOCK. The two women s eyes meet. RENARD The reactor is secured. She turns, sees RENARD in the doorway. She crosses to him and SLAMS THE DOOR SHUT behind her. OUTSIDE DOOR MAIDEN S TOWER DAY Their eyes lock. RENARD This is the end. ELEKTRA No. It is the beginning. The world will never be the same. He lays the Captain s hat down. Tries to mask his sorrow. RENARD It will be yours, and yours alone. Have fun with it. Forces himself to leave, heads down the stairs. M S CELL SAME M works quickly. She pops open the back of the clock and takes out the batteries. She pries off the tops with a key and connects the wires to the LOCATOR CARD. DYE FACTORY SAME The Radio Operator touches his earpiece. OPERATOR Comrade, it s faint, but I m getting something. A signal. Transmitting at. degrees north. He writes the coordinates down. Bond picks them up. BOND The locator card. It s M. He takes the coordinates over to the map and DRAWS A CORRESPONDING LINE across it. BOND The rest Christmas reads them out as the Operator writes them down CHRISTMAS Forty, fortythree degrees East. Bond draws another line across the map. At the point at which the intersect.a small island in the Bosphorus. ZUKOVSKY The Maiden s Tower. BOND How appropriate. ZUKOVSKY I d heard there were some renovations there.no one would look for a sub in that place in a million years. Suddenly Bond s instinct are aroused. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees THE BOA set something on the ground and move slowly UP THE STAIRS. Bond looks at the pack he left on the ground. He grabs Christmas and HURLS HER TO THE FLOOR. KABOOM A MASSIVE EXPLOSION rips the place apart. In half a second the air is thick with coloured dust and drifting clumps of burning silk. Bond stands. Christmas is stunned, but okay. He looks around at the others few dead, all out for the count, among them, Zukovsky. Bond heads for the door after the Boa. CHRISTMAS Zukovsky. BOND If I don t get to the Boa before he gets to Maiden s Tower, M is dead. Bond runs out, into STREET DAY Teeming with people, his eyes scanning, he spots.THE BOA climbing a ladder alongside a building to A ROOF. Bond chases after him, clambering up, but when he gets to the top of the roof. Boa has now been joined by THREE THUGS. One attacks Bond as the Boa and the others move away. Bond fights with the thug, they stumble across the roof, gripping each other, until Bond gets the upper hand and THROWS HIM DOWN through a thatched roof where he falls. BAZAAR Into the market below. Christmas, just coming into the square, sees the body falling.she runs to the thug, thinking it might be Bond. But the thug raises up, smiling at her, blood on his teeth. She turns and runs.the thug gives chase. ON THE ROOFS ABOVE Bond is following Boa and the other two men as they LEAP from roof to roof. He sees them jump off onto the roof of. MOVING BUS Motoring rapidly away from him. He makes a spectacular leap to a wobbly FLAG POLE that swings him toward the bus, dropping him on the roof before it SNAPS BACK, into the overhead TRAM WIRES ABOVE and setting off sparks. ON THE BUS Bond barely gets to his feet before Thug is upon him. They grapple, struggling to maintain their footing as the bus speeds through the rickety old streets. He throws the guy over. The thug desperately CLINGS TO THE SIDE OF THE BUS. Bond now takes on the third thug, unaware that number two has climbed back on and is about to WHACK HIM ON THE HEAD with his gun when. THE BUS TURNS onto a new street.THE WIRES AGAIN.Thug Two s gun is caught up in them.he is instantly ELECTROCUTED. Thug three watches his friend s horrible death, giving Bond time to slug him hard across the face and THROW HIM FROM THE BUS. STREET Thug two s body goes SLAMMING INTO THE WINDSHIELD of a fast moving van.BURSTS OUT through the back doors of said van and tumbles out onto the street where it is HIT BY A CAR. ON THE BUS Bond turns back toward.BOA. Now it is just the two of them. The bus is hissing to a stop. The Boa leaps on to the bed of a passing truck. Bond rushes forward and leaps on to the top of a passing taxi. The taxi jams on his breaks and Bond rolls across the bonnet and on to the street. He springs to his feet. Fifty yards ahead the truck carrying the Boa has stopped for traffic. The Boa jumps out and darts into an alley. ISTANBUL ALLEY DAY The Alley leads into a small CAFE where PATRONS smoke water pipes and drink coffee. The Boa is nowhere to be seen. Bond slips out his gun holding it out of sight close to his leg so as not to alarm the civilians. He steps into the cafe. ISTANBUL CAFE DAY Bond makes his way through the tables to the doorway in the back. He looks inside just a few children at play. Bond is suddenly blindsided by a vicious kidney punch which brings him to his knees. He struggles to bring up his gun but the Boa knocks it out of his hand. The Boa locks Bond s head in an unbreakable choke hold from behind. Bond pulls on the massive arms but to no avail. He glances down to his right HIS GUN just out of reach. Bond reaches out for it his fingers just graze it. Suddenly the Boa s foot kicks out, knocking the gun across the room. He tighten his grip and speaks in Bond s ear. BOA For years I was told I could never take the great James Bond and his Walther PPK. What good is your gun now, Bond Bond can t breathe, his eyes start to dim. He slumps forward, his left hand touches something hot. It s the iron basket of coals used to keep the water pipes lite. Bond s fingers touch the wire handle that arches across the top. He grabs it and with his last reserves Swings it at the back of his head hitting the Boa on the side of the head with the SOUND OF RAW BACON HITTING A HOT SKILLET. The Boa drops Bond and leaps to his feet holding the side of his face. Bond falls forward fighting for breath and trying to clear his head. The Boa runs out the back door. Bond finds his gun, holsters it and follows. ISTANBUL SIDE STREET DAY Bond comes out into a side street crowded with VENDERS AND SHOPPERS. Bond sees the Boa pushing his way through the crowd to. ISTANBUL FERRY TERMINAL DAY RUSSIAN TRAMP STEAMER taking on cargo. Bond enters square in time to see the Boa making a Bee line for the Russian steamer. As the Boa, much the worseforware, starts up the gangway to the top deck of the steamer, Bond hitches a ride on a cargo net that is being hoisted aboard by the ship s boom. RUSSIAN STEAMER DAY Boa, breathing hard gets to the deck. He lumbers across it but before he can reach the other side he is tripped up by Bond who has been waiting for him by the side of the deck house. The Boa goes sprawling. As Bond comes for him he scrambles to his feet, grabs a nearby bailing hook, and swings at Bond. But Bond is ready for him. He wards off the blow with a small wooden cover from a shipping crate. He traps the Boa s arm and gives him two quick devastating kicks in the solar plexus. He Boa stages back to the railing. A final kick from Bond sends him over the side. THE BOA FALLS, LANDING ON HIS BACK ON THE DECK BELOW WITH A SICKENING THUD. Bond looks down, sees the Boa s body at a horrible angle, his neck broken. Bond sighs, turns. GABOR is there. Gun trained on him. GABOR Welcome aboard, Mr. Bond. BOND S . A thug steps into sight below, holding CHRISTMAS hostage as well. MAIDEN S TOWER DAY A magnificent ornate tower in the centre of the Bosphorus. An innocentlooking launch coasts up to it. A tarp is raised and Bond and Christmas are revealed, hands bound. They are helped out, led inside by a number of henchmen. MAIDEN S TOWER DAY Elektra crosses the hallway as the doors open. Kisses Bond on the cheek as she eyes Christmas. ELEKTRA James Bond and his amazing resurrection. If only you d kept away, we might have met again in a few years, become lovers once more. Christmas eyes Bond anew as Elektra leads him to an ornately carved chair, covered in silk. ELEKTRA to guards Take her to Renard. Bond and Christmas exchange a look as the guards start her towards some steps. Elektra indicates for him to sit. Behind him, the whole of Istanbul is visible through a large curved window. ELEKTRA Pretty thing. You had her too Bond ignores her. ELEKTRA I could have given you the world. BOND Not interested. This cuts. She casually reaches behind his neck, flips up a wooden arm to which is attached a metal collar. A GAROTTE. ELEKTRA They were digging near here and they found some very pretty vases. They also found this. meaning the garotte I think we ignore the old ways at our peril, don t you Bond recoils as she fastens the collar. She steps back. BOND ignoring her Where s M ELEKTRA Soon she ll be everywhere. Bond keeps his cool BOND All this, because you fell for Renard ELEKTRA Five more turns and your neck will break. She moves to the back of the chair, twists the screw ONE NOTCH. The effect on Bond is instantaneous as a bolt jolts into the back of his neck, tilts his head back. ELEKTRA Since I was a child, I ve always had a power over men. When I realized my father wouldn t rescue me from the kidnappers, I knew I had to form a new alliance. BOND realizing You turned Renard. ELEKTRA smiling Just like you.only you were even easier. She pulls the jewel from her ear, reveals the ugly scar ELEKTRA I told him he had to hurt me, he had to make it look real. When he refused I told him I would do it myself. She turns the screw again. BOND So you killed your father. ELEKTRA He killed me He killed me the day he refused to pay my ransom. A flicker of emotion. Bond is getting to her. BOND Was this all about the oil ELEKTRA It is my oil Mine and my family s Her eyes are shining. She moves toward the view, gazing out at this spectacular cradle of civilization. Bond works his wristbinds feverishly. ELEKTRA It runs in my veins, thicker than blood. I m going to redraw the map. And when I am through the whole world will know my name, my grandfather s name, the glory of my people. BOND Noone will believe this meltdown was an accident. She eyes him, impressed that he s worked out her plan. Tightens the screw again. Her confidence amazing. ELEKTRA They will believe. They will all believe. Tightening the screw again ELEKTRA You understand Nobody can resist me. Now she straddles him. She puts the jewel back on her ear. All the time, he s working that wristbind. ELEKTRA Know what happens when a man is strangled BOND Elektra, it s not too late. Eight million people needn t die. She smiles, twists the screw again. A nasty, grinding sound. Sweat trickles from his brow. She licks it away. ELEKTRA You should have killed me when you had the chance. But you couldn t. Not me. A woman you ve loved. She pushes her hips into his. Turns the screw. The bolt is jammed right into the back of his neck. His face is angled upwards. Breathing is difficult. He glares up BOND You meant . nothing . to me. She fingers the bolt. Prepares to turn it the last time.His hand strains at its binding. BOND One. last. screw ELEKTRA kissing his ear Oh James. She begins to turn the screw. . when SEVERAL GUNSHOTS are heard outside. Bond is on the edge of consciousness. Elektra freezes. Gets off him. Moves to a window. MAIDEN S TOWER BOSPHORUS DAY HER  Big, battered and bloody, Valentin Zukovsky is leaving a boat, moving over the rocks toward the entrance with three of his men. Two bodies in his trail. He s on course for Elektra and nothing is going to stop him, even as his henchmen are cut down by ferocious fire. MAIDEN S TOWER BOSPHORUS DAY Elektra moves to her gun. Just then, Gabor crashes through a stained glass window, neck broken. TWO ELEKTRA HENCHMEN appear from below stairs as the doors burst open. Zukovsky stands there. A bloody giant. They open up with machine guns, but two shots from Zukovsky take them out, though he takes one in the shoulder. Right now, he s unstoppable. A shocked silence after the shooting. He eyes Bond in the chair. To the room ZUKOVSKY I m looking for a submarine. It s big and black, and the driver is a friend of mine. Then his eye falls on the HAT Renard had brought up from below. He knows at once what it means. ZUKOVSKY Bring it to me. She picks it up, walks to him surreptitiously sliding a gun beneath it . She proffers the hat. ELEKTRA What a shame. You just missed him. BLAM BLAM BLAM she fires through the hat. He staggers back. Stares. Slumps down. Lowers his head to the ground. She walks over, puts her heel on his gun arm, presses down, smiling a halfpsychotic smile. The gun is pinned. Zukovsky is dying. But he dredges up every last ounce of energy to raise his gun a millimetre off the ground, his outstretched arm already pointing at Bond. Elektra looks surprised, then amused as Zukovsky s finger begins to squeeze the trigger he s going to shoot Bond Bond stares back. Zukovsky s eye narrows trying for extreme accuracy. BLAM The SHOT hits the binding at Bond s wrist. Splinters the wood there. ELEKTRA stares at Zukovsky. She didn t see where the bullet went, just that it missed Bond. She watches his head slump further, staring at Bond. A look passes between the two men. Comrades in arms. The merest of smiles. Then the light fades from his eyes. Dead. ELEKTRA turns back to Bond. Smiles. ELEKTRA Excuse me. She picks up a walkietalkie, speaks into it ELEKTRA Everything s under control up here. Are you ready RENARD filtered Yes. Au revoir. Lost for a moment, she breathes heavily. She glances at Zukovsky s corpse. Slightly puzzled, to Bond ELEKTRA Zukovsky really hated you. beat Time to say goodnight. And she kisses him reaches behind to deliver the killer twist. One superfast movement Bond s hand breaks free, grabs her throat, tight. He holds her, their faces close together, disdain in his eyes hurls her backwards, her hand scratching at his face. Ripping the collar from his neck, he gets to his feet. Moves to Zukovsky, checks his pulse, takes the bloody gun from his fingers. Turns back, to see Elektra disappearing upstairs. A moment s dilemma should he race below to the sub or up to Elektra He takes off after Elektra, grabs the radio handset. SUBMARINE SECRET QUAY MAIDEN S TOWER DAY The submarine s engines roar to life. TOWER ELEKTRA rises up one of the triple spiral stairways leading to the various balconies of the minaret tower. TOWER/M S CELL DAY Bond stalks up after her. THEIR VOICES ECHO through the intertwined stairs ELEKTRA James. You can t kill me. Not in cold blood. But Bond isn t wavering. Clutches Zukovsky s bloody wet gun. He heads up in the semidarkness and suddenly swings to his right, at an unexpected but familiar Voice M Bond Bond kicks open a door and enters. M S PRISON ROOM He fires at the lock on her cell door and frees her. Turns to go, heading upward, after Elektra. M Go after the submarine, forget the girl. Bond BALCONY/MAIDEN S TOWER BOSPHORUS DAY Elektra has reached a balcony. It affords a spectacular view of Istanbul. Bond appears, has her cornered. BOND Call him off. He holds the walkietalkie to her mouth. BOND I won t ask again. Call him off She looks at him seriously. He s giving her a last chance, willing her to save herself and the city. ELEKTRA into walkietalkie Renard. Bond waits. ELEKTRA to Bond You wouldn t kill me. You d miss me. And her face breaks into a perverted grin and ELEKTRA into walkietalkie Dive Bond BLAM Bond shoots her. She staggers back, shocked at her own mortality. BOND I never miss. He looks out BOSPHORUS DAY Sees the nose of the sub heading into the Bosphorus, half submerged. The hatch is still open. BALCONY MAIDEN S TOWER BOSPHORUS DAY He stares at her dead body a beat. And then, he crouches. He touches her cheek, just once, before he goes. Behind him, unbeknownst, M has seen it all. MAIDEN S TOWER BOSPHORUS DAY He moves to the ledge. Composes himself and DIVES ONE HUNDRED FEET to the water. Amazing. SUBMARINE, BOSPHORUS DAY He surfaces close to the exiting sub. Grabs a ladder, pulls himself up. The hatch is closing. He splashes through the water flooding over the sub, appears in front of the amazed sailor shutting the hatch. WHACKS him with the hatch. Gets inside. Closes it. Milliseconds before the hatch slides under the water. SUBMARINE Bond down below. Renard s crew are spread throughout the sub. He creeps through. Approaches one man working some levers, smoking. Bond holds his gun to his head. BOND How do you want to die re cigarette That re gun Or this CABIN, SUBMARINE MOMENTS LATER A few SOLID BANGS on the metal of Christmas door. It opens and Bond lets the now unconscious man hit the deck. That was his head banging. CHRISTMAS stunned James. He takes her by the hand, they move through the shadows of the sub. SUBMARINE MOMENTS LATER A man is operating the tanks. Through the intercom RENARD filtered Flood tanks and . The man does as told. When he s finished Bond knocks him out with the butt of his gun. SUBMARINE CONTROL ROOM MOMENTS LATER Several men occupy the central control room, Renard at their centre. Beyond, on the other side, the outer chamber of the reactor. OTHER END OF CONTROL ROOM SUBMARINE DAY From the other end of the control room, Bond and Christmas, so near and yet so far they can t get to the reactor because there are so many men in there. Keeping behind cover CHRISTMAS Is there another way BOND We go down to the torpedo bay. TANK CONTROLS ROOM, SUBMARINE LOWER DECK MOMENTS LATER Bond and Christmas get attacked. A vicious, silent fight. Then the radio set sparks into life RENARD Open the tanks. Bond is throttling the man with the cable. Speaks into the handset. BOND disguising voice Tanks open. But the man has stretched his hand to a fire alarm The KLAXON RESOUNDS. SUBMARINE CONTROL ROOM Renard looks up. RENARD to self Bond. He flicks a switch; RENARD into mic Bond You have decided to join me on this historic voyage. Welcome to my nuclear family. INTERCUT BOND ON AN INTERCOM His voice fills the control room. BOND You re really going to commit suicide for her Renard responds, into the microphone. RENARD In case you ve forgotten. I m dead already. BOND Haven t you heard the news So is she. Renard s face screws up in pain more searing than any he could feel in his skin.he SCREAMS. SUBMARINE. The scream, like a wounded animal, echoes throughout the doomed craft. BACK ON RENARD, gasping, spent. RENARD You will die for this. He strides through to the REACTOR CHAMBER Jams shut the hatch behind him. Now moves through to the CHAMBER BEYOND REACTOR Where he picks up the PLUTONIUM. Moves back into the REACTOR CHAMBER Sealing the other door behind him. And now he opens up the cover of the glaring REACTOR. TANK CONTROLS ROOM, SUBMARINE Christmas sees a panel light up CHRISTMAS The cover is off the reactor. Bond reads off more lights. BOND He s sealed himself in. CHRISTMAS He s going to insert the plutonium. Thinking fast, Bond moves to some controls. Hits switches. CHRISTMAS Do you know what you re doing BOND Like riding a bike. AIR TANKS, SUBMARINE The air tanks immediately filling with water. TANK CONTROLS ROOM, SUBMARINE Christmas and Bond shift to the side. Everything not screwed down starts sliding. SUBMARINE LONG SHOT The submarine is tilting, further and further, the nose dropping down and down. Pretty soon we have the strange and incredible sight of a submarine hanging vertically, nose down. REACTOR CHAMBER, SUBMARINE Renard hangs on, swings, until he can get a footing on the nearest wall. TANK CONTROLS ROOM, SUBMARINE Bond and Christmas hang on too, get a grip. He helps her up. CHRISTMAS What kind of bikes did you ride BOND Just wanted to put him on edge. REACTOR CHAMBER, SUBMARINE Renard is disturbed by the sub s position, but only momentarily. He moves to an intercom RENARD Open the torpedo tubes. TORPEDO ROOM Bond hears a creak, turns to see the tubes open water gushes up toward them at an incredible rate. BOND Climb He pulls Christmas up and they ascend to the next level. No chance to seal the chamber though, the water is already through the hatch. BOND Keep moving. REACTOR CHAMBER Renard now struggles back up to the reactor, stares into the violet blue heat. He hits a button. A ROD slowly rises out of the reactor. LOWER SUBMARINE Bond and Christmas are ahead of the water. They have reached a level where various systems are operated from. BOND There s one chance. He punches buttons. SUBMARINE, BOSPHORUS High up on the sub, a hatch opens. Water floods into an escape hatch. An inner door stops it getting into the submarine itself. REACTOR CHAMBER Renard slowly inserts the plutonium rod. Immediately the light around him becomes a deeper blue, a horrible luminescence. The staccato click of a distant Geiger counter intensifies. SUBMARINE As Bond opens the inner door of an ESCAPE HATCH, he points out a cabinet on the wall to Christmas. BOND Rebreathers. She opens the box to find the REBREATHERS are ripped to shreds. Noone was ever meant to get off the sub. She shows Bond. BOND Never liked those things anyway. He climbs into the escape chamber. BOND Count to twenty. When you get to twenty open the hatch. It can only be opened for a few seconds or we ll sink. CHRISTMAS But what if. BOND Count to twenty. I ll be there. She moves over and seals the door, wrenches a lever which immediately floods the chamber with water. ESCAPE HATCH Inside the chamber, Bond holds his breath as water seeps in. The most claustrophobic thing you ve ever seen. SUBMARINE A green light comes on and Christmas punches a button. SUBMARINE, ESCAPE HATCH The OUTER DOOR opens. Bond burst out and starts the long swim up the OUTSIDE OF THE SUBMARINE. SUBMARINE SAME Christmas is counting. CHRISTMAS One, one thousand, two, one thousand. SUBMARINE UNDERWATER It s dark out here. It would be very easy for Bond to get disoriented. He peers around, trying to get his bearings against the vast vertical whale he s swimming up. Passes the conning tower. SUBMARINE CHRISTMAS Fourteen, one thousand, fifteen, one thousand. SUBMARINE UNDERWATER Bond is running out of air. And then he sees it the open hatch of the rear escape door. He gets inside, yanks it closed. SUBMARINE Christmas, shivering in the rising water. CHRISTMAS Twenty. She presses a button. CHAMBER BEYOND NOW ABOVE REACTOR The hatch opens and Bond collapses out in a gush of water. The hatch closes. The whole world is at a crazy angle here. Bond looks down at the sealed door of the reactor chamber, curses. REACTOR CHAMBER Bathed in the horrible light of the overheating reactor, Renard looks upwards, aware of sounds on the other side of the door. KERBLAM A BLINDING FLASH OF LIGHT. The door shoots off its hinge, blasted by Bond. Bond drops down into the chamber, takes one look at Renard, now a crumpled heap in the corner. Bond moves down to the next door, opens it BOND Christmas And there she is, struggling, the water level way below still rising. He lowers an arm, pulls her up. They clamber up to the reactor REACTOR CHAMBER BOND S  in the intense glow inside the overheating rod, protruding slightly. CHRISTMAS We have to get the rod out of the reactor REACTOR CHAMBER Bond looks at the gauges from behind a thick GLASS SHIELD. Christmas comes up level with him CHRISTMAS Melting down. degrees, the Zirconium casings on the rods crack. , the plutonium melts. In ten minutes, a hydrogen explosion. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE READS AND RISING. He starts toward the reactor when suddenly RENARD IS BEHIND BOND, THROTTLING HIM. CHRISTMAS grabs at him, is flung back, nearly falls through the hatch but manages to grab a pipe, hangs on for dear life. THE GAUGE HITS BOND AND RENARD struggle. Both slamming into switches and buttons. OMITTED SUBMARINE THE GAUGE IS PASSING , EDGING TOWARDS THE NOWAYBACK MARK. Meltdown imminent. He looks down the sub more water racing upward. Back to the pile. Scans the scene, searching for an idea. Sees a HOSE, compressed air escaping from a fissure. Thinks fast. Grabs the hose, snaps it free. RENARD is recovering, has found a FLARE GUN near him. Raises it to Bond. BOND S in the reflection of the gauge which is millimeters from , we see Renard approaching from behind us. BOND jams the hose into the reactor, ducks down as the air blows the rod out narrowly missing him as it shoots past impales Renard in the heart, just before he could shoot. Renard stares at Bond in horror. Bond calmly takes the flare gun off him. BOND She s waiting for you. And he lets him fall past Christmas, through consecutive open hatches of the sub, crashing into the rising water. Christmas looks down at the floating corpse. Bond watches the gauge as it edges DOWN from . The nuclear disaster looks like it s averted. But suddenly water is gushing in from above, through splits in the sub s shell; it s going to sink. BOND We re sinking. But she won t come. As water courses over them CHRISTMAS Help me. We have to seal it. She moves to the reactor, closing the cover. Bond uses his strength to push the heavy locking mechanism into place. Bond climbs upwards, dragging Christmas with him. BOND We ve got to get CHRISTMAS We can t. CHAMBER BEYOND REACTOR They clamber into the next chamber up. SUBMARINE, BOSPHORUS The submarine is slowly sinking, nose down. Air is escaping from the many seams that are creeping apart. We can hear the metallic GROANS through the water. TORPEDO ROOM Bond and Christmas crawl into TORPEDO CHAMBERS. Bond reaches out, setting a timer to FIRE. The clock ticks down. SUBMARINE UNDERWATER BOSPHORUS DAY The Torpedo doors open and Bond and Christmas are SHOT OUT INTO THE WATER, streaking through, as behind them. THE SUBMARINE EXPLODES in spectacular fashion. SURFACE, BOSPHORUS DAY Bond and Christmas reach the surface. Look around them. No boats coming to the rescue. They wave to a tourist boat passing. The boat heads over to pick them up. DISSOLVE OMIT EST. SHOT MI NIGHT The damaged wing is being repaired. BRIEFING ROOM SAME Tanner overseeing things, and then. M walks in. Efficient and steely as ever. All eyes turn to her. She looks at everyone.makes the briefest of nods. That is all the sentiment allowed as business resumes. She scans the machines M Any word from him TANNER Still no contact yet. ROOF, ISTANBUL NIGHT A magnificent rooftop garden looking out over Istanbul. Christmas and Bond alone with some Bollinger. FIREWORKS explode above. They clink glasses. He looks out at the cityscape. BOND I love Christmas in Turkey. CHRISTMAS So isn t it time you unwrapped your present BRIEFING ROOM NIGHT Tanner and Q look at a SATELLITE THERMAL IMAGE OF ISTANBUL. TANNER That s strange. The satellite image zooms in one particular car parked in a side street. We can just make out Bond s ASTON MARTIN. TANNER He must be nearby. M comes over. The image moves from the car, closes on the garden rooftop. The thermal image is multicoloured, difficult to decipher. M Where Q This picks up body heat. Humans should be orange. searching There. And he points to ONE orange figure lying on the rooftop. M to Tanner I thought you said he was with Doctor Jones They all look back to the image. The figure is turning RED, almost glowing. M It s getting redder. Tanner, Q and M realize as one that this is an image of two people, one atop the other. And getting hotter. M Bond. Q switches the screen off, clears his throat. Q Could be a premature form of the Millennium Bug. ROOF, ISTANBUL It s dark, we can t really see them. CHRISTMAS You know James. I think Christmas is coming early this year. A BLINDING WHITE SCREEN, under which we hear an ominous low end Dolby THX Big Screen rumble. We re not in television land anymore, Toto. As the rumble builds, TWO BLACK FIGURES appear on what now has resolved into a distant horizon. From their movements we can shortly see that the figures are men. Moving along a windswept ice sheet in an otherwise featureless land. A LEGEND appears NORTH TEXAS, , B.C. CLOSER ON THE TWO MEN Continuing toward us, we can now see that they are dressed in crude garments made of animal skins. If we squint we can see their hair is long, their jutting foreheads significant of primitive Homo Sapiens. They continue toward us, the wind beating against them, IS CRANING DOWN to the snow that lies before them. To LARGE THREETOED TRACKS. FOLLOWING THE PRIMITIVES As they track the threetoed prints to a rocky crevice in the hardpack ice. The prints stop here, and so do the men. Dropping down into the crevice in pursuit of their quarry. ICE CAVE Dark in here, except where the sunlight penetrates the thick, glassy ice walls. The silhouettes of the Primitives stark against the glistening cavern. The sound of flint being struck, then A TORCH CATCHES FIRE, illuminating their faces. And A CREATURE Deeper in the cave. Fleeing the light and the men. We get only a brief glimpse of it in the torch light, seeing that it moves upright on two legs and has gray, dinosaurlike skin. And large black eyes. But it moves quickly enough away that any other identifying feature is lost in the deeper shadows. THE PRIMITIVES Removing crude weapons made of sharpened bone from under their thick fur garments, and scrabbling into the constricting cavern, giving chase. Following them as they moves with animallike agility through the tightening space. Predatory hunters. Their torchlight catching THE CREATURE As it disappears into a tight opening in a smaller crevice leading off the main one. The Primitives entering frame after a moment, only a few steps behind. The LEAD PRIMITIVE dropping to the cave floor, pulling himself into this same tight fissure in pursuit. Splitting off from his partner who exits frame still on the run. SMALLER ICE CAVE HIGH ANGLE DOWN The fiery torch comes through first, held by the lead man. Throwing dancing shadows on the walls of what appears to be a box cavern. CLOSE ON LEAD PRIMITIVE Rising quickly to his feet. Not seeing what the torch illuminates just behind him The face of a dead Primitive Man, his body frozen into the ice. He does finally notice this, turning to see it, when he s ATTACKED VICIOUSLY FROM BEHIND. The torch falls to the floor so that the fight is difficult to see, but it is loud and cruel. The creature squealing wildly as the grunts of the Primitive now turn to the sounds of painful struggle. Until THE SECOND PRIMITIVE MAN Suddenly appears, driving his bone weapon into the body of the Creature. Again and again, until the Creature is driven away into the shadows. The Second Man grabs the torch now, not to see if his hunting mate has survived, but in pursuit of the Creature. In the light we see that he and his weapon are covered with spatters of OILY BLACK BLOOD. As is the First Primitive whose body lies heaving on the floor. The Second Primitive stepping over his hunting mate, stalking the Creature into the shadows, where it has collapsed. The torch finally landing, for the first time, on its face. When the torchlight hits its face, the Creature attacks. But the Primitive prevails. He drops his torch and dispatches the already wounded Creature with strong hard stabs of his weapon, one of which penetrates the Creature s eye. LOW ANGLE ON THE DEAD CREATURE The torch, which lies on the ground, illuminates the dead creature s face. Its wounds are flowing with the oily black blood, which, oddly now, BEGINS TO POOL. As if it has intelligence, sentience. Pooling and traveling into a fissure in the cave floor. And disappearing. ANGLE ON THE SECOND PRIMITIVE Watching this, unknowing. His chest heaving from the fight, as the spots of Oily Black Blood which have spattered onto him begin to crawl. Crawling toward his eyes and mouth. Causing him to let out grunts of fear. Which are the sounds we hear as the SLOWLY CRANES UP past the struggling Primitive to the roof of the cave, where the dancing shadows of the torch FADE AWAY with the sounds of struggle. Moving into darkness and silence. But only for a moment. Until SUNSHINE BREAKS THROUGH THE ROOF OF THE CAVE PRESENT DAY Along with the spade of a shovel. And then the earthen cave ceiling gives way and A BOY wearing Nikes and an old tshirt falls through it. Falling PAST . We hear a YELL, then a THUD, and a CLATTERING of the shovel that s fallen in with him. Then a pained GASPING. Then SEVERAL HEADS appear in the opening. These are BOYS of ten to eleven, staring down into the cave. Hot sunlight blazing in. We have traveled far, far forward in time. ND BOY Hey, Stevie. You okay CAVE PRESENT DAY THEIR  OF STEVIE On the floor below covered with dirt, in his nose and mouth. Spitting (All these boys have Texas in their voices.) STEVIE I got.I got.I got. (straining) .the wind knocked out of me. This draws no sympathy from above, only LAUGHTER. THE BOYS UP ABOVE Staring excitedly. RD BOY Looks like a cave or something. ND BOY What s down there, Stevie Anything OVER THE BOYS ABOVE Stevie has gotten up, moving out of the patch of sunlight. Disappearing from view for a moment. Then reappearing, still spitting out dirt. But holding STEVIE Human skull. One side partially missing from the cranium. But it brings WHOOPS of delight from the boys above. RD BOY Toss it up here, dude. STEVIE No way, buttwipe. I found it. It s mine. ANGLE UP ON STEVIE The other boys looking down at him. Stevie looking at the skull. Strangely, the light shines through it. It is milky, opaque, as if it s bone that s turned somehow glassy in places. Then STEVIE Anyways, there s bones all over the place down here. Stevie looks down at his feet. FOLLOWING HIS LOOK DOWN to where there are indeed more human bones. And something else. He takes a couple of steps in place, standing in a familiar BLACK, OILY substance which is climbing up his tennis shoe from the rock floor, over the edge of the shoe and down into the shoe itself. Then the SKULL drops in the frame, clattering on the hard floor of the cave. SLOWLY RISING UP FROM STEVIE S SHOES Following SUBCUTANEOUS WORMS which have begun locomoting aggressively up his legs. As his whole body is WRACKED by a shivering seizure of some kind. RISES, following the path of the worms as they move up the legs of his shorts. Some appearing on his bare arms, but the great majority continuing up to Stevie s neck, toward his face. Stevie stands paralyzed. Letting out guttural sounds not dissimilar to when the wind was knocked out of him. RD BOY (O.S.) Hey, Stevie. But Stevie cannot answer him. CONTINUING UP to the boys above. Looking down at their friend. Their eyes go wide. ND BOY You okay But what they see next answers that question for them. THEIR  OF STEVIE His face suddenly alive with the subcutaneous worms. Moving toward his eyes which begin filling with BLACK OIL. Looking much now like ALIEN EYES. CLOSE ON THE BOYS ABOVE Freaked by what they see. And doing what any kid would do now. RD BOY Hey, man. Let s get outta here. And they do. Bolting from the hole in the top of the cave. PUSHING UP THROUGH THIS HOLE to REVEAL we are SMALL DIRT FIELD NORTHERN TEXAS DAY In a dirt hole that was being dug by the three kids. RISING UP out of the hole to REVEAL the parched dirt patch where THREE KIDS are running away from us, as fast as their feet will take them. Toward A NEW HOUSING TRACT (five floorplans to choose from, including the model home.) Disappearing into the neighborhood. A LEGEND appears NORTH TEXAS, . CONTINUES RISING ABOVE THE ROOFTOPS to see the surrounding expanse of empty Texas flatland. And in the distance, the DALLAS SKYLINE. As SETTLES, there are a few moments of nothing but the sound of the wind gently whistling across the landscape. In which we bury a short TIME CUT. NEIGHBORHOOD NORTHERN TEXAS DAY Then we HEAR it, before we see it FIRE ENGINES pulling into the neighborhood, sirens WAILING. DROPPING AGAIN as the lead engine pulls up. FIREMEN are hopping off, moving to the hole the boys dug. LOW ANGLE UP FROM BELOW GROUND LEVEL, IN THE DUGOUT HOLE TWO firemen carrying a ladder clamber down PAST , THREE OTHERS appearing on their heels. The other two firemen clamber down, too. THE CAPTAIN at the edge of the hole watching them. Holding a radio. FIRE CAPTAIN This is Captain Miles Cooles.we ve got a rescue situation in progress. CAVE CONTINUOUS As the LEAD FIREMAN steps down the ladder into the cave. He scans the darkness, illuminated only by the shaft of light permitted by the hole above. As the ND FIREMAN drops down next to him. The both stand motionless now, as if sensing something. THEIR  Stevie s feet are just visible on the floor of the cave, a short distance away. RESUME FIREMEN LOW ANGLE They start cautiously toward Stevie. FINDING their feet. Tracking through the same OILY, BLACK SUBSTANCE we saw bleeding from the creature thirty five thousand years ago. As they move into the shadows, we HOLD ON THE SUBSTANCE.and see it MOVE. It s alive. TIME DIRT FIELD SHORT TIME LATER RISES out of the dirt hole, finds A GROUP OF NEIGHBORS Concerned PARENTS, KIDS, including Stevie s friends. They re held at a distance by the remaining firemen. Everyone turning their concerned gazes skyward. Looking at A MEDEVAC CHOPPER Coming off the sunsetting horizon. Moving toward us at high speed. The WHOP, WHOP of its blade soon shaking the neighborhood as it banks in and around and hovers just over the dirt field. Landing gently on the parched hard scrabble. The side door flies open and FIVE HAZMAT RESCUE PARAMEDICS jump out carrying a bubble litter. PANS THEM to the dirt hole past THE FIRE CAPTAIN. The HazMat Paramedics moving down into the hole. The Fire Captain watches this, then stares toward DR. BEN BRONSCHWEIG (in shirtsleeves, tie), exiting the chopper, following up the rear. The Captain meeting him in route. BRONSCHWEIG (over the chopper) Keep those people back. Get them out of here. FIRE CAPTAIN (to his men) Move them all back. (dogging Bronschweig) I sent four men down after the boy. They re not responding. Dr. Bronschweig s focus is elsewhere, though. He s making a bee line to the earthen hole where young Stevie is being pulled out and lifted into an enclosed QUARANTINE BUBBLE LITTER by the rescue squad. Bronschweig watches with great concern. Getting a good look now at Stevie s paralyzed body as it passes him. ANGLE ON CHOPPER As Stevie s body is loaded aboard, the side door is slid shut. The engine throttles up and the chopper takes flight again, almost as quickly as it arrived. The prop wash blowing DR. BRONSCHWEIG And the gathering crowd. Bronschweig watches the chopper bank away, then turns his look to THE NEIGHBORHOOD Where A SERIES OF UNMARKED CARGO VANS, TRUCKS are rolling in. A fleet of vehicles, driven by what looks like MILITARY PERSONNEL. Most conspicuously TWO WHITE UNMARKED TANKER TRUCKS. (There are NO MARKINGS on these vehicles.) RESUME BRONSCHWEIG As the Fire Captain moves around to face him off. FIRE CAPTAIN What about my men DR. BRONSCHWEIG (brusquely) We re doing all we can. And he moves off toward the approaching trucks where the MILITARY PERSONNEL are pulling out tents, tent poles, scientific equipment. Leaving the Captain to wonder what the hell s going on. Watching the first of many REFRIGERATION UNITS being unloaded. The personnel carrying it paying him no mind as they blow past him. Moving RIGHT TO and plunging us into BLACK. HOLD. Then OVER BLACK, a familiar sound again. The sound of a chopper auguring in. As we FADE UP, revealing we are TOP OF A SKYSCRAPER DAY The chopper is banking over the side of the building, preparing to touch down on the rooftop where FIFTEEN FBI AGENTS in dark ID windbreakers are standing. A LEGEND appears FEDERAL BUILDING, DALLAS, TEXAS. ONE WEEK LATER. The chopper touches down and, again, the side door is thrown open. But now only one man exits SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE (S.A.C.) DARIUS MICHAUD. Michaud moves with the measured pace of authority, approaching the waiting FBI Agents. One of whom steps up. FBI AGENT We ve evacuated the building and been through it bottom to top. No trace of an explosive device or anything resembling one. S.A.C. MICHAUD Have you taken the dogs through FBI AGENT Yes, sir. S.A.C. MICHAUD Well, take them through again. This is given as a nonnegotiable order, to the somewhat weary FBI man. Who turns back to his charges, Michaud does not register this attitude, though. Something else has caught his attention. Causing him to walk to the edge of the building. FOLLOWING HIM, seeing what he sees now. On an adjacent skyscraper is what appears to be AN FBI AGENT in an ID windbreaker exiting onto the roof. CONTINUING AROUND into A CLOSE UP PROFILE of S.A.C Michaud. Staring at this, his jaw set. He doesn t like what he sees. And what he sees is ROOFTOP OPPOSING SKYSCRAPER DAY CONTINUOUS Special Agent Dana Scully is coming out the door leading onto the roof. The door slams shut behind her. She, too, is dressed in an FBI windbreaker. She s dialing her cell phone as she moves around the rooftop looking for something. Dialing the number of SCULLY Mulder it s me MULDER (FILTER) Where are you, Scully SCULLY I m on the roof. MULDER (FILTER) Did you find something SCULLY (impatiently) No. I haven t. MULDER (FILTER) What s wrong, Scully SCULLY I ve just climbed twelve floors. I m hot and thirsty and I m wondering, to be honest, what I m doing here. MULDER (FILTER) You re looking for a bomb. SCULLY I know that. But the threat was called in for the Federal Building across the street. MULDER (FILTER) I think they have that covered. WE ARE TRACKING WITH SCULLY. SCULLY (impatience) Mulder. when a terrorist bomb threat is called in, the logical purpose of providing this information is to allow us to find the bomb. The rational object of terrorism is to promote terror. If you d study model behavioral pattern in virtually every case where a threat has turned up an explosive device. If we don t act in accordance with that data if you ignore it as we have done the chances are great that if here actually is a bomb we might not find it. Lives could be lost Scully, engrossed in her own argument, realizes she s been the only one speaking for the last short while. She stops walking. SCULLY Mulder. MULDER What happened to playing a hunch Scully almost JUMPS out of her own skin. The voice has come not over the phone, but from two feet away where ANGLE TO INCLUDE AGENT MULDER Standing in the shadow of a large air conditioning unit. Cracking a trademark sunflower seed between his teeth. Clicking his cell phone off. Moving SCULLY Jesus, Mulder. MULDER The element of surprise, Scully. Random acts of unpredictability. If we fail to anticipate the unforeseen or expect the unexpected in a universe of infinite possibilities, we find ourselves at the mercy of anyone or anything that cannot be programmed, categorized or easily referenced. Mulder has moved to the edge of the building where he sails his sunflower seeds into the air. Dusting his hands off as if lost in a wistful through for just a moment. MULDER What are we doing up here It s hotter than hell. And he s on the move. Scully moving to catch up. NEW ANGLE Mulder is moving toward the stairs, Scully catching him. Mulder allowing her to lead him up the steps. SCULLY I know you re bored in this assignment, but unconventional thinking is only going to get you into trouble now. MULDER How s that SCULLY You ve got to quit looking for what isn t there. They ve closed the XFiles. There s procedure to be followed here. Protocol. MULDER What do you say we call in a bomb threat for Houston. I think it s free beer night at the Astrodome. Scully gives him a look. It s no use. She reaches the door first, grabs the knob but. it won t open. Turning to Mulder. SCULLY Now what MULDER (suddenly nervous) It s locked She wiggles the knob again. SCULLY So much for anticipating the unforeseen. Scully squints into the sun, staring at Mulder. But he s quick on the draw, and realizes what she s up to. He grabs for the door and. it opens. Looking to Scully whose hard look of mockscolding has become a smirking smile. SCULLY Had you. MULDER No you didn t. SCULLY Oh yeah. Had you big time. And that s how it continues as they reenter the stairwell, the door slamming shut behind them. BUILDING LOBBY DAY As an elevator DINGS and the doors open. Scully and Mulder exit into the lobby where people move in and Heads turn due to their FBI jackets. (Included atmosphere a GROUP OF KIDS on a field trip, being led into an elevator by THEIR TEACHER.) SCULLY I saw your face, Mulder. There was a moment of panic. MULDER Panic Have you ever seen me panic, Scully SCULLY I just did. You re buying. Mulder fishes for change, but more out of sportsmanship. MULDER Alright. what ll it be Coke, Pepsi A saline IV SCULLY Something sweet. Scully flashes a thin victory smile, as Mulder heads off. HALLWAY OUTSIDE VENDING MACHINE ROOM CONTINUOUS Mulder moving to a door with a small shingle above it which says SNACKS/BEVERAGES. As he approaches, sorting through the change he s fished up, the door opens and A MAN IN A VENDOR S UNIFORM appears. He makes casual and eversobrief eye contact with Mulder as he brushes past him. Mulder making no note of this as he moves to catch the door before it closes. SNACK AREA AND SODA VENDING MACHINE ROOM DAY Mulder takes a few steps down into the windowless room. Moving past the snack machines to a LIGHTED soda machine. Finding the correct change and plunking it in. Hitting a button, but. nothing comes MULDER Oh, come on. He beats his fist a couple of times on the front of the machine. Nothing. He finds more change. Plunking it in. Hits the button. Nothing. He stares at the machine a minute, then BEATS IT HARD with his fist. Nothing. Moving around to the back of the machine, looking for ANGLE ACROSS BACK OF MACHINE Mulder s face peering in on the slim space between the machine and the wall. Reaching down and lifting the PLUG on the end of the electrical cord. It isn t plugged in. Realizing now why the machine hasn t spit out his sodas. RESUME FRONT ANGLE ON MACHINE As Mulder appears, stepping very lightly in front of the machine that he was just pounding away on. Looking at it, then moving quickly to the door he entered through. Grasping the knob, but finding it. LOCKED. He jiggles the knob, pulls on it. But there s no two ways about it, he s locked in. BUILDING LOBBY DAY Scully stands looking at her watch. Wondering where Mulder is. When her CELL PHONE starts ringing. She answers it. SCULLY Scully. MULDER (FILTER) Scully, I found the bomb. SCULLY (thinks he s joking) Where are you, Mulder MULDER (FILTER) I m in the vending room. Scully is on the move, but she doesn t believe him for a second. HALLWAY OUTSIDE VENDING MACHINE ROOM CONTINUOUS Scully appears, heard A POUNDING. Following this noise to the door Mulder is obviously on the other side of. Tries the door. SCULLY Is that you pounding SNACK AND SODA VENDING MACHINE ROOM DAY Mulder holds his phone to his ear, using his other hand to pound. MULDER Scully, get somebody to open this door. SCULLY (FILTER) Nice try, Mulder. FOLLOWING MULDER as he steps back, revealing now that he s gotten the hinged front of the coke machine open. But we can t yet see what s inside. MULDER Scully listen to me. It s in the coke machine. You ve got about fourteen minutes to get this building evacuated. HALLWAY OUTSIDE VENDING MACHINE ROOM CONTINUOUS Scully is shaking her head. Tries the door again. SCULLY C mon. Open the door. His response to this is MORE HARD POUNDING. SCULLY Mulder Tell me this is a joke. MULDER (FILTER) Thirteen fifty nine, thirteen fifty eight, thirteen fifty seven. As he is doing this, Scully is bending to see THE KEYHOLE It s been freshly soldered over. SNACK AND SODA VENDING MACHINE ROOM DAY Mulder stands pacing in front of AN ELABORATELY ENGINEERED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE Wired with circuit boards, electric belts and generally looking like it would take an expert a good long time to figure out where to even start. A lot longer than the  that reads on the digital read MULDER .thirteen fifty six. SCULLY (FILTER) Hang on. I m gonna get you out of there. The line goes dead. And off Mulder s deepening anxiety, we BUILDING LOBBY DAY Scully enters like General Patton, taking charge. Barking at the security guards who sit behind their security console. SCULLY I need this building evacuated and cleared out in ten minutes I need you to get on the phone and tell the fire department to block off the city center in one mile radius around the building SECURITY GUARD In ten minutes.. SCULLY DON T THINK JUST PICK UP THE PHONE AND MAKE IT HAPPEN And she s moving, dialing her cell phone now. SCULLY (into phone) This is Special Agent Dana Scully. I need to speak to S.A.C. Michaud. He s got the wrong building BUILDING DAY UNMARKED FBI VANS, CARS are pulling up out front. Agents in windbreakers are exiting, moving at a run to the building. Among them S.A.C. Darius Michaud. Moving to ANGLE ON SCULLY Exiting the building. Behind her, WORKERS are beginning to stream out of the building, as well as the young FIELD TRIPPERS. Michaud meeting up with Scully midplaza. As the windbreaker Agents move past them, entering the building. S.A.C. MICHAUD Where is it MOVING WITH THEM now, back toward the building. As FIRE TRUCKS are pulling up out in the street out front. Suddenly this has the distinct feel of a situation veering out of control. SCULLY Mulder found it in a vending machine. He s locked in with it. SNACK AND VENDING MACHINE ROOM DAY THE DIGITAL READ OUT hits  . Pull back to REVEAL MULDER staring at it. If he wasn t sweating enough on the roof, he s certainly sweating now. When his cell phone RINGS. Answering it. MULDER Scully SCULLY (FILTER) Mulder. Move away from the door. We re coming through it. No sooner is this said than the WHIPS OFF MULDER to the door, where A GAS PLASMA TORCH FLAME is sizzling along the hinges. HALLWAY OUTSIDE VENDING MACHINE ROOM CONTINUOUS Where Michaud himself, wearing a Kevlar vest now, is wielding the torch. Expertly cutting the metal while Scully and TWO AGENTS and TWO DALLAS BOMB SQUAD men look on. In the b.g. BUILDING EMPLOYEES are streaming Michaud finishes and shuts off the torch. Yelling S.A.C. MICHAUD Go. The other Agents kick the metal door in sending it crashing to the floor. Mulder stands on the other side. Watching Michaud pick up a heft tool kit, stepping over the downed door. Scully right behind him. Along with the Agents, Bomb techs. ANGLE OVER MULDER AND THE SODA MACHINE/BOMB As Michaud steps in next to him, sizing up the time on the ticking digital readout  . And just exactly what kind of defusing work he s got cut out for him. MULDER Tell me this is just soda pop in those canisters. S.A.C. MICHAUD No. It s what it looks like. A big I.E.D. ten gallons of astrolite. (studying the bomb) Okay, get everybody out of here and clear the building. MULDER Somebody s got to stay with you S.A.C. MICHAUD I gave you an order. Now get the hell out of here and evacuate the area. SCULLY Can you defuse it Setting his tool kit down, opening it. As the other Agents heed his word, exiting the room. S.A.C. MICHAUD I think so. MULDER You ve got about four minutes to find out if you re wrong. Michaud turns on him with unexpected intensity. S.A.C. MICHAUD Did you hear what I said SCULLY Let s go, Mulder. Scully starts Mulder stares at Michaud for a moment, but Michaud s focus is on the bomb now. He won t meet Mulder s look. Finally Mulder moves off, following Scully. HOLDS ON MICHAUD, just staring at the bomb. Just staring. PLAZA OUTSIDE BOMB BUILDING DAY CONTINUOUS The last of the building occupants are being hauled off in CITY BUSES which have moved in curbside. As these buses pull away, so do the fire trucks that have positioned themselves out front. And the police squad cars. As Mulder and Scully exit the front door. Moving quickly, until Mulder hits midplaza and slows. Scully not realizing this for a few steps, then turning. SCULLY What are you doing (off his nonresponse) Mulder One last windbreakered Agent is exiting. Moving past them to the last cop car other than the car waiting for Mulder and Scully. LAST AGENT OUT All clear. Mulder has stopped and is looking back to the building now as Scully hustles back the few steps separating them. MULDER Something s wrong. ANGLE OVER THEM TO THE WAITING CAR As the Last Agent Out s car zooms away. Leaving only their car and the man driving it a WINDBREAKERED AGENT. WINDBREAKERED AGENT What s he doing The plaza is desolate now, void of life. MULDER Something s not right. SCULLY Mulder Get in the car Scully is pulling him now. Pulling him toward the car and the obviously impatient Windbreakered Agent. SCULLY There s no time SNACK AND SODA VENDING MACHINE ROOM DAY CLOSE ON BOMB. The seconds ticking off now, as it passes the  mark. PULLING BACK, ADJUSTING to Michaud. His tool chest is closed up, and he is sitting on it improbably. Still staring at the bomb, then pulling his head down in what appears to be resignation. As the seconds tick away. CUT BACK TO PLAZA OUTSIDE BOMB BUILDING DAY CONTINUOUS Mulder has relented now, against his better instincts. Moving with Scully to the car, faster as they go. The Windbreaker Agent standing in the open door of the driver s side. Getting in behind the wheel. CUT BACK TO VENDING MACHINE ROOM CONTINUOUS S.A.C. MICHAUD Sitting motionless in front of the bomb as the seconds tick down. HARD CUT BACK TO PLAZA OUTSIDE BOMB BUILDING DAY CONTINUOUS Mulder and Scully getting in the car. TRACKING BACKWARDS with them now as the Agent driving pulls away, getting only thirty, maybe forty yards when the BOMB DETONATES and the building EXPLODES. And this is no fatwa symbolic little terror strike. This is Oklahoma City. Or do we say, Independence Day. REVERSE ANGLE ON CAR As all the windows blow out and the car is lifted up, slamming into the corner of a parked car. The air so quickly full of debris that it would seem the whole city has been destroyed. RESUME BUILDING As the debris starts to clear somewhat, much of it still floating to the ground, though. We see the fires raging on every floor. That most of the front of the building has been torn away and we can see right into many floors. RESUME ANGLE ON CAR Where it sits half cocked against a parked car. The air is full of debris, particulated matter. The rear door of the squad car opens now and Mulder gets out, covered with glass. Moving to the front passenger door, opening it for Scully. MULDER (with darkest irony) Next time you re buying. AERIAL SHOT OF WASHINGTON D.C. DAY HIGH ABOVE the U.S. capital, the entire beltway. With a LEGEND, to establish. LOWER AND TIGHTER NOW On the J. Edgar Hoover Building, FBI Headquarters. Descending low on the threesided monolith and its large interior courtyard. As another LEGEND appears, under WOMAN S VOICE (V.O.) In light of Waco, and Ruby Ridge. FBI OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL REVIEW DAY A formal hearing. Several ASSISTANT DIRECTORS sit at a head table, going over documents. NAME PLACECARDS in front of them. PANNING the group, the sound of papers shuffling, the occasional clearing of a throat creating a stale air of importance, under WOMAN S VOICE (V.O.) .there is a heightened need at the Attorney General s office to place responsibility as early as possible. LANDING ON ASSISTANT DIRECTOR JANA CASSIDY A nononsense yearold lawyer cum FBI Agent. CASSIDY .for the catastrophic destruction of public property and the loss of life due to terrorist activities. Next to Cassidy is Assistant Director WALTER SKINNER, Mulder and Scully s former superior on the XFiles. Looking ruefully at AGENT SCULLY At a small table, the chair next to her conspicuously empty. CASSIDY Many details are still unclear; some agents reports have not been filed, or have come in sketchy, without a satisfactory accounting of the events that led to the destruction in Dallas. But we re under some pressure to give an accurate picture of what happened to the Attorney General, so she can issue a public statement. The door to the room opens behind Scully now, and Mulder enters, his manner that of a man who knows he s late to a function. RESUME A.D. CASSIDY She looks up at Mulder and Scully with a stern glare. CASSIDY We now know that five people died in the explosion. Special Agent in Charge Darius Michaud who was trying to defuse the bomb that had been hidden in a vending machine. Three firemen from Dallas, and a young boy. OVER MULDER AND SCULLY Mulder pulls out his chair to sit down, but remains standing. They trade a look. This is new news to them. MULDER Excuse me the firemen and the boy they were in the building CASSIDY Agent Mulder, since you weren t able to be on time for this hearing, I m going to ask you to step outside so that we can get Agent Scully s version of the facts. So that she won t have to be paid the same disrespect. MULDER We were told the building was clear. CASSIDY You ll get your turn, Agent Mulder. Please step Mulder trades looks with A.D. SKINNER Who stares at him evenly, but not unsympathetically. He s been here with Mulder on many occasions. Seen Mulder run up against the Bureau and its stiff conventions. Always in the middle. MULDER It does say there in your paperwork that we were the ones who found the bomb. CASSIDY Thank you, Agent Mulder. We ll call you in shortly. RESUME MULDER, SCULLY As Mulder slides his chair in. Scully watching him exit. HALLWAY OUTSIDE OPR HEARING ROOM DAY Mulder sits by himself in a chair, head down. When the door to the hearing room opens. Mulder rising as A.D. Skinner exits. SKINNER Sit down, they re still talking to Agent Scully. MULDER About what SKINNER They re asking her for a narrative. They want to know why she was in the wrong building. MULDER She was with me. Skinner studies Mulder, shaking his head. SKINNER You don t see what s going on here, do you (off Mulder s look) There s four hundred million dollars in damage to the city of Dallas. Lives have been lost. No suspects have been named. So the story being shaped is this could have been prevented. That the FBI didn t do its job. MULDER And they want to blame us SKINNER Agent Mulder we both know that if you and Agent Scully hadn t taken the initiative to search the adjacent building, you could have multiplied the fatalities by a hundred MULDER (grasping the irony) But it s not the lives we saved. It s the lives we didn t. SKINNER (reciting the dictum) if it looks bad, it s bad for the FBI MULDER if they want someone to blame, they can blame me. Agent Scully doesn t deserve this. SKINNER She s in there right now saying the same thing about you. MULDER I breached protocol. I broke contact with the S.A.C. I ignored a primary tactical rule and left him alone with the device. SKINNER Agent Scully says it was she who ordered you out of the building. That you wanted to go back. Mulder doesn t get to respond, because the door opens again and Agent Scully exits. She looks like she s been through it. SCULLY (to Skinner) They re asking for you, Sir. Skinner gives one last look to Mulder, then reenters. Leaving Mulder and Scully alone. Scully wearing a pained look. MULDER Whatever you told them in there, you don t have to protect me. SCULLY All I told them was the truth. MULDER They re trying to divide us on this, Scully. We can t let them. SCULLY They have divided us, Mulder. They re splitting us up. MULDER (beat) What What are you talking about SCULLY I meet with the OPR day after tomorrow for remediation and reassignment. MULDER Why SCULLY I think you must have an idea. They cited a history of problems relating back to . MULDER They were the ones that put us together. SCULLY Because they wanted me to invalidate your work, your investigations into the paranormal. But I think this goes deeper than that. MULDER This isn t about you, Scully. They re doing this to me. SCULLY They re not doing this, Mulder. (off his look) I left behind a career in medicine because I thought I might make a difference at the FBI. When they recruited me they told me women made up nine percent of the bureau. I felt this was not an impediment, but an opportunity to distinguish myself. But it hasn t turned out that way. And now, if I were to be transferred to Omaha, or Wichita or some field office where I m sure I could rise, it just doesn t hold the interest for me it once did. Not after what I ve seen and done. MULDER You re. quitting SCULLY There s really no reason left for me to stay anymore. (off his look) Maybe you should ask yourself if your heart s still in it, too. The door opens to the hearing room again now. A.D. Skinner steps part way out, gesturing to him. SKINNER Agent Mulder. You re up. SCULLY (regretfully) I m sorry. Good luck. Mulder rises. Scully studying his poorly disguised hurt. Before he turns and goes into the room. Scully watching the door close behind him. Her feelings poorly disguised, too. DOWNSCALE D.C. BAR NIGHT CLOSE ON A SHOOTER OF TEQUILA being poured. ADJUSTING to reveal the ATTRACTIVE BARMAID tipping the bottle. Pushing it across the bar to where TWO EMPTY SHOOTERS sit, making the exchange. BARMAID I d say this about exceeds your minimum daily requirement. The person she s talking to us MULDER He sits by himself on a stool, staring down at the bar. Staring at the shooter which he spins with his fingers. BARMAID Gotta train for this kind of heavy lifting. Mulder tosses back the shooter anyway. She watches him as she retrieves the small shot glass, intrigued by his dark silence. BARMAID Poopy day MULDER Yup. BARMAID A woman (Mulder shakes his head no) Work. Mulder nods, pointing to the tequila bottle again. The Barmaid agrees to pour another one, reluctantly. ANGLE OVER TO A MAN AT THE END OF THE BAR Staring at Mulder intently. He s older than Mulder, dressed in an old Brooke Brothers light summer suit. Mulder notices him, feels his gaze, but doesn t give it thought. RESUME BARMAID, MULDER BARMAID What do you do MULDER What do I do. (off her curious look) I m a key figure in an ongoing government charade. An annoyance to my superiors. A joke among my peers. Spooky, they call me. Spooky Mulder. Whose sister was abducted by aliens when he was a kid. Who now chases little green men with a badge and a gun, shouting to the heavens and anyone who ll listen that the fix is in. That our government s hip to the truth and a part of the conspiracy. That the sky is falling and when it hits it s gonna be the shitstorm of all time. She stares at him for a moment, startled by his drunken screed. She pulls back the shooter she s just poured Mulder. BARMAID I think that about does it, Spooky. MULDER Does what BARMAID Why don t you go home to the old lady MULDER Sorry. Don t have one. Mulder slides off his stool, noticing MULDER S  The Watchful Man is gone. RESUME MULDER He feints toward the door, then reverses direction. Heads to the back of the place. REAR OF DOWNSCALE BAR NIGHT CONTINUOUS Mulder appears, moving to the bathroom door. Only to find an OUT OF ORDER sign on it. He moves to the woman s room, but it s locked. Gathering what s left of his wits, Mulder does what any redblooded man would do in this situation. He goes to the back door of the bar and exits into the alley. ALLEY BEHIND BAR NIGHT Mulder has found a place against a wall, between two dumpsters. Jerking around in surprise at the sound of a VOICE. WATCHFUL MAN S VOICE That official FBI business MULDER (startled) What ANGLE TO INCLUDE THE MAN FROM THE BAR He s not far from Mulder. His name is KURTZWEIL. KURTZWEIL Bet the Bureau s accusing you of the same thing in Dallas. Mulder s weirded out as the stranger moves to him un threateningly. MULDER How s that KURTZWEIL Standing around holding your yank while bombs are exploding. Kurtzweil enjoys a little laugh over this. MULDER Do I know you KURTZWEIL No. I ve been watching your career for a good while. Back when you were just a promising young agent before that. Mulder stares at this man as he finishes, zipping up. MULDER You follow me out here for a reason KURTZWEIL Yeah, I did. Kurtzweil unzips his own pants now. There is a moment; one of those awkward moments where Mulder s not sure what s about to happen. But Kurtzweil s just relieving himself, too. Shuffling up to the wall, Mulder takes this as an opportunity to head back toward the bar. But Kurtzweil hails him again. KURTZWEIL My name s Kurtzweil. Dr. Alvin Kurtzweil. MULDER I know the name. Why KURTZWEIL Old friend of your father s. Kurtzweil continues peeing. Knows this got Mulder s attention. KURTZWEIL Back at the Department of State. We were what you might call fellow travelers, but his disenchantment outlasted mine. (beat) I never believed in the Project. Mulder stares at Kurtzweil now. He s being toyed with. He turns, opens the door into the bar. As Kurtzweil gets a little louder. KURTZWEIL Oh, come on. Don t pretend you don t know about the Project. Your father died for it. Your sister was taken because of it. Kurtzweil finishes nature s call. Zips up. Heads after Mulder. DOWNSCALE D.C. BAR NIGHT Mulder is coming from the back. Kurtzweil moving to catch up. And he does, at the coat stand. The place has pretty much cleared out, except for the Barmaid and some help. MULDER How d you find me KURTZWEIL Heard you come here now and again. Figured you d be needing a little drinky tonight. MULDER You a reporter KURTZWEIL I m a doctor, but I think I mentioned that. OBGYN. MULDER Who sent you KURTZWEIL I came on my own. After reading about the bombing in Dallas. MULDER Well, if you ve got something to tell me, you ve got as long as it takes me to hail a cab. Mulder starts out the door, but Kurtzweil grabs his arm. KURTZWEIL They re going to pin Dallas on you, Agent Mulder. But there was nothing you could ve done. Nothing anyone could ve done to prevent that bomb from going off. Because the truth is something you d never have guessed; never have predicted. Mulder pulls away from Kurtzweil, but Kurtzweil dogs him to STREET OUTSIDE DOWNSCALE BAR NIGHT The street is empty, the hour is late. Mulder moves to the curb. MULDER And what s that KURTZWEIL S.A.C. Darius Michaud never tried or intended to defuse the bomb. MULDER (rhetorical disbelief) He just let it explode. KURTZWEIL What s the question nobody s asking Why that building Why not the Federal Building MULDER The Federal Building was too well guarded. KURTZWEIL No. They put the bomb in the building across the street because it DID have federal offices. The Federal Emergency Management Agency had a provisional medical quarantine office there. Which is where the bodies were found. But that s the thing. Mulder s got his hand up for a taxi coming. It s pulling over as Mulder steps from the curb, stepping away from Kurtzweil. KURTZWEIL .the thing you didn t know. That you d never think to check. Mulder s got the taxi door open, turning to Kurtzweil. KURTZWEIL Those people were already dead. MULDER Before the bomb went off KURTZWEIL That s what I m saying. Mulder stares at Kurtzweil for a moment. MULDER Michaud was a twentytwo year veteran of the bureau KURTZWEIL Michaud was a patriot. The men he s loyal to know their way around Dallas. They blew that building to hide something. Maybe something even they couldn t predict. MULDER You re saying they destroyed an entire building to hide the bodies of three firemen. KURTZWEIL And one little boy. Mulder gets in the cab, closes the door. Rolls down the window. MULDER I think you re full of shit. KURTZWEIL Do you Kurtzweil raps the top of the roof and steps away from the car. As the taxi takes off. WE STAY WITH KURTZWEIL, watching Mulder s cab speed away. (NOTE This should also be covered from inside the cab with Mulder, to play the scene out on him.) AGENT SCULLY S BEDROOM NIGHT Scully is in bed, lying awake. Staring at the ceiling. When she reacts to a POUNDING AT HER DOOR. SCULLY S APARTMENT NIGHT CLOSE ON THE FRONT DOOR. Scully peeks in the peephole. Then she removes the safety chain, opening the door. MULDER (strangely intense) I wake you SCULLY No. MULDER Why not It s three AM. Scully gets a whiff of his breath. As he moves past her into the apartment. Radiating a kind of manic intensity. SCULLY Are you drunk, Mulder MULDER I was until about an hour ago. SCULLY Is that before or after you got the idea to come here Mulder looks at her curiously. MULDER What are you implying, Scully SCULLY (frowning) I thought you may have gotten drunk and decided to come here to talk me out of quitting. MULDER Is that what you d like me to do Scully hesitates. Long enough to indicate her own wavering heart. SCULLY Go home, Mulder. It s late. MULDER Get dressed, Scully. SCULLY Mulder what are you doing MULDER Just get dressed. I ll explain on the way. TEXAS FLATLAND NIGHT The moon is rising over the horizon, across the curvilinear distance of endless scrub and sagebrush. When FLYING OBJECTS cross between it and us, their forms unidentifiable in the rising heat waves off the earth. But they are moving towards us, SILHOUETTES in the background of the moon. They move silently, their size INCREASING as they move closer. And then we hear them, moments before they arrive at our position, UNMARKED HELICOPTERS just overhead. Hugging the ground as they blast across the dark Texas night. UNMARKED BLACK HELICOPTERS NIGHT Flying at dangerously low altitude over the almost featureless night landscape. Heading for something that we see ahead in the distance. What looks like a LARGE GLOWING DOME surrounded by the lights of a residential area we ve already seen, on the edge of suburban Dallas sprawl. SMALL DIRT FIELD CENTRAL TEXAS NIGHT The field where the kids had been digging has been transformed into some kind of worksite. A LARGE WHITE DOMED TENT has been erected over almost the entire patch of ground, surrounded by the CARGO TRUCKS that we saw earlier, and more unmarked vans and trucks. There are men in black fatigues moving about, and scientists in hazmat suits. As the UNMARKED BLACK HELICOPTERS bank overhead. Coming in for a landing in the glow cast from the tents. MOVING TOWARD one of the helicopters as it lightly touches down and its black door swings open. A man stepping out, and as PUSHES UP INTO HIS FACE we recognize him as The Cigarette Smoking Man. The figure that we ve come to know as an assassin and a model of modern selfinterest and amorality. One of the central protagonists in the conspiracy to keep the truth from the American people about the existence of extraterrestrial life. Something known only as The Project. He walks out from under the whirring prop, just far enough to get a flame from his lighter, to get a cigarette lit. As we LARGE WHITE TENT NIGHT CONTINUOUS A SCIENTIST in a hazmat suit is moving through the maze of clear plastic tubing that divides work areas within the tent. Areas where scientists are working at tables doing what appears to be some kind of hightech archeological work. It is a hive of activity within, as the Scientist leads us past the REFRIGERATION UNITS to the earthen hole where Dr. Bronschweig (we ve met him earlier, coming out of a medevac chopper that landed when the tent city was erected) appears out of the earthen hole, which is reason for all this excitement. Climbing out A CLEAR HATCH which has been fashioned to cover the hole. Seeing THE CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Now suited up himself. Bronschweig approaches him. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN You ve got something to show me. DR. BRONSCHWEIG (nervous excitement) Yes. ICE CAVE CONTINUOUS What we originally established as icy, and what later became the unfrozen Texas field where the boys discovered the human skull, has been turned to its previously icy state. Thanks to two large vents that Dr. Bronschweig is pointing at DR. BRONSCHWEIG We brought the atmosphere back down to freezing in order to control the development, which is nothing like we ve ever seen. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Brought on by what DR. BRONSCHWEIG Heat, I think. The coincident invasion of a host, the fireman, and an environment that raised his basic body temperature above ninety eight point six. They step over to a section of the cave which has been draped with more plastic, the lights from inside this are giving off a cool blue light (passing by TWO PORTABLE DRILLING RIGS which have been erected, their pumps moving up and down like rocking horses.) Bronschweig pushes away the plastic, revealing A MAN lying on a gurney draped in plastic. he is hooked up to various and sundry machines which are monitoring his life signs. His skin has turned almost translucent, the veins and capillaries now clearly visible, as is his pulse. His heartbeat sending lifesustaining blood and energy through his body. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN This man s still alive. DR. BRONSCHWEIG Technically and biologically, though he ll never recover. The CSM is shaking his head in nervous, uneasy wonder. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN How can this be DR. BRONSCHWEIG The developing organism is using his life energy, digesting bone and tissue. We ve just slowed the process. Bronschweig redirects a light so that it shines hard into the man s face and; then we see it. Movement. CLOSE ON MAN S FACE Though the man s eyes still blink occasionally, we can actually see through his tissue and the bones in his skull to see something IS LIVING INSIDE HIM. ANGLE UP ON CSM AND BRONSCHWEIG The Cigarette Smoking Man s mind is working intently on all the possibilities, and consequences. DR. BRONSCHWEIG Do you want me to destroy this one, too Before it gestates CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN No. No.we need to try our vaccine on it. DR. BRONSCHWEIG And if it s unsuccessful CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Incinerate it. Like the others. DR. BRONSCHWEIG This man s family will want to see the body laid to rest. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Tell them he was trying to save the young boy s life, and that he died heroically like the other firemen. DR. BRONSCHWEIG Of what CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN They seemed to buy our story about the Hanta virus. You ll make sure the families are taken care of financially, along with a sizeable donation to the community. (beat) Maybe a small roadside memorial. He watches the CSM exit, then back to the prostrate fireman. CLOSE ON PROSTRATE FIREMAN There is more movement within his body. Within his chest and neck, as if the creature gestating inside is continuing to stretch and grow. So that now we can see one of its BLACK EYES staring from through the clear flesh of the fireman. An eye which BLINKS at us. As we BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL NIGHT Mulder and Scully appear at the end of a long hall. Moving TOWARD where a YOUNG NAVAL GUARD sits in f.g. As a LEGEND appears, to establish. Mulder and Scully moving the long distance to the Guard s station. Where the Guard looks up at them with military scrutiny. YOUNG NAVAL GUARD ID and floor you re visiting. They both show their FBI IDs. MULDER We re going to the morgue. YOUNG NAVAL GUARD That area is currently off limits to anyone other than authorized medical personnel. MULDER On whose orders YOUNG NAVAL GUARD General McAddie s. Mulder doesn t miss a beat. MULDER General McAddie is who requested our coming here. We were awakened at three AM and told to get down here immediately. YOUNG NAVAL GUARD I don t know anything about that. MULDER Well, call General McAddie. YOUNG NAVAL GUARD I don t have his number. MULDER They can patch you in through the switchboard. The Guard is nervous about this, checking his watch. He picks up the phone, going through a large directory. MULDER Hey We don t have time to dick around here watching you demonstrate your ignorance in the chain of command. The order came direct from General McAddie. Call him. We ll conduct our business while you confirm authorization. Mulder is already directing Scully past the Naval Guard who tentatively picks up the phone again. YOUNG NAVAL GUARD (to their backs) Why don t you go on ahead head and I ll confirm authorization. MULDER Thank you. LEADING Mulder and Scully, moving they ve pulled off a con. MULDER Why is a morgue suddenly off limits on orders of a general BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL MORGUE FREEZER NIGHT TRACKING TABLE HEIGHT across gurneys where white sheetwrapped bodies lie. LANDING ON Scully. Standing next to Mulder who is undoing the peculiar ropey stitching on the sheet used to secure the bodies. SCULLY This is one of the firemen who died in Dallas MULDER According to this tag. SCULLY And you re looking for SCULLY I can tell you that without even looking at him. (off Mulder s look) Conclusive organ failure due to proximal exposure to source and flying debris. Scully pulls out an autopsy report that was laid on the gurney under the body of the sheetwrapped corpse. SCULLY This body has already been autopsied, Mulder. You can tell from the way it s been wrapped and dressed. Undeterred, Mulder works to get the sheet off. The first thing we notice is that he s still in his fireman s uniform. His face looks familiar to us, not because we know him, but because of the translucency of skin we saw in the other fireman. (We will also notice he s missing an arm, a leg and large part of his torso.) MULDER Does this fit the description you just read me, Scully Scully comes around, reacting to what she sees. SCULLY Oh my God. This man s tissue. Scully is quickly removing a pair of latex gloves, stretching them on to palpate the man s tissue. MULDER It s like jelly. SCULLY There s some kind of cellular breakdown. It s completely edematous. She palpates the spongy skin on the man s face, neck. Unbuttoning the uniform now, seeing SCULLY And there s been no autopsy performed. There s no Y incision here; no internal exam. MULDER You re telling me the cause of death on the report is false. That this man didn t die from an explosion, or from flying debris. SCULLY I don t know what killed this man. I m not sure if anybody else could claim to either. Off Mulder s reaction to this MORGUE PATHOLOGY LAB NIGHT MINUTES LATER The gurney with the fireman is pushed through a pair of swinging doors into the darkened lab. Scully flips the lights on, looking around at the giant facility. SCULLY (pushing him) You knew this man didn t die at the bomb site before we got here. MULDER I d been told as much. SCULLY You re saying the bombing was a coverup. Of what MULDER I don t know. But I have a hunch what you re going to find here isn t anything that can be categorized or easily referenced. SCULLY Mulder, this is going to take some time, and somebody s going to figure out soon enough we re not even supposed to be here. (beat) I m in serious violation of medical ethics. MULDER We re being blamed for these deaths. Scully, I want to know what this man died of. Don t you Scully stares at Mulder, then back down at the body. How can she refuse, given the finality and the personal appeal of the request After a moment s hesitation, she turns to the body, and to the tray table of tools nearby. Resigned, if not resolved. WASHINGTON D.C. NIGHT A LEGEND appears WASHINGTON D.C., DUPONT CIRCLE.  AM. The street is fairly empty, save for a garbage truck picking up the stacks of green garbage bags laid out on the sidewalks. Then A TAXI turns off a main street, MOVING TOWARDS US. WASHINGTON D.C. STREET TAXI NIGHT OVER MULDER to the street Where the taxi is moving forward toward a spot where two ARLINGTON PD cruisers are pulled up to the curb. Mulder checks the address he has written down. MULDER (to the Cabbie) I think this is it up here. SIDE STREET NIGHT The taxi pulls over and Mulder exits, starting up the steps of a walk up where the door is open. KURTZWEIL S APARTMENT NIGHT There are UNIFORMED OFFICERS inside, and a DETECTIVE. Mulder steps into an office. FOUR PAIRS of eyes give him the once over. The Detective stepping over to him. MULDER Is this Dr. Kurtzweil s residence DETECTIVE (suspiciously) You got some kind of business with him MULDER I m looking for him. DETECTIVE Looking for him for what Mulder pulls out his ID, flashes it at the Detective. DETECTIVE (to his partners) Feds are looking for him, too. (turns to Mulder) Real nice business he s got, huh MULDER What s that DETECTIVE Selling naked pictures of little kids over his computer. Mulder nods, though this is news to him. He steps in a little further, noticing a shelf lined with books. Their spines all have the author s name written large DR. ALVIN KURTZWEIL. Mulder picks up one of these books, with the title THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE GLOBAL DOMINATION CONSPIRACY. DETECTIVE You looking for him for some other reason MULDER Yeah, I had an appointment for a pelvic examination. They stare at Mulder like he s a sicko. He smiles and they break into RAUCOUS LAUGHTER. DETECTIVE You want a call if we turn up Kurtzweil MULDER No. Don t bother. Mulder puts the book back among the others on the shelf. And exits. Onto RESUME KURTZWEIL S APARTMENT NIGHT Mulder starting up the street when he notices MULDER S  Kurtzweil has stepped from between two apartments. He s staring at Mulder, nodding furtively to him. Then stepping back. RESUME MULDER Slows, then speeds up. SPACE BETWEEN TWO APARTMENTS NIGHT Mulder appears at the end of the narrow walkway, finding Kurtzweil tucked a few yards in. KURTZWEIL See this bullshit. Somebody knows I m talking to you. MULDER Not according to the men in blue. KURTZWEIL What is it Kiddie porn again Sexual battery of a patient I ve had my license taken away in three states. MULDER They want to discredit you for what KURTZWEIL For what Because I m a dangerous man. Because I know too much about the truth. MULDER You mean that apocalyptic trash you write I knew your name was familiar. I just didn t know why. KURTZWEIL You know my work MULDER (pointedly) Dr. Kurtzweil, I m not interested in bigoted ideas about race or genocide. I don t believe in the Elders of Zion, the Knights Templar, the Bilderburg Group or in a oneworld Jew run government KURTZWEIL I don t either, but it sure sells books. He says it with an ironic smile. Causing Mulder to turn and start off. But Kurtzweil hurries to grab him, to prevent this. KURTZWEIL I was right about Dallas. Wasn t I, Agent Mulder MULDER How KURTZWEIL I picked up the historical document of the venality and hypocrisy of the American government. The daily newspaper. MULDER You said the firemen and the boy were found in the temporary offices of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Why KURTZWEIL According to the newspaper, FEMA had been called out to manage an outbreak of the Hanta virus. Are you familiar with the Hanta virus, Agent Mulder MULDER It was a deadly virus spread by field mice in the Southwest U.S. several years ago. KURTZWEIL And are you familiar with FEMA What the Federal Emergency Management Agency s real power is FEMA allows the White House to suspend constitutional government upon declaration of a national emergency. To create a nonelected government. Think about that. (beat) What is an agency with such broad sweeping power doing managing a small viral outbreak in suburban Texas MULDER Are you saying it wasn t such a small outbreak Kurtzweil is getting intense now. KURTZWEIL I m saying it wasn t the Hanta virus. They are both given a start when a POLICE CRUISER rolls by on the street, giving a burp of its siren. It rolls past as the two men tuck in tighter. MULDER What was it KURTZWEIL When we were young men in the military, your father and I were recruited for a project. They told us it was biological warfare. A virus. There were rumors about its origins. MULDER What killed those men KURTZWEIL What killed them I won t even write ab I tell you, they d do more than just harass me. They have the future to protect. MULDER I ll know soon enough. KURTZWEIL (worked up) What killed those men can t be identified in simple medical terms. My god, we can t even wrap our minds around something as obvious as HIV. We have no context for what killed those men, or any appreciation of the scale in which it will be unleashed in the future. Of how it will be transmitted; of the environmental factors involved. MULDER A plague KURTZWEIL The plague to end all plagues, Agent Mulder. A silent weapon for a quiet war. The systematic release of an indiscriminate organism for which the men who will bring it on still have no cure. They ve been working on this for fifty years. While the rest of the world was fighting gooks and commies these men have been secretly negotiating a planned Armageddon. MULDER Negotiating with whom KURTZWEIL I think you know. The timetable has been set. It will happen on a holiday, when people are away from their homes. When our elected officials are at their resorts or out of the country. The President will declare a state of emergency, at which time all federal agencies, all government will come under the power of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA, Agent Mulder. The secret government. MULDER And they tell me I m paranoid. KURTZWEIL Something s gone wrong something unanticipated. Go back to Dallas and dig. Or you re only going to find out like the rest of the country, Agent Mulder. When it s too late. Kurtzweil turns, starts off. Mulder stares after him. Then MULDER How can I reach you KURTZWEIL You can t. Mulder moves to catch up to Kurtzweil, pulling out his cell phone. Kurtzweil stops, turns. Truly and intensely paranoid. Mulder makes him take the cell phone. MULDER No calling Hawaii. Mulder turns and moves back out onto the street. MORGUE PATHOLOGY LAB NIGHT Agent Scully wears a surgical mask, latex gloves. Working on the body of the fireman.when she reacts to a NOISE. Doors opening, closing somewhere o.s. MEDIUM WHIPS to a door where she and Mulder entered the morgue. Where.the Young Naval Guard and TWO MPs push through and enter. They stand looking at THEIR  Where Scully stood moments ago, there is now just an unattended gurney. A sheet over the fireman s body. Scully is gone. RESUME YOUNG NAVAL GUARD, MPs Tense. Listening, watchful. Moving into the room. BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL MORGUE FREEZER NIGHT Scully enters the space where she and Mulder found the fireman s body. Trying to quietly click the door shut. Standing now near the door, tense, listening. When the CHIRPING of her cell phone breaks the tense silence. She pats frantically at her coat, trying to get it answered before it rings again. Unsuccessfully. Finally getting a hold of it and hitting the send button. Scully sits breathing heavy, nervous breaths waiting for the Young Naval Guard to come running in. MULDER S VOICE (FILTER) Scully. She puts the phone slowly up to her face. SCULLY (low whisper) Yeah.  PHONE BOOTH WASHINGTON D.C. MORNING Mulder s at the pay phone. MULDER Why are you whispering SCULLY I can t really talk right now. MULDER What did you find SCULLY Evidence of a massive infection. MULDER What kind of infection SCULLY I don t know. MULDER Scully listen to me. I m going home, then I m booking a flight to Dallas. I m getting you a ticket, too. SCULLY Mulder MULDER I need you there with me. I need your expertise on this. The bomb we found was meant to destroy those bodies and whatever they were infected by. SCULLY I ve got a hearing tomorrow MULDER I ll have you back for it, Scully. Maybe with evidence that could blow that meeting away. SCULLY Mulder I can t I m already way past the point of common sense here Scully hears VOICES in the hall outside the freezer. MULDER MULDER Scully. Hello. But the line OFF, goes dead. Mulder hangs up the phone, frustrated. Exits the booth in a hurry. BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL MORGUE FREEZER NIGHT The door opens and the Young Naval Guard steps inside, followed by the MPs. Moving into the room. LOW ANGLE TRACKING with the Naval Guard s feet as they pass by the rolling carts on which bodies are laid. TRACKING to find SCULLY, where she hides under one of the carts. Huddled and cold. The Guard s feet stop near here. He stands motionless for a moment, then moves off. HOLD her until the door slams shut. FBI OFFICE DALLAS MORNING MULDER enters a forensics lab with a FIELD AGENT. A LEGEND reads FBI FIELD OFFICE, DALLAS   AM. FIELD AGENT You re looking for what amounts to a needle in a haystack. I m afraid the explosion was so devastating there hasn t been a whole lot we ve been able to put together just yet. They are walking amid BOXES of evidence. STACKS of debris. There are FORENSIC TECHS sorting through this material. It looks like the most tedious and painstaking job in the world. MULDER I m looking for anything out of the ordinary. Maybe something from the FEMA offices where the bodies were found. FIELD AGENT We weren t expecting to find those remains, of course. They went right off to Washington. MULDER Was there anything in those offices that didn t go to D.C. FIELD AGENT Some bone fragments came up in the sift this morning. We thought there d been another fatality, but we found out FEMA had recovered them from an archeological site out of town. MULDER Have you examined them FIELD AGENT No. Just fossils, far as I know. Mulder is nodding, when both men look off at something that s caught their attention o.s. MULDER I d like this person to take a look, if you don t mind. THEIR  AGENT SCULLY Standing in the doorway to the lab. She looks at Mulder as if she s come in spite of her misgivings. Moving toward them now. FIELD AGENT Let me just see if I can lay my hands on what you re looking for. The Field Agent nods to Scully as he passes, exiting deeper into the room. Leaving Mulder and Scully by themselves momentarily. MULDER You said you weren t coming SCULLY I wasn t planning on it. Particularly after spending a half hour in cold storage this morning. But I got a better look at the blood and tissue samples I took from the firemen. MULDER What did you find SCULLY (voice lowering pointedly) Something I couldn t show to anyone else. Not without more information. And not without causing the kind of attention I d just as soon avoid right now. (off Mulder s look) The virus those men were infected with contains a protein coat I ve never seen before. What it did to them it did extremely fast. And unlike the AIDS virus or any other aggressive strain, it survives very nicely outside the body. MULDER How was it contracted SCULLY That I don t know. But if it s through simple contact of blood to blood, and if it doesn t respond to conventional treatments, it could be a serious health threat. Mulder s reaction is postponed, or at least subdued by the reappearance of the field agent. FIELD AGENT Like I said, these are fossils, and they weren t near the blast center, so they aren t going to tell you much. SCULLY May I He offers Scully the small glass vials in which the bone fragments have been separated. She takes them, looking at them on her way over to the microscope. Tapping out a tiny fragment onto the viewing bed. She puts her eyes down to the stereoscope eyepieces, then almost immediately looks up at Mulder who translates this look almost instantly. MULDER You said you knew the location of the archeological site where these were found. FIELD AGENT Show you right on a map. Off Mulder and Scully s traded looks SMALL PUBLIC PARK WEST TEXAS DAY The domed white tent is still in place, the fleet of trucks and equipment surrounding it unmanned. Several large sounddampened generators still hum away, but the work being done here would be a mystery to anyone who didn t have access to the tent. DOMED TENT DAY An electric Bobcatlike bulldozer maneuvers a very high techlooking CLEAR CONTAINER to the edge of the earthen hole. The container has monitors and gauges on it, oxygen tanks and what looks like a circulation refrigeration unit. A selfcontained life support system. The inside of the container is covered with a thin layer of frost. When the small bulldozer gets the container over near the hole, several technicians lift it down off the shovel, hand carrying it toward the hole opening. As Dr. Bronschweig APPEARS, moving to a ladder that leads down into the hole. He s dressed in a hazmat suit, with the hood off. DR. BRONSCHWEIG I need to have those settings checked and reset. I need a steady minus two Celsius through the transfer of the body, after I administer the vaccine. The men nod to Bronschweig, begin checking the settings as Bronschweig puts his hood on, starts down into the hole, through the clear hatch. SMALLER ICE CAVE DAY The refrigeration vents are still pumping in arctic air when Dr. Bronschweig appears descending a fixed ladder. It is dark in here, save for the ice blue glow of light coming from the plastic draped area where we saw the fireman acting as an incubator/host for some kind of organism growing inside him. Bronschweig steps over to this area, moves aside the plastic drapery to enter. ANGLE INSIDE, PLASTIC LINED AREA Where the body of the fireman is still inside the quarantine bubble litter in f.g. Bronschweig takes out of his pocket a SYRINGE and an AMPULE. Turning now to the body. Stepping to it. Moving a work light, as he had done for the Cigarette Smoking Man, so that it shines on the face of the fireman. But when he does this, Bronschweig nearly JUMPS, his breath stolen away. Reacting to ANGLE ON FIREMAN S BODY The chest and torso have imploded. It has been turned into a muddy mass of bloodstained jelly; bone and tissue melted into an oozing mass which has sunken due to the fact that the creature which was inside is now gone. WHIPS from Bronschweig to the wall. To the temperature gauge which reads about degrees Celsius. WHIPPING BACK to Bronschweig who is now panicked.  DOMED TENT DAY ANGLE DOWN ON EARTHEN HOLE, where the Technicians Bronschweig was speaking to minutes ago react to Bronschweig s MUFFLED VOICE. He s down below them in the cave, looking up. Pulling his hazmat hood off. Yelling up to them. DR. BRONSCHWEIG It s gone TECHNICIAN It s what OVER THE TECHNICIANS TO BRONSCHWEIG DOWN BELOW DR. BRONSCHWEIG It s left the body. I think it s gestated Bronschweig is starting up the ladder when something stops him. RESUME ICE CAVE CREATURE S  OF BRONSCHWEIG He stands frozen on the ladder, squinting into the darkness. DR. BRONSCHWEIG Wait I see it BRONSCHWEIG S  In the shadows there is movement, the creature edging into the light cast from the draped area. We see it is fully formed a replica of the Creature we saw at the opening of our story. Though it does not make any kind of aggressive move. As if, newborn, it is tentative. RESUME BRONSCHWEIG CREATURE S  He remains standing on a rung of the ladder for a moment, then takes a gentle step back down to the ground. DR. BRONSCHWEIG (nervous wonder) Oh my god. Oh my god. TECHNICIAN You see it DR. BRONSCHWEIG Yes. It s.amazing. You want to get down here (sotto to himself) Jesus Lord.so much for little green men. Dr. Bronschweig moves shakily to put the syringe in the ampule again.when, suddenly, the Creature STRIKES. RUSHING FORWARD TO BRONSCHWEIG. MATCH OVERHEAD ANGLE OVER THE TECHNICIANS As the Creature slams into Bronschweig, knocking him out of the line of sight from the top of the earthen hole. There are SCREAMS OF PAIN from Bronschweig, then they abate. RESUME ICE CAVE Bronschweig can be heard, but not clearly seen. He is in the shadows himself now. Trying to pick himself up, and when he manages to do this, teetering back into the light we see that he is bloodied. He is hurt, injured. Making his way back toward the patch of light that comes from the hole above. Hoping to see that help is on its way, while keeping a watchful, wary and worried eye on the shadows, for another attack by the Creature. DR. BRONSCHWEIG Hey I need help. But the Technicians looking down on him offer him nothing of the sort. All they do is quickly close the clear hatch that seals Bronschweig inside the cave. DR. BRONSCHWEIG Hey But he gets no answer, climbing the ladder shakily. A moment later the first Bobcat shovelfull of dirt falls onto the clear hatch and partially obscures the light. They are burying Bronschweig alive. DOMED TENT DAY ANGLE DOWN ON BRONSCHWEIG through the glass hatch. His SCREAMS continue. ADJUSTING to the small bulldozer which is quickly hauling the mound of excavated earth into the hole from which it came. While, all around, there is a hive of activity. Men running everywhere. RESUME ICE CAVE Bronschweig reacts in silent horror now, only to turn in further horror when he feels the impending attack of THE CREATURE Right behind and just below him. Its grotesque features in momentary high resolution, BEFORE IT ATTACKS . Over and over, savaging Bronschweig in a violent fury. Its hideous teeth tearing at his flesh AT driving him off the ladder where the attack continues in momentary glimpses of teeth, of bloody flesh, and of OILY BLACK BLOOD being spattered ab At the height of the violence we hear Bronschweig SCREAM. Matching the wound of this, as we ESTATE SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE LONDON EARLY EVENING A CHILD S SCREAM OF JOY. ENGLISH CHILDREN are playing tag or some kind of children s game in the wellmanicured garden of a man who the FINDS IN F.G. the man we have come to know as THE WELLMANICURED MAN. He is also a member of the syndicate running The Project , though his venality is cloaked in civility and statesmanship. Right now he s watching the children from the back steps of his mansion, charmed by their game. When he is called by someone o.s. VALET S VOICE Sir you have a call. The WellManicured Man turns to see HIS VALET Holds the door. After a moment the W.M.M. enters past the Valet. As the screams of the children continue to rise and fall. SUBURBAN LONDON ESTATE A BEAUTIFUL STUDY EVENING The WellManicured Man enters, picks up a blinking line. Through a window he can still see the children playing. WELLMANICURED MAN Yes. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN (FILTER) We have a situation. The members are assembling. WELLMANICURED MAN Is it an emergency INTERCUT WITH TIGHT CSM AT KENSINGTON BUILDING (NEXT LOC.) CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Yes. A meeting is set. Tonight in London, to determine a course. WELLMANICURED MAN Who called this meeting CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Strughold. He s just gotten on a plane in Tunis. This pronouncement has the power of ending any further questions. An immediate sense of gravity of the situation. The W.M.M. hangs up, moves to the window where he sees some of the HELP is running from the house. The children have all gathered around a BOY who seems to have hurt himself. He s lifted and being carried by the man who s called the W.M.M. into the house. Off the WellManicured Man s concern, we LONDON STREET NIGHT A discreet Town Car pulls up out front an understated building in a better West End neighborhood. A driver exits coming around for the WellManicured Man who is already exiting, moving to the building. As a LEGEND appears KENSINGTON, LONDON  PM. KENSINGTON BUILDING NIGHT The WellManicured Man is admitted by a Valet. The interior has the wellheeled look of money, or a finely appointed residence that no one lives in. The Valet takes the W.M.M. s coat. WELLMANICURED MAN Has Strughold arrived VALET They re in the library. He leads the W.M.M. down a hall, to LARGE STATELY LIBRARY NIGHT A GROUP OF MEN are standing, looking at something on a TV monitor. A surveillance video. They turn when the W.M.M. enters. FAVORING A SMALL LEAN MAN with closecropped hair. He is at once elegant and imposing with eyes that hold you with laserlike acuity. He is CONRAD STRUGHOLD. The others are of various ethnicities, tailored and dignified. This might be a collection of U.N. delegates. Indeed some are. Their business here, however, doesn t represent anyone s interests but their own. As tipped by the attendance of a GROUP ELDER from the U.S. who we ve come to know. But, more importantly, by the Cigarette Smoking Man who holds the VCR remote. He pauses the picture. STRUGHOLD We began to worry. Some of us have traveled so far, and you are the last to arrive. WELLMANICURED MAN I m sorry. My grandson fell and broke his leg. The nonresponse to this has the same effect as a reprimand. But the W.M.M. will not apologize of kowtow. STRUGHOLD While we ve been made to wait, we ve watched surveillance tapes which have raised more concerns. The WellManicured Man glances to the TV, sees the frame paused. HIS  OF TV MONITOR Where Mulder and Scully s faces are seen in a hallway that we recognize as the Bethesda Naval Hospital. RESUME WELLMANICURED MAN WELLMANICURED MAN More concerns than that STRUGHOLD We ve been forced to reassess our role in Colonization by new facts of biology which have presented themselves. GROUP ELDER (speaking up) The virus has mutated. WELLMANICURED MAN On its own CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Its effect on the host has changed. The virus no longer just invades the brain as a controlling organism. It s developed a way to modify the host body. WELLMANICURED MAN Into what STRUGHOLD A new extraterrestrial biological entity. It takes a moment to sink in. The weight of this fact. WELLMANICURED MAN My god. STRUGHOLD The geometry of mass infection presents certain conceptual reevaluations for us. About our place in their Colonization. WELLMANICURED MAN This isn t Colonization, it s spontaneous repopulation. All our work. if it s true, then they ve been using us all along. We ve been laboring under a lie ND ELDER It could be an isolated case. WELLMANICURED MAN How can we know STRUGHOLD We re going to tell them what we ve found. What we ve learned. Turn over a body infected with the gestating organism. WELLMANICURED MAN In hope of what Learning that it s true That we are nothing more than digestives for the creation of a new race of alien lifeforms STRUGHOLD Let me remind you who is the new race. And who is the old. (beat) What could be gained by withholding anything from them; By pretending to ignorance Our knowledge may forestall their plans to step up the timetable. To start Colonization early. WELLMANICURED MAN And if it doesn t By cooperating now we re but beggars to our demise Our ignorance was in cooperating with the Colonists at all. STRUGHOLD Cooperation is our only chance of saving ourselves. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN They still need us to carry out their preparations. STRUGHOLD We ll continue to use them as they do us. If only to play for more time, to continue work on our vaccine. WELLMANICURED MAN Our vaccine may have no effect STRUGHOLD Well, without a cure for the virus, we re nothing more than digestives anyway. All eyes go to the WellManicured Man. He is respected, if not the odd man out in this room. But he is all restrained anger now. WELLMANICURED MAN My lateness may have well been absence. A course has already been taken. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN There are complications. He turns back to the TV monitor where Mulder and Scully remain frozen on the screen. WELLMANICURED MAN Do they know CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Mulder was in Dallas when we were trying to dispose of evidence. He s gone back there again. Someone has tipped him. WELLMANICURED MAN Who CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Kurtzweil, we think. STRUGHOLD We ve allowed this man his freedom. His books have actually helped us to facilitate plausible denial. Has he outlived his usefulness to us WELLMANICURED MAN No one believes Kurtzweil or his books. He s a toiler. A crank. STRUGHOLD And Mulder ELDER Our new situation makes us vulnerable. If he learns information as we do, he could jeopardize the Project s secrecy. ND ELDER Control of information means control of Mulder. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN I can control Mulder. I ve always controlled Mulder. STRUGHOLD This may take another approach. He says this, casting his look toward the WellManicured Man. A look of cold malevolence. The W.M.M. s reaction is disdain. WELLMANICURED MAN You can t kill Mulder. He s got too much light on him. STRUGHOLD You need not kill a man to destroy him. WELLMANICURED MAN (personalizing the inference) No, you need only take away what is most precious to him. HARD SMALL PUBLIC PARK CENTRAL TEXAS DAY AGENT SCULLY She stands against a backdrop of Texas flatland, squinting into the sun. Shaking her head. SCULLY I don t know, Mulder. We are WIDE ANGLE REVERSE, TO INCLUDE MULDER, standing in the middle of a park, replete with jungle gyms, playground equipment. All brand spanking new. They are standing right where there had once been a hard scrabble, parched and barren little field. Where the earthen hole had been dug by the young boys. And what had later been the site of so much activity by the group of scientists. But where there s now a park, thick green grass covering the parch of ground, including the spot where the hole had been. SCULLY He didn t mention a park. MULDER This is where he marked on the map, Scully. Where he says those fossils were unearthed. SCULLY I don t see any evidence of an archeological or any other kind of digsite. Not even a sewer or a storm drain. Mulder scans the area, confounded. Shaking his head as they walk. MULDER You re sure the fossils you looked at showed the same signs of deterioration you saw in the fireman s body in the morgue SCULLY (nodding) The bone was porous, as if the virus of the causative microbe were digesting it. MULDER And you ve never seen anything like that SCULLY No. It didn t show up on any of the immunohistochemical tests Mulder is listening to all this while looking down at his feet MULDER This looks like new grass to you SCULLY It looks pretty green for this climate. Mulder stops, kneels, touches the thick green carpet of turf. He digs around, lifting up a corner of a new square. MULDER Ground s dry about an inch down. Somebody just laid this down. Very recently, I d say. SCULLY (looking off) All the equipment is brand new. MULDER No irrigation system. Somebody s covering their tracks. They both turn, looking at something that s caught their attention on the street where their rental car is parked. Three kids, all of whom we recognize from earlier. Stevie s friends . Tooling down the street on new BMX bikes. Reacting to Mulder s loud WHISTLE. This stops them, staring at Mulder blankly across the distance. MULDER Hey They don t answer. Just keep staring, squinting into the sun. Mulder and Scully start walking toward them. SCULLY Do you live around here ND BOY Yeah. As the Agents approach. MULDER You see anybody digging here The kids don t answer quickly. ND BOY Not supposed to talk about it. SCULLY You re not supposed to talk about it Who told you that RD BOY Nobody. MULDER Nobody. Same nobody who put this park in That new equipment. (off the boys guilty looks) They buy you these bikes The kids shift uncomfortably. SCULLY I think you better tell us. ND BOY We don t even know you. SCULLY Well, we re FBI agents. ND BOY You re not FBI agents. MULDER How do you know ND BOY Cause FBI agents wear like suits and goofy ties. And dresses like my mom wears to church. Like on that one show. Mulder and Scully pull their badges. The kids mouths drop. MULDER Maybe you ve been watching too much TV. RD BOY They all left twenty minutes ago. TH BOY Going that way. The kids all pointing in the same direction. CENTRAL TEXAS HIGHWAY LATE DAY As Mulder and Scully s rental car RACES by at high speed. MULDER AND SCULLY S RENTAL CAR DAY CONTINUOUS Mulder at the wheel, foot to the floor. Scully s got a map The mood is urgent, tense. MULDER Unmarked tanker trucks. what are archaeologists hauling out in tanker trucks SCULLY I don t know, Mulder. MULDER And where are they going with it SCULLY That s the first question to answer, if we re going to find them. CUT BACK TO CENTRAL HIGHWAY LATE DAY Mulder slows down to a stop. They ve come to a threeway intersection in the middle of absolutely nowhere that offers them three choices. The car sits idling for several beats. RESUME RENTAL CAR Mulder s got his hand on his face rubbing his eyes. MULDER What are my choices SCULLY About a hundred miles of nothing in each direction. MULDER Where would they be going SCULLY We ve got two choices. One of them is wrong. They are both looking in different directions. The car idling. MULDER You think they went left SCULLY I don t know why I think they went right. A few moments of silence. Then Mulder steps on the gas and goes straight. Heading out onto the only unpaved road. Accelerating away. Scully looks at him, wondering. As they bump along at speed. Mulder won t look at her for a few moments. Then, turning to her MULDER Five years together how many times have I been wrong. DISSOLVE TO TEXAS HIGHWAY NIGHT HEADLIGHTS appear in the distance on a long, dusty stretch of road. GROWING as they approach, then coming to a stop in a cloud of dust as they move into f.g. Where a LINE OF FENCEPOSTS, BARBWIRE blocks their path. As the car brakes, the passenger door opens and Scully exits. A hot Texas wind blows. A dog is BARKING somewhere. Scully walks into the headlight wash, looking at a sign on the fence. After a moment, the driver s door opens and Mulder exits. MULDER Hey, I was right about the bomb, wasn t I SCULLY This is great. This is fitting. REVERSE ON SCENE On the fence sign, painted in crude letters, are the words SOME HAVE TRIED, SOME HAVE DIED. TURN BACK NO TRESPASSING. MULDER What SCULLY I ve got to be in Washington D.C. in eleven hours for a hearing the outcome of which might possibly affect one of the biggest decisions of my life. And here I am standing out in the middle of nowhere Texas, chasing phantom tanker trucks. MULDER We re not chasing trucks, we re chasing evidence SCULLY of what exactly MULDER That bomb in Dallas was allowed to go off, to hide something bodies infected with a virus you detected yourself. SCULLY They haul gas in tanker trucks, they haul oil in tanker trucks they don t haul viruses in tanker trucks. MULDER Yeah, well they may this one. SCULLY What do you mean by haul (off his reaction) What are you not telling me here MULDER This virus it. (afraid to say) SCULLY Mulder MULDER It may be extraterrestrial. SCULLY I don t believe this. I don t fucking believe this. (reaching her limit of impatience) Y know, I ve been here. I ve been here one too many times with you, Mulder. MULDER Been where SCULLY Pounding down some dirt road in the middle of the night. Chasing some elusive truth on a dim hope, only to find myself standing right where I am right now at another dead end As she says this A BELL starts to sound. A flashing light hits Mulder and Scully. They both turn to see HIGH ANGLE OVER A RAILROAD CROSSING SIGN Sitting all by its lonely self. No swinging arms or gate. Just one little sign between Mulder and Scully and their car. PANNING to the light of a locomotive speeding toward us. WIDE ANGLE OVER TRACKS TO MULDER AND SCULLY They move toward their car, but the train is coming fast. Mulder and Scully stop and wait, watching the train. As the engine breaks frame, eclipsing Mulder and Scully from view. And as it passes by we see TWO VERY FAMILIAR WHITE TANKERS loaded piggyback atop flat bed cars. The train, which is not much longer than this, passes. And Mulder and Scully make a mad dash for their car. The lights come on and Mulder swings the vehicle into a hard accelerating turn, taking the spoke of the intersection that parallels the tracks. As the car hauls ass after the train, we DISSOLVE TO OPPOSITE END OF MOUNTAIN PASS NIGHT The rails come up a grade where they appear out of a long bending turn. Exiting the mountain pass near the summit of the mountain. And now HEADLIGHTS appear, bouncing toward us. It s Mulder and Scully s rental chugging up the grade. And now pulling to a stop as it REACHES . Then the car doors open and Mulder and Scully exit. Putting jackets against the cold desert night. Running over the gravel on the rail bed into sharp f.g. SCULLY What do you think it is MULDER I have no idea. They start out toward it anyway, whatever it is. But the image that we see next might cause us to ask the same question. REVERSE ANGLE MULDER AND SCULLY S FORMER  The Agents are moving off the tracks now, picking their way toward the horizon where, at the edge of the great plateau that lays out before them, there are TWO GIANT GLOWING WHITE DOMES. It is otherwise pitch dark out, almost giving the impression that the domes are floating. It would give the distinct impression of otherworldliness, if we hadn t seen a similar, smaller glowing dome over the dirt field where the boys found the skull. And if we could not see the lights of the TRAIN rolling to a stop near the mysterious domes. GREAT PLATEAU NIGHT HIGH WIDE ANGLE SLOWLY CRANING DOWN as Mulder and Scully move through the low scrub of the high desert. Moving towards us as CONTINUES ITS SLOW CRANE DOWN, REVEALING in f.g. the tops of CORN STALKS (yes, corn stalks.) What is the perimeter edge of REVERSE CRANE DOWN (TO MATCH) Acres and acres of corn fields, laying out before us in the dark night. Running all the way to the WHITE DOMED TENTS in the b.g. Mulder and Scully enter the perimeter edge, disappearing into ACRES OF CORN NIGHT TRACKING WITH Mulder and Scully as they move through the field. SCULLY This is weird, Mulder. MULDER Very weird. SCULLY Any thoughts on why anybody d be growing corn in the middle of the desert MULDER Not unless those are giant Jiffy Pop containers out there. CONTINUE TRACKING as they move through the tall uniform rows. ANGLE BEHIND THE AGENTS Shooting down the long straight rows. CRANING UP to REVEAL DOMES once again. Like space ships that have landed. OPPOSITE PERIMETER OF THE FIELD OF CORN The Agents exit the edge of the crop field. They have come upon the glowing tents now. Tall and pillowy against the dark sky. There is no evidence of anyone ab No sound, no signs. Mulder and Scully stand at the edge of the field for a moment. Then move cautiously across an open area to one of the domes. WHITE DOME TENT NIGHT Mulder pulls open the steel door leading in. It opens with a SUCKING SOUND which suggests the interior is pressurized. And as he and Scully step in they both JUMP when LARGE FANS just overhead hit them both with hard blasts of air. Stepping quickly out of the downward blasting air, into the still silence of the space beyond. SCULLY Cool in here. Temperature s being regulated. MULDER For the purpose of what HIGH OVERHEAD ANGLE Our view is down through the crosswires and cables that create the tension support. The effect is a combination of simplicity and perfect function. Stark and high tech. The flooring is gray and flat, featureless. But we don t yet see from this angle exactly what the white domed tent houses. Though the air is still and there is no movement of any kind, there is a sound that permeates the interior. A STEADY HUM. Almost electrical hum, but different. Mulder and Scully move together toward the middle of the space. WIDE ON TENT MULDER AND SCULLY S  Laid out in a grid, low to the ground, are what look like BOXES. Fixed in place like roof vents, except these are on the floor, no more than three feet tall, and about the same measure square. NEW ANGLE TRACKING WITH MULDER AND SCULLY As they continue to move cautiously, walking out into the grid of boxshaped objects. Coming to the center of the capacious, arenasized space. Standing over one of the mysterious boxes, which we now see have LOUVERED TOPS. The louvers, however, are shut so that whatever is inside the boxes cannot be seen. SCULLY I think we re on top of something. I think these are some kind of venting. Mulder lays his head and ear to the top of the box. MULDER You hear that SCULLY I hear the humming. Like electricity. High voltage maybe. MULDER Maybe. Maybe not. Scully looks skyward. SCULLY What do you think those are for Mulder takes his ear off the box, looking up now, too. THEIR  At the top of the dome are two LARGE corresponding LOUVER VENTS. RESUME MULDER AND SCULLY Looking up at these vents. WHITE DOME TENT NIGHT HIGH WIDE ANGLE OVER MULDER AND SCULLY, staring up JUST PAST at the louvered vents at top center of the tent. When A LOUD METALLIC NOISE makes them jump. AGENTS  THE LOUVERED VENTS ABOVE THEM One of the vents is opening automatically, its large metal louvers straining from their flat closed position into an upanddown open position. When this is complete, the SECOND LOUVER does the same. The straining sound of galvanized metalonmetal. LOW ANGLE ON MULDER AND SCULLY As Mulder turns his look from the ceiling back down to the mysterious box they re standing next to. Something occurs to him. Something frightening. MULDER Scully. SCULLY Yeah. MULDER Run. Mulder grabs her hand, pulling her along. Though she doesn t know why. Or what s about to happen. TRACKING FAST WITH THEM as Mulder leads her back toward the door they entered, which is a good hundred yards away. SCULLY (yelling, on the run) What are you doing MULDER (yelling back) Come on When the LOUVERED VENTS on all the low gridarranged boxes OPEN IN DOMINOLIKE SUCCESSION out of them pouring THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF BEES, rapidly filling the atmosphere of the domed space. As if the insects are being shot out of nonstop cannons. HIGH ANGLE THICK STREAMS of bees head RIGHT AT , flying for the open louvers at the top of the dome. As Mulder and Scully run for it down below. TRACKING WITH MULDER AND SCULLY Scully s hand slipping from Mulder s as she pulls her jacket up over her head. Mulder doing the same now, ducking his head inside his own jacket. The Agents are slowed by the bees but still make their zigzag way toward the door bees clinging to their clothes. But motion seems to be the key. As Mulder RUNS TOWARD where the downward blast of air knocks all the bees off him. In the b.g., we see that Scully has fallen behind. Still running, but losing her way in the process, losing her bearings as the thickening swarm of bees descends. CLOSE ON SCULLY When Mulder enters frame, jacket pulled over his head again. Taking Scully by the back of her coat and swinging her toward the direction of the door. Whipsnapping her the rest of the distance to the doorfans. Following right behind her as the fans BLASTING them and the Agents continue right out the doors. To WHITE DOMED TENT NIGHT Scully and Mulder comes blasting out themselves now, but they haven t even had time to catch their breaths when they react to MOVEMENT. Something coming at them in the night. THEIR  S STRAIGHT DOWN THE ROWS OF DOMED TENTS Where BRIGHT BEAMS BLAST ON, moving fast toward them. The RUSHING WHIR of the turbine engines of the unmarked choppers. The bright beams skimming across the ground toward Mulder and Scully, traveling right along the edges of ends of the white domed tents. Threatening to spot the Agents, unless they RUN. And they do bolting just as the beams and the helicopters blast over the spot they held just moments before. Running to ACRES OF CORN NIGHT MULDER AND SCULLY VARIOUS HANDHELD Running flat out now, knocking away the stalks and leaves that block their way. Following and leading shots. s and Tracking shots. And chasing angles, as the Agents run through the only cover they ve got. As ANGLE JUST OVER THE TOP OF CROPS The unmarked helicopters swoop right overhead, their BRIGHT SPOTLIGHTS searching and cutting through the cornrows. As the Agents zig and zag just out of the discovering beams. As the choppers zoom right over their heads. REVERSE ON CHOPPERS Traversing the field, then doing sharp banking turns and swooping back over the field now in low drifting hovers. The wash from the blades knocking the corn stalks down so as to reveal anything hidden within. The bright spots making sure that nothing might escape detection. LOW ANGLE SEARCHING AND FINDING SCULLY as she runs up INTO FRAME. She s lost sight of SCULLY Mulder ANGLE ELSEWHERE ON MULDER As he too runs to a stop. Hearing his name. MULDER Scully RESUME SCULLY Reacting to the sound of her name, but there s no time to find her bearings on Mulder. Not before she has to take flight again. As one of the choppers appears overhead, hovering into view. Knocking the corn down in a path moving straight toward her. LEADING HER as she runs from the oncoming craft. PASSING to the left, as the chopper passes RIGHT. TRACKING FAST WITH MULDER Beating his way through the corn like Bomba through the jungle. Matching this action, as Mulder runs toward us. When one of the unmarked helicopters BREAKS INTO FRAME in an intersecting path, its BEAM passing right over Mulder and ILLUMINATING HIM. But while it doesn t slow Mulder down, the helicopter maneuvers into a hard banking turn, sweeping over the far end of the corn field and heading RIGHT BACK AT MULDER AT US. NEW LOW ANGLE ON EDGE OF CORN FIELD Where Mulder bursts out of the perimeter, turning on a quick dime and running an out pattern, just before the chopper BURSTS into frame overhead, its search beam narrowly missing Mulder. NEW ANGLE ON MULDER Running the corner of the field, looking frantically down each corn row until he comes to a stop. No sign of MULDER Scully Mulder reacting to the sound of her response SCULLY (distant o.s.) Mulder NEW ANGLE ON SCULLY She s exiting the field behind him. Running toward him, and when she gets to him they both break into a run across the desert. FOLLOWING THEM as they sprint away. FOLLOWING THEM until they both start to slow. Slowing to a stop in the darkness. Turning to see THEIR  The helicopters have disappeared. RESUME MULDER AND SCULLY Reacting to this. SCULLY Where d they go MULDER I don t know. Then they both turn again and continue running. As fast as their feet will take them. Back towards the bluff where their car is parked. BLUFF OVERLOOKING CORN FIELDS NIGHT Where Mulder and Scully s car is parked. Stillness, until Mulder and Scully s heads appear as they climb up from the direction of the corn fields. They get in their car and start it quickly. Mulder turns the ignition, but the car doesn t start immediately. He turns it over and over but it won t kick. As he does this, unbeknownst to the agents ONE OF THE BLACK HELICOPTERS rises up from below the bluff, appearing in their rear windshield. Hovering just behind the car like a giant bumblebee. Just as. .Mulder gets the car started, throwing the transmission in gear and spinning the tires. As they head off back in the direction they came, without their lights on. As they do this, the black chopper continues to hover for a moment, then BANKS OFF AND AWAY. Into the night. Mulder and Scully speed off in the opposite direction. As we DISSOLVE TO FBI OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL REVIEW DAY CLOSE ON A FILE Being leafed through by a woman s hands. TILTING UP to Special Agent Cassidy, the woman we met earlier running the OPR hearing. She takes a quick glance at her watch, looking up when THE DOOR TO THE ROOM opens. A beat, then Skinner enters with a wearied look. SKINNER She s coming in. Skinner ducks his head back out to look at  HALLWAY OUTSIDE OPR HEARING ROOM DAY Where Scully stands looking into the glass of a display case, trying to put her hair and clothes and person together. She s still in the same clothes we saw her in. Seeing Skinner now moving toward him. RESUME OPR HEARING ROOM Scully enters past Skinner. Though she has straightened them, and her hair, there is no mistaking that she s been to the dust bowl and back to get here. Her manner is chastened. Scully tries to keep her eyes on the table where she ll be sitting. Venturing only a brief, polite look to ANGLE TO INCLUDE CASSIDY AND THE OTHER PANEL MEMBERS They reshuffle their papers, pulling up their chairs. Ready to get down to business now. CASSIDY Special Agent Scully SCULLY I apologize for making you wait I ve brought some new evidence with me CASSIDY Evidence of what CLOSE PROFILE ON SCULLY Reaching into her satchel, pulling out an evidence bag. Whatever she s reaching for she s reluctant to present with confidence. SCULLY These are fossilized bone fragments I ve been able to study, gathered from the bomb site in Dallas. As Scully speaks we see A BEE crawl out from under the collar of her suit jacket, crawling toward the back of her neck. Crawling slowly, as if stretching its legs from its long journey. DOLLYING around Scully as the bee does, moving into an OVER to CASSIDY You ve been back to Dallas SCULLY Yes. CASSIDY Are you going to let us in on what exactly you re trying to prove SCULLY That the bombing in Dallas may have been to destroy the bodies of those firemen, so their deaths and the reason for them wouldn t have to be explained CASSIDY (challenging) those are very serious allegations, Agent Scully SCULLY Yes. I know. There is a hush of murmured responses to this, the panel members speaking to one another. Assistant Director Skinner shifts uneasily in his chair. He s been here before with Agents Mulder and Scully. He s sensing something outrageous. CASSIDY And you have conclusive evidence of this Something to tie this claim of yours to the crime SCULLY (grudgingly) Nothing completely conclusive We have returned to the OVER ANGLE on Scully, where we see the BEE just below her jacket collar on the back of her neck. It CRAWLS back under her collar, DISAPPEARING from sight. SCULLY I hope to. We re working to develop this evidence CASSIDY Working with SCULLY Agent Mulder. Off Cassidy s knowing nod, a general shifting in chairs, we DOWNSCALE D.C. BAR LATE DAY Mulder pushes through the front, scanning the room for ANGLE ON KURTZWEIL Sitting at a booth at the dark rear of the establishment. Mulder enters frame, sitting down across from him. Kurtzweil is jumpy, but he sees from Mulder s expression that something s up. KURTZWEIL You found something MULDER Yes. On the Texas border. Some kind of experiment. Something they excavated was brought there in tanker trucks. KURTZWEIL What MULDER I m not sure. A virus KURTZWEIL You saw this experiment MULDER What did it look like MULDER There were bees. And corn crops. Kurtzweil smiles at Mulder, laughs with nervous excitement. Mulder doesn t quite realize it yet, but this is news to him. MULDER What are they Kurtzweil slides from his seat, rising. KURTZWEIL What do you think MULDER A transportation system. Transgenic crops. The pollen genetically altered to carry a virus. KURTZWEIL That would be my guess. MULDER Your guess But Kurtzweil doesn t respond to this. He s moving toward the back of the bar. Mulder slides out, pursuing him. ANGLE ON BARMAID The few PATRONS sitting at the bar, all turning in reaction to this sudden flurry of activity. REAR OF DOWNSCALE BAR NIGHT CONTINUOUS Near the bathrooms. Mulder catches up to Kurtzweil. MULDER What do you mean, your guess Kurtzweil doesn t stop. So Mulder must physically stop him. MULDER You told me you had answers. KURTZWEIL Yeah, well I don t have them all. MULDER You ve been using me KURTZWEIL I ve been using you MULDER You didn t know my father KURTZWEIL I told you he and I were old friends MULDER You re a liar. You lied to me to gather information for you. For your goddamn books. Didn t you Mulder is getting heated, rough with Kurtzweil. When, unexpectedly A MAN suddenly exits the bathroom. REACTING to this scene. Kurtzweil uses the moment to break from Mulder. Slipping out the back door. Mulder takes a beat, then goes after him. Pushing out the back door into the blinding brightness. ALLEY BEHIND BAR DAY Mulder busts out the back door, chasing Kurtzweil. MULDER Kurtzweil Kurtzweil turns to him. With restrained ferocity. KURTZWEIL You d be shit out of luck if not for me. You saw what you saw because I led you to it. I m putting my ass on the line for you. MULDER Your ass I just got chased across Texas by two black helicopters. KURTZWEIL And why do you think it is you re standing here talking to me These people don t make mistakes, Agent Mulder. And with that he turns now, striding off. Leaving Mulder to deal with the excellent logic of this. When suddenly Mulder reacts to A NOISE. Somewhere above him. MULDER S  Up on a fire escape, A MAN is moving. Mulder can only see his feet and legs from this angle, but it is clear he has been watching Mulder. Upon being spotted, the figure slides away and disappears. ANGLE FROM INSIDE FIRE ESCAPE BUILDING We get a glimpse of the man who was watching him. A face we recognize as that of the man who brushed past Mulder coming out of the vending room, not long before the building in Dallas blew. He is moving quickly now, disappearing into the shadows. TILTING DOWN to find MULDER. He stands staring up, but only for a moment until he turns and hurries off in the opposite direction Kurtzweil disappeared in. MULDER S APARTMENT MAGIC HOUR ANGLE OVER MULDER S DESK at the far end of the living room. The sound of keys in the door, then Mulder enters his apartment in a hurry. Moving to the desk and going at this pace through the drawers. Looking for. A PICTURE ALBUM. Which he takes now, leafing through it. Flipping the pages, looking for ANGLE OVER MULDER Finding old pictures of young Fox Mulder with his SISTER, Samantha. With his father and mother. The plasticcovered page is peeled back and one of these photos is removed. It is an old family snapshot. A picnic possibly. Mulder stares at the picture. INSERT PHOTO In the b.g. of the picnic, his head turned to , is a young KURTZWEIL. Mulder studies the photo intensely, when there s a KNOCK at his door. Mulder turning to see SCULLY In his haste, Mulder had neglected to lock his door. Scully is pushing it open. She s still in the same clothes. She looks beat. Her eyes meeting Mulder s. A gaze that says bad news. MULDER What What s wrong SCULLY Salt Lake City, Utah. Transfer effective immediately. Mulder is shaking his head. Not wanting to hear this. SCULLY I already gave Skinner my letter of resignation. MULDER You can t quit, Scully. SCULLY I can, Mulder. I debated whether or not to even tell you in person, because I knew MULDER We re close to something here we re on the verge SCULLY You re on the verge, Mulder please don t do this to me MULDER After what you saw last night after all you ve seen you can t just walk away SCULLY I have. I did. It s done. MULDER Just like that SCULLY I m contacting the state board Monday to file medical reinstatement papers MULDER I need you on this, Scully SCULLY You don t Mulder you ve never needed me. I ve only held you back. (beat) I ve got to go. And with that she exits his apartment, the argument too painful, and her ability to be persuaded too clear to herself. HALLWAY OUTSIDE MULDER S APARTMENT NIGHT WIDE ANGLE FROM END OF HALL where we see Scully, leaving Mulder s apartment. Moving at a hurried clip to the elevator TOWARD . As if anticipating her own impulse to turn around and go back. As she moves into f.g. Mulder exits his apt. door. MULDER You re wrong He hurries to catch her. As she turns on him. SCULLY Why was I assigned to you To debunk your work. To reign you in. To shut you down. MULDER You saved me, Scully. (off her look) As different and frustrating as it s been sometimes, your goddamn strict rationalism and science have saved me a thousand times; have kept me honest and made me whole. I owe you so much, Scully, and you owe me nothing. (beat) I don t want to do this without you. I don t know if I can. If I quit now, they win. She is silent, moved. In spite of all her desire not to be. She moves to Mulder, holds him. They break slightly and she looks up at Mulder with deep respect, admiration and. kisses him on the forehead. When. .suddenly a physical intimacy we ve never seen. A heat and passion that can t be denied. The opportunity for the inevitable has presented itself. The moment of truth has arrived. Mulder is staring at Scully as she s looking back at him. His head moves slightly toward hers as one of his hands moves up to her neck, drawing her to him. Where there is hesitation on her part, there is also desire. When SCULLY OUCH Scully pulls away from Mulder, RUBBING at her neck where his hand had been. MULDER What What happened SCULLY I think. something stung me. Scully s hand comes out with THE SQUIRMING BEE, which she holds in her hand while Mulder moves around her, checking her neck. MULDER It must. But he doesn t finish his sentence before he has to catch Scully from falling. Her head bobs and she has to catch it. MULDER Scully. SCULLY Something s wrong. (fighting for clarity) I m having lancinating pain my chest. My. motor functions are being affected. I m. Mulder lays her down on the floor during this. Scully continues to speak, though her eyes are not focusing. She is limp in Mulder s arms. SCULLY .my pulse feels thready and I ve got a funny taste in the back of my throat. MULDER I think you re in anaphylactic shock SCULLY No it s Her voice is getting thin now, too. MULDER Scully SCULLY I ve got no allergy. Something. this. Mulder. I think. I think you should call an ambulance. And Mulder is on his feet in a flash, running for MULDER S APARTMENT NIGHT CONTINUOUS CLOSE OVER PHONE as Mulder races into the apartment, dashing TOWARD , picking up the receiver, dialing. HOLDING ON THE PHONE during this action. TILTING UP for MULDER This is Special Agent Fox Mulder. I have an emergency I have an agent down HALLWAY OUTSIDE MULDER S APARTMENT NIGHT SCULLY HANDHELD Picked up and onetwothree loaded on a gurney by TWO PARAMEDICS. ST PARAMEDIC Can you hear me Can you say your name Scully is trying, but the words won t come ST PARAMEDIC She s got constriction in the throat and larynx are you breathing okay He lays his head down to her mouth. ST PARAMEDIC Passages are open. Let s get her in the van NEIGHBORS are in the hall now, along with Mulder. Who is moving beside the Paramedics as they hustle the gurney down the hall. ST PARAMEDIC Coming through people here we go. Coming through MULDER S APARTMENT NIGHT  HAND HELD The Paramedics bang out the front door, stutterstepping the gurney down to the walk, to their EMT VAN which sits at the curb with the LIGHT BAR FLASHING. Mulder following close by. MULDER She said she had a taste in the back of her throat there was no preexisting allergy to beestings the bee that stung her may have been carrying a virus ND PARAMEDIC A virus ST PARAMEDIC Get on the radio, tell them we have a cytogenic reaction, we need an advise and administer They get her to the back of the vehicle, guiding the gurney in with experienced hands. Scully s eyes are on Mulder as she s slid into the brightly lit interior. The st Paramedic blocks Mulder somewhat as he steps toward the van, anticipating that he s going with them to the hospital. But the doors are closing on him before he gets an opportunity. FOLLOWING MULDER around to the driver s side of the van now, moving to the driver s window where THE DRIVER can be seen in the rear view mirror, his eyes watching Mulder. ON MULDER A moment of vague recognition a catch in his step. RESUME As Mulder s momentum carries him to the driver s window where se see again the man from the vending room, who was also surveilling Mulder. And he has a HANDGUN pointed at Mulder, which he FIRES THROUGH THE WINDOW. The glass shattering. RESUME MULDER Throwing himself away backward, but the bullet catches him in the head. Blood and glass spraying onto the side of the van. He goes down to the ground as the paramedic van accelerates fast away. LOW ANGLE REVERSE ON MULDER Lying in the street, his head bleeding profusely. While in the b.g., A SECOND AMBULANCE IS SPEEDING TO THE SCENE. As it skids to a stop and TWO NEW PARAMEDICS jump out, we DISSOLVE TO WASHINGTON NATIONAL AIRPORT NIGHT A MEDIUM SIZED PRIVATE JET is taxiing down an alley off the main runway where a is speeding toward takeoff. The private jet turning TOWARD and nosing into f.g. NEW ANGLE ON TARMAC Where MEN IN FAMILIAR BLACK FATIGUES are unloading something from an unmarked cube truck that is also familiar the very high techlooking CLEAR CONTAINER, with its monitors and gauges, its oxygen tanks and refrigeration unit. A selfcontained life support system. The inside of the container is covered with a thin layer of frost, through which we can see AGENT SCULLY. She lies as if in a state of paralysis, but a blink of her eyes is enough to tell us that she is. alive. TRACKING WITH THE MEN moving the container. As they hustle it to the waiting jet. As The Cigarette Smoking Man is descending the steps of the plane onto the tarmac. Watching as the container is moved to the cargo hold and loaded inside. The hold is closed and the jet engines wind back up. As the Cigarette Smoking Man reboards the aircraft and it taxis away. FADE SLOWLY TO BLACK HOSPITAL NIGHT Voices fade in slowly, inaudible at first. For regular viewers of the show, they will recognize the voices of the Lone Gunmen. Three nerdish paranoiacs who publish a magazine which charts and cataloged conspiracies past and present, among other government malfeasance. They are Langly, Byers and Frohike. BYERS I think he s coming out LANGLY He s coming to. FROHIKE Hey, Mulder. FADE UP, as if our eyes are blinking open. We are in Mulder s , and the face right above us is Frohike s. FROHIKE Mulder. Behind Frohike, looking down at Mulder, are Byers and Langly. REVERSE ON MULDER Staring at the diminutive Frohike, the longhaired Langly and the courtly Byers with dawning recognition. MULDER Oh god. LANGLY What s wrong MULDER (to Byers, then Langly) Tin Man. Scarecrow. (to Frohike) Toto. Mulder sits up now, rubbing his face, feeling the BANDAGE he s got on his head. MULDER What am I doing here BYERS You were shot in the head. The bullet broke the flesh on your right brow and glanced off your temporal plate. MULDER (woozy) Penetration but not perforation. LANGLY Three centimetres to the left and we d be playing the harp. Mulder is still shaking out the cobwebs. BYERS They gave you a craniotomy to relieve the pressure from a subdural hematoma. But you ve been unconscious since they brought you in. MULDER When was that FROHIKE Two days ago. Your guy Skinner s been here with you around the clock. LANGLY We got the news and made a trip to your apartment. Found a bug in your phone line. FROHIKE And one in your hall. Byers holds up the first small device. Frohike holds up a vial containing A BEE. Mulder realizing MULDER Scully had a violent reaction to a bee sting BYERS You called . Except the call was intercepted. MULDER (sitting up) They took her Mulder pushes the covers off. Swinging his legs to the ground. As A.D. Skinner enters the room. Surprised to see Mulder up. SKINNER Agent Mulder MULDER Where s Scully As he says this he loses his balance slightly, has to hold onto one of the Gunmen. Struggling with his faculties. SKINNER She s missing. We ve been unable to locate her or the vehicle they took her in. MULDER Whoever they are this goes right back to Dallas it goes right back to the bombing SKINNER I know. (off Mulder s reaction to this) Agent Scully reported your suspicions to OPR. On the basis of her report, I sent techs over to S.A.C. Michaud s apartment. They picked up PSTN residues on his personal effects consistent with the construction of the vending machine device in Dallas. MULDER (reeling) How deep does this go SKINNER I don t know. Mulder sees A MAN IN A SUIT passes by the small window in the door, casting a furtive glance in, then moving off. He turns his look back to Skinner. MULDER Are we being watched SKINNER I m not taking any chances. Mulder nods. Pulling now at the bandage on his head. Peeling it away and revealing the wound beneath. MULDER I need your clothes, Byers. BYERS Me SKINNER What are you doing MULDER I ve got to find Scully. FROHIKE Do you know where she is MULDER No. But I know someone who might have an answer. Who better. Mulder is undoing his hospital gown now, his white buns gracing the screen for the first time in history. As he ducks into the bathroom. As the men left standing in the room all look to Byers, reluctantly removing his duds. Off this HOSPITAL HALLWAY NIGHT ANGLE OVER MAN IN A SUIT standing with his back to Mulder s room, reading a section of a newspaper (the rest of the paper sitting on a chair, as if the man s possibly set up here.) As the door to Mulder s room opens in the b.g. and Frohike appears. Frohike keeps his eyes on the Man as Langly appears now, followed by.Byers We can t see clearly as the other two block our  and the third man out doesn t show us his face. The threesome starts down the hall, their footsteps drawing the attention of the Man in a Suit. ANGLE OVER MULDER AND THE OTHER GUNMEN As they head TOWARD . Walking at a pace. In the b.g. the Man in the Suit is drifting toward Mulder s hospital room. ANGLE ON MAN IN SUIT Suspicious. He moves to the door, looks in the little glass window. Seeing.Byers, the sheets pulled up to his nose to hide his beard and mustache. Skinner standing next to him, talking on the phone. The Man in the Suit looking down to the end of the hall again. RESUME ANGLE OVER MULDER AND THE GUNMEN As Mulder and his two flankers MOVE RIGHT TO . Mulder is taking a cell phone being handed to him by Frohike. Dialing on the move. ALLEY BEHIND DOWNSCALE D.C. BAR NIGHT A FIGURE appears at the end of the alley, moving toward us. It could be Mulder from this distance, but as the figure comes closer we recognize him as Kurtzweil. Moving into the f.g., checking behind him, ahead of him. Jumpy. He takes a cautious beat, then moves to the door leading into the bar (established), reaching for the knob. Opening it, finding the WellManicured Man standing there. WELLMANICURED MAN Dr. Kurtzweil, isn t it Dr. Alvin Kurtzweil KURTZWEIL Jesus Christ. Kurtzweil is shaken by the sight of this man. Backpedaling a bit, looking around and behind him for an ambush. WELLMANICURED MAN You re surprised. Certainly you ve been expecting some response to your indiscretion. The W.M.M. steps out of the doorway, following Kurtzweil. WELLMANICURED MAN I m quite sure whatever you told Agent Mulder, you have your good reason. It s a weakness in men our age; the urge to confess. (stopping his walk) I forgive you that. Kurtzweil is thrown by the words, and the delivery. Stopping his backward progress. Studying this upright and civil man. KURTZWEIL What are you doing here What do you want from me WELLMANICURED MAN You must try to understand, what I m here to do is only to protect my children. You and I have but short lives left. I can only hope the same isn t true for them. On this note, Kurtzweil turns and hoofs it back in the direction from which he came. TRACKING BACK WITH HIM until HEADLIGHTS hit his face. REVERSE ANGLE A TOWN CAR has pulled into the alley behind him. Accelerating fast down the narrow corridor. Effectively trapping Kurtzweil in. As he squints into its headlights, then turns back with fear in his eyes to the W.M.M. STREET OUTSIDE DOWNSCALE BAR NIGHT Where a figure is coming down the street toward us. Running, it s Mulder, going balls Running to the entrance of the bar and yanking open the door. DOWNSCALE D.C. BAR NIGHT Moderately crowded as Mulder enters, stopping to catch his breath. Moving to the back of the bar. Looking for THE BOOTH WHERE HE MET KURTZWEIL EARLIER It s empty. RESUME MULDER Moving through the bar real panic in his expression. He heads to the back. REAR OF DOWNSCALE BAR NIGHT CONTINUOUS Mulder passing the bathrooms, moving to the door where we saw the WellManicured Man standing just a short bit ago. But there is no one back here now. Mulder moves to the back door, the one leading to the alley, pushing it open and finding The WellManicured Man stands with HIS DRIVER closing the trunk on the idling Town Car (which has been turned around.) The W.M.M. turns to see WELLMANICURED MAN Mr. Mulder. MULDER What happened to Kurtzweil WELLMANICURED MAN He s come and gone. The W.M.M. moves to Mulder, who doesn t trust him for a second. Mulder is still breathing hard, sizing up this scene. MULDER Where s Scully WELLMANICURED MAN I have answers for you. MULDER Is she alive WELLMANICURED MAN Yes. Mulder stares at the W.M.M. measuring him. WELLMANICURED MAN I m quite prepared to tell you everything, though there isn t much you haven t guessed. MULDER About the conspiracy WELLMANICURED MAN I think of it as an agreement. A word your father liked to use. MULDER I want to know where Scully is. The WellManicured Man suddenly reaches into his jacket pocket, without warning or explanation. Mulder tensing slightly. He removes a thin felt envelope. WELLMANICURED MAN The location of Agent Scully. And the means to save her life. (off Mulder s look) Please. He gestures toward the car where the Driver stands with the back door open. Mulder hesitates, then steps from the doorway. Moving past the W.M.M., sliding in. The W.M.M. gets in after him, closes the door. The car pulls away. LIMOUSINE NIGHT CONTINUOUS WE SEE MULDER in the back seat, reflected in the rearview mirror. Where we also see the eyes of the DRIVER watching him. Mulder is handed the felt envelope by the W.M.M. MULDER What is it WELLMANICURED MAN A weak vaccine against the virus Agent Scully has been infected with. It must be administered with ninety six hours. MULDER (beat) You re lying. WELLMANICURED MAN No. Though I have no way to prove otherwise. The virus is extraterrestrial. We know very little about it, except that it is the original inhabitant of this planet. MULDER (dubious, to say the least) A virus WELLMANICURED MAN A simple, unstoppable lifeform. What is a virus but a colonizing force that cannot be defeated Living in a cave, underground, until it mutates. And attacks. MULDER This is what you ve been conspiring to conceal A disease WELLMANICURED MAN No For God sake you ve got it all backwards. This outburst comes suddenly, unexpectedly. WELLMANICURED MAN Aids, the ebola virus on the evolutionary scale they are newborns. This virus walked the planet long before the dinosaurs. MULDER What do you mean, walked WELLMANICURED MAN Your aliens, Agent Mulder, your little green men, first landed here millions of years ago. Those that didn t leave have been laying dormant underground since the last Ice Age. In the form of an evolved pathogen. Waiting to be reconstituted when the alien race from which it came returns to colonize the planet. Using us as hosts. Against this we have no defense. Nothing but a weak vaccine. (beat) Do you see why it was kept secret Why even the best men men like your father could not let the truth be known The force and conviction of his delivery leave Mulder shaken. WELLMANICURED MAN Until Dallas, we believed the virus was simply a controlling organism. That mass infection would make us a slave race. MULDER That s why you bombed the building. The infected firemen, the boy WELLMANICURED MAN Imagine our surprise when they began to gestate. My group has been working cooperatively with the alien colonists, facilitating their programs. To give us access to the virus. In false hope we might be able to secretly find a cure. So that we might save ourselves, as the last of the species. (beat) Your father wisely refused to believe this, choosing hope over selfishness. Hope is the only future he had his children, (beat, then selfrevealing) The only future any of us have. This draws a look back in the mirror from the Driver. MULDER But. he sacrificed his own daughter. My sister, Samantha. WELLMANICURED MAN The only true survivors of the viral holocaust will be those immune to it those vaccinated against it and human/alien hybrids. Your father arranged for your sister s abduction. He allowed her to be taken to an alien hybrid program, so that she would survive. As a clone. (beat) He had different hopes for you. That you would uncover the truth about the Project. That you would stop it. That you would fight the future. Mulder sits stunned by this. As if somehow his destiny has been validated, if not preordained. Or maybe just justified. MULDER Why are you telling me this WELLMANICURED MAN I thought it only fair you should know, given how hard you ve worked. MULDER What happened to Kurtzweil WELLMANICURED MAN As your father knew, things need to be sacrificed to the future. MULDER Where is he WELLMANICURED MAN Dr. Kurtzweil is in the trunk. Mulder stares at the W.M.M., at his coldblooded expression. MULDER Let me Stop the car. WELLMANICURED MAN (motioning) Driver. Mulder reaching to this as the limo pulls to a stop. Trying the door, but the door is locked. When he turns back to the W.M.M. he has produced a handgun, which is now pointing at Mulder. Laid casually across a folded arm. Mulder reacts on seeing it. WELLMANICURED MAN The men I work with will stop at nothing to clear the way for what they believe is their stake in the inevitable future. I was ordered to kill Kurtzweil. A necessary action to protect my grandchildren s lives. (beat) I might just as easily kill you. Mulder is recoiling as he says this. Then, without hesitation in one quick move, he SHOOTS the Driver in the head. The blood spattering on the front windshield and on Mulder who has barely had a chance to react. WELLMANICURED MAN Trust no one, Mr. Mulder. Mulder looks at The WellManicured Man, expecting to be n And for a moment, we do too. But the W.M.M. simply opens the door and steps out of the car. Holding the door open for Mulder who is still frozen by the actions that went just before. DESOLATE D.C. STREET NIGHT Mulder steps out of the car, holding the felt envelope. The WellManicured Man stands with a sober, intense look. WELLMANICURED MAN (with quiet force) You have precious little time. What I ve given you the alien colonists have no idea exists. You hold in your hand the power to end the project. MULDER How WELLMANICURED MAN The vaccine you hold is the only defense against the virus. Its introduction into an alien environment may have the power to destroy the delicate plans we ve so assiduously protected for the last fifty years. (beat) Or it may not. MULDER What alien environment WELLMANICURED MAN Find Agent Scully. Save her. Only her science can save the future. MULDER What about you WELLMANICURED MAN My life is over. (beat) Go. Mulder stands speechless for a moment. Until the W.M.M. points the weapon he s still holding at him. WELLMANICURED MAN Go now And Mulder does. Moving away from the car, looking back over his shoulder. As the WellManicured Man gets back into the limousine, closes the door. A moment later. THE CAR EXPLODES INTO FLAMES, knocking Mulder to the ground. ANGLE ON MULDER The felt envelope has been jarred from his grasp. Its contents loosed from inside a piece of paper with COORDINATES on it and an AMPULE and SYRINGE. Mulder gets up, looks back. Then he picks up the envelope and its contents and begins to run. Running as fast as he can go. Until, far down the block, he disappears. As the SCREEN DISSOLVES TO WHITENESS under which we hear an ominous low end Dolby THX Big Screen rumble. The same sound that opened our story. Then there is movement, as the curvilinear line of a horizon becomes visible, bisecting the screen between the white of the earth and the white of the sky. We are POLE OF INACCESSIBILITY ANTARCTICA Across the expanse of whiteness, a DARK IMAGE appears on the long flat horizon. Moving toward us. As a LEGEND appears, to establish. CLOSER ON A SNOW TRACTOR Crawling across the harsh frozen land like a domed insect. SNOW TRACTOR Agent Mulder sits behind the controls of the enclosed cabin, several days growth on his face. Dressed in thick, bundled outerwear. He maneuvers the vehicle to a stop. Reaching for a handheld GPS monitor to check his position. Catching his breath for a moment all movement is exertion in this climate. Mulder stares hard out the front window, the wipers beating time, but there is nothing out there but whiteness. He wipes the fog from a side window with his gloved hand, seeing nothing but more whiteness. Checking the GPS device again, then reaching for the door latch. RESUME WIDE EXTERIOR Agent Mulder exits the vehicle, hopping down onto the snowscape crust. Setting out on foot with the GPS device held before him. In this forbidding environment he might as well be taking a space walk without the security of a lifeline. Which is the impression we get as his tiny figure trudges across the ice, increasing the distance between himself and the snow tractor. MOVING WITH MULDER Up a gentle grade, the snow tractor now behind him. Moving into tight f.g. where he stops, seeing something now which allows him to pocket the GPS device. Dropping instinctively to his knees, so as to avoid being seen by MULDER S  In the distance is an ICE STATION. A row of interconnecting WHITE DOME TENTS, whose design is now familiar to us. There are what look like snow tractors and other snow vehicles parked alongside the structures. RESUME MULDER Pulling a compact pair of binoculars from one of his deep jacket pockets. Training them on THE ICE STATION BINO MATTE PANNING across the domes and vehicles, where there is no sign of personnel until MULDER PANS off the building, finding in his field glasses AN APPROACHING SNOW TRACTOR. Moving across the landscape toward the ice station. When it pulls to a stop, A MAN exits out of one of the domes THE CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN. Moving to the vehicle and getting in. The vehicle reverses now, transporting the CSM back away from the ice station. CLOSE ON MULDER Taking the field glasses away from his eyes. The excitement he feels expressed now in his breathing, which has become harder and shallower. Mulder rises, beginning to move the still great distance between himself and the ice station. WIDE ON SCREEN Mulder moving slowly across the white horizon toward the domed tents. LOW ANGLE ON MULDER S FEET Moving cautiously, and with effort on the snowscape crust. RISING up to Mulder s face, determined and watchful. FOLLOWING MULDER The ice station still several hundred yards in the distance, when MULDER SUDDENLY FALLS OUT OF FRAME, disappearing into a hole in the snowscape crust that just moments earlier had been stable footing. HARD SNOW ICE BUBBLE CONTINUOUS Where Mulder s body falls through a ceiling of snowscape crust, landing on his back with a THUD on a hard surface. It takes him a moment to catch his breath, somewhat reminiscent of Stevie at the beginning of the picture. Wincing through the pain. Until he turns over, regaining his wits, and his bearings. NEW ANGLE Mulder has fallen on a hard, narrow metallic structure. Its dull black color a stark contrast to the white ice it s encased in. The bubble has been created by air coming out of vents in the structure, carving out corresponding patterns in the ceiling; softening the ice and snow above. CLOSER ON MULDER rising to his knees, the AIR from one of these vents blowing onto his face. Pulling off the hood of his jacket, looking deep into the vent which is open, ungrated. And big enough for a man to crawl into. Which, after considering the hole he s fallen through high above him, is really Mulder s only choice. RIBBED CORRIDOR DUCT CONTINUOUS Mulder pulls himself forward through the ribbed corridor duct with his elbows, moving lizardlike into the constricted darkness. UPPER RIBBED CORRIDOR CONTINUOUS Above a frozen ice lith, Mulder s head appears, squeezing his shoulders and body out of a venting. With effort, Mulder slides out of the small space, using some architecture above as a handhold. Pulling his legs free and dropping onto the floor. MULDER S  It is dark in here, the features of the corridor illdefined. RESUME MULDER WIDER Mulder pulls a flashlight from a pocket in his parka, snicks it on. Its beam reflecting off tall frozen liths of ice regularly spaced on both sides of the corridor. NEW ANGLE ON MULDER Training the light down the corridor, which curves away in both directions. Then pointing it at something right in front of his nose something that gives him a start. Reaching up with his hand to brush away frost from the lith. Finding A MAN FROZEN IN ICE. Naked, his eyes staring into some longforgotten distance. His hair is dark, his flat features familiar to us. He is the prehistoric hunter from the opening scenes of the movie. His flesh has the opaque, seethrough quality that we ve seen before. Inside of which, frozen along with the man, is an EMBRYONIC CREATURE. REVERSE ON MULDER Reacting to this sight, then moving off down the corridor, his pace quickened. POLE OF INACCESSIBILITY ANTARCTICA LOW ANGLE on the great white expanse. Across which a snow tractor is moving. PANNING with the vehicle to. Mulder s snow tractor, where the first tractor stops, its headlights trained on Mulder s ride. A beat, then the discovering machine moves out again, following the tracks that Mulder has left, which brings it STRAIGHT TOWARD . As it passes us, we can see the DRIVER and the Cigarette Smoking Man sitting in the cabin. As we CUT BACK TO UPPER RIBBED CORRIDOR CONTINUOUS MULDER comes to the end of the dim ice corridor where soft light is penetrating through several low, arched openings. Mulder has to drop down to his knees to see into the openings. ANGLE FROM OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE BALCONY PASSAGEWAY Where Mulder is seen looking TOWARD . The Balcony passageway is short. Mulder drops to his stomach again, pulling himself through, toward us. When he reaches the opposite end, Mulder pokes his head out, looking up in wonder at CENTRAL THEATER BALCONY CONTINUOUS WIDE ON A STADIUMSIZED DOME (CGI SET EXTENSION) Imagine a domed sports arena this is the scope and scale of the space that Mulder has penetrated. We see him as only a small speck on a balcony midway between floor and ceiling. Pulling himself out of the balcony passageway, which is like countless other passageways. Which are actually ventilation ports. ANGLE OVER MULDER Pulling himself to his feet. Beholding the space before him. Looking down to the center floor where a large central theater gives off a light different from elsewhere in the dome. An icy, bright glow. Leading down to the central theater far below are several LARGE TUBULAR SPOKES. (One of which leads up right next to Mulder s position.) ANGLE ON MULDER Reacting to this. Then something captures his attention. MULDER S  There on the floor, far down below, is THE BUBBLE LITTER Scully was transported in. (NOTE* Scully s clothes are still in the bubble litter.) Standing out as a rather human artifact against the otherwise dull gray bulwarks and architecture surrounding it. CENTRAL THEATER BALCONY CONTINUOUS WIDE ON MULDER looks beside him where the joint that connects two sections of one of the long tube spokes is designed with an allowance a separation that might allow a man to slip through the joint into the tube. Which is what Mulder does here. TUBULAR SPOKE CONTINUOUS WIDE ANGLE FROM INSIDE TUBE TERMINUS Mulder squeezing through into the tube, looking down past what looks like a chair liftlike track, on which the chairs are actually empty cryopod mechanisms; the same structures Mulder saw in the ribbed corridor in which bodies were encased in ice. Except these cryopods are empty. Mulder begins to creep down TOWARD , picking his way around the empty cryopods. REVERSE ANGLE ON MULDER Creeping away from us. Heading toward LOWER CRYOPOD CORRIDOR Where Mulder pops out at the lower tube terminus. Which leads into this bulwarked corridor at the base of the large stadium structure. Where REVERSE ON THIS CORRIDOR Where Mulder is walking past frozen CRYOPODS hanging on a track. Each icy pod containing a HUMAN BODY frozen within. Partially visible behind clear blue ice. But these are modern men, and women. Their expressions a confused horror, as if they have been somehow frozen alive. They are slowly tracking. Walking along the slowly moving carousel of frozen humanity. Stopping, turning, almost as if having sensed NEW ANGLE OVER OPPOSITE CRYOPOD PUSHING IN ON MULDER S FACE. Recording the horror and fear he s experiencing, on seeing RISING UP A FROSTY WALL OF BLUE ICE Where a woman s body is encased, its naked features hidden behind the opacity of the newly frozen blue crust. But whose face is unmistakable as that of Agent Scully s. Frozen in a similar expression of faraway horror, her eyes cast slightly heavenward. MULDER hurries to get his jacket unzipped. Removing the FELT ENVELOPE, removing the syringe body, the needle and the AMPULE. Hastily putting the syringe together, getting the needle poked into the soft rubber cap of the ampule. Bleeding the syringe now, the substance inside squirting out of the end of the needle onto the floor of the ship. And the moment it does, the whole floor SIZZLES like water being dropped onto a hot skillet. Spreading out from Mulder in every direction. A VIOLENT CHEMICAL REACTION, as predicted by the man who gave him this substance. A moment later the entire structure Mulder is in SHUNTS. Shuddering violently and setting up a lowend RUMBLE. Causing Mulder to accidentally drop the syringe. LOW CLOSE ANGLE on the floor, where the syringe hits and bounces, but does not break or leak. Mulder scrambling into frame to recollect it. Seeing the floor where the liquid from the syringe hit where it has been ETCHED AWAY by the substance. HULL OF SPACESHIP/ICY BUBBLE CONTINUOUS Where Mulder crawled into the duct. Condensed air is streaming out of all the ducts now. The ice and snow above beginning to melt from the force and heat of the blasting all. CUT BACK TO ICE STATION CONTINUOUS We can hear low end rumble and vibration. TWO DOZEN MEN are streaming out of the dome tents. Moving to their carious snow tractors and starting the vehicles. A small exodus, the tractors pulling out of camp in a rush. Heading off in various directions. FINDING THE CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN moving to his tractor, with THE MAN WHO SHOT MULDER. Taking the last drag of his cigarette before throwing it into the snow. He stares down at it a moment, as if caught in the grip of some emotion conflicting with duty. The Man who shot Mulder inside the tractor now, throwing open the door for the CSM. MAN WHO SHOT MULDER C mon. It s all going to hell. He climbs up onto the vehicle, gets in and closes the door. And the vehicle pulls away as we CUT BACK TO LOWER RIBBED CORRIDOR CONTINUOUS AGENT MULDER Back on his feet, SMASHING now at the crust of brittle blueice that encases Scully. BASHING, SMASHING and then finally breaking through the hard outer later, its inner slushy contents spilling out of the puncture that exposes Scully s face and shoulder. Watery aquatinted liquid drains from her mouth and nose. But Scully is not conscious, and there is no indication she is even alive, her face frozen in a blank, almost beatific expression. OVER MULDER TO SCULLY As he plunges the needle into Scully s arm at the front of her shoulder. To which there is an immediate reaction as if given a shot of adrenalin. Her eyes blinking away the cold moisture. MULDER Scully Scully s lips move goldfishlike as she tries to suck in air, an almost fearful expression overcoming her like a swimmer who s been held under too long. But no words are coming out yet. MULDER Breathe can you breathe Scully is straining to do just that when liquid suddenly SPEWS from Scully s mouth. And she begins to cough and gag taking big gulps of air as her eyes focus on Mulder as if on a phantom, or a miracle. Finally faint words ushering forth, whispering breaths that Mulder cannot discern. MULDER What CLOSE ON MULDER AND SCULLY As he leans into her, putting his ear up to her mouth. As the softest sound comes out in Scully s frosty breath. SCULLY Cold. MULDER Hang on. I m going to get you out of here. As she continues to suck air. HULL OF SPACESHIP/ICE BUBBLE CONTINUOUS The hot air blasting from the ducts is causing the ice pack above to melt and collapse. ICE STATION CONTINUOUS WIDE As the ice tractors head away in all directions from the domed structures. A misty fog now emanating from the seams of the domes. Heat and condensation. CUT BACK TO UPPER RIBBED CORRIDORS CONTINUOUS Filling with misty condensation, too. The small beams of light that lighted Mulder s way earlier are now small shafts piercing the gathering interior cloud. Illuminating THE PREHISTORIC MAN Frozen in his icy pod, the hard semitranslucent surface of which is now etched with small streams of water running to the floor. Everything is melting and in motion. Including the CREATURE which is vaguely visible inside the frozen man. It TURNS slightly inside the body, like an animal in utero. Its eyes now looking at us, blinking. As it presses against its own fleshy container, the body of its human host. CUT BACK TO LOWER RIBBED CORRIDOR CONTINUOUS It, too, is filling with misty condensation. VARIOUS SHOTS Of the ice encasing the human forms sweating and melting. ADJUSTING UP TO REVEAL Mulder pulling Scully along in a fireman s carry. She is dressed now in Mulder s snow parka and the outer nylon pants he was wearing. Scully s legs are weak beneath her. Her body limp, but not lifeless. Mulder laboring to get her up the INTERIOR of the steep curving cylinder spoke, as the air fills with mist. LONG TUBE TERMINUS NEW ANGLE ON MULDER AND SCULLY LOOKING DOWN THE TUBE Moving toward along the nowhalted cryopod carrier hanging from the transport track. Mulder struggling against his own fading energy, pulling Scully up toward ANGLE ON BALCONY/CATWALK Mulder pushing Scully up, though she seems to have at least some limited ability to do this on her own. The DEEP, LOW RUMBLE we heard in the open frames of the movie reaching full volume now. The whole environment vibrating as Mulder boosts Scully up on the catwalk. Climbing up over the prostrate body. Picking her up from the floor, pulling her back into the fireman s carry. LOWER RIBBED CORRIDOR CONTINUOUS Where the bodies are all beginning to melt. VARIOUS SHOTS of rivulets of water forming on the icy liths that encase the bodies. The water from them seeping onto the circular central floor. The condensing mist thick and swirling. CLOSE ON PODS Where the body it houses seems to move. Though AS PUSHES IN we see that it is the creature inside this body moving, as if the heat and the defrosting are bringing the embryos to life. UPPER RIBBED CORRIDOR CONTINUOUS ANGLE DOWN CORRIDOR Scully s head pokes through now, as she s pushed through the opening that Mulder used earlier to get into the vaulted arena. Pushed in fits and starts until she s all the way through. Mulder now straining and squeezing to do the same on his own. The corridor is filled with heavy condensed mist now as Mulder finally slips out of the low passageway, trying to get his bearing now as he huddles low over Scully. Turning his attention to her as she COUGHS HOARSELY in some kind of acute spasm of pain but alive. MULDER We ve got to keep moving. SCULLY (weakly) Where are we MULDER You got me. But I think I know what they did with Jimmy Hoffa. Scully is struggling now as Mulder tries to pull her to her feet again. In real physical pain. SCULLY I can t. Scully can t finish speaking, her voice becoming a hoarse cough. SCULLY (barely a whisper) I can t go any farther. MULDER Yes you can. You re going to make it, Scully. Mulder hauling Scully up off the floor AWAY FROM now. NEW ANGLE ON RIBBED CORRIDOR MOVING THROUGH SPACE in the empty corridor, moving at a speed equal to Mulder and Scully s as they round the semicircular ribbed corridor to meet us. Coming out of the mist, Scully back in the fireman s carry. Approaching the place where Mulder slipped down into the corridor. Mulder stopping and seeing THE BODY IN THE MELTING ICE LITH As it too moves, the embryonic creature inside it turning slightly, as if coming awake. REVERSE ON MULDER Reacting to this and then to Scully who suddenly starts GASPING FOR BREATH. Falling now from Mulder s grasps as her legs buckle and she goes down. LOW ANGLE ON SCULLY Her face is going red, straining for air. Her eyes rolling, seeking relief. As Mulder drops down beside her. MULDER Shit But she is unable to answer. Mulder hastening to unzip her/his jacket. To get to her neck and find a pulse. MULDER Scully Mulder cannot find a pulse. Scully straining harder now as Mulder reaches his fingers into her mouth, clearing her passageway. Moving on top of her now, and pumping forcefully on her chest trying to get air into her. One two three. And putting his mouth down to hers (FINALLY), breathing his life into her. Pulling away from her to see that he is unsuccessful at this that Scully is continuing to strain. Pumping her chest again MULDER You re not dying on me now godammit godammit godammit As he pumps her chest. Placing his mouth over hers again and BREATH BREATH BREATH. Lifting his mouth from hers, feeling for a pulse again, putting his eat down to her mouth, praying he ll feel the breeze of a breath. Nothing. While ANGLE OVER HIM TO THE CREATURE IN THE ICY POD As it moves again, MORE VIOLENTLY NOW. As the ice around it continues to melt and fissure. RESUME MULDER His hands going to a pocket on the inside of the jacket Scully is wearing his jacket finding again the syringe that he used on Scully. It is still partially full of vaccine. Mulder finding this, getting ready to use it when Scully s body suddenly comes back to life beneath him. Labored breaths which turn into a coughing spasm. Mulder breaths relievedly for a moment, watching Scully coughing, coming back to life. Her eyes trying to focus on him, finding him. Seeing his labored relief. The panic melting away. SCULLY (weakly, pained whisper) Mulder. She wants to tell him something. He leans down next to her. SCULLY ( weak) Had you big time. Mulder has but a moment to savor this weary victory though when he REACTS to something, that causes him to WHIP HIS HEAD AROUND. MULDER S  DOWN RIBBED CORRIDOR Through the condensed mist he can see CREATURES BEGINNING TO HATCH, sprouting from the melted iceencased bodies they have gestated in. Their THREE FINGERED HANDS beating at the soft ice. Their powerful feet kicking at it, too. RESUME MULDER Looking the other way down the corridor, seeing MORE CREATURES The slushy material that makes up the inner core spilling out with them as the creatures KICK out of their tombs. RESUME MULDER Lifting Scully up with all his strength he has left in him. He s got to get her overhead now, back up the venting that he slipped down from. She is weak and of little help. Mulder gets her propped up on his strength so that he can use the power of his legs to boost her toward the opening. Which puts him face to face with THE EMBRYONIC CREATURE. Its eye looking directly at him, blinking, before it goes into another FITFUL SPASM inside its host body. ANGLE DOWN FROM VENT Where Scully is boosted up TOWARD . Her hands reaching feebly for something to grab onto. Finding a handhold. MULDER Keep breathing, Scully. She utters something guttural, unintelligible as the next thrust up from Mulder gets her head and shoulders into the opening of the vent. RESUME MULDER Beneath her, pushing with all his might. His hands under her shoes now, forcing her up into the vent like a rolled carpet into the rafters. RESUME SCULLY Struggling with her arms and elbows, barely conscious, but somehow able to manage herself forward. RESUME MULDER Pushing Scully up the last little way. Then reaching up to find a handhold for himself. Grabbing hold and lifting himself as one of his feet kicks at the ice where the creature he was just face to face with BURSTS from its icy pod. One hand, then the other shooting out of the ice where they have broken through the host. Ripping open the front of the body, including the man s face. Making a slimy, gaping tear in what was formerly flesh. Its hands grabbing at Mulder as he thrashes to free himself from it getting a grip. As Mulder struggles to pull himself up, fighting off the creature which he cannot see beneath him. RESUME CREATURE As it emerges from the ice, still grasping and TEARING at Mulder s legs with its claws. But as it BURSTS COMPLETELY from its place, Mulder is able to pull himself up and into the vent in one athletic movement. ANGLE FROM INSIDE THE VENT SCULLY lies motionless in the ducting, her body forced forward by Mulder s in this last surging move. TIGHT ANGLE ON MULDER Drawing his legs up quickly inside. Not wasting a moment shoving Scully s butt forward in front of him. MULDER Scully you breathing RESUME SCULLY Letting out another low, guttural sound which STRAINS out of her with each push forward. SNOW/ICE BUBBLE CONTINUOUS Scully s head and arms push up through the vent where Mulder first entered. The ice and snow surrounding it, which had created the bubble structure, have melted and fallen. So that above Scully s larger hole has opened up to the surface. The air is full of condensation, swirling around them. ANGLE FROM ABOVE THROUGH THE HOLE IN THE ICE Where, through the swirling steam we see Mulder push Scully clear of the vent. Climbing free himself now. When the surface they are upon SHUDDERS AND QUAKES. As if it has come unloosed, destabilized. And with this comes A MIGHTY FORCE OF STEAM from the vent Mulder and Scully just crawled from. Blasting up past them with terrible HISSING FORCE. Causing Mulder to throw Scully away from its superheated energy. Pulling her up the now climbable embankment created by the melting snow; pulling her toward the surface of the ice sheet. POLE OF INACCESSIBILITY ANTARCTICA WIDE Where a wide radius of steam rises from similar and regularly spaced holes in the ice sheet, defining a circular structure beneath. The White Domed Tents of the ice station are in the center of this, dwarfed by the enormity of the melting radius. RESUME MULDER AND SCULLY Mulder pulling her up the softened and collapsed snow. The hot steam blasting up with hideous force behind them. The sound DEAFENING. NEW ANGLE OVER MULDER AND SCULLY Pulling her to the surface of the ice sheet where behind them in the distance the ICE STATION can be seen through the atmosphere of condensed air. When suddenly the ice beneath it gives way and the ice station falls away, caving in to the center of the radius. Which is what begins to happen to the rest of the ice sheet that spreads out to where Mulder and Scully are standing. Causing Mulder to realize MULDER (over the din) We ve got to run She is weak, but is able to find her footing. Dragged behind Mulder as the ice behind them begins to break away, falling down into an everexpanding center and sending up magnificent geysers of steam created by the superheated surface below. WIDE ON SCENE Mulder and Scully running AT just ahead of the collapsing center. The mass of ice around them beginning to break up. Steam vents erupting instantaneously everywhere. HIGH ANGLE ON SCENE A black dome is becoming visible through the giant circle of steam, in the everwidening center hole that Mulder and Scully are running from. Which is chasing them to the edge of the radius. ANGLE FOLLOWING MULDER AND SCULLY As Mulder struggles to pull Scully fast enough to outrace the icy debris that is tumbling away just behind them. Large chunks falling and bouncing off the superheated surface below, blown back up like water being dropped onto a hot skillet. EXTREMELY HIGH AND WIDE The Agents mere specks fleeing the circle of churning ice and steam. As it cascades away in three hundred and sixty degrees. From here the deafening sound if absorbed into the vastness, tricking us of the reality of the massive movement of frozen material down below. ANGLE LEADING MULDER AND SCULLY As Scully loses her footing, falling to the ground. Mulder dragging her back up to her feet, though, maintaining forward momentum. While behind them the thundering force of the superheated melting snow and ice is moving in on them. And then suddenly MULDER AND SCULLY are gone The radial edge of the falling snow continuing only a few feet beyond where they disappeared. The violent upheaval of snow abating but slightly. Beat, beat. THEN THE AGENTS APPEAR AGAIN. Thrust upward by a RISING BLACK PRECIPICE which catapults them off its leading edge. As they fall the distance to the sheet of ice below. LOW ANGLE ON ICE SHEET Where the Agents hit hard on the ice sheet. The rain of ice chunks pounding all around them. As the monolithic wall of the craft continues to rise. Mulder trying to get to Scully in this hail of debris which he shields his face from. WIDE ON LEADING EDGE Rising faster now out of the earth as it begins to increasingly shed and break free of the frozen weight it carried. Until the bottom of the edge of the wall appears, lifting clear of the ice sheet and the crater that held it. EXTREME HIGH WIDE ANGLE ON SPACE SHIP Where now we see the scope and shape of the ship, which is breathtaking. The domed center sloping off to a gentle gradient, which is the surface that Mulder and Scully were running on. The ship is now slowly rotating as it moves upward in a gently rising hover. Mulder and Scully are on the ice sheet below. RESUME MULDER AND SCULLY Scully face down on the ice. Mulder lifting his head when THE HEAVY SHADOW of the ship comes over them. Looking up from this position to see THE SPACE SHIP Moving slowly, laterally just overhead. Thunderously rumbling. The dark detail of its underside visible in this angle. As it continues to rise, the shadow passing over Mulder and Scully. NEW ANGLE OVER MULDER AND SCULLY Scully is still face down on the ice, as Mulder watches the ship s shadow cast over Mulder s SnowCat which is still parked in the distance. Moving up and off. The ship continues up into the Antarctic sky where it rises toward the sky where it begins to get WHITEHOT. Transforming itself into pure energy. It is visible for several moments during transformation. Then it disappears completely. As it does the RUMBLE, which dopplers across the white, barren landscape. Then it is gone. MULDER Watches this then lays his head down on Scully s back. He is spent, at the brink of complete exhaustion. His whole body heaving. But now starting to shiver, and to lose consciousness. Scully s body is motionless beneath him, for a moment we might believe that this is the way it might end. Out here on the ice with Mulder and Scully freezing to death. A chill wind blows off the Antarctic plain, the same LOW RUMBLE, the only taint of silence in vastness of this literal end of the world. Then Scully coughs the same hoarse cough. She s alive. Struggling to consciousness. Her head lifting slightly, TURNING TO . Her eyes blink open and she coughs again. Feeling Mulder s weight on top of her, unaware of his condition or even where she is. SCULLY (weakly) Mulder. There is no answer. Scully struggling to pull herself out from under the weight of his body. Rolling over so that her face is opposite Mulder s now. Seeing that he has lost consciousness. Finding the strength to roll him over, so that she can cradle him and warm him. HIGH WIDE ANGLE ON THIS SCENE With the Snowcat a short distance away, Mulder and Scully in each others arms. The way it should end. FADE TO BLACK Silence. Longer than we would like. Long enough to make us nervous, then certain, then angry. Then.we FADE UP a prelap of the sound of a CRACKLING FIRE. FADING UP ON ACRES OF CORN MAGIC HOUR TRACKING LOW WITH MEN IN FATIGUES, moving along the perimeter of the corn field as they set fire to the corn stalks with small handheld butane burners. While other Men in Fatigues are moving between the rows dousing the furrows with accelerant. DISSOLVE TO FBI FIELD OFFICE DALLAS NIGHT The large room filled with the evidence and debris from the bombing. It is dark. Until A FLASHLIGHT BEAM pricks the blackness, moving toward us into f.g. Carried by the man we now recognize as The Man Who Shot Mulder. He moves with directness, purpose. Finding what he s looking for amid the cataloged material, he finds on a work bench. Next to the microscope Scully had used. It is the BONE FRAGMENTS, held in an evidence container. He pockets them and exits as quiet and directly as he entered. DISSOLVE TO ACRES OF CORN WIDE CGI PLATE The sky aglow with orange flames as the crops burn to the ground. We hold on this shot, PRELAPPING the sound of JANA CASSIDY S VOICE . in light of the report I ve got before me; in light of the narrative I m now hearing. FBI OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL REVIEW DAY Jana Cassidy sits at the head of the desk, just as when we first met her. She is flanked by the other members of the review board, including A.D. Skinner who sits at the end of the table. Cassidy flips through a file she s referred to before she continues. Looking up with consternation as she resumes. CASSIDY . my official report is incomplete pending these new facts I m being asked to reconcile. Agent Scully. AGENT SCULLY Sitting where she last sat, at the small table. The seat next to her conspicuously empty. Her face bears the signs of slight frostbite, somewhat healed. Her expression is even, her attitude composed, but her eyes are filled of dark, restrained defiance. CASSIDY .while there is direct evidence now that a federal agent may have been involved in the bombing. the other events you ve laid down here seem too incredible on their own, and quite frankly implausible in their connection. PANNING THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS curious, bemused like Cassidy. Skinner shifts uncomfortably. SCULLY What is it you find incredible CASSIDY Well.where would you like me to start Antarctica is a long way from Dallas, Agent Scully. I can t very well submit a report to the Attorney General that alleges the links you ve made here. Bees and corn crops do not quite fall under the rubric of domestic terrorism. SCULLY No, they don t. CASSIDY Most of what I find in here is lacking a coherent picture of an organization with an attributable motive. I realize you re very lucky to be alive Agent Scully. The ordeal you ve endured has clearly affected you though the holes in your account leave this panel with little choice but to delete these references from our final report to the Justice Department. Until which time hard evidence becomes available that would give us cause to pursue such an investigation. Scully has her hand in her coat pocket now. Moving around the table and approaching Cassidy. Removing something which she puts on the desk in front of her. A small vial. SCULLY I don t believe the FBI currently has an investigation unit qualified to pursue the evidence in hand. Cassidy picks up the vial, studying the contents of this vial the dead bee that stung Scully. Studying it as Scully turns and moves to the door, without permission, no further adieu. ANGLE TO INCLUDE A.D. SKINNER Watching Scully exit. CASSIDY (O.S.) Mr. Skinner. PIVOTING TO INCLUDE CASSIDY. Looking at him. CASSIDY Please ask Agent Scully to come back to this hearing. We re not quite finished. As Skinner rises, unsure of the intent behind this directive, we DISSOLVE TO WASHINGTON D.C. DAY We are JUST ABOVE THE TREETOPS. The Capitol Dome is in the far distance. CRANING DOWN to find Mulder sitting by himself on a park bench. We are WIDE. There is no one else around. Until the Cigarette Smoking Man appears. Walking through the otherwise deserted park. Joining Mulder on the park bench. CLOSER ON MULDER, THE CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN They do not speak for several moments. A quite tension as the CSM lights up a trademark smoke. Inhaling, exhaling. Then CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Congratulations on your survival. Your life is worthless now, I hope you know that. MULDER And yours CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN (derisive) You think you ve stopped it. What I ve worked for fifty years to create. You haven t stopped it. You can t stop it. (takes a drag) You re just one man. MULDER You re wrong. WIDE ANGLE Mulder rises from the bench heading TOWARD . The CSM rising, watching him. As Mulder continues toward us. ADJUST TO REVEAL Agent Scully in the f.g. Mulder moving to her as the CSM watches from the distance. Their eyes meet, an unspoken restored bond exchanged in this moment. Before Mulder takes Scully by the arm, leads her off. Leaving the CSM standing alone in the distance. As we DISSOLVE TO CORN FIELDS/WHITE DOMES TUNISIA DAY TRACKING LOW WITH A PAIR OF FEET The wearer of them sporting peasant sandals. We realize shortly that while the feet are moving across sandy ground, that the foliage in the near b.g. is corn. And that the person we are tracking with is passing row after row of stalks. RISING AS IT TRACKS REVEALING A TUNISIAN MAN dressed in peasant clothes. He is carrying a piece of paper. Moving with hasty purpose. Stopping at the end of one of the long rows of corn where CONRAD STRUGHOLD is coming toward him. Making his way between rows of stalks. The Peasant waits patiently as Strughold approaches, handing him the piece of paper. Strughold reads it, his otherwise steely countenance reflecting a disturbance seen only in the slight narrowing of his eyes. He looks up at the Peasant and says something to him in Tunisian Arabic. Said as command, which causes the Peasant to nod dutifully and move off as he came. Strughold stands for a moment, then crumples the paper slightly and drops it. Moving off down the same corn row in which he approached. DROPPING TO THE GROUND where we find the paper on which we see a flat section that is not so crumpled we cannot read the words XFILES REOPENED. STOP. PLEASE ADVISE. STOP. RISING NOW. Rising up past the stalks. Where we can still see Strughold walking. RISING UP AND UP to reveal ACRES AND ACRES OF CORN. Many times more than we had seen previously. Stretched out across the Tunisian Desert, ending only where THREE WHITE DOMES stand on the distant horizon. A BLINDING WHITE SCREEN, under which we hear an ominous low end Dolby THX Big Screen rumble. We re not in television land anymore, Toto. As the rumble builds, TWO BLACK FIGURES appear on what now has resolved into a distant horizon. From their movements we can shortly see that the figures are men. Moving along a windswept ice sheet in an otherwise featureless land. A LEGEND appears NORTH TEXAS, , B.C. CLOSER ON THE TWO MEN Continuing toward us, we can now see that they are dressed in crude garments made of animal skins. If we squint we can see their hair is long, their jutting foreheads significant of primitive Homo Sapiens. They continue toward us, the wind beating against them, IS CRANING DOWN to the snow that lies before them. To LARGE THREETOED TRACKS. FOLLOWING THE PRIMITIVES As they track the threetoed prints to a rocky crevice in the hardpack ice. The prints stop here, and so do the men. Dropping down into the crevice in pursuit of their quarry. ICE CAVE Dark in here, except where the sunlight penetrates the thick, glassy ice walls. The silhouettes of the Primitives stark against the glistening cavern. The sound of flint being struck, then A TORCH CATCHES FIRE, illuminating their faces. And A CREATURE Deeper in the cave. Fleeing the light and the men. We get only a brief glimpse of it in the torch light, seeing that it moves upright on two legs and has gray, dinosaurlike skin. And large black eyes. But it moves quickly enough away that any other identifying feature is lost in the deeper shadows. THE PRIMITIVES Removing crude weapons made of sharpened bone from under their thick fur garments, and scrabbling into the constricting cavern, giving chase. Following them as they moves with animallike agility through the tightening space. Predatory hunters. Their torchlight catching THE CREATURE As it disappears into a tight opening in a smaller crevice leading off the main one. The Primitives entering frame after a moment, only a few steps behind. The LEAD PRIMITIVE dropping to the cave floor, pulling himself into this same tight fissure in pursuit. Splitting off from his partner who exits frame still on the run. SMALLER ICE CAVE HIGH ANGLE DOWN The fiery torch comes through first, held by the lead man. Throwing dancing shadows on the walls of what appears to be a box cavern. CLOSE ON LEAD PRIMITIVE Rising quickly to his feet. Not seeing what the torch illuminates just behind him The face of a dead Primitive Man, his body frozen into the ice. He does finally notice this, turning to see it, when he s ATTACKED VICIOUSLY FROM BEHIND. The torch falls to the floor so that the fight is difficult to see, but it is loud and cruel. The creature squealing wildly as the grunts of the Primitive now turn to the sounds of painful struggle. Until THE SECOND PRIMITIVE MAN Suddenly appears, driving his bone weapon into the body of the Creature. Again and again, until the Creature is driven away into the shadows. The Second Man grabs the torch now, not to see if his hunting mate has survived, but in pursuit of the Creature. In the light we see that he and his weapon are covered with spatters of OILY BLACK BLOOD. As is the First Primitive whose body lies heaving on the floor. The Second Primitive stepping over his hunting mate, stalking the Creature into the shadows, where it has collapsed. The torch finally landing, for the first time, on its face. When the torchlight hits its face, the Creature attacks. But the Primitive prevails. He drops his torch and dispatches the already wounded Creature with strong hard stabs of his weapon, one of which penetrates the Creature s eye. LOW ANGLE ON THE DEAD CREATURE The torch, which lies on the ground, illuminates the dead creature s face. Its wounds are flowing with the oily black blood, which, oddly now, BEGINS TO POOL. As if it has intelligence, sentience. Pooling and traveling into a fissure in the cave floor. And disappearing. ANGLE ON THE SECOND PRIMITIVE Watching this, unknowing. His chest heaving from the fight, as the spots of Oily Black Blood which have spattered onto him begin to crawl. Crawling toward his eyes and mouth. Causing him to let out grunts of fear. Which are the sounds we hear as the SLOWLY CRANES UP past the struggling Primitive to the roof of the cave, where the dancing shadows of the torch FADE AWAY with the sounds of struggle. Moving into darkness and silence. But only for a moment. Until SUNSHINE BREAKS THROUGH THE ROOF OF THE CAVE PRESENT DAY Along with the spade of a shovel. And then the earthen cave ceiling gives way and A BOY wearing Nikes and an old tshirt falls through it. Falling PAST . We hear a YELL, then a THUD, and a CLATTERING of the shovel that s fallen in with him. Then a pained GASPING. Then SEVERAL HEADS appear in the opening. These are BOYS of ten to eleven, staring down into the cave. Hot sunlight blazing in. We have traveled far, far forward in time. ND BOY Hey, Stevie. You okay CAVE PRESENT DAY THEIR  OF STEVIE On the floor below covered with dirt, in his nose and mouth. Spitting (All these boys have Texas in their voices.) STEVIE I got.I got.I got. (straining) .the wind knocked out of me. This draws no sympathy from above, only LAUGHTER. THE BOYS UP ABOVE Staring excitedly. RD BOY Looks like a cave or something. ND BOY What s down there, Stevie Anything OVER THE BOYS ABOVE Stevie has gotten up, moving out of the patch of sunlight. Disappearing from view for a moment. Then reappearing, still spitting out dirt. But holding STEVIE Human skull. One side partially missing from the cranium. But it brings WHOOPS of delight from the boys above. RD BOY Toss it up here, dude. STEVIE No way, buttwipe. I found it. It s mine. ANGLE UP ON STEVIE The other boys looking down at him. Stevie looking at the skull. Strangely, the light shines through it. It is milky, opaque, as if it s bone that s turned somehow glassy in places. Then STEVIE Anyways, there s bones all over the place down here. Stevie looks down at his feet. FOLLOWING HIS LOOK DOWN to where there are indeed more human bones. And something else. He takes a couple of steps in place, standing in a familiar BLACK, OILY substance which is climbing up his tennis shoe from the rock floor, over the edge of the shoe and down into the shoe itself. Then the SKULL drops in the frame, clattering on the hard floor of the cave. SLOWLY RISING UP FROM STEVIE S SHOES Following SUBCUTANEOUS WORMS which have begun locomoting aggressively up his legs. As his whole body is WRACKED by a shivering seizure of some kind. RISES, following the path of the worms as they move up the legs of his shorts. Some appearing on his bare arms, but the great majority continuing up to Stevie s neck, toward his face. Stevie stands paralyzed. Letting out guttural sounds not dissimilar to when the wind was knocked out of him. RD BOY (O.S.) Hey, Stevie. But Stevie cannot answer him. CONTINUING UP to the boys above. Looking down at their friend. Their eyes go wide. ND BOY You okay But what they see next answers that question for them. THEIR  OF STEVIE His face suddenly alive with the subcutaneous worms. Moving toward his eyes which begin filling with BLACK OIL. Looking much now like ALIEN EYES. CLOSE ON THE BOYS ABOVE Freaked by what they see. And doing what any kid would do now. RD BOY Hey, man. Let s get outta here. And they do. Bolting from the hole in the top of the cave. PUSHING UP THROUGH THIS HOLE to REVEAL we are SMALL DIRT FIELD NORTHERN TEXAS DAY In a dirt hole that was being dug by the three kids. RISING UP out of the hole to REVEAL the parched dirt patch where THREE KIDS are running away from us, as fast as their feet will take them. Toward A NEW HOUSING TRACT (five floorplans to choose from, including the model home.) Disappearing into the neighborhood. A LEGEND appears NORTH TEXAS, . CONTINUES RISING ABOVE THE ROOFTOPS to see the surrounding expanse of empty Texas flatland. And in the distance, the DALLAS SKYLINE. As SETTLES, there are a few moments of nothing but the sound of the wind gently whistling across the landscape. In which we bury a short TIME CUT. NEIGHBORHOOD NORTHERN TEXAS DAY Then we HEAR it, before we see it FIRE ENGINES pulling into the neighborhood, sirens WAILING. DROPPING AGAIN as the lead engine pulls up. FIREMEN are hopping off, moving to the hole the boys dug. LOW ANGLE UP FROM BELOW GROUND LEVEL, IN THE DUGOUT HOLE TWO firemen carrying a ladder clamber down PAST , THREE OTHERS appearing on their heels. The other two firemen clamber down, too. THE CAPTAIN at the edge of the hole watching them. Holding a radio. FIRE CAPTAIN This is Captain Miles Cooles.we ve got a rescue situation in progress. CAVE CONTINUOUS As the LEAD FIREMAN steps down the ladder into the cave. He scans the darkness, illuminated only by the shaft of light permitted by the hole above. As the ND FIREMAN drops down next to him. The both stand motionless now, as if sensing something. THEIR  Stevie s feet are just visible on the floor of the cave, a short distance away. RESUME FIREMEN LOW ANGLE They start cautiously toward Stevie. FINDING their feet. Tracking through the same OILY, BLACK SUBSTANCE we saw bleeding from the creature thirty five thousand years ago. As they move into the shadows, we HOLD ON THE SUBSTANCE.and see it MOVE. It s alive. TIME DIRT FIELD SHORT TIME LATER RISES out of the dirt hole, finds A GROUP OF NEIGHBORS Concerned PARENTS, KIDS, including Stevie s friends. They re held at a distance by the remaining firemen. Everyone turning their concerned gazes skyward. Looking at A MEDEVAC CHOPPER Coming off the sunsetting horizon. Moving toward us at high speed. The WHOP, WHOP of its blade soon shaking the neighborhood as it banks in and around and hovers just over the dirt field. Landing gently on the parched hard scrabble. The side door flies open and FIVE HAZMAT RESCUE PARAMEDICS jump out carrying a bubble litter. PANS THEM to the dirt hole past THE FIRE CAPTAIN. The HazMat Paramedics moving down into the hole. The Fire Captain watches this, then stares toward DR. BEN BRONSCHWEIG (in shirtsleeves, tie), exiting the chopper, following up the rear. The Captain meeting him in route. BRONSCHWEIG (over the chopper) Keep those people back. Get them out of here. FIRE CAPTAIN (to his men) Move them all back. (dogging Bronschweig) I sent four men down after the boy. They re not responding. Dr. Bronschweig s focus is elsewhere, though. He s making a bee line to the earthen hole where young Stevie is being pulled out and lifted into an enclosed QUARANTINE BUBBLE LITTER by the rescue squad. Bronschweig watches with great concern. Getting a good look now at Stevie s paralyzed body as it passes him. ANGLE ON CHOPPER As Stevie s body is loaded aboard, the side door is slid shut. The engine throttles up and the chopper takes flight again, almost as quickly as it arrived. The prop wash blowing DR. BRONSCHWEIG And the gathering crowd. Bronschweig watches the chopper bank away, then turns his look to THE NEIGHBORHOOD Where A SERIES OF UNMARKED CARGO VANS, TRUCKS are rolling in. A fleet of vehicles, driven by what looks like MILITARY PERSONNEL. Most conspicuously TWO WHITE UNMARKED TANKER TRUCKS. (There are NO MARKINGS on these vehicles.) RESUME BRONSCHWEIG As the Fire Captain moves around to face him off. FIRE CAPTAIN What about my men DR. BRONSCHWEIG (brusquely) We re doing all we can. And he moves off toward the approaching trucks where the MILITARY PERSONNEL are pulling out tents, tent poles, scientific equipment. Leaving the Captain to wonder what the hell s going on. Watching the first of many REFRIGERATION UNITS being unloaded. The personnel carrying it paying him no mind as they blow past him. Moving RIGHT TO and plunging us into BLACK. HOLD. Then OVER BLACK, a familiar sound again. The sound of a chopper auguring in. As we FADE UP, revealing we are TOP OF A SKYSCRAPER DAY The chopper is banking over the side of the building, preparing to touch down on the rooftop where FIFTEEN FBI AGENTS in dark ID windbreakers are standing. A LEGEND appears FEDERAL BUILDING, DALLAS, TEXAS. ONE WEEK LATER. The chopper touches down and, again, the side door is thrown open. But now only one man exits SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE (S.A.C.) DARIUS MICHAUD. Michaud moves with the measured pace of authority, approaching the waiting FBI Agents. One of whom steps up. FBI AGENT We ve evacuated the building and been through it bottom to top. No trace of an explosive device or anything resembling one. S.A.C. MICHAUD Have you taken the dogs through FBI AGENT Yes, sir. S.A.C. MICHAUD Well, take them through again. This is given as a nonnegotiable order, to the somewhat weary FBI man. Who turns back to his charges, Michaud does not register this attitude, though. Something else has caught his attention. Causing him to walk to the edge of the building. FOLLOWING HIM, seeing what he sees now. On an adjacent skyscraper is what appears to be AN FBI AGENT in an ID windbreaker exiting onto the roof. CONTINUING AROUND into A CLOSE UP PROFILE of S.A.C Michaud. Staring at this, his jaw set. He doesn t like what he sees. And what he sees is ROOFTOP OPPOSING SKYSCRAPER DAY CONTINUOUS Special Agent Dana Scully is coming out the door leading onto the roof. The door slams shut behind her. She, too, is dressed in an FBI windbreaker. She s dialing her cell phone as she moves around the rooftop looking for something. Dialing the number of SCULLY Mulder it s me MULDER (FILTER) Where are you, Scully SCULLY I m on the roof. MULDER (FILTER) Did you find something SCULLY (impatiently) No. I haven t. MULDER (FILTER) What s wrong, Scully SCULLY I ve just climbed twelve floors. I m hot and thirsty and I m wondering, to be honest, what I m doing here. MULDER (FILTER) You re looking for a bomb. SCULLY I know that. But the threat was called in for the Federal Building across the street. MULDER (FILTER) I think they have that covered. WE ARE TRACKING WITH SCULLY. SCULLY (impatience) Mulder. when a terrorist bomb threat is called in, the logical purpose of providing this information is to allow us to find the bomb. The rational object of terrorism is to promote terror. If you d study model behavioral pattern in virtually every case where a threat has turned up an explosive device. If we don t act in accordance with that data if you ignore it as we have done the chances are great that if here actually is a bomb we might not find it. Lives could be lost Scully, engrossed in her own argument, realizes she s been the only one speaking for the last short while. She stops walking. SCULLY Mulder. MULDER What happened to playing a hunch Scully almost JUMPS out of her own skin. The voice has come not over the phone, but from two feet away where ANGLE TO INCLUDE AGENT MULDER Standing in the shadow of a large air conditioning unit. Cracking a trademark sunflower seed between his teeth. Clicking his cell phone off. Moving SCULLY Jesus, Mulder. MULDER The element of surprise, Scully. Random acts of unpredictability. If we fail to anticipate the unforeseen or expect the unexpected in a universe of infinite possibilities, we find ourselves at the mercy of anyone or anything that cannot be programmed, categorized or easily referenced. Mulder has moved to the edge of the building where he sails his sunflower seeds into the air. Dusting his hands off as if lost in a wistful through for just a moment. MULDER What are we doing up here It s hotter than hell. And he s on the move. Scully moving to catch up. NEW ANGLE Mulder is moving toward the stairs, Scully catching him. Mulder allowing her to lead him up the steps. SCULLY I know you re bored in this assignment, but unconventional thinking is only going to get you into trouble now. MULDER How s that SCULLY You ve got to quit looking for what isn t there. They ve closed the XFiles. There s procedure to be followed here. Protocol. MULDER What do you say we call in a bomb threat for Houston. I think it s free beer night at the Astrodome. Scully gives him a look. It s no use. She reaches the door first, grabs the knob but. it won t open. Turning to Mulder. SCULLY Now what MULDER (suddenly nervous) It s locked She wiggles the knob again. SCULLY So much for anticipating the unforeseen. Scully squints into the sun, staring at Mulder. But he s quick on the draw, and realizes what she s up to. He grabs for the door and. it opens. Looking to Scully whose hard look of mockscolding has become a smirking smile. SCULLY Had you. MULDER No you didn t. SCULLY Oh yeah. Had you big time. And that s how it continues as they reenter the stairwell, the door slamming shut behind them. BUILDING LOBBY DAY As an elevator DINGS and the doors open. Scully and Mulder exit into the lobby where people move in and Heads turn due to their FBI jackets. (Included atmosphere a GROUP OF KIDS on a field trip, being led into an elevator by THEIR TEACHER.) SCULLY I saw your face, Mulder. There was a moment of panic. MULDER Panic Have you ever seen me panic, Scully SCULLY I just did. You re buying. Mulder fishes for change, but more out of sportsmanship. MULDER Alright. what ll it be Coke, Pepsi A saline IV SCULLY Something sweet. Scully flashes a thin victory smile, as Mulder heads off. HALLWAY OUTSIDE VENDING MACHINE ROOM CONTINUOUS Mulder moving to a door with a small shingle above it which says SNACKS/BEVERAGES. As he approaches, sorting through the change he s fished up, the door opens and A MAN IN A VENDOR S UNIFORM appears. He makes casual and eversobrief eye contact with Mulder as he brushes past him. Mulder making no note of this as he moves to catch the door before it closes. SNACK AREA AND SODA VENDING MACHINE ROOM DAY Mulder takes a few steps down into the windowless room. Moving past the snack machines to a LIGHTED soda machine. Finding the correct change and plunking it in. Hitting a button, but. nothing comes MULDER Oh, come on. He beats his fist a couple of times on the front of the machine. Nothing. He finds more change. Plunking it in. Hits the button. Nothing. He stares at the machine a minute, then BEATS IT HARD with his fist. Nothing. Moving around to the back of the machine, looking for ANGLE ACROSS BACK OF MACHINE Mulder s face peering in on the slim space between the machine and the wall. Reaching down and lifting the PLUG on the end of the electrical cord. It isn t plugged in. Realizing now why the machine hasn t spit out his sodas. RESUME FRONT ANGLE ON MACHINE As Mulder appears, stepping very lightly in front of the machine that he was just pounding away on. Looking at it, then moving quickly to the door he entered through. Grasping the knob, but finding it. LOCKED. He jiggles the knob, pulls on it. But there s no two ways about it, he s locked in. BUILDING LOBBY DAY Scully stands looking at her watch. Wondering where Mulder is. When her CELL PHONE starts ringing. She answers it. SCULLY Scully. MULDER (FILTER) Scully, I found the bomb. SCULLY (thinks he s joking) Where are you, Mulder MULDER (FILTER) I m in the vending room. Scully is on the move, but she doesn t believe him for a second. HALLWAY OUTSIDE VENDING MACHINE ROOM CONTINUOUS Scully appears, heard A POUNDING. Following this noise to the door Mulder is obviously on the other side of. Tries the door. SCULLY Is that you pounding SNACK AND SODA VENDING MACHINE ROOM DAY Mulder holds his phone to his ear, using his other hand to pound. MULDER Scully, get somebody to open this door. SCULLY (FILTER) Nice try, Mulder. FOLLOWING MULDER as he steps back, revealing now that he s gotten the hinged front of the coke machine open. But we can t yet see what s inside. MULDER Scully listen to me. It s in the coke machine. You ve got about fourteen minutes to get this building evacuated. HALLWAY OUTSIDE VENDING MACHINE ROOM CONTINUOUS Scully is shaking her head. Tries the door again. SCULLY C mon. Open the door. His response to this is MORE HARD POUNDING. SCULLY Mulder Tell me this is a joke. MULDER (FILTER) Thirteen fifty nine, thirteen fifty eight, thirteen fifty seven. As he is doing this, Scully is bending to see THE KEYHOLE It s been freshly soldered over. SNACK AND SODA VENDING MACHINE ROOM DAY Mulder stands pacing in front of AN ELABORATELY ENGINEERED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE Wired with circuit boards, electric belts and generally looking like it would take an expert a good long time to figure out where to even start. A lot longer than the  that reads on the digital read MULDER .thirteen fifty six. SCULLY (FILTER) Hang on. I m gonna get you out of there. The line goes dead. And off Mulder s deepening anxiety, we BUILDING LOBBY DAY Scully enters like General Patton, taking charge. Barking at the security guards who sit behind their security console. SCULLY I need this building evacuated and cleared out in ten minutes I need you to get on the phone and tell the fire department to block off the city center in one mile radius around the building SECURITY GUARD In ten minutes.. SCULLY DON T THINK JUST PICK UP THE PHONE AND MAKE IT HAPPEN And she s moving, dialing her cell phone now. SCULLY (into phone) This is Special Agent Dana Scully. I need to speak to S.A.C. Michaud. He s got the wrong building BUILDING DAY UNMARKED FBI VANS, CARS are pulling up out front. Agents in windbreakers are exiting, moving at a run to the building. Among them S.A.C. Darius Michaud. Moving to ANGLE ON SCULLY Exiting the building. Behind her, WORKERS are beginning to stream out of the building, as well as the young FIELD TRIPPERS. Michaud meeting up with Scully midplaza. As the windbreaker Agents move past them, entering the building. S.A.C. MICHAUD Where is it MOVING WITH THEM now, back toward the building. As FIRE TRUCKS are pulling up out in the street out front. Suddenly this has the distinct feel of a situation veering out of control. SCULLY Mulder found it in a vending machine. He s locked in with it. SNACK AND VENDING MACHINE ROOM DAY THE DIGITAL READ OUT hits  . Pull back to REVEAL MULDER staring at it. If he wasn t sweating enough on the roof, he s certainly sweating now. When his cell phone RINGS. Answering it. MULDER Scully SCULLY (FILTER) Mulder. Move away from the door. We re coming through it. No sooner is this said than the WHIPS OFF MULDER to the door, where A GAS PLASMA TORCH FLAME is sizzling along the hinges. HALLWAY OUTSIDE VENDING MACHINE ROOM CONTINUOUS Where Michaud himself, wearing a Kevlar vest now, is wielding the torch. Expertly cutting the metal while Scully and TWO AGENTS and TWO DALLAS BOMB SQUAD men look on. In the b.g. BUILDING EMPLOYEES are streaming Michaud finishes and shuts off the torch. Yelling S.A.C. MICHAUD Go. The other Agents kick the metal door in sending it crashing to the floor. Mulder stands on the other side. Watching Michaud pick up a heft tool kit, stepping over the downed door. Scully right behind him. Along with the Agents, Bomb techs. ANGLE OVER MULDER AND THE SODA MACHINE/BOMB As Michaud steps in next to him, sizing up the time on the ticking digital readout  . And just exactly what kind of defusing work he s got cut out for him. MULDER Tell me this is just soda pop in those canisters. S.A.C. MICHAUD No. It s what it looks like. A big I.E.D. ten gallons of astrolite. (studying the bomb) Okay, get everybody out of here and clear the building. MULDER Somebody s got to stay with you S.A.C. MICHAUD I gave you an order. Now get the hell out of here and evacuate the area. SCULLY Can you defuse it Setting his tool kit down, opening it. As the other Agents heed his word, exiting the room. S.A.C. MICHAUD I think so. MULDER You ve got about four minutes to find out if you re wrong. Michaud turns on him with unexpected intensity. S.A.C. MICHAUD Did you hear what I said SCULLY Let s go, Mulder. Scully starts Mulder stares at Michaud for a moment, but Michaud s focus is on the bomb now. He won t meet Mulder s look. Finally Mulder moves off, following Scully. HOLDS ON MICHAUD, just staring at the bomb. Just staring. PLAZA OUTSIDE BOMB BUILDING DAY CONTINUOUS The last of the building occupants are being hauled off in CITY BUSES which have moved in curbside. As these buses pull away, so do the fire trucks that have positioned themselves out front. And the police squad cars. As Mulder and Scully exit the front door. Moving quickly, until Mulder hits midplaza and slows. Scully not realizing this for a few steps, then turning. SCULLY What are you doing (off his nonresponse) Mulder One last windbreakered Agent is exiting. Moving past them to the last cop car other than the car waiting for Mulder and Scully. LAST AGENT OUT All clear. Mulder has stopped and is looking back to the building now as Scully hustles back the few steps separating them. MULDER Something s wrong. ANGLE OVER THEM TO THE WAITING CAR As the Last Agent Out s car zooms away. Leaving only their car and the man driving it a WINDBREAKERED AGENT. WINDBREAKERED AGENT What s he doing The plaza is desolate now, void of life. MULDER Something s not right. SCULLY Mulder Get in the car Scully is pulling him now. Pulling him toward the car and the obviously impatient Windbreakered Agent. SCULLY There s no time SNACK AND SODA VENDING MACHINE ROOM DAY CLOSE ON BOMB. The seconds ticking off now, as it passes the  mark. PULLING BACK, ADJUSTING to Michaud. His tool chest is closed up, and he is sitting on it improbably. Still staring at the bomb, then pulling his head down in what appears to be resignation. As the seconds tick away. CUT BACK TO PLAZA OUTSIDE BOMB BUILDING DAY CONTINUOUS Mulder has relented now, against his better instincts. Moving with Scully to the car, faster as they go. The Windbreaker Agent standing in the open door of the driver s side. Getting in behind the wheel. CUT BACK TO VENDING MACHINE ROOM CONTINUOUS S.A.C. MICHAUD Sitting motionless in front of the bomb as the seconds tick down. HARD CUT BACK TO PLAZA OUTSIDE BOMB BUILDING DAY CONTINUOUS Mulder and Scully getting in the car. TRACKING BACKWARDS with them now as the Agent driving pulls away, getting only thirty, maybe forty yards when the BOMB DETONATES and the building EXPLODES. And this is no fatwa symbolic little terror strike. This is Oklahoma City. Or do we say, Independence Day. REVERSE ANGLE ON CAR As all the windows blow out and the car is lifted up, slamming into the corner of a parked car. The air so quickly full of debris that it would seem the whole city has been destroyed. RESUME BUILDING As the debris starts to clear somewhat, much of it still floating to the ground, though. We see the fires raging on every floor. That most of the front of the building has been torn away and we can see right into many floors. RESUME ANGLE ON CAR Where it sits half cocked against a parked car. The air is full of debris, particulated matter. The rear door of the squad car opens now and Mulder gets out, covered with glass. Moving to the front passenger door, opening it for Scully. MULDER (with darkest irony) Next time you re buying. AERIAL SHOT OF WASHINGTON D.C. DAY HIGH ABOVE the U.S. capital, the entire beltway. With a LEGEND, to establish. LOWER AND TIGHTER NOW On the J. Edgar Hoover Building, FBI Headquarters. Descending low on the threesided monolith and its large interior courtyard. As another LEGEND appears, under WOMAN S VOICE (V.O.) In light of Waco, and Ruby Ridge. FBI OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL REVIEW DAY A formal hearing. Several ASSISTANT DIRECTORS sit at a head table, going over documents. NAME PLACECARDS in front of them. PANNING the group, the sound of papers shuffling, the occasional clearing of a throat creating a stale air of importance, under WOMAN S VOICE (V.O.) .there is a heightened need at the Attorney General s office to place responsibility as early as possible. LANDING ON ASSISTANT DIRECTOR JANA CASSIDY A nononsense yearold lawyer cum FBI Agent. CASSIDY .for the catastrophic destruction of public property and the loss of life due to terrorist activities. Next to Cassidy is Assistant Director WALTER SKINNER, Mulder and Scully s former superior on the XFiles. Looking ruefully at AGENT SCULLY At a small table, the chair next to her conspicuously empty. CASSIDY Many details are still unclear; some agents reports have not been filed, or have come in sketchy, without a satisfactory accounting of the events that led to the destruction in Dallas. But we re under some pressure to give an accurate picture of what happened to the Attorney General, so she can issue a public statement. The door to the room opens behind Scully now, and Mulder enters, his manner that of a man who knows he s late to a function. RESUME A.D. CASSIDY She looks up at Mulder and Scully with a stern glare. CASSIDY We now know that five people died in the explosion. Special Agent in Charge Darius Michaud who was trying to defuse the bomb that had been hidden in a vending machine. Three firemen from Dallas, and a young boy. OVER MULDER AND SCULLY Mulder pulls out his chair to sit down, but remains standing. They trade a look. This is new news to them. MULDER Excuse me the firemen and the boy they were in the building CASSIDY Agent Mulder, since you weren t able to be on time for this hearing, I m going to ask you to step outside so that we can get Agent Scully s version of the facts. So that she won t have to be paid the same disrespect. MULDER We were told the building was clear. CASSIDY You ll get your turn, Agent Mulder. Please step Mulder trades looks with A.D. SKINNER Who stares at him evenly, but not unsympathetically. He s been here with Mulder on many occasions. Seen Mulder run up against the Bureau and its stiff conventions. Always in the middle. MULDER It does say there in your paperwork that we were the ones who found the bomb. CASSIDY Thank you, Agent Mulder. We ll call you in shortly. RESUME MULDER, SCULLY As Mulder slides his chair in. Scully watching him exit. HALLWAY OUTSIDE OPR HEARING ROOM DAY Mulder sits by himself in a chair, head down. When the door to the hearing room opens. Mulder rising as A.D. Skinner exits. SKINNER Sit down, they re still talking to Agent Scully. MULDER About what SKINNER They re asking her for a narrative. They want to know why she was in the wrong building. MULDER She was with me. Skinner studies Mulder, shaking his head. SKINNER You don t see what s going on here, do you (off Mulder s look) There s four hundred million dollars in damage to the city of Dallas. Lives have been lost. No suspects have been named. So the story being shaped is this could have been prevented. That the FBI didn t do its job. MULDER And they want to blame us SKINNER Agent Mulder we both know that if you and Agent Scully hadn t taken the initiative to search the adjacent building, you could have multiplied the fatalities by a hundred MULDER (grasping the irony) But it s not the lives we saved. It s the lives we didn t. SKINNER (reciting the dictum) if it looks bad, it s bad for the FBI MULDER if they want someone to blame, they can blame me. Agent Scully doesn t deserve this. SKINNER She s in there right now saying the same thing about you. MULDER I breached protocol. I broke contact with the S.A.C. I ignored a primary tactical rule and left him alone with the device. SKINNER Agent Scully says it was she who ordered you out of the building. That you wanted to go back. Mulder doesn t get to respond, because the door opens again and Agent Scully exits. She looks like she s been through it. SCULLY (to Skinner) They re asking for you, Sir. Skinner gives one last look to Mulder, then reenters. Leaving Mulder and Scully alone. Scully wearing a pained look. MULDER Whatever you told them in there, you don t have to protect me. SCULLY All I told them was the truth. MULDER They re trying to divide us on this, Scully. We can t let them. SCULLY They have divided us, Mulder. They re splitting us up. MULDER (beat) What What are you talking about SCULLY I meet with the OPR day after tomorrow for remediation and reassignment. MULDER Why SCULLY I think you must have an idea. They cited a history of problems relating back to . MULDER They were the ones that put us together. SCULLY Because they wanted me to invalidate your work, your investigations into the paranormal. But I think this goes deeper than that. MULDER This isn t about you, Scully. They re doing this to me. SCULLY They re not doing this, Mulder. (off his look) I left behind a career in medicine because I thought I might make a difference at the FBI. When they recruited me they told me women made up nine percent of the bureau. I felt this was not an impediment, but an opportunity to distinguish myself. But it hasn t turned out that way. And now, if I were to be transferred to Omaha, or Wichita or some field office where I m sure I could rise, it just doesn t hold the interest for me it once did. Not after what I ve seen and done. MULDER You re. quitting SCULLY There s really no reason left for me to stay anymore. (off his look) Maybe you should ask yourself if your heart s still in it, too. The door opens to the hearing room again now. A.D. Skinner steps part way out, gesturing to him. SKINNER Agent Mulder. You re up. SCULLY (regretfully) I m sorry. Good luck. Mulder rises. Scully studying his poorly disguised hurt. Before he turns and goes into the room. Scully watching the door close behind him. Her feelings poorly disguised, too. DOWNSCALE D.C. BAR NIGHT CLOSE ON A SHOOTER OF TEQUILA being poured. ADJUSTING to reveal the ATTRACTIVE BARMAID tipping the bottle. Pushing it across the bar to where TWO EMPTY SHOOTERS sit, making the exchange. BARMAID I d say this about exceeds your minimum daily requirement. The person she s talking to us MULDER He sits by himself on a stool, staring down at the bar. Staring at the shooter which he spins with his fingers. BARMAID Gotta train for this kind of heavy lifting. Mulder tosses back the shooter anyway. She watches him as she retrieves the small shot glass, intrigued by his dark silence. BARMAID Poopy day MULDER Yup. BARMAID A woman (Mulder shakes his head no) Work. Mulder nods, pointing to the tequila bottle again. The Barmaid agrees to pour another one, reluctantly. ANGLE OVER TO A MAN AT THE END OF THE BAR Staring at Mulder intently. He s older than Mulder, dressed in an old Brooke Brothers light summer suit. Mulder notices him, feels his gaze, but doesn t give it thought. RESUME BARMAID, MULDER BARMAID What do you do MULDER What do I do. (off her curious look) I m a key figure in an ongoing government charade. An annoyance to my superiors. A joke among my peers. Spooky, they call me. Spooky Mulder. Whose sister was abducted by aliens when he was a kid. Who now chases little green men with a badge and a gun, shouting to the heavens and anyone who ll listen that the fix is in. That our government s hip to the truth and a part of the conspiracy. That the sky is falling and when it hits it s gonna be the shitstorm of all time. She stares at him for a moment, startled by his drunken screed. She pulls back the shooter she s just poured Mulder. BARMAID I think that about does it, Spooky. MULDER Does what BARMAID Why don t you go home to the old lady MULDER Sorry. Don t have one. Mulder slides off his stool, noticing MULDER S  The Watchful Man is gone. RESUME MULDER He feints toward the door, then reverses direction. Heads to the back of the place. REAR OF DOWNSCALE BAR NIGHT CONTINUOUS Mulder appears, moving to the bathroom door. Only to find an OUT OF ORDER sign on it. He moves to the woman s room, but it s locked. Gathering what s left of his wits, Mulder does what any redblooded man would do in this situation. He goes to the back door of the bar and exits into the alley. ALLEY BEHIND BAR NIGHT Mulder has found a place against a wall, between two dumpsters. Jerking around in surprise at the sound of a VOICE. WATCHFUL MAN S VOICE That official FBI business MULDER (startled) What ANGLE TO INCLUDE THE MAN FROM THE BAR He s not far from Mulder. His name is KURTZWEIL. KURTZWEIL Bet the Bureau s accusing you of the same thing in Dallas. Mulder s weirded out as the stranger moves to him un threateningly. MULDER How s that KURTZWEIL Standing around holding your yank while bombs are exploding. Kurtzweil enjoys a little laugh over this. MULDER Do I know you KURTZWEIL No. I ve been watching your career for a good while. Back when you were just a promising young agent before that. Mulder stares at this man as he finishes, zipping up. MULDER You follow me out here for a reason KURTZWEIL Yeah, I did. Kurtzweil unzips his own pants now. There is a moment; one of those awkward moments where Mulder s not sure what s about to happen. But Kurtzweil s just relieving himself, too. Shuffling up to the wall, Mulder takes this as an opportunity to head back toward the bar. But Kurtzweil hails him again. KURTZWEIL My name s Kurtzweil. Dr. Alvin Kurtzweil. MULDER I know the name. Why KURTZWEIL Old friend of your father s. Kurtzweil continues peeing. Knows this got Mulder s attention. KURTZWEIL Back at the Department of State. We were what you might call fellow travelers, but his disenchantment outlasted mine. (beat) I never believed in the Project. Mulder stares at Kurtzweil now. He s being toyed with. He turns, opens the door into the bar. As Kurtzweil gets a little louder. KURTZWEIL Oh, come on. Don t pretend you don t know about the Project. Your father died for it. Your sister was taken because of it. Kurtzweil finishes nature s call. Zips up. Heads after Mulder. DOWNSCALE D.C. BAR NIGHT Mulder is coming from the back. Kurtzweil moving to catch up. And he does, at the coat stand. The place has pretty much cleared out, except for the Barmaid and some help. MULDER How d you find me KURTZWEIL Heard you come here now and again. Figured you d be needing a little drinky tonight. MULDER You a reporter KURTZWEIL I m a doctor, but I think I mentioned that. OBGYN. MULDER Who sent you KURTZWEIL I came on my own. After reading about the bombing in Dallas. MULDER Well, if you ve got something to tell me, you ve got as long as it takes me to hail a cab. Mulder starts out the door, but Kurtzweil grabs his arm. KURTZWEIL They re going to pin Dallas on you, Agent Mulder. But there was nothing you could ve done. Nothing anyone could ve done to prevent that bomb from going off. Because the truth is something you d never have guessed; never have predicted. Mulder pulls away from Kurtzweil, but Kurtzweil dogs him to STREET OUTSIDE DOWNSCALE BAR NIGHT The street is empty, the hour is late. Mulder moves to the curb. MULDER And what s that KURTZWEIL S.A.C. Darius Michaud never tried or intended to defuse the bomb. MULDER (rhetorical disbelief) He just let it explode. KURTZWEIL What s the question nobody s asking Why that building Why not the Federal Building MULDER The Federal Building was too well guarded. KURTZWEIL No. They put the bomb in the building across the street because it DID have federal offices. The Federal Emergency Management Agency had a provisional medical quarantine office there. Which is where the bodies were found. But that s the thing. Mulder s got his hand up for a taxi coming. It s pulling over as Mulder steps from the curb, stepping away from Kurtzweil. KURTZWEIL .the thing you didn t know. That you d never think to check. Mulder s got the taxi door open, turning to Kurtzweil. KURTZWEIL Those people were already dead. MULDER Before the bomb went off KURTZWEIL That s what I m saying. Mulder stares at Kurtzweil for a moment. MULDER Michaud was a twentytwo year veteran of the bureau KURTZWEIL Michaud was a patriot. The men he s loyal to know their way around Dallas. They blew that building to hide something. Maybe something even they couldn t predict. MULDER You re saying they destroyed an entire building to hide the bodies of three firemen. KURTZWEIL And one little boy. Mulder gets in the cab, closes the door. Rolls down the window. MULDER I think you re full of shit. KURTZWEIL Do you Kurtzweil raps the top of the roof and steps away from the car. As the taxi takes off. WE STAY WITH KURTZWEIL, watching Mulder s cab speed away. (NOTE This should also be covered from inside the cab with Mulder, to play the scene out on him.) AGENT SCULLY S BEDROOM NIGHT Scully is in bed, lying awake. Staring at the ceiling. When she reacts to a POUNDING AT HER DOOR. SCULLY S APARTMENT NIGHT CLOSE ON THE FRONT DOOR. Scully peeks in the peephole. Then she removes the safety chain, opening the door. MULDER (strangely intense) I wake you SCULLY No. MULDER Why not It s three AM. Scully gets a whiff of his breath. As he moves past her into the apartment. Radiating a kind of manic intensity. SCULLY Are you drunk, Mulder MULDER I was until about an hour ago. SCULLY Is that before or after you got the idea to come here Mulder looks at her curiously. MULDER What are you implying, Scully SCULLY (frowning) I thought you may have gotten drunk and decided to come here to talk me out of quitting. MULDER Is that what you d like me to do Scully hesitates. Long enough to indicate her own wavering heart. SCULLY Go home, Mulder. It s late. MULDER Get dressed, Scully. SCULLY Mulder what are you doing MULDER Just get dressed. I ll explain on the way. TEXAS FLATLAND NIGHT The moon is rising over the horizon, across the curvilinear distance of endless scrub and sagebrush. When FLYING OBJECTS cross between it and us, their forms unidentifiable in the rising heat waves off the earth. But they are moving towards us, SILHOUETTES in the background of the moon. They move silently, their size INCREASING as they move closer. And then we hear them, moments before they arrive at our position, UNMARKED HELICOPTERS just overhead. Hugging the ground as they blast across the dark Texas night. UNMARKED BLACK HELICOPTERS NIGHT Flying at dangerously low altitude over the almost featureless night landscape. Heading for something that we see ahead in the distance. What looks like a LARGE GLOWING DOME surrounded by the lights of a residential area we ve already seen, on the edge of suburban Dallas sprawl. SMALL DIRT FIELD CENTRAL TEXAS NIGHT The field where the kids had been digging has been transformed into some kind of worksite. A LARGE WHITE DOMED TENT has been erected over almost the entire patch of ground, surrounded by the CARGO TRUCKS that we saw earlier, and more unmarked vans and trucks. There are men in black fatigues moving about, and scientists in hazmat suits. As the UNMARKED BLACK HELICOPTERS bank overhead. Coming in for a landing in the glow cast from the tents. MOVING TOWARD one of the helicopters as it lightly touches down and its black door swings open. A man stepping out, and as PUSHES UP INTO HIS FACE we recognize him as The Cigarette Smoking Man. The figure that we ve come to know as an assassin and a model of modern selfinterest and amorality. One of the central protagonists in the conspiracy to keep the truth from the American people about the existence of extraterrestrial life. Something known only as The Project. He walks out from under the whirring prop, just far enough to get a flame from his lighter, to get a cigarette lit. As we LARGE WHITE TENT NIGHT CONTINUOUS A SCIENTIST in a hazmat suit is moving through the maze of clear plastic tubing that divides work areas within the tent. Areas where scientists are working at tables doing what appears to be some kind of hightech archeological work. It is a hive of activity within, as the Scientist leads us past the REFRIGERATION UNITS to the earthen hole where Dr. Bronschweig (we ve met him earlier, coming out of a medevac chopper that landed when the tent city was erected) appears out of the earthen hole, which is reason for all this excitement. Climbing out A CLEAR HATCH which has been fashioned to cover the hole. Seeing THE CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Now suited up himself. Bronschweig approaches him. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN You ve got something to show me. DR. BRONSCHWEIG (nervous excitement) Yes. ICE CAVE CONTINUOUS What we originally established as icy, and what later became the unfrozen Texas field where the boys discovered the human skull, has been turned to its previously icy state. Thanks to two large vents that Dr. Bronschweig is pointing at DR. BRONSCHWEIG We brought the atmosphere back down to freezing in order to control the development, which is nothing like we ve ever seen. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Brought on by what DR. BRONSCHWEIG Heat, I think. The coincident invasion of a host, the fireman, and an environment that raised his basic body temperature above ninety eight point six. They step over to a section of the cave which has been draped with more plastic, the lights from inside this are giving off a cool blue light (passing by TWO PORTABLE DRILLING RIGS which have been erected, their pumps moving up and down like rocking horses.) Bronschweig pushes away the plastic, revealing A MAN lying on a gurney draped in plastic. he is hooked up to various and sundry machines which are monitoring his life signs. His skin has turned almost translucent, the veins and capillaries now clearly visible, as is his pulse. His heartbeat sending lifesustaining blood and energy through his body. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN This man s still alive. DR. BRONSCHWEIG Technically and biologically, though he ll never recover. The CSM is shaking his head in nervous, uneasy wonder. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN How can this be DR. BRONSCHWEIG The developing organism is using his life energy, digesting bone and tissue. We ve just slowed the process. Bronschweig redirects a light so that it shines hard into the man s face and; then we see it. Movement. CLOSE ON MAN S FACE Though the man s eyes still blink occasionally, we can actually see through his tissue and the bones in his skull to see something IS LIVING INSIDE HIM. ANGLE UP ON CSM AND BRONSCHWEIG The Cigarette Smoking Man s mind is working intently on all the possibilities, and consequences. DR. BRONSCHWEIG Do you want me to destroy this one, too Before it gestates CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN No. No.we need to try our vaccine on it. DR. BRONSCHWEIG And if it s unsuccessful CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Incinerate it. Like the others. DR. BRONSCHWEIG This man s family will want to see the body laid to rest. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Tell them he was trying to save the young boy s life, and that he died heroically like the other firemen. DR. BRONSCHWEIG Of what CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN They seemed to buy our story about the Hanta virus. You ll make sure the families are taken care of financially, along with a sizeable donation to the community. (beat) Maybe a small roadside memorial. He watches the CSM exit, then back to the prostrate fireman. CLOSE ON PROSTRATE FIREMAN There is more movement within his body. Within his chest and neck, as if the creature gestating inside is continuing to stretch and grow. So that now we can see one of its BLACK EYES staring from through the clear flesh of the fireman. An eye which BLINKS at us. As we BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL NIGHT Mulder and Scully appear at the end of a long hall. Moving TOWARD where a YOUNG NAVAL GUARD sits in f.g. As a LEGEND appears, to establish. Mulder and Scully moving the long distance to the Guard s station. Where the Guard looks up at them with military scrutiny. YOUNG NAVAL GUARD ID and floor you re visiting. They both show their FBI IDs. MULDER We re going to the morgue. YOUNG NAVAL GUARD That area is currently off limits to anyone other than authorized medical personnel. MULDER On whose orders YOUNG NAVAL GUARD General McAddie s. Mulder doesn t miss a beat. MULDER General McAddie is who requested our coming here. We were awakened at three AM and told to get down here immediately. YOUNG NAVAL GUARD I don t know anything about that. MULDER Well, call General McAddie. YOUNG NAVAL GUARD I don t have his number. MULDER They can patch you in through the switchboard. The Guard is nervous about this, checking his watch. He picks up the phone, going through a large directory. MULDER Hey We don t have time to dick around here watching you demonstrate your ignorance in the chain of command. The order came direct from General McAddie. Call him. We ll conduct our business while you confirm authorization. Mulder is already directing Scully past the Naval Guard who tentatively picks up the phone again. YOUNG NAVAL GUARD (to their backs) Why don t you go on ahead head and I ll confirm authorization. MULDER Thank you. LEADING Mulder and Scully, moving they ve pulled off a con. MULDER Why is a morgue suddenly off limits on orders of a general BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL MORGUE FREEZER NIGHT TRACKING TABLE HEIGHT across gurneys where white sheetwrapped bodies lie. LANDING ON Scully. Standing next to Mulder who is undoing the peculiar ropey stitching on the sheet used to secure the bodies. SCULLY This is one of the firemen who died in Dallas MULDER According to this tag. SCULLY And you re looking for SCULLY I can tell you that without even looking at him. (off Mulder s look) Conclusive organ failure due to proximal exposure to source and flying debris. Scully pulls out an autopsy report that was laid on the gurney under the body of the sheetwrapped corpse. SCULLY This body has already been autopsied, Mulder. You can tell from the way it s been wrapped and dressed. Undeterred, Mulder works to get the sheet off. The first thing we notice is that he s still in his fireman s uniform. His face looks familiar to us, not because we know him, but because of the translucency of skin we saw in the other fireman. (We will also notice he s missing an arm, a leg and large part of his torso.) MULDER Does this fit the description you just read me, Scully Scully comes around, reacting to what she sees. SCULLY Oh my God. This man s tissue. Scully is quickly removing a pair of latex gloves, stretching them on to palpate the man s tissue. MULDER It s like jelly. SCULLY There s some kind of cellular breakdown. It s completely edematous. She palpates the spongy skin on the man s face, neck. Unbuttoning the uniform now, seeing SCULLY And there s been no autopsy performed. There s no Y incision here; no internal exam. MULDER You re telling me the cause of death on the report is false. That this man didn t die from an explosion, or from flying debris. SCULLY I don t know what killed this man. I m not sure if anybody else could claim to either. Off Mulder s reaction to this MORGUE PATHOLOGY LAB NIGHT MINUTES LATER The gurney with the fireman is pushed through a pair of swinging doors into the darkened lab. Scully flips the lights on, looking around at the giant facility. SCULLY (pushing him) You knew this man didn t die at the bomb site before we got here. MULDER I d been told as much. SCULLY You re saying the bombing was a coverup. Of what MULDER I don t know. But I have a hunch what you re going to find here isn t anything that can be categorized or easily referenced. SCULLY Mulder, this is going to take some time, and somebody s going to figure out soon enough we re not even supposed to be here. (beat) I m in serious violation of medical ethics. MULDER We re being blamed for these deaths. Scully, I want to know what this man died of. Don t you Scully stares at Mulder, then back down at the body. How can she refuse, given the finality and the personal appeal of the request After a moment s hesitation, she turns to the body, and to the tray table of tools nearby. Resigned, if not resolved. WASHINGTON D.C. NIGHT A LEGEND appears WASHINGTON D.C., DUPONT CIRCLE.  AM. The street is fairly empty, save for a garbage truck picking up the stacks of green garbage bags laid out on the sidewalks. Then A TAXI turns off a main street, MOVING TOWARDS US. WASHINGTON D.C. STREET TAXI NIGHT OVER MULDER to the street Where the taxi is moving forward toward a spot where two ARLINGTON PD cruisers are pulled up to the curb. Mulder checks the address he has written down. MULDER (to the Cabbie) I think this is it up here. SIDE STREET NIGHT The taxi pulls over and Mulder exits, starting up the steps of a walk up where the door is open. KURTZWEIL S APARTMENT NIGHT There are UNIFORMED OFFICERS inside, and a DETECTIVE. Mulder steps into an office. FOUR PAIRS of eyes give him the once over. The Detective stepping over to him. MULDER Is this Dr. Kurtzweil s residence DETECTIVE (suspiciously) You got some kind of business with him MULDER I m looking for him. DETECTIVE Looking for him for what Mulder pulls out his ID, flashes it at the Detective. DETECTIVE (to his partners) Feds are looking for him, too. (turns to Mulder) Real nice business he s got, huh MULDER What s that DETECTIVE Selling naked pictures of little kids over his computer. Mulder nods, though this is news to him. He steps in a little further, noticing a shelf lined with books. Their spines all have the author s name written large DR. ALVIN KURTZWEIL. Mulder picks up one of these books, with the title THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE GLOBAL DOMINATION CONSPIRACY. DETECTIVE You looking for him for some other reason MULDER Yeah, I had an appointment for a pelvic examination. They stare at Mulder like he s a sicko. He smiles and they break into RAUCOUS LAUGHTER. DETECTIVE You want a call if we turn up Kurtzweil MULDER No. Don t bother. Mulder puts the book back among the others on the shelf. And exits. Onto RESUME KURTZWEIL S APARTMENT NIGHT Mulder starting up the street when he notices MULDER S  Kurtzweil has stepped from between two apartments. He s staring at Mulder, nodding furtively to him. Then stepping back. RESUME MULDER Slows, then speeds up. SPACE BETWEEN TWO APARTMENTS NIGHT Mulder appears at the end of the narrow walkway, finding Kurtzweil tucked a few yards in. KURTZWEIL See this bullshit. Somebody knows I m talking to you. MULDER Not according to the men in blue. KURTZWEIL What is it Kiddie porn again Sexual battery of a patient I ve had my license taken away in three states. MULDER They want to discredit you for what KURTZWEIL For what Because I m a dangerous man. Because I know too much about the truth. MULDER You mean that apocalyptic trash you write I knew your name was familiar. I just didn t know why. KURTZWEIL You know my work MULDER (pointedly) Dr. Kurtzweil, I m not interested in bigoted ideas about race or genocide. I don t believe in the Elders of Zion, the Knights Templar, the Bilderburg Group or in a oneworld Jew run government KURTZWEIL I don t either, but it sure sells books. He says it with an ironic smile. Causing Mulder to turn and start off. But Kurtzweil hurries to grab him, to prevent this. KURTZWEIL I was right about Dallas. Wasn t I, Agent Mulder MULDER How KURTZWEIL I picked up the historical document of the venality and hypocrisy of the American government. The daily newspaper. MULDER You said the firemen and the boy were found in the temporary offices of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Why KURTZWEIL According to the newspaper, FEMA had been called out to manage an outbreak of the Hanta virus. Are you familiar with the Hanta virus, Agent Mulder MULDER It was a deadly virus spread by field mice in the Southwest U.S. several years ago. KURTZWEIL And are you familiar with FEMA What the Federal Emergency Management Agency s real power is FEMA allows the White House to suspend constitutional government upon declaration of a national emergency. To create a nonelected government. Think about that. (beat) What is an agency with such broad sweeping power doing managing a small viral outbreak in suburban Texas MULDER Are you saying it wasn t such a small outbreak Kurtzweil is getting intense now. KURTZWEIL I m saying it wasn t the Hanta virus. They are both given a start when a POLICE CRUISER rolls by on the street, giving a burp of its siren. It rolls past as the two men tuck in tighter. MULDER What was it KURTZWEIL When we were young men in the military, your father and I were recruited for a project. They told us it was biological warfare. A virus. There were rumors about its origins. MULDER What killed those men KURTZWEIL What killed them I won t even write ab I tell you, they d do more than just harass me. They have the future to protect. MULDER I ll know soon enough. KURTZWEIL (worked up) What killed those men can t be identified in simple medical terms. My god, we can t even wrap our minds around something as obvious as HIV. We have no context for what killed those men, or any appreciation of the scale in which it will be unleashed in the future. Of how it will be transmitted; of the environmental factors involved. MULDER A plague KURTZWEIL The plague to end all plagues, Agent Mulder. A silent weapon for a quiet war. The systematic release of an indiscriminate organism for which the men who will bring it on still have no cure. They ve been working on this for fifty years. While the rest of the world was fighting gooks and commies these men have been secretly negotiating a planned Armageddon. MULDER Negotiating with whom KURTZWEIL I think you know. The timetable has been set. It will happen on a holiday, when people are away from their homes. When our elected officials are at their resorts or out of the country. The President will declare a state of emergency, at which time all federal agencies, all government will come under the power of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA, Agent Mulder. The secret government. MULDER And they tell me I m paranoid. KURTZWEIL Something s gone wrong something unanticipated. Go back to Dallas and dig. Or you re only going to find out like the rest of the country, Agent Mulder. When it s too late. Kurtzweil turns, starts off. Mulder stares after him. Then MULDER How can I reach you KURTZWEIL You can t. Mulder moves to catch up to Kurtzweil, pulling out his cell phone. Kurtzweil stops, turns. Truly and intensely paranoid. Mulder makes him take the cell phone. MULDER No calling Hawaii. Mulder turns and moves back out onto the street. MORGUE PATHOLOGY LAB NIGHT Agent Scully wears a surgical mask, latex gloves. Working on the body of the fireman.when she reacts to a NOISE. Doors opening, closing somewhere o.s. MEDIUM WHIPS to a door where she and Mulder entered the morgue. Where.the Young Naval Guard and TWO MPs push through and enter. They stand looking at THEIR  Where Scully stood moments ago, there is now just an unattended gurney. A sheet over the fireman s body. Scully is gone. RESUME YOUNG NAVAL GUARD, MPs Tense. Listening, watchful. Moving into the room. BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL MORGUE FREEZER NIGHT Scully enters the space where she and Mulder found the fireman s body. Trying to quietly click the door shut. Standing now near the door, tense, listening. When the CHIRPING of her cell phone breaks the tense silence. She pats frantically at her coat, trying to get it answered before it rings again. Unsuccessfully. Finally getting a hold of it and hitting the send button. Scully sits breathing heavy, nervous breaths waiting for the Young Naval Guard to come running in. MULDER S VOICE (FILTER) Scully. She puts the phone slowly up to her face. SCULLY (low whisper) Yeah.  PHONE BOOTH WASHINGTON D.C. MORNING Mulder s at the pay phone. MULDER Why are you whispering SCULLY I can t really talk right now. MULDER What did you find SCULLY Evidence of a massive infection. MULDER What kind of infection SCULLY I don t know. MULDER Scully listen to me. I m going home, then I m booking a flight to Dallas. I m getting you a ticket, too. SCULLY Mulder MULDER I need you there with me. I need your expertise on this. The bomb we found was meant to destroy those bodies and whatever they were infected by. SCULLY I ve got a hearing tomorrow MULDER I ll have you back for it, Scully. Maybe with evidence that could blow that meeting away. SCULLY Mulder I can t I m already way past the point of common sense here Scully hears VOICES in the hall outside the freezer. MULDER MULDER Scully. Hello. But the line OFF, goes dead. Mulder hangs up the phone, frustrated. Exits the booth in a hurry. BETHESDA NAVAL HOSPITAL MORGUE FREEZER NIGHT The door opens and the Young Naval Guard steps inside, followed by the MPs. Moving into the room. LOW ANGLE TRACKING with the Naval Guard s feet as they pass by the rolling carts on which bodies are laid. TRACKING to find SCULLY, where she hides under one of the carts. Huddled and cold. The Guard s feet stop near here. He stands motionless for a moment, then moves off. HOLD her until the door slams shut. FBI OFFICE DALLAS MORNING MULDER enters a forensics lab with a FIELD AGENT. A LEGEND reads FBI FIELD OFFICE, DALLAS   AM. FIELD AGENT You re looking for what amounts to a needle in a haystack. I m afraid the explosion was so devastating there hasn t been a whole lot we ve been able to put together just yet. They are walking amid BOXES of evidence. STACKS of debris. There are FORENSIC TECHS sorting through this material. It looks like the most tedious and painstaking job in the world. MULDER I m looking for anything out of the ordinary. Maybe something from the FEMA offices where the bodies were found. FIELD AGENT We weren t expecting to find those remains, of course. They went right off to Washington. MULDER Was there anything in those offices that didn t go to D.C. FIELD AGENT Some bone fragments came up in the sift this morning. We thought there d been another fatality, but we found out FEMA had recovered them from an archeological site out of town. MULDER Have you examined them FIELD AGENT No. Just fossils, far as I know. Mulder is nodding, when both men look off at something that s caught their attention o.s. MULDER I d like this person to take a look, if you don t mind. THEIR  AGENT SCULLY Standing in the doorway to the lab. She looks at Mulder as if she s come in spite of her misgivings. Moving toward them now. FIELD AGENT Let me just see if I can lay my hands on what you re looking for. The Field Agent nods to Scully as he passes, exiting deeper into the room. Leaving Mulder and Scully by themselves momentarily. MULDER You said you weren t coming SCULLY I wasn t planning on it. Particularly after spending a half hour in cold storage this morning. But I got a better look at the blood and tissue samples I took from the firemen. MULDER What did you find SCULLY (voice lowering pointedly) Something I couldn t show to anyone else. Not without more information. And not without causing the kind of attention I d just as soon avoid right now. (off Mulder s look) The virus those men were infected with contains a protein coat I ve never seen before. What it did to them it did extremely fast. And unlike the AIDS virus or any other aggressive strain, it survives very nicely outside the body. MULDER How was it contracted SCULLY That I don t know. But if it s through simple contact of blood to blood, and if it doesn t respond to conventional treatments, it could be a serious health threat. Mulder s reaction is postponed, or at least subdued by the reappearance of the field agent. FIELD AGENT Like I said, these are fossils, and they weren t near the blast center, so they aren t going to tell you much. SCULLY May I He offers Scully the small glass vials in which the bone fragments have been separated. She takes them, looking at them on her way over to the microscope. Tapping out a tiny fragment onto the viewing bed. She puts her eyes down to the stereoscope eyepieces, then almost immediately looks up at Mulder who translates this look almost instantly. MULDER You said you knew the location of the archeological site where these were found. FIELD AGENT Show you right on a map. Off Mulder and Scully s traded looks SMALL PUBLIC PARK WEST TEXAS DAY The domed white tent is still in place, the fleet of trucks and equipment surrounding it unmanned. Several large sounddampened generators still hum away, but the work being done here would be a mystery to anyone who didn t have access to the tent. DOMED TENT DAY An electric Bobcatlike bulldozer maneuvers a very high techlooking CLEAR CONTAINER to the edge of the earthen hole. The container has monitors and gauges on it, oxygen tanks and what looks like a circulation refrigeration unit. A selfcontained life support system. The inside of the container is covered with a thin layer of frost. When the small bulldozer gets the container over near the hole, several technicians lift it down off the shovel, hand carrying it toward the hole opening. As Dr. Bronschweig APPEARS, moving to a ladder that leads down into the hole. He s dressed in a hazmat suit, with the hood off. DR. BRONSCHWEIG I need to have those settings checked and reset. I need a steady minus two Celsius through the transfer of the body, after I administer the vaccine. The men nod to Bronschweig, begin checking the settings as Bronschweig puts his hood on, starts down into the hole, through the clear hatch. SMALLER ICE CAVE DAY The refrigeration vents are still pumping in arctic air when Dr. Bronschweig appears descending a fixed ladder. It is dark in here, save for the ice blue glow of light coming from the plastic draped area where we saw the fireman acting as an incubator/host for some kind of organism growing inside him. Bronschweig steps over to this area, moves aside the plastic drapery to enter. ANGLE INSIDE, PLASTIC LINED AREA Where the body of the fireman is still inside the quarantine bubble litter in f.g. Bronschweig takes out of his pocket a SYRINGE and an AMPULE. Turning now to the body. Stepping to it. Moving a work light, as he had done for the Cigarette Smoking Man, so that it shines on the face of the fireman. But when he does this, Bronschweig nearly JUMPS, his breath stolen away. Reacting to ANGLE ON FIREMAN S BODY The chest and torso have imploded. It has been turned into a muddy mass of bloodstained jelly; bone and tissue melted into an oozing mass which has sunken due to the fact that the creature which was inside is now gone. WHIPS from Bronschweig to the wall. To the temperature gauge which reads about degrees Celsius. WHIPPING BACK to Bronschweig who is now panicked.  DOMED TENT DAY ANGLE DOWN ON EARTHEN HOLE, where the Technicians Bronschweig was speaking to minutes ago react to Bronschweig s MUFFLED VOICE. He s down below them in the cave, looking up. Pulling his hazmat hood off. Yelling up to them. DR. BRONSCHWEIG It s gone TECHNICIAN It s what OVER THE TECHNICIANS TO BRONSCHWEIG DOWN BELOW DR. BRONSCHWEIG It s left the body. I think it s gestated Bronschweig is starting up the ladder when something stops him. RESUME ICE CAVE CREATURE S  OF BRONSCHWEIG He stands frozen on the ladder, squinting into the darkness. DR. BRONSCHWEIG Wait I see it BRONSCHWEIG S  In the shadows there is movement, the creature edging into the light cast from the draped area. We see it is fully formed a replica of the Creature we saw at the opening of our story. Though it does not make any kind of aggressive move. As if, newborn, it is tentative. RESUME BRONSCHWEIG CREATURE S  He remains standing on a rung of the ladder for a moment, then takes a gentle step back down to the ground. DR. BRONSCHWEIG (nervous wonder) Oh my god. Oh my god. TECHNICIAN You see it DR. BRONSCHWEIG Yes. It s.amazing. You want to get down here (sotto to himself) Jesus Lord.so much for little green men. Dr. Bronschweig moves shakily to put the syringe in the ampule again.when, suddenly, the Creature STRIKES. RUSHING FORWARD TO BRONSCHWEIG. MATCH OVERHEAD ANGLE OVER THE TECHNICIANS As the Creature slams into Bronschweig, knocking him out of the line of sight from the top of the earthen hole. There are SCREAMS OF PAIN from Bronschweig, then they abate. RESUME ICE CAVE Bronschweig can be heard, but not clearly seen. He is in the shadows himself now. Trying to pick himself up, and when he manages to do this, teetering back into the light we see that he is bloodied. He is hurt, injured. Making his way back toward the patch of light that comes from the hole above. Hoping to see that help is on its way, while keeping a watchful, wary and worried eye on the shadows, for another attack by the Creature. DR. BRONSCHWEIG Hey I need help. But the Technicians looking down on him offer him nothing of the sort. All they do is quickly close the clear hatch that seals Bronschweig inside the cave. DR. BRONSCHWEIG Hey But he gets no answer, climbing the ladder shakily. A moment later the first Bobcat shovelfull of dirt falls onto the clear hatch and partially obscures the light. They are burying Bronschweig alive. DOMED TENT DAY ANGLE DOWN ON BRONSCHWEIG through the glass hatch. His SCREAMS continue. ADJUSTING to the small bulldozer which is quickly hauling the mound of excavated earth into the hole from which it came. While, all around, there is a hive of activity. Men running everywhere. RESUME ICE CAVE Bronschweig reacts in silent horror now, only to turn in further horror when he feels the impending attack of THE CREATURE Right behind and just below him. Its grotesque features in momentary high resolution, BEFORE IT ATTACKS . Over and over, savaging Bronschweig in a violent fury. Its hideous teeth tearing at his flesh AT driving him off the ladder where the attack continues in momentary glimpses of teeth, of bloody flesh, and of OILY BLACK BLOOD being spattered ab At the height of the violence we hear Bronschweig SCREAM. Matching the wound of this, as we ESTATE SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE LONDON EARLY EVENING A CHILD S SCREAM OF JOY. ENGLISH CHILDREN are playing tag or some kind of children s game in the wellmanicured garden of a man who the FINDS IN F.G. the man we have come to know as THE WELLMANICURED MAN. He is also a member of the syndicate running The Project , though his venality is cloaked in civility and statesmanship. Right now he s watching the children from the back steps of his mansion, charmed by their game. When he is called by someone o.s. VALET S VOICE Sir you have a call. The WellManicured Man turns to see HIS VALET Holds the door. After a moment the W.M.M. enters past the Valet. As the screams of the children continue to rise and fall. SUBURBAN LONDON ESTATE A BEAUTIFUL STUDY EVENING The WellManicured Man enters, picks up a blinking line. Through a window he can still see the children playing. WELLMANICURED MAN Yes. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN (FILTER) We have a situation. The members are assembling. WELLMANICURED MAN Is it an emergency INTERCUT WITH TIGHT CSM AT KENSINGTON BUILDING (NEXT LOC.) CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Yes. A meeting is set. Tonight in London, to determine a course. WELLMANICURED MAN Who called this meeting CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Strughold. He s just gotten on a plane in Tunis. This pronouncement has the power of ending any further questions. An immediate sense of gravity of the situation. The W.M.M. hangs up, moves to the window where he sees some of the HELP is running from the house. The children have all gathered around a BOY who seems to have hurt himself. He s lifted and being carried by the man who s called the W.M.M. into the house. Off the WellManicured Man s concern, we LONDON STREET NIGHT A discreet Town Car pulls up out front an understated building in a better West End neighborhood. A driver exits coming around for the WellManicured Man who is already exiting, moving to the building. As a LEGEND appears KENSINGTON, LONDON  PM. KENSINGTON BUILDING NIGHT The WellManicured Man is admitted by a Valet. The interior has the wellheeled look of money, or a finely appointed residence that no one lives in. The Valet takes the W.M.M. s coat. WELLMANICURED MAN Has Strughold arrived VALET They re in the library. He leads the W.M.M. down a hall, to LARGE STATELY LIBRARY NIGHT A GROUP OF MEN are standing, looking at something on a TV monitor. A surveillance video. They turn when the W.M.M. enters. FAVORING A SMALL LEAN MAN with closecropped hair. He is at once elegant and imposing with eyes that hold you with laserlike acuity. He is CONRAD STRUGHOLD. The others are of various ethnicities, tailored and dignified. This might be a collection of U.N. delegates. Indeed some are. Their business here, however, doesn t represent anyone s interests but their own. As tipped by the attendance of a GROUP ELDER from the U.S. who we ve come to know. But, more importantly, by the Cigarette Smoking Man who holds the VCR remote. He pauses the picture. STRUGHOLD We began to worry. Some of us have traveled so far, and you are the last to arrive. WELLMANICURED MAN I m sorry. My grandson fell and broke his leg. The nonresponse to this has the same effect as a reprimand. But the W.M.M. will not apologize of kowtow. STRUGHOLD While we ve been made to wait, we ve watched surveillance tapes which have raised more concerns. The WellManicured Man glances to the TV, sees the frame paused. HIS  OF TV MONITOR Where Mulder and Scully s faces are seen in a hallway that we recognize as the Bethesda Naval Hospital. RESUME WELLMANICURED MAN WELLMANICURED MAN More concerns than that STRUGHOLD We ve been forced to reassess our role in Colonization by new facts of biology which have presented themselves. GROUP ELDER (speaking up) The virus has mutated. WELLMANICURED MAN On its own CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Its effect on the host has changed. The virus no longer just invades the brain as a controlling organism. It s developed a way to modify the host body. WELLMANICURED MAN Into what STRUGHOLD A new extraterrestrial biological entity. It takes a moment to sink in. The weight of this fact. WELLMANICURED MAN My god. STRUGHOLD The geometry of mass infection presents certain conceptual reevaluations for us. About our place in their Colonization. WELLMANICURED MAN This isn t Colonization, it s spontaneous repopulation. All our work. if it s true, then they ve been using us all along. We ve been laboring under a lie ND ELDER It could be an isolated case. WELLMANICURED MAN How can we know STRUGHOLD We re going to tell them what we ve found. What we ve learned. Turn over a body infected with the gestating organism. WELLMANICURED MAN In hope of what Learning that it s true That we are nothing more than digestives for the creation of a new race of alien lifeforms STRUGHOLD Let me remind you who is the new race. And who is the old. (beat) What could be gained by withholding anything from them; By pretending to ignorance Our knowledge may forestall their plans to step up the timetable. To start Colonization early. WELLMANICURED MAN And if it doesn t By cooperating now we re but beggars to our demise Our ignorance was in cooperating with the Colonists at all. STRUGHOLD Cooperation is our only chance of saving ourselves. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN They still need us to carry out their preparations. STRUGHOLD We ll continue to use them as they do us. If only to play for more time, to continue work on our vaccine. WELLMANICURED MAN Our vaccine may have no effect STRUGHOLD Well, without a cure for the virus, we re nothing more than digestives anyway. All eyes go to the WellManicured Man. He is respected, if not the odd man out in this room. But he is all restrained anger now. WELLMANICURED MAN My lateness may have well been absence. A course has already been taken. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN There are complications. He turns back to the TV monitor where Mulder and Scully remain frozen on the screen. WELLMANICURED MAN Do they know CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Mulder was in Dallas when we were trying to dispose of evidence. He s gone back there again. Someone has tipped him. WELLMANICURED MAN Who CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Kurtzweil, we think. STRUGHOLD We ve allowed this man his freedom. His books have actually helped us to facilitate plausible denial. Has he outlived his usefulness to us WELLMANICURED MAN No one believes Kurtzweil or his books. He s a toiler. A crank. STRUGHOLD And Mulder ELDER Our new situation makes us vulnerable. If he learns information as we do, he could jeopardize the Project s secrecy. ND ELDER Control of information means control of Mulder. CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN I can control Mulder. I ve always controlled Mulder. STRUGHOLD This may take another approach. He says this, casting his look toward the WellManicured Man. A look of cold malevolence. The W.M.M. s reaction is disdain. WELLMANICURED MAN You can t kill Mulder. He s got too much light on him. STRUGHOLD You need not kill a man to destroy him. WELLMANICURED MAN (personalizing the inference) No, you need only take away what is most precious to him. HARD SMALL PUBLIC PARK CENTRAL TEXAS DAY AGENT SCULLY She stands against a backdrop of Texas flatland, squinting into the sun. Shaking her head. SCULLY I don t know, Mulder. We are WIDE ANGLE REVERSE, TO INCLUDE MULDER, standing in the middle of a park, replete with jungle gyms, playground equipment. All brand spanking new. They are standing right where there had once been a hard scrabble, parched and barren little field. Where the earthen hole had been dug by the young boys. And what had later been the site of so much activity by the group of scientists. But where there s now a park, thick green grass covering the parch of ground, including the spot where the hole had been. SCULLY He didn t mention a park. MULDER This is where he marked on the map, Scully. Where he says those fossils were unearthed. SCULLY I don t see any evidence of an archeological or any other kind of digsite. Not even a sewer or a storm drain. Mulder scans the area, confounded. Shaking his head as they walk. MULDER You re sure the fossils you looked at showed the same signs of deterioration you saw in the fireman s body in the morgue SCULLY (nodding) The bone was porous, as if the virus of the causative microbe were digesting it. MULDER And you ve never seen anything like that SCULLY No. It didn t show up on any of the immunohistochemical tests Mulder is listening to all this while looking down at his feet MULDER This looks like new grass to you SCULLY It looks pretty green for this climate. Mulder stops, kneels, touches the thick green carpet of turf. He digs around, lifting up a corner of a new square. MULDER Ground s dry about an inch down. Somebody just laid this down. Very recently, I d say. SCULLY (looking off) All the equipment is brand new. MULDER No irrigation system. Somebody s covering their tracks. They both turn, looking at something that s caught their attention on the street where their rental car is parked. Three kids, all of whom we recognize from earlier. Stevie s friends . Tooling down the street on new BMX bikes. Reacting to Mulder s loud WHISTLE. This stops them, staring at Mulder blankly across the distance. MULDER Hey They don t answer. Just keep staring, squinting into the sun. Mulder and Scully start walking toward them. SCULLY Do you live around here ND BOY Yeah. As the Agents approach. MULDER You see anybody digging here The kids don t answer quickly. ND BOY Not supposed to talk about it. SCULLY You re not supposed to talk about it Who told you that RD BOY Nobody. MULDER Nobody. Same nobody who put this park in That new equipment. (off the boys guilty looks) They buy you these bikes The kids shift uncomfortably. SCULLY I think you better tell us. ND BOY We don t even know you. SCULLY Well, we re FBI agents. ND BOY You re not FBI agents. MULDER How do you know ND BOY Cause FBI agents wear like suits and goofy ties. And dresses like my mom wears to church. Like on that one show. Mulder and Scully pull their badges. The kids mouths drop. MULDER Maybe you ve been watching too much TV. RD BOY They all left twenty minutes ago. TH BOY Going that way. The kids all pointing in the same direction. CENTRAL TEXAS HIGHWAY LATE DAY As Mulder and Scully s rental car RACES by at high speed. MULDER AND SCULLY S RENTAL CAR DAY CONTINUOUS Mulder at the wheel, foot to the floor. Scully s got a map The mood is urgent, tense. MULDER Unmarked tanker trucks. what are archaeologists hauling out in tanker trucks SCULLY I don t know, Mulder. MULDER And where are they going with it SCULLY That s the first question to answer, if we re going to find them. CUT BACK TO CENTRAL HIGHWAY LATE DAY Mulder slows down to a stop. They ve come to a threeway intersection in the middle of absolutely nowhere that offers them three choices. The car sits idling for several beats. RESUME RENTAL CAR Mulder s got his hand on his face rubbing his eyes. MULDER What are my choices SCULLY About a hundred miles of nothing in each direction. MULDER Where would they be going SCULLY We ve got two choices. One of them is wrong. They are both looking in different directions. The car idling. MULDER You think they went left SCULLY I don t know why I think they went right. A few moments of silence. Then Mulder steps on the gas and goes straight. Heading out onto the only unpaved road. Accelerating away. Scully looks at him, wondering. As they bump along at speed. Mulder won t look at her for a few moments. Then, turning to her MULDER Five years together how many times have I been wrong. DISSOLVE TO TEXAS HIGHWAY NIGHT HEADLIGHTS appear in the distance on a long, dusty stretch of road. GROWING as they approach, then coming to a stop in a cloud of dust as they move into f.g. Where a LINE OF FENCEPOSTS, BARBWIRE blocks their path. As the car brakes, the passenger door opens and Scully exits. A hot Texas wind blows. A dog is BARKING somewhere. Scully walks into the headlight wash, looking at a sign on the fence. After a moment, the driver s door opens and Mulder exits. MULDER Hey, I was right about the bomb, wasn t I SCULLY This is great. This is fitting. REVERSE ON SCENE On the fence sign, painted in crude letters, are the words SOME HAVE TRIED, SOME HAVE DIED. TURN BACK NO TRESPASSING. MULDER What SCULLY I ve got to be in Washington D.C. in eleven hours for a hearing the outcome of which might possibly affect one of the biggest decisions of my life. And here I am standing out in the middle of nowhere Texas, chasing phantom tanker trucks. MULDER We re not chasing trucks, we re chasing evidence SCULLY of what exactly MULDER That bomb in Dallas was allowed to go off, to hide something bodies infected with a virus you detected yourself. SCULLY They haul gas in tanker trucks, they haul oil in tanker trucks they don t haul viruses in tanker trucks. MULDER Yeah, well they may this one. SCULLY What do you mean by haul (off his reaction) What are you not telling me here MULDER This virus it. (afraid to say) SCULLY Mulder MULDER It may be extraterrestrial. SCULLY I don t believe this. I don t fucking believe this. (reaching her limit of impatience) Y know, I ve been here. I ve been here one too many times with you, Mulder. MULDER Been where SCULLY Pounding down some dirt road in the middle of the night. Chasing some elusive truth on a dim hope, only to find myself standing right where I am right now at another dead end As she says this A BELL starts to sound. A flashing light hits Mulder and Scully. They both turn to see HIGH ANGLE OVER A RAILROAD CROSSING SIGN Sitting all by its lonely self. No swinging arms or gate. Just one little sign between Mulder and Scully and their car. PANNING to the light of a locomotive speeding toward us. WIDE ANGLE OVER TRACKS TO MULDER AND SCULLY They move toward their car, but the train is coming fast. Mulder and Scully stop and wait, watching the train. As the engine breaks frame, eclipsing Mulder and Scully from view. And as it passes by we see TWO VERY FAMILIAR WHITE TANKERS loaded piggyback atop flat bed cars. The train, which is not much longer than this, passes. And Mulder and Scully make a mad dash for their car. The lights come on and Mulder swings the vehicle into a hard accelerating turn, taking the spoke of the intersection that parallels the tracks. As the car hauls ass after the train, we DISSOLVE TO OPPOSITE END OF MOUNTAIN PASS NIGHT The rails come up a grade where they appear out of a long bending turn. Exiting the mountain pass near the summit of the mountain. And now HEADLIGHTS appear, bouncing toward us. It s Mulder and Scully s rental chugging up the grade. And now pulling to a stop as it REACHES . Then the car doors open and Mulder and Scully exit. Putting jackets against the cold desert night. Running over the gravel on the rail bed into sharp f.g. SCULLY What do you think it is MULDER I have no idea. They start out toward it anyway, whatever it is. But the image that we see next might cause us to ask the same question. REVERSE ANGLE MULDER AND SCULLY S FORMER  The Agents are moving off the tracks now, picking their way toward the horizon where, at the edge of the great plateau that lays out before them, there are TWO GIANT GLOWING WHITE DOMES. It is otherwise pitch dark out, almost giving the impression that the domes are floating. It would give the distinct impression of otherworldliness, if we hadn t seen a similar, smaller glowing dome over the dirt field where the boys found the skull. And if we could not see the lights of the TRAIN rolling to a stop near the mysterious domes. GREAT PLATEAU NIGHT HIGH WIDE ANGLE SLOWLY CRANING DOWN as Mulder and Scully move through the low scrub of the high desert. Moving towards us as CONTINUES ITS SLOW CRANE DOWN, REVEALING in f.g. the tops of CORN STALKS (yes, corn stalks.) What is the perimeter edge of REVERSE CRANE DOWN (TO MATCH) Acres and acres of corn fields, laying out before us in the dark night. Running all the way to the WHITE DOMED TENTS in the b.g. Mulder and Scully enter the perimeter edge, disappearing into ACRES OF CORN NIGHT TRACKING WITH Mulder and Scully as they move through the field. SCULLY This is weird, Mulder. MULDER Very weird. SCULLY Any thoughts on why anybody d be growing corn in the middle of the desert MULDER Not unless those are giant Jiffy Pop containers out there. CONTINUE TRACKING as they move through the tall uniform rows. ANGLE BEHIND THE AGENTS Shooting down the long straight rows. CRANING UP to REVEAL DOMES once again. Like space ships that have landed. OPPOSITE PERIMETER OF THE FIELD OF CORN The Agents exit the edge of the crop field. They have come upon the glowing tents now. Tall and pillowy against the dark sky. There is no evidence of anyone ab No sound, no signs. Mulder and Scully stand at the edge of the field for a moment. Then move cautiously across an open area to one of the domes. WHITE DOME TENT NIGHT Mulder pulls open the steel door leading in. It opens with a SUCKING SOUND which suggests the interior is pressurized. And as he and Scully step in they both JUMP when LARGE FANS just overhead hit them both with hard blasts of air. Stepping quickly out of the downward blasting air, into the still silence of the space beyond. SCULLY Cool in here. Temperature s being regulated. MULDER For the purpose of what HIGH OVERHEAD ANGLE Our view is down through the crosswires and cables that create the tension support. The effect is a combination of simplicity and perfect function. Stark and high tech. The flooring is gray and flat, featureless. But we don t yet see from this angle exactly what the white domed tent houses. Though the air is still and there is no movement of any kind, there is a sound that permeates the interior. A STEADY HUM. Almost electrical hum, but different. Mulder and Scully move together toward the middle of the space. WIDE ON TENT MULDER AND SCULLY S  Laid out in a grid, low to the ground, are what look like BOXES. Fixed in place like roof vents, except these are on the floor, no more than three feet tall, and about the same measure square. NEW ANGLE TRACKING WITH MULDER AND SCULLY As they continue to move cautiously, walking out into the grid of boxshaped objects. Coming to the center of the capacious, arenasized space. Standing over one of the mysterious boxes, which we now see have LOUVERED TOPS. The louvers, however, are shut so that whatever is inside the boxes cannot be seen. SCULLY I think we re on top of something. I think these are some kind of venting. Mulder lays his head and ear to the top of the box. MULDER You hear that SCULLY I hear the humming. Like electricity. High voltage maybe. MULDER Maybe. Maybe not. Scully looks skyward. SCULLY What do you think those are for Mulder takes his ear off the box, looking up now, too. THEIR  At the top of the dome are two LARGE corresponding LOUVER VENTS. RESUME MULDER AND SCULLY Looking up at these vents. WHITE DOME TENT NIGHT HIGH WIDE ANGLE OVER MULDER AND SCULLY, staring up JUST PAST at the louvered vents at top center of the tent. When A LOUD METALLIC NOISE makes them jump. AGENTS  THE LOUVERED VENTS ABOVE THEM One of the vents is opening automatically, its large metal louvers straining from their flat closed position into an upanddown open position. When this is complete, the SECOND LOUVER does the same. The straining sound of galvanized metalonmetal. LOW ANGLE ON MULDER AND SCULLY As Mulder turns his look from the ceiling back down to the mysterious box they re standing next to. Something occurs to him. Something frightening. MULDER Scully. SCULLY Yeah. MULDER Run. Mulder grabs her hand, pulling her along. Though she doesn t know why. Or what s about to happen. TRACKING FAST WITH THEM as Mulder leads her back toward the door they entered, which is a good hundred yards away. SCULLY (yelling, on the run) What are you doing MULDER (yelling back) Come on When the LOUVERED VENTS on all the low gridarranged boxes OPEN IN DOMINOLIKE SUCCESSION out of them pouring THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF BEES, rapidly filling the atmosphere of the domed space. As if the insects are being shot out of nonstop cannons. HIGH ANGLE THICK STREAMS of bees head RIGHT AT , flying for the open louvers at the top of the dome. As Mulder and Scully run for it down below. TRACKING WITH MULDER AND SCULLY Scully s hand slipping from Mulder s as she pulls her jacket up over her head. Mulder doing the same now, ducking his head inside his own jacket. The Agents are slowed by the bees but still make their zigzag way toward the door bees clinging to their clothes. But motion seems to be the key. As Mulder RUNS TOWARD where the downward blast of air knocks all the bees off him. In the b.g., we see that Scully has fallen behind. Still running, but losing her way in the process, losing her bearings as the thickening swarm of bees descends. CLOSE ON SCULLY When Mulder enters frame, jacket pulled over his head again. Taking Scully by the back of her coat and swinging her toward the direction of the door. Whipsnapping her the rest of the distance to the doorfans. Following right behind her as the fans BLASTING them and the Agents continue right out the doors. To WHITE DOMED TENT NIGHT Scully and Mulder comes blasting out themselves now, but they haven t even had time to catch their breaths when they react to MOVEMENT. Something coming at them in the night. THEIR  S STRAIGHT DOWN THE ROWS OF DOMED TENTS Where BRIGHT BEAMS BLAST ON, moving fast toward them. The RUSHING WHIR of the turbine engines of the unmarked choppers. The bright beams skimming across the ground toward Mulder and Scully, traveling right along the edges of ends of the white domed tents. Threatening to spot the Agents, unless they RUN. And they do bolting just as the beams and the helicopters blast over the spot they held just moments before. Running to ACRES OF CORN NIGHT MULDER AND SCULLY VARIOUS HANDHELD Running flat out now, knocking away the stalks and leaves that block their way. Following and leading shots. s and Tracking shots. And chasing angles, as the Agents run through the only cover they ve got. As ANGLE JUST OVER THE TOP OF CROPS The unmarked helicopters swoop right overhead, their BRIGHT SPOTLIGHTS searching and cutting through the cornrows. As the Agents zig and zag just out of the discovering beams. As the choppers zoom right over their heads. REVERSE ON CHOPPERS Traversing the field, then doing sharp banking turns and swooping back over the field now in low drifting hovers. The wash from the blades knocking the corn stalks down so as to reveal anything hidden within. The bright spots making sure that nothing might escape detection. LOW ANGLE SEARCHING AND FINDING SCULLY as she runs up INTO FRAME. She s lost sight of SCULLY Mulder ANGLE ELSEWHERE ON MULDER As he too runs to a stop. Hearing his name. MULDER Scully RESUME SCULLY Reacting to the sound of her name, but there s no time to find her bearings on Mulder. Not before she has to take flight again. As one of the choppers appears overhead, hovering into view. Knocking the corn down in a path moving straight toward her. LEADING HER as she runs from the oncoming craft. PASSING to the left, as the chopper passes RIGHT. TRACKING FAST WITH MULDER Beating his way through the corn like Bomba through the jungle. Matching this action, as Mulder runs toward us. When one of the unmarked helicopters BREAKS INTO FRAME in an intersecting path, its BEAM passing right over Mulder and ILLUMINATING HIM. But while it doesn t slow Mulder down, the helicopter maneuvers into a hard banking turn, sweeping over the far end of the corn field and heading RIGHT BACK AT MULDER AT US. NEW LOW ANGLE ON EDGE OF CORN FIELD Where Mulder bursts out of the perimeter, turning on a quick dime and running an out pattern, just before the chopper BURSTS into frame overhead, its search beam narrowly missing Mulder. NEW ANGLE ON MULDER Running the corner of the field, looking frantically down each corn row until he comes to a stop. No sign of MULDER Scully Mulder reacting to the sound of her response SCULLY (distant o.s.) Mulder NEW ANGLE ON SCULLY She s exiting the field behind him. Running toward him, and when she gets to him they both break into a run across the desert. FOLLOWING THEM as they sprint away. FOLLOWING THEM until they both start to slow. Slowing to a stop in the darkness. Turning to see THEIR  The helicopters have disappeared. RESUME MULDER AND SCULLY Reacting to this. SCULLY Where d they go MULDER I don t know. Then they both turn again and continue running. As fast as their feet will take them. Back towards the bluff where their car is parked. BLUFF OVERLOOKING CORN FIELDS NIGHT Where Mulder and Scully s car is parked. Stillness, until Mulder and Scully s heads appear as they climb up from the direction of the corn fields. They get in their car and start it quickly. Mulder turns the ignition, but the car doesn t start immediately. He turns it over and over but it won t kick. As he does this, unbeknownst to the agents ONE OF THE BLACK HELICOPTERS rises up from below the bluff, appearing in their rear windshield. Hovering just behind the car like a giant bumblebee. Just as. .Mulder gets the car started, throwing the transmission in gear and spinning the tires. As they head off back in the direction they came, without their lights on. As they do this, the black chopper continues to hover for a moment, then BANKS OFF AND AWAY. Into the night. Mulder and Scully speed off in the opposite direction. As we DISSOLVE TO FBI OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL REVIEW DAY CLOSE ON A FILE Being leafed through by a woman s hands. TILTING UP to Special Agent Cassidy, the woman we met earlier running the OPR hearing. She takes a quick glance at her watch, looking up when THE DOOR TO THE ROOM opens. A beat, then Skinner enters with a wearied look. SKINNER She s coming in. Skinner ducks his head back out to look at  HALLWAY OUTSIDE OPR HEARING ROOM DAY Where Scully stands looking into the glass of a display case, trying to put her hair and clothes and person together. She s still in the same clothes we saw her in. Seeing Skinner now moving toward him. RESUME OPR HEARING ROOM Scully enters past Skinner. Though she has straightened them, and her hair, there is no mistaking that she s been to the dust bowl and back to get here. Her manner is chastened. Scully tries to keep her eyes on the table where she ll be sitting. Venturing only a brief, polite look to ANGLE TO INCLUDE CASSIDY AND THE OTHER PANEL MEMBERS They reshuffle their papers, pulling up their chairs. Ready to get down to business now. CASSIDY Special Agent Scully SCULLY I apologize for making you wait I ve brought some new evidence with me CASSIDY Evidence of what CLOSE PROFILE ON SCULLY Reaching into her satchel, pulling out an evidence bag. Whatever she s reaching for she s reluctant to present with confidence. SCULLY These are fossilized bone fragments I ve been able to study, gathered from the bomb site in Dallas. As Scully speaks we see A BEE crawl out from under the collar of her suit jacket, crawling toward the back of her neck. Crawling slowly, as if stretching its legs from its long journey. DOLLYING around Scully as the bee does, moving into an OVER to CASSIDY You ve been back to Dallas SCULLY Yes. CASSIDY Are you going to let us in on what exactly you re trying to prove SCULLY That the bombing in Dallas may have been to destroy the bodies of those firemen, so their deaths and the reason for them wouldn t have to be explained CASSIDY (challenging) those are very serious allegations, Agent Scully SCULLY Yes. I know. There is a hush of murmured responses to this, the panel members speaking to one another. Assistant Director Skinner shifts uneasily in his chair. He s been here before with Agents Mulder and Scully. He s sensing something outrageous. CASSIDY And you have conclusive evidence of this Something to tie this claim of yours to the crime SCULLY (grudgingly) Nothing completely conclusive We have returned to the OVER ANGLE on Scully, where we see the BEE just below her jacket collar on the back of her neck. It CRAWLS back under her collar, DISAPPEARING from sight. SCULLY I hope to. We re working to develop this evidence CASSIDY Working with SCULLY Agent Mulder. Off Cassidy s knowing nod, a general shifting in chairs, we DOWNSCALE D.C. BAR LATE DAY Mulder pushes through the front, scanning the room for ANGLE ON KURTZWEIL Sitting at a booth at the dark rear of the establishment. Mulder enters frame, sitting down across from him. Kurtzweil is jumpy, but he sees from Mulder s expression that something s up. KURTZWEIL You found something MULDER Yes. On the Texas border. Some kind of experiment. Something they excavated was brought there in tanker trucks. KURTZWEIL What MULDER I m not sure. A virus KURTZWEIL You saw this experiment MULDER What did it look like MULDER There were bees. And corn crops. Kurtzweil smiles at Mulder, laughs with nervous excitement. Mulder doesn t quite realize it yet, but this is news to him. MULDER What are they Kurtzweil slides from his seat, rising. KURTZWEIL What do you think MULDER A transportation system. Transgenic crops. The pollen genetically altered to carry a virus. KURTZWEIL That would be my guess. MULDER Your guess But Kurtzweil doesn t respond to this. He s moving toward the back of the bar. Mulder slides out, pursuing him. ANGLE ON BARMAID The few PATRONS sitting at the bar, all turning in reaction to this sudden flurry of activity. REAR OF DOWNSCALE BAR NIGHT CONTINUOUS Near the bathrooms. Mulder catches up to Kurtzweil. MULDER What do you mean, your guess Kurtzweil doesn t stop. So Mulder must physically stop him. MULDER You told me you had answers. KURTZWEIL Yeah, well I don t have them all. MULDER You ve been using me KURTZWEIL I ve been using you MULDER You didn t know my father KURTZWEIL I told you he and I were old friends MULDER You re a liar. You lied to me to gather information for you. For your goddamn books. Didn t you Mulder is getting heated, rough with Kurtzweil. When, unexpectedly A MAN suddenly exits the bathroom. REACTING to this scene. Kurtzweil uses the moment to break from Mulder. Slipping out the back door. Mulder takes a beat, then goes after him. Pushing out the back door into the blinding brightness. ALLEY BEHIND BAR DAY Mulder busts out the back door, chasing Kurtzweil. MULDER Kurtzweil Kurtzweil turns to him. With restrained ferocity. KURTZWEIL You d be shit out of luck if not for me. You saw what you saw because I led you to it. I m putting my ass on the line for you. MULDER Your ass I just got chased across Texas by two black helicopters. KURTZWEIL And why do you think it is you re standing here talking to me These people don t make mistakes, Agent Mulder. And with that he turns now, striding off. Leaving Mulder to deal with the excellent logic of this. When suddenly Mulder reacts to A NOISE. Somewhere above him. MULDER S  Up on a fire escape, A MAN is moving. Mulder can only see his feet and legs from this angle, but it is clear he has been watching Mulder. Upon being spotted, the figure slides away and disappears. ANGLE FROM INSIDE FIRE ESCAPE BUILDING We get a glimpse of the man who was watching him. A face we recognize as that of the man who brushed past Mulder coming out of the vending room, not long before the building in Dallas blew. He is moving quickly now, disappearing into the shadows. TILTING DOWN to find MULDER. He stands staring up, but only for a moment until he turns and hurries off in the opposite direction Kurtzweil disappeared in. MULDER S APARTMENT MAGIC HOUR ANGLE OVER MULDER S DESK at the far end of the living room. The sound of keys in the door, then Mulder enters his apartment in a hurry. Moving to the desk and going at this pace through the drawers. Looking for. A PICTURE ALBUM. Which he takes now, leafing through it. Flipping the pages, looking for ANGLE OVER MULDER Finding old pictures of young Fox Mulder with his SISTER, Samantha. With his father and mother. The plasticcovered page is peeled back and one of these photos is removed. It is an old family snapshot. A picnic possibly. Mulder stares at the picture. INSERT PHOTO In the b.g. of the picnic, his head turned to , is a young KURTZWEIL. Mulder studies the photo intensely, when there s a KNOCK at his door. Mulder turning to see SCULLY In his haste, Mulder had neglected to lock his door. Scully is pushing it open. She s still in the same clothes. She looks beat. Her eyes meeting Mulder s. A gaze that says bad news. MULDER What What s wrong SCULLY Salt Lake City, Utah. Transfer effective immediately. Mulder is shaking his head. Not wanting to hear this. SCULLY I already gave Skinner my letter of resignation. MULDER You can t quit, Scully. SCULLY I can, Mulder. I debated whether or not to even tell you in person, because I knew MULDER We re close to something here we re on the verge SCULLY You re on the verge, Mulder please don t do this to me MULDER After what you saw last night after all you ve seen you can t just walk away SCULLY I have. I did. It s done. MULDER Just like that SCULLY I m contacting the state board Monday to file medical reinstatement papers MULDER I need you on this, Scully SCULLY You don t Mulder you ve never needed me. I ve only held you back. (beat) I ve got to go. And with that she exits his apartment, the argument too painful, and her ability to be persuaded too clear to herself. HALLWAY OUTSIDE MULDER S APARTMENT NIGHT WIDE ANGLE FROM END OF HALL where we see Scully, leaving Mulder s apartment. Moving at a hurried clip to the elevator TOWARD . As if anticipating her own impulse to turn around and go back. As she moves into f.g. Mulder exits his apt. door. MULDER You re wrong He hurries to catch her. As she turns on him. SCULLY Why was I assigned to you To debunk your work. To reign you in. To shut you down. MULDER You saved me, Scully. (off her look) As different and frustrating as it s been sometimes, your goddamn strict rationalism and science have saved me a thousand times; have kept me honest and made me whole. I owe you so much, Scully, and you owe me nothing. (beat) I don t want to do this without you. I don t know if I can. If I quit now, they win. She is silent, moved. In spite of all her desire not to be. She moves to Mulder, holds him. They break slightly and she looks up at Mulder with deep respect, admiration and. kisses him on the forehead. When. .suddenly a physical intimacy we ve never seen. A heat and passion that can t be denied. The opportunity for the inevitable has presented itself. The moment of truth has arrived. Mulder is staring at Scully as she s looking back at him. His head moves slightly toward hers as one of his hands moves up to her neck, drawing her to him. Where there is hesitation on her part, there is also desire. When SCULLY OUCH Scully pulls away from Mulder, RUBBING at her neck where his hand had been. MULDER What What happened SCULLY I think. something stung me. Scully s hand comes out with THE SQUIRMING BEE, which she holds in her hand while Mulder moves around her, checking her neck. MULDER It must. But he doesn t finish his sentence before he has to catch Scully from falling. Her head bobs and she has to catch it. MULDER Scully. SCULLY Something s wrong. (fighting for clarity) I m having lancinating pain my chest. My. motor functions are being affected. I m. Mulder lays her down on the floor during this. Scully continues to speak, though her eyes are not focusing. She is limp in Mulder s arms. SCULLY .my pulse feels thready and I ve got a funny taste in the back of my throat. MULDER I think you re in anaphylactic shock SCULLY No it s Her voice is getting thin now, too. MULDER Scully SCULLY I ve got no allergy. Something. this. Mulder. I think. I think you should call an ambulance. And Mulder is on his feet in a flash, running for MULDER S APARTMENT NIGHT CONTINUOUS CLOSE OVER PHONE as Mulder races into the apartment, dashing TOWARD , picking up the receiver, dialing. HOLDING ON THE PHONE during this action. TILTING UP for MULDER This is Special Agent Fox Mulder. I have an emergency I have an agent down HALLWAY OUTSIDE MULDER S APARTMENT NIGHT SCULLY HANDHELD Picked up and onetwothree loaded on a gurney by TWO PARAMEDICS. ST PARAMEDIC Can you hear me Can you say your name Scully is trying, but the words won t come ST PARAMEDIC She s got constriction in the throat and larynx are you breathing okay He lays his head down to her mouth. ST PARAMEDIC Passages are open. Let s get her in the van NEIGHBORS are in the hall now, along with Mulder. Who is moving beside the Paramedics as they hustle the gurney down the hall. ST PARAMEDIC Coming through people here we go. Coming through MULDER S APARTMENT NIGHT  HAND HELD The Paramedics bang out the front door, stutterstepping the gurney down to the walk, to their EMT VAN which sits at the curb with the LIGHT BAR FLASHING. Mulder following close by. MULDER She said she had a taste in the back of her throat there was no preexisting allergy to beestings the bee that stung her may have been carrying a virus ND PARAMEDIC A virus ST PARAMEDIC Get on the radio, tell them we have a cytogenic reaction, we need an advise and administer They get her to the back of the vehicle, guiding the gurney in with experienced hands. Scully s eyes are on Mulder as she s slid into the brightly lit interior. The st Paramedic blocks Mulder somewhat as he steps toward the van, anticipating that he s going with them to the hospital. But the doors are closing on him before he gets an opportunity. FOLLOWING MULDER around to the driver s side of the van now, moving to the driver s window where THE DRIVER can be seen in the rear view mirror, his eyes watching Mulder. ON MULDER A moment of vague recognition a catch in his step. RESUME As Mulder s momentum carries him to the driver s window where se see again the man from the vending room, who was also surveilling Mulder. And he has a HANDGUN pointed at Mulder, which he FIRES THROUGH THE WINDOW. The glass shattering. RESUME MULDER Throwing himself away backward, but the bullet catches him in the head. Blood and glass spraying onto the side of the van. He goes down to the ground as the paramedic van accelerates fast away. LOW ANGLE REVERSE ON MULDER Lying in the street, his head bleeding profusely. While in the b.g., A SECOND AMBULANCE IS SPEEDING TO THE SCENE. As it skids to a stop and TWO NEW PARAMEDICS jump out, we DISSOLVE TO WASHINGTON NATIONAL AIRPORT NIGHT A MEDIUM SIZED PRIVATE JET is taxiing down an alley off the main runway where a is speeding toward takeoff. The private jet turning TOWARD and nosing into f.g. NEW ANGLE ON TARMAC Where MEN IN FAMILIAR BLACK FATIGUES are unloading something from an unmarked cube truck that is also familiar the very high techlooking CLEAR CONTAINER, with its monitors and gauges, its oxygen tanks and refrigeration unit. A selfcontained life support system. The inside of the container is covered with a thin layer of frost, through which we can see AGENT SCULLY. She lies as if in a state of paralysis, but a blink of her eyes is enough to tell us that she is. alive. TRACKING WITH THE MEN moving the container. As they hustle it to the waiting jet. As The Cigarette Smoking Man is descending the steps of the plane onto the tarmac. Watching as the container is moved to the cargo hold and loaded inside. The hold is closed and the jet engines wind back up. As the Cigarette Smoking Man reboards the aircraft and it taxis away. FADE SLOWLY TO BLACK HOSPITAL NIGHT Voices fade in slowly, inaudible at first. For regular viewers of the show, they will recognize the voices of the Lone Gunmen. Three nerdish paranoiacs who publish a magazine which charts and cataloged conspiracies past and present, among other government malfeasance. They are Langly, Byers and Frohike. BYERS I think he s coming out LANGLY He s coming to. FROHIKE Hey, Mulder. FADE UP, as if our eyes are blinking open. We are in Mulder s , and the face right above us is Frohike s. FROHIKE Mulder. Behind Frohike, looking down at Mulder, are Byers and Langly. REVERSE ON MULDER Staring at the diminutive Frohike, the longhaired Langly and the courtly Byers with dawning recognition. MULDER Oh god. LANGLY What s wrong MULDER (to Byers, then Langly) Tin Man. Scarecrow. (to Frohike) Toto. Mulder sits up now, rubbing his face, feeling the BANDAGE he s got on his head. MULDER What am I doing here BYERS You were shot in the head. The bullet broke the flesh on your right brow and glanced off your temporal plate. MULDER (woozy) Penetration but not perforation. LANGLY Three centimetres to the left and we d be playing the harp. Mulder is still shaking out the cobwebs. BYERS They gave you a craniotomy to relieve the pressure from a subdural hematoma. But you ve been unconscious since they brought you in. MULDER When was that FROHIKE Two days ago. Your guy Skinner s been here with you around the clock. LANGLY We got the news and made a trip to your apartment. Found a bug in your phone line. FROHIKE And one in your hall. Byers holds up the first small device. Frohike holds up a vial containing A BEE. Mulder realizing MULDER Scully had a violent reaction to a bee sting BYERS You called . Except the call was intercepted. MULDER (sitting up) They took her Mulder pushes the covers off. Swinging his legs to the ground. As A.D. Skinner enters the room. Surprised to see Mulder up. SKINNER Agent Mulder MULDER Where s Scully As he says this he loses his balance slightly, has to hold onto one of the Gunmen. Struggling with his faculties. SKINNER She s missing. We ve been unable to locate her or the vehicle they took her in. MULDER Whoever they are this goes right back to Dallas it goes right back to the bombing SKINNER I know. (off Mulder s reaction to this) Agent Scully reported your suspicions to OPR. On the basis of her report, I sent techs over to S.A.C. Michaud s apartment. They picked up PSTN residues on his personal effects consistent with the construction of the vending machine device in Dallas. MULDER (reeling) How deep does this go SKINNER I don t know. Mulder sees A MAN IN A SUIT passes by the small window in the door, casting a furtive glance in, then moving off. He turns his look back to Skinner. MULDER Are we being watched SKINNER I m not taking any chances. Mulder nods. Pulling now at the bandage on his head. Peeling it away and revealing the wound beneath. MULDER I need your clothes, Byers. BYERS Me SKINNER What are you doing MULDER I ve got to find Scully. FROHIKE Do you know where she is MULDER No. But I know someone who might have an answer. Who better. Mulder is undoing his hospital gown now, his white buns gracing the screen for the first time in history. As he ducks into the bathroom. As the men left standing in the room all look to Byers, reluctantly removing his duds. Off this HOSPITAL HALLWAY NIGHT ANGLE OVER MAN IN A SUIT standing with his back to Mulder s room, reading a section of a newspaper (the rest of the paper sitting on a chair, as if the man s possibly set up here.) As the door to Mulder s room opens in the b.g. and Frohike appears. Frohike keeps his eyes on the Man as Langly appears now, followed by.Byers We can t see clearly as the other two block our  and the third man out doesn t show us his face. The threesome starts down the hall, their footsteps drawing the attention of the Man in a Suit. ANGLE OVER MULDER AND THE OTHER GUNMEN As they head TOWARD . Walking at a pace. In the b.g. the Man in the Suit is drifting toward Mulder s hospital room. ANGLE ON MAN IN SUIT Suspicious. He moves to the door, looks in the little glass window. Seeing.Byers, the sheets pulled up to his nose to hide his beard and mustache. Skinner standing next to him, talking on the phone. The Man in the Suit looking down to the end of the hall again. RESUME ANGLE OVER MULDER AND THE GUNMEN As Mulder and his two flankers MOVE RIGHT TO . Mulder is taking a cell phone being handed to him by Frohike. Dialing on the move. ALLEY BEHIND DOWNSCALE D.C. BAR NIGHT A FIGURE appears at the end of the alley, moving toward us. It could be Mulder from this distance, but as the figure comes closer we recognize him as Kurtzweil. Moving into the f.g., checking behind him, ahead of him. Jumpy. He takes a cautious beat, then moves to the door leading into the bar (established), reaching for the knob. Opening it, finding the WellManicured Man standing there. WELLMANICURED MAN Dr. Kurtzweil, isn t it Dr. Alvin Kurtzweil KURTZWEIL Jesus Christ. Kurtzweil is shaken by the sight of this man. Backpedaling a bit, looking around and behind him for an ambush. WELLMANICURED MAN You re surprised. Certainly you ve been expecting some response to your indiscretion. The W.M.M. steps out of the doorway, following Kurtzweil. WELLMANICURED MAN I m quite sure whatever you told Agent Mulder, you have your good reason. It s a weakness in men our age; the urge to confess. (stopping his walk) I forgive you that. Kurtzweil is thrown by the words, and the delivery. Stopping his backward progress. Studying this upright and civil man. KURTZWEIL What are you doing here What do you want from me WELLMANICURED MAN You must try to understand, what I m here to do is only to protect my children. You and I have but short lives left. I can only hope the same isn t true for them. On this note, Kurtzweil turns and hoofs it back in the direction from which he came. TRACKING BACK WITH HIM until HEADLIGHTS hit his face. REVERSE ANGLE A TOWN CAR has pulled into the alley behind him. Accelerating fast down the narrow corridor. Effectively trapping Kurtzweil in. As he squints into its headlights, then turns back with fear in his eyes to the W.M.M. STREET OUTSIDE DOWNSCALE BAR NIGHT Where a figure is coming down the street toward us. Running, it s Mulder, going balls Running to the entrance of the bar and yanking open the door. DOWNSCALE D.C. BAR NIGHT Moderately crowded as Mulder enters, stopping to catch his breath. Moving to the back of the bar. Looking for THE BOOTH WHERE HE MET KURTZWEIL EARLIER It s empty. RESUME MULDER Moving through the bar real panic in his expression. He heads to the back. REAR OF DOWNSCALE BAR NIGHT CONTINUOUS Mulder passing the bathrooms, moving to the door where we saw the WellManicured Man standing just a short bit ago. But there is no one back here now. Mulder moves to the back door, the one leading to the alley, pushing it open and finding The WellManicured Man stands with HIS DRIVER closing the trunk on the idling Town Car (which has been turned around.) The W.M.M. turns to see WELLMANICURED MAN Mr. Mulder. MULDER What happened to Kurtzweil WELLMANICURED MAN He s come and gone. The W.M.M. moves to Mulder, who doesn t trust him for a second. Mulder is still breathing hard, sizing up this scene. MULDER Where s Scully WELLMANICURED MAN I have answers for you. MULDER Is she alive WELLMANICURED MAN Yes. Mulder stares at the W.M.M. measuring him. WELLMANICURED MAN I m quite prepared to tell you everything, though there isn t much you haven t guessed. MULDER About the conspiracy WELLMANICURED MAN I think of it as an agreement. A word your father liked to use. MULDER I want to know where Scully is. The WellManicured Man suddenly reaches into his jacket pocket, without warning or explanation. Mulder tensing slightly. He removes a thin felt envelope. WELLMANICURED MAN The location of Agent Scully. And the means to save her life. (off Mulder s look) Please. He gestures toward the car where the Driver stands with the back door open. Mulder hesitates, then steps from the doorway. Moving past the W.M.M., sliding in. The W.M.M. gets in after him, closes the door. The car pulls away. LIMOUSINE NIGHT CONTINUOUS WE SEE MULDER in the back seat, reflected in the rearview mirror. Where we also see the eyes of the DRIVER watching him. Mulder is handed the felt envelope by the W.M.M. MULDER What is it WELLMANICURED MAN A weak vaccine against the virus Agent Scully has been infected with. It must be administered with ninety six hours. MULDER (beat) You re lying. WELLMANICURED MAN No. Though I have no way to prove otherwise. The virus is extraterrestrial. We know very little about it, except that it is the original inhabitant of this planet. MULDER (dubious, to say the least) A virus WELLMANICURED MAN A simple, unstoppable lifeform. What is a virus but a colonizing force that cannot be defeated Living in a cave, underground, until it mutates. And attacks. MULDER This is what you ve been conspiring to conceal A disease WELLMANICURED MAN No For God sake you ve got it all backwards. This outburst comes suddenly, unexpectedly. WELLMANICURED MAN Aids, the ebola virus on the evolutionary scale they are newborns. This virus walked the planet long before the dinosaurs. MULDER What do you mean, walked WELLMANICURED MAN Your aliens, Agent Mulder, your little green men, first landed here millions of years ago. Those that didn t leave have been laying dormant underground since the last Ice Age. In the form of an evolved pathogen. Waiting to be reconstituted when the alien race from which it came returns to colonize the planet. Using us as hosts. Against this we have no defense. Nothing but a weak vaccine. (beat) Do you see why it was kept secret Why even the best men men like your father could not let the truth be known The force and conviction of his delivery leave Mulder shaken. WELLMANICURED MAN Until Dallas, we believed the virus was simply a controlling organism. That mass infection would make us a slave race. MULDER That s why you bombed the building. The infected firemen, the boy WELLMANICURED MAN Imagine our surprise when they began to gestate. My group has been working cooperatively with the alien colonists, facilitating their programs. To give us access to the virus. In false hope we might be able to secretly find a cure. So that we might save ourselves, as the last of the species. (beat) Your father wisely refused to believe this, choosing hope over selfishness. Hope is the only future he had his children, (beat, then selfrevealing) The only future any of us have. This draws a look back in the mirror from the Driver. MULDER But. he sacrificed his own daughter. My sister, Samantha. WELLMANICURED MAN The only true survivors of the viral holocaust will be those immune to it those vaccinated against it and human/alien hybrids. Your father arranged for your sister s abduction. He allowed her to be taken to an alien hybrid program, so that she would survive. As a clone. (beat) He had different hopes for you. That you would uncover the truth about the Project. That you would stop it. That you would fight the future. Mulder sits stunned by this. As if somehow his destiny has been validated, if not preordained. Or maybe just justified. MULDER Why are you telling me this WELLMANICURED MAN I thought it only fair you should know, given how hard you ve worked. MULDER What happened to Kurtzweil WELLMANICURED MAN As your father knew, things need to be sacrificed to the future. MULDER Where is he WELLMANICURED MAN Dr. Kurtzweil is in the trunk. Mulder stares at the W.M.M., at his coldblooded expression. MULDER Let me Stop the car. WELLMANICURED MAN (motioning) Driver. Mulder reaching to this as the limo pulls to a stop. Trying the door, but the door is locked. When he turns back to the W.M.M. he has produced a handgun, which is now pointing at Mulder. Laid casually across a folded arm. Mulder reacts on seeing it. WELLMANICURED MAN The men I work with will stop at nothing to clear the way for what they believe is their stake in the inevitable future. I was ordered to kill Kurtzweil. A necessary action to protect my grandchildren s lives. (beat) I might just as easily kill you. Mulder is recoiling as he says this. Then, without hesitation in one quick move, he SHOOTS the Driver in the head. The blood spattering on the front windshield and on Mulder who has barely had a chance to react. WELLMANICURED MAN Trust no one, Mr. Mulder. Mulder looks at The WellManicured Man, expecting to be n And for a moment, we do too. But the W.M.M. simply opens the door and steps out of the car. Holding the door open for Mulder who is still frozen by the actions that went just before. DESOLATE D.C. STREET NIGHT Mulder steps out of the car, holding the felt envelope. The WellManicured Man stands with a sober, intense look. WELLMANICURED MAN (with quiet force) You have precious little time. What I ve given you the alien colonists have no idea exists. You hold in your hand the power to end the project. MULDER How WELLMANICURED MAN The vaccine you hold is the only defense against the virus. Its introduction into an alien environment may have the power to destroy the delicate plans we ve so assiduously protected for the last fifty years. (beat) Or it may not. MULDER What alien environment WELLMANICURED MAN Find Agent Scully. Save her. Only her science can save the future. MULDER What about you WELLMANICURED MAN My life is over. (beat) Go. Mulder stands speechless for a moment. Until the W.M.M. points the weapon he s still holding at him. WELLMANICURED MAN Go now And Mulder does. Moving away from the car, looking back over his shoulder. As the WellManicured Man gets back into the limousine, closes the door. A moment later. THE CAR EXPLODES INTO FLAMES, knocking Mulder to the ground. ANGLE ON MULDER The felt envelope has been jarred from his grasp. Its contents loosed from inside a piece of paper with COORDINATES on it and an AMPULE and SYRINGE. Mulder gets up, looks back. Then he picks up the envelope and its contents and begins to run. Running as fast as he can go. Until, far down the block, he disappears. As the SCREEN DISSOLVES TO WHITENESS under which we hear an ominous low end Dolby THX Big Screen rumble. The same sound that opened our story. Then there is movement, as the curvilinear line of a horizon becomes visible, bisecting the screen between the white of the earth and the white of the sky. We are POLE OF INACCESSIBILITY ANTARCTICA Across the expanse of whiteness, a DARK IMAGE appears on the long flat horizon. Moving toward us. As a LEGEND appears, to establish. CLOSER ON A SNOW TRACTOR Crawling across the harsh frozen land like a domed insect. SNOW TRACTOR Agent Mulder sits behind the controls of the enclosed cabin, several days growth on his face. Dressed in thick, bundled outerwear. He maneuvers the vehicle to a stop. Reaching for a handheld GPS monitor to check his position. Catching his breath for a moment all movement is exertion in this climate. Mulder stares hard out the front window, the wipers beating time, but there is nothing out there but whiteness. He wipes the fog from a side window with his gloved hand, seeing nothing but more whiteness. Checking the GPS device again, then reaching for the door latch. RESUME WIDE EXTERIOR Agent Mulder exits the vehicle, hopping down onto the snowscape crust. Setting out on foot with the GPS device held before him. In this forbidding environment he might as well be taking a space walk without the security of a lifeline. Which is the impression we get as his tiny figure trudges across the ice, increasing the distance between himself and the snow tractor. MOVING WITH MULDER Up a gentle grade, the snow tractor now behind him. Moving into tight f.g. where he stops, seeing something now which allows him to pocket the GPS device. Dropping instinctively to his knees, so as to avoid being seen by MULDER S  In the distance is an ICE STATION. A row of interconnecting WHITE DOME TENTS, whose design is now familiar to us. There are what look like snow tractors and other snow vehicles parked alongside the structures. RESUME MULDER Pulling a compact pair of binoculars from one of his deep jacket pockets. Training them on THE ICE STATION BINO MATTE PANNING across the domes and vehicles, where there is no sign of personnel until MULDER PANS off the building, finding in his field glasses AN APPROACHING SNOW TRACTOR. Moving across the landscape toward the ice station. When it pulls to a stop, A MAN exits out of one of the domes THE CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN. Moving to the vehicle and getting in. The vehicle reverses now, transporting the CSM back away from the ice station. CLOSE ON MULDER Taking the field glasses away from his eyes. The excitement he feels expressed now in his breathing, which has become harder and shallower. Mulder rises, beginning to move the still great distance between himself and the ice station. WIDE ON SCREEN Mulder moving slowly across the white horizon toward the domed tents. LOW ANGLE ON MULDER S FEET Moving cautiously, and with effort on the snowscape crust. RISING up to Mulder s face, determined and watchful. FOLLOWING MULDER The ice station still several hundred yards in the distance, when MULDER SUDDENLY FALLS OUT OF FRAME, disappearing into a hole in the snowscape crust that just moments earlier had been stable footing. HARD SNOW ICE BUBBLE CONTINUOUS Where Mulder s body falls through a ceiling of snowscape crust, landing on his back with a THUD on a hard surface. It takes him a moment to catch his breath, somewhat reminiscent of Stevie at the beginning of the picture. Wincing through the pain. Until he turns over, regaining his wits, and his bearings. NEW ANGLE Mulder has fallen on a hard, narrow metallic structure. Its dull black color a stark contrast to the white ice it s encased in. The bubble has been created by air coming out of vents in the structure, carving out corresponding patterns in the ceiling; softening the ice and snow above. CLOSER ON MULDER rising to his knees, the AIR from one of these vents blowing onto his face. Pulling off the hood of his jacket, looking deep into the vent which is open, ungrated. And big enough for a man to crawl into. Which, after considering the hole he s fallen through high above him, is really Mulder s only choice. RIBBED CORRIDOR DUCT CONTINUOUS Mulder pulls himself forward through the ribbed corridor duct with his elbows, moving lizardlike into the constricted darkness. UPPER RIBBED CORRIDOR CONTINUOUS Above a frozen ice lith, Mulder s head appears, squeezing his shoulders and body out of a venting. With effort, Mulder slides out of the small space, using some architecture above as a handhold. Pulling his legs free and dropping onto the floor. MULDER S  It is dark in here, the features of the corridor illdefined. RESUME MULDER WIDER Mulder pulls a flashlight from a pocket in his parka, snicks it on. Its beam reflecting off tall frozen liths of ice regularly spaced on both sides of the corridor. NEW ANGLE ON MULDER Training the light down the corridor, which curves away in both directions. Then pointing it at something right in front of his nose something that gives him a start. Reaching up with his hand to brush away frost from the lith. Finding A MAN FROZEN IN ICE. Naked, his eyes staring into some longforgotten distance. His hair is dark, his flat features familiar to us. He is the prehistoric hunter from the opening scenes of the movie. His flesh has the opaque, seethrough quality that we ve seen before. Inside of which, frozen along with the man, is an EMBRYONIC CREATURE. REVERSE ON MULDER Reacting to this sight, then moving off down the corridor, his pace quickened. POLE OF INACCESSIBILITY ANTARCTICA LOW ANGLE on the great white expanse. Across which a snow tractor is moving. PANNING with the vehicle to. Mulder s snow tractor, where the first tractor stops, its headlights trained on Mulder s ride. A beat, then the discovering machine moves out again, following the tracks that Mulder has left, which brings it STRAIGHT TOWARD . As it passes us, we can see the DRIVER and the Cigarette Smoking Man sitting in the cabin. As we CUT BACK TO UPPER RIBBED CORRIDOR CONTINUOUS MULDER comes to the end of the dim ice corridor where soft light is penetrating through several low, arched openings. Mulder has to drop down to his knees to see into the openings. ANGLE FROM OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE BALCONY PASSAGEWAY Where Mulder is seen looking TOWARD . The Balcony passageway is short. Mulder drops to his stomach again, pulling himself through, toward us. When he reaches the opposite end, Mulder pokes his head out, looking up in wonder at CENTRAL THEATER BALCONY CONTINUOUS WIDE ON A STADIUMSIZED DOME (CGI SET EXTENSION) Imagine a domed sports arena this is the scope and scale of the space that Mulder has penetrated. We see him as only a small speck on a balcony midway between floor and ceiling. Pulling himself out of the balcony passageway, which is like countless other passageways. Which are actually ventilation ports. ANGLE OVER MULDER Pulling himself to his feet. Beholding the space before him. Looking down to the center floor where a large central theater gives off a light different from elsewhere in the dome. An icy, bright glow. Leading down to the central theater far below are several LARGE TUBULAR SPOKES. (One of which leads up right next to Mulder s position.) ANGLE ON MULDER Reacting to this. Then something captures his attention. MULDER S  There on the floor, far down below, is THE BUBBLE LITTER Scully was transported in. (NOTE* Scully s clothes are still in the bubble litter.) Standing out as a rather human artifact against the otherwise dull gray bulwarks and architecture surrounding it. CENTRAL THEATER BALCONY CONTINUOUS WIDE ON MULDER looks beside him where the joint that connects two sections of one of the long tube spokes is designed with an allowance a separation that might allow a man to slip through the joint into the tube. Which is what Mulder does here. TUBULAR SPOKE CONTINUOUS WIDE ANGLE FROM INSIDE TUBE TERMINUS Mulder squeezing through into the tube, looking down past what looks like a chair liftlike track, on which the chairs are actually empty cryopod mechanisms; the same structures Mulder saw in the ribbed corridor in which bodies were encased in ice. Except these cryopods are empty. Mulder begins to creep down TOWARD , picking his way around the empty cryopods. REVERSE ANGLE ON MULDER Creeping away from us. Heading toward LOWER CRYOPOD CORRIDOR Where Mulder pops out at the lower tube terminus. Which leads into this bulwarked corridor at the base of the large stadium structure. Where REVERSE ON THIS CORRIDOR Where Mulder is walking past frozen CRYOPODS hanging on a track. Each icy pod containing a HUMAN BODY frozen within. Partially visible behind clear blue ice. But these are modern men, and women. Their expressions a confused horror, as if they have been somehow frozen alive. They are slowly tracking. Walking along the slowly moving carousel of frozen humanity. Stopping, turning, almost as if having sensed NEW ANGLE OVER OPPOSITE CRYOPOD PUSHING IN ON MULDER S FACE. Recording the horror and fear he s experiencing, on seeing RISING UP A FROSTY WALL OF BLUE ICE Where a woman s body is encased, its naked features hidden behind the opacity of the newly frozen blue crust. But whose face is unmistakable as that of Agent Scully s. Frozen in a similar expression of faraway horror, her eyes cast slightly heavenward. MULDER hurries to get his jacket unzipped. Removing the FELT ENVELOPE, removing the syringe body, the needle and the AMPULE. Hastily putting the syringe together, getting the needle poked into the soft rubber cap of the ampule. Bleeding the syringe now, the substance inside squirting out of the end of the needle onto the floor of the ship. And the moment it does, the whole floor SIZZLES like water being dropped onto a hot skillet. Spreading out from Mulder in every direction. A VIOLENT CHEMICAL REACTION, as predicted by the man who gave him this substance. A moment later the entire structure Mulder is in SHUNTS. Shuddering violently and setting up a lowend RUMBLE. Causing Mulder to accidentally drop the syringe. LOW CLOSE ANGLE on the floor, where the syringe hits and bounces, but does not break or leak. Mulder scrambling into frame to recollect it. Seeing the floor where the liquid from the syringe hit where it has been ETCHED AWAY by the substance. HULL OF SPACESHIP/ICY BUBBLE CONTINUOUS Where Mulder crawled into the duct. Condensed air is streaming out of all the ducts now. The ice and snow above beginning to melt from the force and heat of the blasting all. CUT BACK TO ICE STATION CONTINUOUS We can hear low end rumble and vibration. TWO DOZEN MEN are streaming out of the dome tents. Moving to their carious snow tractors and starting the vehicles. A small exodus, the tractors pulling out of camp in a rush. Heading off in various directions. FINDING THE CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN moving to his tractor, with THE MAN WHO SHOT MULDER. Taking the last drag of his cigarette before throwing it into the snow. He stares down at it a moment, as if caught in the grip of some emotion conflicting with duty. The Man who shot Mulder inside the tractor now, throwing open the door for the CSM. MAN WHO SHOT MULDER C mon. It s all going to hell. He climbs up onto the vehicle, gets in and closes the door. And the vehicle pulls away as we CUT BACK TO LOWER RIBBED CORRIDOR CONTINUOUS AGENT MULDER Back on his feet, SMASHING now at the crust of brittle blueice that encases Scully. BASHING, SMASHING and then finally breaking through the hard outer later, its inner slushy contents spilling out of the puncture that exposes Scully s face and shoulder. Watery aquatinted liquid drains from her mouth and nose. But Scully is not conscious, and there is no indication she is even alive, her face frozen in a blank, almost beatific expression. OVER MULDER TO SCULLY As he plunges the needle into Scully s arm at the front of her shoulder. To which there is an immediate reaction as if given a shot of adrenalin. Her eyes blinking away the cold moisture. MULDER Scully Scully s lips move goldfishlike as she tries to suck in air, an almost fearful expression overcoming her like a swimmer who s been held under too long. But no words are coming out yet. MULDER Breathe can you breathe Scully is straining to do just that when liquid suddenly SPEWS from Scully s mouth. And she begins to cough and gag taking big gulps of air as her eyes focus on Mulder as if on a phantom, or a miracle. Finally faint words ushering forth, whispering breaths that Mulder cannot discern. MULDER What CLOSE ON MULDER AND SCULLY As he leans into her, putting his ear up to her mouth. As the softest sound comes out in Scully s frosty breath. SCULLY Cold. MULDER Hang on. I m going to get you out of here. As she continues to suck air. HULL OF SPACESHIP/ICE BUBBLE CONTINUOUS The hot air blasting from the ducts is causing the ice pack above to melt and collapse. ICE STATION CONTINUOUS WIDE As the ice tractors head away in all directions from the domed structures. A misty fog now emanating from the seams of the domes. Heat and condensation. CUT BACK TO UPPER RIBBED CORRIDORS CONTINUOUS Filling with misty condensation, too. The small beams of light that lighted Mulder s way earlier are now small shafts piercing the gathering interior cloud. Illuminating THE PREHISTORIC MAN Frozen in his icy pod, the hard semitranslucent surface of which is now etched with small streams of water running to the floor. Everything is melting and in motion. Including the CREATURE which is vaguely visible inside the frozen man. It TURNS slightly inside the body, like an animal in utero. Its eyes now looking at us, blinking. As it presses against its own fleshy container, the body of its human host. CUT BACK TO LOWER RIBBED CORRIDOR CONTINUOUS It, too, is filling with misty condensation. VARIOUS SHOTS Of the ice encasing the human forms sweating and melting. ADJUSTING UP TO REVEAL Mulder pulling Scully along in a fireman s carry. She is dressed now in Mulder s snow parka and the outer nylon pants he was wearing. Scully s legs are weak beneath her. Her body limp, but not lifeless. Mulder laboring to get her up the INTERIOR of the steep curving cylinder spoke, as the air fills with mist. LONG TUBE TERMINUS NEW ANGLE ON MULDER AND SCULLY LOOKING DOWN THE TUBE Moving toward along the nowhalted cryopod carrier hanging from the transport track. Mulder struggling against his own fading energy, pulling Scully up toward ANGLE ON BALCONY/CATWALK Mulder pushing Scully up, though she seems to have at least some limited ability to do this on her own. The DEEP, LOW RUMBLE we heard in the open frames of the movie reaching full volume now. The whole environment vibrating as Mulder boosts Scully up on the catwalk. Climbing up over the prostrate body. Picking her up from the floor, pulling her back into the fireman s carry. LOWER RIBBED CORRIDOR CONTINUOUS Where the bodies are all beginning to melt. VARIOUS SHOTS of rivulets of water forming on the icy liths that encase the bodies. The water from them seeping onto the circular central floor. The condensing mist thick and swirling. CLOSE ON PODS Where the body it houses seems to move. Though AS PUSHES IN we see that it is the creature inside this body moving, as if the heat and the defrosting are bringing the embryos to life. UPPER RIBBED CORRIDOR CONTINUOUS ANGLE DOWN CORRIDOR Scully s head pokes through now, as she s pushed through the opening that Mulder used earlier to get into the vaulted arena. Pushed in fits and starts until she s all the way through. Mulder now straining and squeezing to do the same on his own. The corridor is filled with heavy condensed mist now as Mulder finally slips out of the low passageway, trying to get his bearing now as he huddles low over Scully. Turning his attention to her as she COUGHS HOARSELY in some kind of acute spasm of pain but alive. MULDER We ve got to keep moving. SCULLY (weakly) Where are we MULDER You got me. But I think I know what they did with Jimmy Hoffa. Scully is struggling now as Mulder tries to pull her to her feet again. In real physical pain. SCULLY I can t. Scully can t finish speaking, her voice becoming a hoarse cough. SCULLY (barely a whisper) I can t go any farther. MULDER Yes you can. You re going to make it, Scully. Mulder hauling Scully up off the floor AWAY FROM now. NEW ANGLE ON RIBBED CORRIDOR MOVING THROUGH SPACE in the empty corridor, moving at a speed equal to Mulder and Scully s as they round the semicircular ribbed corridor to meet us. Coming out of the mist, Scully back in the fireman s carry. Approaching the place where Mulder slipped down into the corridor. Mulder stopping and seeing THE BODY IN THE MELTING ICE LITH As it too moves, the embryonic creature inside it turning slightly, as if coming awake. REVERSE ON MULDER Reacting to this and then to Scully who suddenly starts GASPING FOR BREATH. Falling now from Mulder s grasps as her legs buckle and she goes down. LOW ANGLE ON SCULLY Her face is going red, straining for air. Her eyes rolling, seeking relief. As Mulder drops down beside her. MULDER Shit But she is unable to answer. Mulder hastening to unzip her/his jacket. To get to her neck and find a pulse. MULDER Scully Mulder cannot find a pulse. Scully straining harder now as Mulder reaches his fingers into her mouth, clearing her passageway. Moving on top of her now, and pumping forcefully on her chest trying to get air into her. One two three. And putting his mouth down to hers (FINALLY), breathing his life into her. Pulling away from her to see that he is unsuccessful at this that Scully is continuing to strain. Pumping her chest again MULDER You re not dying on me now godammit godammit godammit As he pumps her chest. Placing his mouth over hers again and BREATH BREATH BREATH. Lifting his mouth from hers, feeling for a pulse again, putting his eat down to her mouth, praying he ll feel the breeze of a breath. Nothing. While ANGLE OVER HIM TO THE CREATURE IN THE ICY POD As it moves again, MORE VIOLENTLY NOW. As the ice around it continues to melt and fissure. RESUME MULDER His hands going to a pocket on the inside of the jacket Scully is wearing his jacket finding again the syringe that he used on Scully. It is still partially full of vaccine. Mulder finding this, getting ready to use it when Scully s body suddenly comes back to life beneath him. Labored breaths which turn into a coughing spasm. Mulder breaths relievedly for a moment, watching Scully coughing, coming back to life. Her eyes trying to focus on him, finding him. Seeing his labored relief. The panic melting away. SCULLY (weakly, pained whisper) Mulder. She wants to tell him something. He leans down next to her. SCULLY ( weak) Had you big time. Mulder has but a moment to savor this weary victory though when he REACTS to something, that causes him to WHIP HIS HEAD AROUND. MULDER S  DOWN RIBBED CORRIDOR Through the condensed mist he can see CREATURES BEGINNING TO HATCH, sprouting from the melted iceencased bodies they have gestated in. Their THREE FINGERED HANDS beating at the soft ice. Their powerful feet kicking at it, too. RESUME MULDER Looking the other way down the corridor, seeing MORE CREATURES The slushy material that makes up the inner core spilling out with them as the creatures KICK out of their tombs. RESUME MULDER Lifting Scully up with all his strength he has left in him. He s got to get her overhead now, back up the venting that he slipped down from. She is weak and of little help. Mulder gets her propped up on his strength so that he can use the power of his legs to boost her toward the opening. Which puts him face to face with THE EMBRYONIC CREATURE. Its eye looking directly at him, blinking, before it goes into another FITFUL SPASM inside its host body. ANGLE DOWN FROM VENT Where Scully is boosted up TOWARD . Her hands reaching feebly for something to grab onto. Finding a handhold. MULDER Keep breathing, Scully. She utters something guttural, unintelligible as the next thrust up from Mulder gets her head and shoulders into the opening of the vent. RESUME MULDER Beneath her, pushing with all his might. His hands under her shoes now, forcing her up into the vent like a rolled carpet into the rafters. RESUME SCULLY Struggling with her arms and elbows, barely conscious, but somehow able to manage herself forward. RESUME MULDER Pushing Scully up the last little way. Then reaching up to find a handhold for himself. Grabbing hold and lifting himself as one of his feet kicks at the ice where the creature he was just face to face with BURSTS from its icy pod. One hand, then the other shooting out of the ice where they have broken through the host. Ripping open the front of the body, including the man s face. Making a slimy, gaping tear in what was formerly flesh. Its hands grabbing at Mulder as he thrashes to free himself from it getting a grip. As Mulder struggles to pull himself up, fighting off the creature which he cannot see beneath him. RESUME CREATURE As it emerges from the ice, still grasping and TEARING at Mulder s legs with its claws. But as it BURSTS COMPLETELY from its place, Mulder is able to pull himself up and into the vent in one athletic movement. ANGLE FROM INSIDE THE VENT SCULLY lies motionless in the ducting, her body forced forward by Mulder s in this last surging move. TIGHT ANGLE ON MULDER Drawing his legs up quickly inside. Not wasting a moment shoving Scully s butt forward in front of him. MULDER Scully you breathing RESUME SCULLY Letting out another low, guttural sound which STRAINS out of her with each push forward. SNOW/ICE BUBBLE CONTINUOUS Scully s head and arms push up through the vent where Mulder first entered. The ice and snow surrounding it, which had created the bubble structure, have melted and fallen. So that above Scully s larger hole has opened up to the surface. The air is full of condensation, swirling around them. ANGLE FROM ABOVE THROUGH THE HOLE IN THE ICE Where, through the swirling steam we see Mulder push Scully clear of the vent. Climbing free himself now. When the surface they are upon SHUDDERS AND QUAKES. As if it has come unloosed, destabilized. And with this comes A MIGHTY FORCE OF STEAM from the vent Mulder and Scully just crawled from. Blasting up past them with terrible HISSING FORCE. Causing Mulder to throw Scully away from its superheated energy. Pulling her up the now climbable embankment created by the melting snow; pulling her toward the surface of the ice sheet. POLE OF INACCESSIBILITY ANTARCTICA WIDE Where a wide radius of steam rises from similar and regularly spaced holes in the ice sheet, defining a circular structure beneath. The White Domed Tents of the ice station are in the center of this, dwarfed by the enormity of the melting radius. RESUME MULDER AND SCULLY Mulder pulling her up the softened and collapsed snow. The hot steam blasting up with hideous force behind them. The sound DEAFENING. NEW ANGLE OVER MULDER AND SCULLY Pulling her to the surface of the ice sheet where behind them in the distance the ICE STATION can be seen through the atmosphere of condensed air. When suddenly the ice beneath it gives way and the ice station falls away, caving in to the center of the radius. Which is what begins to happen to the rest of the ice sheet that spreads out to where Mulder and Scully are standing. Causing Mulder to realize MULDER (over the din) We ve got to run She is weak, but is able to find her footing. Dragged behind Mulder as the ice behind them begins to break away, falling down into an everexpanding center and sending up magnificent geysers of steam created by the superheated surface below. WIDE ON SCENE Mulder and Scully running AT just ahead of the collapsing center. The mass of ice around them beginning to break up. Steam vents erupting instantaneously everywhere. HIGH ANGLE ON SCENE A black dome is becoming visible through the giant circle of steam, in the everwidening center hole that Mulder and Scully are running from. Which is chasing them to the edge of the radius. ANGLE FOLLOWING MULDER AND SCULLY As Mulder struggles to pull Scully fast enough to outrace the icy debris that is tumbling away just behind them. Large chunks falling and bouncing off the superheated surface below, blown back up like water being dropped onto a hot skillet. EXTREMELY HIGH AND WIDE The Agents mere specks fleeing the circle of churning ice and steam. As it cascades away in three hundred and sixty degrees. From here the deafening sound if absorbed into the vastness, tricking us of the reality of the massive movement of frozen material down below. ANGLE LEADING MULDER AND SCULLY As Scully loses her footing, falling to the ground. Mulder dragging her back up to her feet, though, maintaining forward momentum. While behind them the thundering force of the superheated melting snow and ice is moving in on them. And then suddenly MULDER AND SCULLY are gone The radial edge of the falling snow continuing only a few feet beyond where they disappeared. The violent upheaval of snow abating but slightly. Beat, beat. THEN THE AGENTS APPEAR AGAIN. Thrust upward by a RISING BLACK PRECIPICE which catapults them off its leading edge. As they fall the distance to the sheet of ice below. LOW ANGLE ON ICE SHEET Where the Agents hit hard on the ice sheet. The rain of ice chunks pounding all around them. As the monolithic wall of the craft continues to rise. Mulder trying to get to Scully in this hail of debris which he shields his face from. WIDE ON LEADING EDGE Rising faster now out of the earth as it begins to increasingly shed and break free of the frozen weight it carried. Until the bottom of the edge of the wall appears, lifting clear of the ice sheet and the crater that held it. EXTREME HIGH WIDE ANGLE ON SPACE SHIP Where now we see the scope and shape of the ship, which is breathtaking. The domed center sloping off to a gentle gradient, which is the surface that Mulder and Scully were running on. The ship is now slowly rotating as it moves upward in a gently rising hover. Mulder and Scully are on the ice sheet below. RESUME MULDER AND SCULLY Scully face down on the ice. Mulder lifting his head when THE HEAVY SHADOW of the ship comes over them. Looking up from this position to see THE SPACE SHIP Moving slowly, laterally just overhead. Thunderously rumbling. The dark detail of its underside visible in this angle. As it continues to rise, the shadow passing over Mulder and Scully. NEW ANGLE OVER MULDER AND SCULLY Scully is still face down on the ice, as Mulder watches the ship s shadow cast over Mulder s SnowCat which is still parked in the distance. Moving up and off. The ship continues up into the Antarctic sky where it rises toward the sky where it begins to get WHITEHOT. Transforming itself into pure energy. It is visible for several moments during transformation. Then it disappears completely. As it does the RUMBLE, which dopplers across the white, barren landscape. Then it is gone. MULDER Watches this then lays his head down on Scully s back. He is spent, at the brink of complete exhaustion. His whole body heaving. But now starting to shiver, and to lose consciousness. Scully s body is motionless beneath him, for a moment we might believe that this is the way it might end. Out here on the ice with Mulder and Scully freezing to death. A chill wind blows off the Antarctic plain, the same LOW RUMBLE, the only taint of silence in vastness of this literal end of the world. Then Scully coughs the same hoarse cough. She s alive. Struggling to consciousness. Her head lifting slightly, TURNING TO . Her eyes blink open and she coughs again. Feeling Mulder s weight on top of her, unaware of his condition or even where she is. SCULLY (weakly) Mulder. There is no answer. Scully struggling to pull herself out from under the weight of his body. Rolling over so that her face is opposite Mulder s now. Seeing that he has lost consciousness. Finding the strength to roll him over, so that she can cradle him and warm him. HIGH WIDE ANGLE ON THIS SCENE With the Snowcat a short distance away, Mulder and Scully in each others arms. The way it should end. FADE TO BLACK Silence. Longer than we would like. Long enough to make us nervous, then certain, then angry. Then.we FADE UP a prelap of the sound of a CRACKLING FIRE. FADING UP ON ACRES OF CORN MAGIC HOUR TRACKING LOW WITH MEN IN FATIGUES, moving along the perimeter of the corn field as they set fire to the corn stalks with small handheld butane burners. While other Men in Fatigues are moving between the rows dousing the furrows with accelerant. DISSOLVE TO FBI FIELD OFFICE DALLAS NIGHT The large room filled with the evidence and debris from the bombing. It is dark. Until A FLASHLIGHT BEAM pricks the blackness, moving toward us into f.g. Carried by the man we now recognize as The Man Who Shot Mulder. He moves with directness, purpose. Finding what he s looking for amid the cataloged material, he finds on a work bench. Next to the microscope Scully had used. It is the BONE FRAGMENTS, held in an evidence container. He pockets them and exits as quiet and directly as he entered. DISSOLVE TO ACRES OF CORN WIDE CGI PLATE The sky aglow with orange flames as the crops burn to the ground. We hold on this shot, PRELAPPING the sound of JANA CASSIDY S VOICE . in light of the report I ve got before me; in light of the narrative I m now hearing. FBI OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL REVIEW DAY Jana Cassidy sits at the head of the desk, just as when we first met her. She is flanked by the other members of the review board, including A.D. Skinner who sits at the end of the table. Cassidy flips through a file she s referred to before she continues. Looking up with consternation as she resumes. CASSIDY . my official report is incomplete pending these new facts I m being asked to reconcile. Agent Scully. AGENT SCULLY Sitting where she last sat, at the small table. The seat next to her conspicuously empty. Her face bears the signs of slight frostbite, somewhat healed. Her expression is even, her attitude composed, but her eyes are filled of dark, restrained defiance. CASSIDY .while there is direct evidence now that a federal agent may have been involved in the bombing. the other events you ve laid down here seem too incredible on their own, and quite frankly implausible in their connection. PANNING THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS curious, bemused like Cassidy. Skinner shifts uncomfortably. SCULLY What is it you find incredible CASSIDY Well.where would you like me to start Antarctica is a long way from Dallas, Agent Scully. I can t very well submit a report to the Attorney General that alleges the links you ve made here. Bees and corn crops do not quite fall under the rubric of domestic terrorism. SCULLY No, they don t. CASSIDY Most of what I find in here is lacking a coherent picture of an organization with an attributable motive. I realize you re very lucky to be alive Agent Scully. The ordeal you ve endured has clearly affected you though the holes in your account leave this panel with little choice but to delete these references from our final report to the Justice Department. Until which time hard evidence becomes available that would give us cause to pursue such an investigation. Scully has her hand in her coat pocket now. Moving around the table and approaching Cassidy. Removing something which she puts on the desk in front of her. A small vial. SCULLY I don t believe the FBI currently has an investigation unit qualified to pursue the evidence in hand. Cassidy picks up the vial, studying the contents of this vial the dead bee that stung Scully. Studying it as Scully turns and moves to the door, without permission, no further adieu. ANGLE TO INCLUDE A.D. SKINNER Watching Scully exit. CASSIDY (O.S.) Mr. Skinner. PIVOTING TO INCLUDE CASSIDY. Looking at him. CASSIDY Please ask Agent Scully to come back to this hearing. We re not quite finished. As Skinner rises, unsure of the intent behind this directive, we DISSOLVE TO WASHINGTON D.C. DAY We are JUST ABOVE THE TREETOPS. The Capitol Dome is in the far distance. CRANING DOWN to find Mulder sitting by himself on a park bench. We are WIDE. There is no one else around. Until the Cigarette Smoking Man appears. Walking through the otherwise deserted park. Joining Mulder on the park bench. CLOSER ON MULDER, THE CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN They do not speak for several moments. A quite tension as the CSM lights up a trademark smoke. Inhaling, exhaling. Then CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN Congratulations on your survival. Your life is worthless now, I hope you know that. MULDER And yours CIGARETTE SMOKING MAN (derisive) You think you ve stopped it. What I ve worked for fifty years to create. You haven t stopped it. You can t stop it. (takes a drag) You re just one man. MULDER You re wrong. WIDE ANGLE Mulder rises from the bench heading TOWARD . The CSM rising, watching him. As Mulder continues toward us. ADJUST TO REVEAL Agent Scully in the f.g. Mulder moving to her as the CSM watches from the distance. Their eyes meet, an unspoken restored bond exchanged in this moment. Before Mulder takes Scully by the arm, leads her off. Leaving the CSM standing alone in the distance. As we DISSOLVE TO CORN FIELDS/WHITE DOMES TUNISIA DAY TRACKING LOW WITH A PAIR OF FEET The wearer of them sporting peasant sandals. We realize shortly that while the feet are moving across sandy ground, that the foliage in the near b.g. is corn. And that the person we are tracking with is passing row after row of stalks. RISING AS IT TRACKS REVEALING A TUNISIAN MAN dressed in peasant clothes. He is carrying a piece of paper. Moving with hasty purpose. Stopping at the end of one of the long rows of corn where CONRAD STRUGHOLD is coming toward him. Making his way between rows of stalks. The Peasant waits patiently as Strughold approaches, handing him the piece of paper. Strughold reads it, his otherwise steely countenance reflecting a disturbance seen only in the slight narrowing of his eyes. He looks up at the Peasant and says something to him in Tunisian Arabic. Said as command, which causes the Peasant to nod dutifully and move off as he came. Strughold stands for a moment, then crumples the paper slightly and drops it. Moving off down the same corn row in which he approached. DROPPING TO THE GROUND where we find the paper on which we see a flat section that is not so crumpled we cannot read the words XFILES REOPENED. STOP. PLEASE ADVISE. STOP. RISING NOW. Rising up past the stalks. Where we can still see Strughold walking. RISING UP AND UP to reveal ACRES AND ACRES OF CORN. Many times more than we had seen previously. Stretched out across the Tunisian Desert, ending only where THREE WHITE DOMES stand on the distant horizon. BLACK Sounds of a train rolling to a halt, a shrill whistle. CAMP DAY UP ON the door of a weathered cattle car as a German soldier steps into frame wearing that familiar gray of the all too familiar era. He throws the door to reveal a mass of huddled and frightened people inside. The words are not necessary. The language is not ours and the images say enough. Men, women and children are herded off the train like cattle toward a large open yard. There they huddle until the Germans begin to shout and shove through the mob. FENCE CORRIDOR DAY We are looking up at rows and rows of fences topped with barbed wire all designed to create a separator for the thousands of Jew who pour through each day. Then we see the eyes themselves that look up at them. A LITTLE BOY. A boy who will not die this day. A boy who will live to see the end of the war and the world of the future. He stares at the metal wire with an unusual fascination. The boy looks up at HIS WORRIED PARENTS a sturdy looking couple who try to smile and comfort him. The corridor comes to a junction where it splits in several different directions. Soldiers here push the mob using rifles as pikes, screaming and terrorizing the lot of them. Suddenly it is clear what they are doing. They are dividing the mob into smaller groups. Soon, the groups themselves become evident. Men from women. Children from adults. The family tries to stay together, clinging to one another dearly, until finally, they are put upon by a number of gray uniforms and pulled apart. The boy is dragged screaming his feet no longer touching the ground. Two soldiers carry him as they follow the back of a large column of children being led through a gate of barbed wire so dense, it resembles wool. The gate closes and the boy looks back to see his parents along with many others being restrained by a number of soldiers. The screaming is deafening. And the boy's can be heard above it all. The soldiers seem to be having a hard time carrying such a frail child. The farther they get from the fence, the heavier he seems to get, until they are literally pulling him as though he were anchored to something. His outstretched fingers claw at the thin air and he screams until the blood in his face is blue. The soldiers are literally pulled back a step and they begin to slip in the mud. They look at one another and then over their shoulders as they hear a sound. A groaning, creaking sound. And then the unmistakable twang of wire stretched to snapping. The fence. The gate that separates the parents. It bows toward them like iron filings to a magnet, and several of the strands of barbed wire have given way. The boy continues to scream as all the other faces simply freeze and wonder. One of the soldiers pulls a wooden baton from his belt and brains the boy violently. He slumps and the soldiers carrying him spring forward as through a rope that was holding them back has been cut. They nearly fall, looking at one another with some concern, some confusion.... Then they follow the line of children that has gotten ahead of them. The boy's parents watch him as he as they, are taken away. The rest of their story is as you would expect. SKY DAY Bright, bright blue framing a blinding white sun. PAN DOWN AGAIN TO REVEAL The cracked, drought stricken soil of nowhere. KENYA A group of children at play. Tribal children who, without the help of the titles, could be from any age. They run through a tiny village of tents, playing. Every child holds a long reed like stick and they chase each other playing their version of tag. As each child is tapped, they chase the others. Each trying to avoid being it , though never going far enough away to miss the fun. One girl in particular. A PRETTY GIRL OF , with unusual white hair, is tagged and immediately shunned. She chases kids this way and that, but to no avail. She is not strong enough, nor agile enough, to win. She tumbles and lands on her stick, snapping it. She stands and, when the children see that her stick is broken, they begin to giggle. The giggles become laughter and the laughter becomes a taunt, and before we even realize, the inherent cruelty of children let loose becomes evident. They have now formed a circle, at first avoiding her touch with distance, but now growing tighter with menace. In the unspoken manner of children at prey, the group begins to chant in their native tongue a song we have not heard but sung in a way none too inviting. They begin to poke at her with the reeds, driving her back. The girl now moves to the center of the circle, no longer wishing to tag anyone. ONE DEVIOUS CHILD seems to get an idea. He takes his stick and smacks it across her shoulder. She turns to face the child and another swings his stick across her back with a solid THWACK. Before long, mob rule gives way and all the kids are swinging at her and laughing. It grows to the brink of frenzy, the laughing and the shouting not too unlike the noise of the previous scene. So much so, we may miss the first flake of snow. The children certainly do. It is snowing for a good ten seconds before the last of them stops. By then, the snow is thick as flies and wafting down to melt instantly on the hot African soil that has never seen snow before. Adults come out of their huts and in from the fields and the whole of the village is soon gathered around the little girl, staring up from the clear blue sky and the snow that falls from nowhere. From nothing. One by one, all eyes fall on the little girl and the looks of curiosity become looks of fear. Of superstition. Punctuated by a solid thump. And then another. AN OLD MAN looks down at his feet and sees a tiny, misshapen ball of ice, no bigger than his eye. He looks at it, bites it, then pops it in his mouth breath turning to steam. Another such chunk of ice pops him on the head. THE CROWD LAUGHS. They look up again and see that mixed with the snow are tiny pellets of hail, seeming to increase in number as the snow mysteriously wanes. And the pellets are getting larger. Until they land as hunks. The white haired girl drops to the ground and covers her head as hailstones the size of baseballs plow into the Earth. Before long, tents are collapsing and panic ensues. And all along the white haired girl sits huddled in the dust, crying. As hailstones fall in a circle around her, never coming closer than then a few feet or so. INT. HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM NIGHT ONE MORE SKY. This one a backdrop. Cheap paint and tissue paper hung with hooks on a wall just behind the basket on a full court. As we pull back, we see the skyline of New York, crudely made out with its silhouette buildings of dark gray and black windows of yellow. Among the famous landmarks represented is the Statue of Liberty, complete with a real light bulb burning in the torch. We are at a prom. The theme is RHAPSODY IN BLUE and the decor has made tragic efforts to show it. The tablecloths are blue, the napkins are blue far too many of the tuxes are powder blue, and the blue eye shadow is as heavy as expected. Peter Gabriel's In Your Eyes gives painful indication of the era, but here it is, nonetheless SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MOVE ACROSS THE FLOOR and through the swaying, clutching, sweating dancers to the bathroom. Through the door to the usual BOYS BATHROOM NIGHT Several boys are here, bow ties undone unclipped in most cases. Smoking, drinking from whatever inventive container was used to smuggle in booze. Breath freshener and Visine are the chaser. Some of the guys are rolling joints while others make the sad effort to wave smoke away. Who are they kidding? It's a fog in here. MOVE DOWN THE ROW OF TOILET STALLS to one in particular. Here we find A FRECKLED KID standing in front of mirror, clearly holding himself up from the effect of God knows what. He talks to his friend in the he stall behind him. FRECKLED KID Man, what's the matter with you? His friend is on the toilet with his head in his hands. He seems to be in some pain. He is SCOTT SUMMERS AGE . FRECKLED KID Dude. Lighten up. She's just a girl. You just gotta SCOTT No, my eyes... my eyes are killing me. The Freckled kid offers a small plastic bottle. FRECKLED KID You want some Visine, man? SCOTT My... eyes... The freckled kid looks and sees that Scott's eyes are watering so badly that tears are literally streaming through his fingers. He goes back to the mirror to look at his own. SCOTT ... they're burning... The freckled kid turns back to him. FRECKLED KID Dude, how much did you smoke? SCOTT I didn't smoke anything. Scott looks up, taking his hands away, revealing for an instant that his eyes are merely bright red embers in his head. Featureless but for the color. Freckles takes a step back. GYM OUTSIDE BOYS ROOM NIGHT A blinding flash of light shows through the frosted glass in the double door and cuts through the crack into the dark of the gym. All who see it are stunned. Frozen. A lingering moment of confusion, then BOOM, the doors to the Boys Room burst open and the occupants scatter into the gym. GYM STALL NIGHT Freckles is still there, legs locked. FRECKLES' P.O.V. He looks at Scott who is now crying meekly in the stall, covering his eyes again afraid to open them. The door of the stall across from him swings closed TO REVEAL A HOLE, PUNCHED THROUGH THE STALL DOOR framing Scott's face perfectly. Pull back to reveal that the hole continues through the wall, into the girl's bathroom next door. In the corner several girls huddle together, they are afraid. SENATE HEARING ROOM DAY Packed with reporters and photographers. There's a dais a raised panel of senators and a second, lower panel. This is where the experts are testifying. Panning across the faces of several G.O.P. creeps as they watch something with varying degrees of interest. TITLES WASHINGTON D.C. THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE A woman's voice holds over the proceedings. It is the voice of JEAN GREY whom we will soon meet. As she is speaking, we come to a large screen television at one end of the room. JEAN In every organism on Earth there exists a mutator gene the X factor, as it has come to be known. It is the basic building block of evolution the reason we have evolved from homo habilus... FOOTAGE REFLECTS THE VARIOUS STAGES OF HUMAN EVOLUTION. Accompanying it is a GRAPH with a DIAGONAL LINE indicating the ascent of the human being as we know it. Accompanying the graph are evolving images of the evolution of man. JEAN ... to homo erectus, to homo sapiens Neanderthals, and, finally, to homo sapiens. The animated demo on the screen zooms in on the lowest order of human depicted homo habilus a primitive, ape like humanoid covered in hair. As he is singled out, the terrain of his time appears, along with the harsh signs of his winter. JEAN Taking it's cues from the climate, terrain, various sources of nourishment, the mutator gene tells the body when it needs to change to adapt to a new environment. The process is subtle, normally taking thousands of years. As the graphic changes and depicts WARMER CLIMATE, the HAIR STARTS TO DISAPPEAR ON THE MAN'S BODY gradually evolving into the human we now know as ourselves. Now the terrain is modern, the weather pleasant. The image pulls back and places this man back in line at the front of evolution. JEAN Only in the last few thousand years did mankind begin to make clothes for himself, build shelters, use heat and grow food in large quantities. With this man made environment remaining relatively stable, the X factor became dormant. early huts, early clothing; then early homes, later homes, air conditioning, cars, modern high rises, etc. PULL BACK WIDER JEAN Until now. On the room, the reactions, and on JEAN herself. A strong, attractive woman in her early 's. A simple placard before her JEAN GREY. GENETICALLY ENHANCED RIGHTS ASSOCIATION. The screen shows the words PRESENT DAY, where the evolution line has resumed its rise. JEAN For reasons still not known to us, we are seeing what some are calling the beginnings of another stage of evolution A MICROPHONED VOICE interrupts. Bearing down is the flamboyant SENATOR SCOTT FRANK KELLY, a conservative from Florida, and the hearing's Chairman. Just behind him sits his aide HENRY GUYRICH mid 's, typical government cog. KELLY You're avoiding the question I posed to you at the beginning of the hearing, Ms. Grey. Three words Are mutants dangerous? JEAN I am avoiding a question that is decidedly loaded, Senator. The wrong person behind the wheel of a car can be dangerous. Another SENATOR (LUCINDA ROWEE) speaks into her microphone SENATOR ROWEE Well, we do license people to drive. JEAN But not to live. Kelly raises a hand, continuing his tirade. KELLY Ms. Grey you work at a school for mutants in Westchester, New York. Can you tell the members of this committee what exactly you are teaching these mutants? JEAN Math. History. Science. English. Athletics KELLY You wouldn't happen to be teaching them how to use their powers to JEAN Control, Senator... we teach them control. Kelly raises a blown up photograph a grainy, super zoomed, somewhat obscured image of a CAR ON A FREEWAY which appears to have melted. Now he's really playing to the crowd. KELLY This was taken by a state police officer in Secaucus, New Jersey. A man in a minor altercation literally melted the car in front of him. I don't know where you come from, Ms. Grey, but where I come from, you don't go melting people's cars when they cut you off. You do it the old fashioned way you give 'em the finger. (laughs from the crowd) But what you presume to tell this committee  JEAN I presume nothing, I am here to tell you that in time, the mutator gene will activate in every living human being on this planet. Perhaps even your children, Senator. KELLY I can assure you, there is no such creature in my genes. The room LAUGHS. Kelly mistaken thinks it is for him, until the double meaning occurs to him. He is momentarily embarrassed, but he quickly recovers. KELLY Ms. Grey, we are not here to weed out mutants. The Registration Act is designed merely to assess their potential threat if any to national security. The crowd reacts loudly in support of the Senator. Some cheer, some roar, some yell obscenities at Jean. Jean stands and walks out, pushing her way through reporters now moving in for her response. All the while, Kelly is delivering his last words. KELLY Mutants are very real. They are among us. We must know who they are. And above all, we must know what they can do. AS THE SHOUTS OF THE MOB RISE AND GIVE WAY TO CAPITOL BUILDING WASHINGTON D.C. DAY An angry mob outside the Senate hearing. Voices roar in dissent when Jean emerges, coming down the steps without hesitation. She sees signs condemning mutants, a scarce few supporting them. A group of reporters are behind her and more meet her in front, closing her in. Microphones are shove in her face. REPORTERS/VARIOUS Dr. Grey, how do you feel about the Senator's Statement / How is the mutant community reacting? Is it true that mutants are dangerous? / Is there a mutant plot to overthrow the government? She ignores them all, trying to push through. A KID IN THE CROWD holding a full can of Coke. Smiling to his friend beside him. He fires it over the heads of everyone toward Jean. Perfect trajectory. Closing fast. Suddenly Silence falls over the crowd. A total silence. An absolute silence. All eyes watch in awe at the can and its liquid trail, frozen in mid air a few inches from Jean's face. It simply hovers there. JEAN Weíre not the ones to be afraid of. Using telekinesis she slowly lowers the can to the ground. She shakes her head, almost ashamed of the display. Almost as if to say ìI didnít want to do that.î The can rolls down the steps. People move away from it as though the can itself were dangerous. The crowd steps back in genuine fear. Jean simply moves ahead now, unimpeded, still shaking her head. CABIN IN THE SNOW COVERED WILDERNESS DAY Smoke curling from the chimney, warm light emanating from the window. A well worn pick up truck parked axles deep in the snow, the back filled with a cord of cut wood. A hand painted scrawl on the door reads Firewood for Sales A slope, just behind the cabin leading to a frozen lake. PUSH IN SLOWLY TOWARDS THE CABIN. Ten beers sit cooling in the snow outside the door. We hear LED ZEPPELINíS ìBLACK DOG.î CABIN DAY Music thunders, quite a contrast to the surroundings. A cosy little abode, showing signs of neglect, as though decorated with a gentler touch that passed not too long ago. A large shelf replete with books. An electric mix from Sun Tsuís The Art of War to Mark Twainís The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. A fire burns in the fireplace. On the mantle sit a few old black and white photos of a slightly younger Logan posing with a group of HARD CASE MILITARY TYPES in a heavily wooded area. We can not tell if they are true Military or simply mercenaries. In the wall above the mantle, a sketch of a beautiful woman. And finally we come to the occupant of the house, sitting at the only table in the center of the room. His back is to us. His hair is coarse and black, sprouting wildly from his head. He is LOGAN. We will come to know him well. As well as we can. Despite the loud, pounding music, he is working with the meticulousness of a watch maker. At the same time, he smokes a thick cigar. A tall bottle of beer on the floor next to his chair. A SINGLE, SILVER DOG TAG hangs from his neck from a battered chain. As we get closer, we look over his shoulder and see what he is working on so intensely. Pencil rubs against paper furiously. He is sketching, what we cannot see. But he is definitely caught up in his own minds eye. HIS HEAD SUDDENLY TURNS. He listens to something we cannot begin to hear. A momentary pause, and he goes back to sketching. Just as he seems to be settling back into the details again. WHACK He reaches over and shuts off the music coming from the box beside him. He listens. He stands, turning around slowly in a circle. He drops the sketch pad on the chair. Only the crackle of logs in the fire. LOGANíS We follow his gaze around the room. Past the fire which sounds suddenly like a blazing inferno, past the clock which ticks as loud as clapping hands, past the simmering tea kettle which hisses like a seething cauldron. Finally, he glances at the cigar which we hear crackling nearly as loud as the fire. Loganís senses are amplified many times more then ours, he walks to the door. His nostrils flare. He raises his fist beside his face. For a moment, it seems as if he is just chinking. Then SHOOK THREE STEELY CLAWS some nine inches long, emerge inexplicably from the skin just above Loganís knuckles. Logan barley turns his head before. BOOM THE WINDOW EXPLODES, letting in freezing wind and billowing snow. Logan is hit from behind. The attack is so ferocious that we are unable to make out the attacker. Whatever it is, it is HUGE. We can hear it snarling and see flashes of its claws as it slams Logan back. CABIN DAY The front door SMASHES OPEN. The two combatants roll madly down the hill obscured by flying snow. Finally, we see Logan separate from his attacker and CRASH THROUGH THE ICE of the frozen lake. A MASSIVE CLAW LIKE HAND lifts into frame the SHINING DOG TAG hanging from it. The tagís chain slides off and too the ground. UNDER ICE Logan struggles, already short of breath. As he struggles water starts to fill his lungs. His skin goes pale. He is drowning. ABOVE ICE DAY We hear an angry grunt as the thing starts to hunt for Logan. It stalks across the ice, searching. We catch a glimpse of shoulder, a CLAWED FOOT, a MANE OF HAIR. UNDER ICE Loganís struggle has decreased somewhat as his strength wanes. CRACK The ice above Logan shatters as a clawed hand reaches through. ABOVE ICE DAY A violent YANK. The ice gives way to the soaked and half frozen Logan. The creature picks Logan up by his face, CUTTING DEEPLY into his cheek, and holds him up like a rag doll. The two are face to face. This is called SABRETOOTH. The reasons are obvious. Teeth like said animal and catís eyes to match. A mutant, certainly a member of a class remote in the extreme. And then it speaks. SABRETOOTH Itís not gonna be that easy. Logan, half drowned, opens his eyes and looks right at Sabretooth as though heís going to say something. Instead, a LUNG FULL OF WATER comes shooting out. With that, Sabretooth ROARS, as he hoists Logan up and throws him. Logan flies nearly ten yards. He lands head first. Sabretooth skulks over to him. With the sound of Sabretoothís breathing comes the rising of the wind... Snow from the ground begins to swirl in the bitter cold air. Sabretooth is nearly upon Logan now and the wind rises further, until he must shield his eyes from the bitter icy air. As he approaches, we see a fresh cut on Loganís face HEALING BEFORE OUR VERY EYES, leaving not so much as a scratch. THEN A SUDDEN FLASH OF LIGHT Lightning. No. Lightning is not red. Sabretooth looks around, puzzled, then down at Loganís motionless body. Then to his feet where a hole in the ice sprouts bubbling water. The wind blows so violently now that he nearly misses two figures standing only a few yards away mere silhouettes in the icy haze. A closer look tells us it is a man and a woman, THEY WEAR STRANGE UNIFORMS of form fitting material the man wears a reflective visor that hides his eyes. The womanís face is care revealing dark skin, penetrating eyes and unusual white hair. ANOTHER FLASH one that seems to come from the manís visor itself. An intense beam of red light. Sabretooth looks down and sees the ice at his feet has broken away. He plunges through the ice like a mark in a carnival dunking tank. His massive weight and hairy coat quickly suck him down. The TWO FIGURES CYCLOPS (Scott Summers) AND STORM (Ororo Munroe) obviously two of the children we saw earlier now grown move over the hole and calmly watch Sabretooth gather himself and swim back to the surface. Storm looks down at the hole, concentrating her intense gaze. The wind whips further and the water in the hole begins to freeze over. UNDER THE ICE Sabretooth wisely concedes. With one last look at the two mysterious figures now nearly obscured by the ice, he turns his body and swims away with the same agility he had on land. ABOVE THE ICE THE SNOW AND WIND ARE NOW VIOLENTLY RAGING Cyclops and Storm walk over to Logan and look down at him curiously. LOGANíS They look at one another, wondering. Above them, a black shape looms into frame, bringing with it the whining of jet engines. This is the X JET and it is like no other plane we have seen before. Loganís eyes begin to close as they obscure the last of all perceptible detail. CAVERNOUS ROOM NIGHT CLOSE UP ON The Periodic Table of Elements. A chart made up of blocks depicting the elements and their chemical symbols. Among the standards like Gold (Au) and Iron (I) and Oxygen (O ) is a new square on simple red construction paper tacked to the top. It contains simply a large letter ìA.î TRACKING SHOT THROUGH We are in a laboratory of sorts, quite different from any we have ever seen and so are its occupants. MORTIMER TOYNBEE, a dim, loyal thug whose agile leaping ability and superhuman strength have earned him the name TOAD. Across the room, JOHN ALLERDYCE, a wiry redhead whose ability to control fire with his fingers has earned him the name PYRO. In the corner we see BLOB, no explanation needed, devouring a BUCKET of cereal, preariously balanced on his huge belly. They are a bestial and sinister bunch. Toad and Pyro are working on A MACHINE A fantastic device which occupies a hallowed space in this lab. It is meticulously designed, and with its intricate circuitry, wires, and power boards, it resembles most closely (and only resembles, because truly itís like nothing weíve ever seen before) a combination of an upright torpedo and a fantastic light source only far more dark and foreboding. Pyro holds a stick of solder in one hand. He lights a lighter with the other, then drops it. Strange thing the flame remains hovering about his finger. Quickly the flame intensifies and turns blue, melting the solder over a small circuit board. Then, the flame is gone. He sticks out his hand like a surgeon. PYRO Hand me the dykes. Toad, both hands occupied, flicks his long tongue and grabs a pair of pliers which he rests in Pyroís hand, leaving them slicked with SLIME. The flame in his finger goes out. The slimy coat over the pliers quickly HARDENS, freezing their action. PYRO I asked you not to do that. Blob laughs. Toad shrugs. In the background, almost ignored by them, something is on the television. The news. NEWSCASTER Preparations are nearly completed for the upcoming anniversary gala celebrating the formation of the United Nations. With nearly every invitation confirmed, the occasion promises to be the largest single gathering of world leaders in history. The image in the screen is a helicopter shot of ELLIS ISLAND, with Liberty Island and the famous Statue in the background. NEWSCASTER Ellis Island, once an arrival point for thousands of immigrants crossing the Atlantic with the hopes of a better life, will open its doors again. Only this time it will be to leaders and their families from over nations. Blob belches his skepticism deafeningly. TRACK FURTHER THROUGH THE LAIR AND OUT THE DOOR as the Newscast drones on. CORRIDOR/OFFICE NIGHT WE MOVE through subterranean corridors and past dozens of projects that share some similarity to the machine we have seen, including crude designs that have been rejected or stripped of their good ideas. FAINTLY we become aware of a clicking sound. Almost like a stopwatch very far away, always growing louder. The newscast has faded and another voice is getting closer from somewhere down the hall. Sabretooth emerges around a corner heading towards us, turning just as we get to him. The clicking is loud and clear now. Sabretooth enters an office and we follow him. Seated at a desk in the center of the room is MAX LENSHERR age somewhere after sixty, but strong and vital for his years. He is more often called MAGNETO. The clicking is from the sound of an executive pendulum thingy on his desk. The six steel balls hang onto one another from string supports in formation depending on how many are let to fly from either end. One ball strikes one and one ball swings out from the other. Two balls and two, and so on. Slight difference. There are no strings supporting the balls, thus defying gravity. A chess set all of its pieces made of beautifully crafted iron sits on the far end of the desk. He is watching television, or more accurately listening his eyes looking off into space, deep in thought. INTERVIEWER ...and the leading voice in the call for Mutant registration is Senator Scott Frank Kelly, of Florida, who claims to support the constitutional rights of the genetically enhanced, but whose crusade to register mutants is gaining popularity. Now Kelly is on the screen. Magneto shakes his head. MAGNETO Not this one again. When Sabretooth clears his throat, the clicking balls instantly freeze and hover there. The volume on the television drops, though no remote is in sight. Magneto notices Sabretoothís apparent exhaustion, his torn clothing, including the slashes in his side. His look asks ìwhat happened?î Sabretooth crosses the room and places the shining dog tag on the table. The one he ripped from Loganís neck. He sits at the desk, puzzling over it. MAGNETO Your expression tells me the news is not good, brother. SABRETOOTH I lost him. MAGNETO How? SABRETOOTH It was Xavierís people. They knew. Frustrated. Magneto inspects the dog tag. MAGNETO I want him. That is all they know because that is all you know. Nothing odd about the tag at a glance, military dog tag, weathered and beaten, but certainly plain, Canadian Military, Loganís name, rank, and a faded serial number. His thumb feels the indention of the word at the bottom of the tag that does not seem to fit here. WOLVERINE We hear the voice of Senator Kelly on the TV. Kelly is on the screen giving good face. As he turns up the television, and again, we donít see how, he places the dog tag on his desk, thinking. KELLY I think the Presidentís pre occupation with international affairs has drawn his attention away from this problem. Americanís deserve the right to decide whether they want their children to be in school with mutants. To be taught by mutants. They also have the right to know the dangers. Thatís the purpose of registration. And mark my words, if the President isnít strong enough to do what needs to be done... As the Senator continues we PULL BACK and see Magneto watching this. He begins speaking over Kellyís diatribe. MAGNETO And you may mark my words, Senator Kelly. All your plotting, all your hatred. I have plans for you. Iíve seen you come, and I will see you go. As Magneto turns Loganís dog tag between his fingers, we canít help but notice FADED PURPLE SERIAL NUMBERS TATTOOED IN HIS ARM. He then drops the dog tag on the desk, Magneto stands and heads for the door, Sabretooth follows. The television shuts off and Magneto waves a hand as though beckoning someone to follow. Or some thing. He stops and looks back at the dog tag on the desk and waves again. A paper clip just next to the dog tag skips off the desk and into Magnetoís hand. He drops it, annoyed and tries again. A slight rattle, then nothing more, as though the dog tag were held down by an unimaginable weight. He walks over and picks up the dog tag, inspecting it, then trying to bend it. Nothing. MAGNETO Can it be..? He puts it back on the desk. Now Magneto concentrates sending a wave of magnetic force that ripples the air around it. The tag trembles, but does not budge. He looks at Sabretooth and smiles. SABRETOOTH Is that what youíre looking for? MAGNETO A piece. Only a piece. SABRETOOTH Is it enough? MAGNETO Enough for a test. And as Magneto looks up at Kelly on the television we PAN OVER TO A BULLETIN BOARD on the wall beside him. To a periodic table, smaller than the first. But still with that red square and added letter ìAî. WHITE HOUSE PARKING LOT DAY Kelly and Guyrich walk out of the White House on their way to their limousine. KELLY I canít believe the President canít see it. I wouldnít be surprised if he has a mutant on his staff. Kelly and Guyrich climb into the limo and slump back in their seats. LIMOUSINE DAY GUYRICH Have you thought of a demonstration of some kind? Maybe use the UN Summit to our advantage. The whole world will be watching. KELLY Iím not interested in the whole world, Henry... Iím interested in America. Let the rest of the world deal with mutants their own way. GUYRICH Where to? Kelly rubs his eyes. KELLY Home. Guyrich leans to address the driver. GUYRICH Dulles Airport. LABORATORY DAY Medical monitors beep, keeping track of the vital signs of Logan, who lies in a bed in the middle of a medical lab. In the wall beside Loganís bed is a light board on which hang Loganís X rays. Loganís skeleton seems to be more the creation of a Deco architect than of nature. Streamlined, refined... almost manufactured. He is asleep, recovering. Jean Grey enters the lab. She walks over and examines the X rays, fascinated by their unique structure. She notices what appears to be an unusually complex network of bones in the forearm. Jean looks down and runs her fingers over the traces of three incisions on the backs of Loganís hands. Jeanís eye moves across his body. His rippling muscles. Jean uncaps an IV needle and moves to the middle of Loganís arm. We cannot help but notice a diamond ring on her left hand. Jean starts to put an IV in Loganís arm. Just as she is sticking the needle in his arm HE JOLTS VIOLENTLY. SNAP Loganís hand reaches up quickly, breaking the needle off in his arm. He grabs a startled Jean by the throat. He is out of bed. She is unable to speak, choked silent by his grip. He places his fist near her face. We see the three faint scars just above his knuckles. Hesitation. Logan looks at her for a moment. Taken by her beauty. Then he is on his feet. Jean is on the floor, gasping for breath. Logan realizes something is missing. He reaches to his chest and feels for the dog tag. Gone. He stifles a curse. LOGAN Where is it? He looks at Jean who recoils from him in terror. Logan thinks, then bolts. HALLWAY DAY Logan comes out into an empty hall. Strange. Deathly quiet. It is very sparse and modern, matching the lab we have just left. Logan runs and goes through the first door he comes to, to keep Jean from seeing where he has gone. READY ROOM DAY He looks around and sees he is in some sort of locker room. A row of lockers run along one side of the wall. And hanging from the other side in a row, are UNIFORMS, much like the ones Cyclops and Storm were wearing in the snow. He starts to rummage through the lockers, coming up with a shirt and pants that almost fit. A pair of sneakers as well. He hears the sound of approaching foot steps coming from the hallway. He spots another entrance on the far side of the room and, carrying his clothes, he staggers out, still in considerable pain. HANGER DAY Logan rushes through the door, looking behind to see if he has been seen. He closes the door and leans back to catch his breath... which stops momentarily as he looks around the massive hanger he has entered. The X Jet, the stealth plane we saw in Alaska, now sits parked and quiet. Logan walks to the plane and stops listening. We hear a strange THUMPING. He listens for a second. The sound picks up in speed and we realize that we are listening to the SOUNDS OF A BASKETBALL GAME coming from above. As Logan tries to digest this, the door that he had just come through begins to open, letting in a shaft of light. Logan looks around wildly for a moment, looking for a place to hide when BING. An elevator door opens in the wall of the hanger ten feet from where Logan now stands. He whips around and runs for it. There is a button marked ìG.î He presses it. HALLWAY DAY The elevator opens on a hallway that doesnít match the rooms we have already seen at all. It is plush and stately, the hallway of a great mansion. He hears a voice coming from a room. As he gets closer to it, we can begin to hear VOICE ... until the Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity. With that one act, history was changed. The Christians who were once prosecuted and fed to the lions, became accepted. Now the voice is clear as a bell, coming from a room with the door slightly ajar. CLASSROOM DAY Logan peeks in and sees in front of a chalk board, a massive blue furry creature called BEAST. Besides two arms and two legs, the only remotely human thing on his ape like face is a pair of wire spectacles. He addresses a class of kids between the ages of and . Besides the occasional physical alterations, there is an overall oddness to the group, giving way to the fact that in some way or another these are all mutants. BEAST So as their leaders went, so did follow the hearts and minds of the people of the Roman empire. Which made for some very happy Christians. Now he sees Logan standing in the door, looking back at him in mute shock. BEAST Can I help you? All the students turn to see Logan, standing in a hospital gown with a mean case of bed head. They start to giggle. Logan turns and heads down the hallway to the left. HALLWAY DAY Logan hears footsteps and quickly does a one eighty back down the hallway. He turns a corner, hugging the wall. He halts. A large oak door stands down the hall. He smells something, taking in a deep breath, his head cocking to the side listening. He turns and looks behind him. More foot steps. Someone is about to enter the hall. He turns again, ready to run the other way when he sees the SHADOWS of two more people coming from the other direction. Logan is trapped. He lunges for the large oak door and bursts through. XAVIERíS OFFICE DAY Logan shuts the door and leans his head back against it, exhausted. VOICE Good morning, Logan. Logan, still clutching his stolen clothes, opens his eyes and sees a man sitting behind a large mahogany desk PROFESSOR CHARLES XAVIER, an intense and intelligent man just to look at him. XAVIER Would you like some breakfast? Logan, who was prepared for anything but this, just stares. XAVIER Iím sorry, allow me to formally introduce myself I am Professor Charles Xavier. This is my school. LOGAN How do you know my name? Xavier taps the side of his head with his finger. XAVIER Youíre not the only one with gifts. When he speaks, his lips do not move. We realize Logan ìhearsî the voice in his head. In addition, the voice is accompanied by the FAMILIAR SOUND OF FOOT STEPS indicating that perhaps Xavier had herded Logan through the mansion with his mind. He does not like it. Xavier comes out from behind his desk. We see that he is in a MOTORED WHEELCHAIR. Realizing that he is safe for the moment, Logan begins putting on his stolen clothes. LOGAN What am I doing here? XAVIER I brought you here so that you would be safe from Magneto. LOGAN Who? XAVIER A very powerful mutant who for some reason has taken an interest in you. Iím not sure why, but until we find out, I must ask you to stay. Logan looks Xavier over. He is obviously a kind man who is offering his help. Logan is silent for a moment. LOGAN No thanks. Logan goes to the door. Xavier, disappointed, just watches him go. FRONT HALL DAY Logan sees a grand entrance with two huge oak doors and brightly polished steel knobs that scream ìexit.î He starts in that direction when the doors begin to open. A moment of traffic, laughing, chatter... then they are all gone. He gets to the doors and pushes them open. Bright white sunlight floods in, nearly blinding him. MANSION DAY The first thing he sees through the haze is wings GIANT WHITE, FEATHERY ANGEL WINGS. A young boy, no more than fourteen, has them sprouting from his back. He is stretching not only his limbs, but his unusual appendages in the morning breeze. Sensing something the boy turns, and sees this shambling ruin of a man in the doorway. Off Loganís expression, we hear the flapping of wings and see his awestruck face following the boy onto the sky. This only holds his attention for a moment. Logan looks across an expanse of grounds that house the Mansion. A high, wrought iron gate surrounds the entire property. He watches as several children play basketball across a large court. Logan shakes his head and is out the closing door. Xavier simply watches from his window. MANSION FRONT GATE DAY Logan heads for the gate. SHOOK Logan pops his claws. Suddenly, the gate slowly opens Inviting him to leave. He pauses, momentarily confused. He takes one long look back at the mansion. And then leaves. Stay for a moment. Watch him go. Then pan across a sign which reads PROFESSOR CHARLES XAVIERíS SCHOOL FOR THE GIFTED Westchester N.Y. PANNING slowly across the road to the thick woods on the other side of the street. SOMETHING MOVES in the trees, catching our eye. Someone is watching. It is Toad, camouflaged amidst the trees and branches. SKY DUSK A helicopter streaks across the sky. HELICOPTER DUSK Kelly sleeps fitfully in the large seat. A bump of turbulence. He wakes suddenly and looks out the window seeing the ocean below. Kelly looks out the window again and sees water. They are flying low. He looks at Guyrich, who sleeps as well. He wakes him. KELLY Where the hell are we? Guyrich looks out the window and looks at Kelly, puzzled. He stands and goes to the door to the cabin of the helicopter. GUYRICH Pilot? No answer. Guyrich tries to open the door. Itís locked. GUYRICH Pilot? Kelly looks out the window now and sees the helicopter is closing in on an island where, is anyoneís guess. What is known is that the place is no pleasure resort. It is in fact some sort of refurbished island fortress, complete with turrets, built right into the side of the cliffs. ISLAND HELIPAD DUSK A clearing in the middle of a ring of trees at the base of a rocky rise. The helicopter touches down. THE PILOT, wrapped from head to toe in a flight suit and helmet, gets out and opens the side door, exposing Kelly and Guyrich to the intense wind of the rotors. They cover their eyes, cowering. KELLYíS Two figures come out of a hole in the mountain. One seems extremely larger than the other. Guyrich and Kelly step out. As they get closer he can make out Magneto and Sabretooth. KELLY Dear God... Dear... God. The Pilot removes his helmet to REVEAL Pyro, smiling. KELLY What the hell is this? Kelly is utterly confused. As Magneto nears, Guyrich steps forward to greet him, putting arms around Magnetoís neck and kissing him deeply. Then Magneto looks deep and lovingly into Guyrichís eyes. And with that GUY SHAPE SHIFTS into a beautiful woman who herefore will be known as MYSTIQUE. Her body is covered in iridescent blue scales, which complement her lovely, solid yellow eyes. Kelly, of course, is shocked. Mystique shows a little hip, raising the scales at her mid section mockingly, as the last of what we thought was Guyrich slips underneath. KELLY You... wha... Who are you... Where is Henry? MAGNETO Mr. Guyrich has been dead for some time Senator. KELLY You mutant bastards... Pyro grabs the Senator as he runs back for the helicopter in vain. KELLY Whatever you do to me... no matter what youíll make me right. Every word I have spoken will be confirmed. MAGNETO Gosh, I hope so. As Kelly struggles against all hope. KELLY People like you are the reason people like me exist. And with that, Mystique walks up. MYSTIQUE And people like you are the reason I was afraid to go to school as a child. With that, Mystique punches Kelly. Knocking him out cold. BLACK MACHINE ROOM MAGNETOíS LAIR NIGHT Kelly comes to. Magneto walks past him, holding Loganís dog tag. His thumb crushes one last time over the curious ìWolverine.î PULL OUT TO REVEAL Kelly is strapped to a metal chair, bound impossibly tight. He struggles. Mystique watches from the far side of the room. MAGNETO Are you a ìGod fearing man,î Senator? Kellyís reaction tells him he is certainly afraid of something right now. MAGNETO That term always confused me. As if there were something to fear. Kelly looks around wildly, terrified. MAGNETO God after all, is often defined as all forgiving. A description I rather like. I think what you really are afraid of... Magneto uses his mind to move Kellyís chair a little closer. Kelly nearly loses it. MAGNETO ...Is me and my kind. The Brotherhood of Mutants. He touches Kellyís face and Kelly recoils. MAGNETO And this law. Your mutant registration act is only the beginning. KELLY The intention of registration act  MAGNETO INTENTION? Intention, Senator? We are talking about mankind here. His fear. It is only a matter of time before mutants will be herded into camps. Studied for weaknesses. And eventually wiped off the face of the Earth. Kelly shakes his head. There is nothing he can say to sway this man. Magneto turns and admires his machine. MAGNETO Well, weíre much more giving than that. We simply want to share with you... To help you understand. KELLY What is it you intend to do to me? MAGNETO (smiling) Letís just say, God works too slowly. Magneto moves to the machine. MAGNETO Youíre a leader, Senator Kelly you set an example. And if more of you... were like more of us? Well, youíll see. Kelly watches as Magneto takes Loganís dog tag and places it atop a tube at the bottom of a large spire in the center of the room some thirty feet high. He walks toward the opposite side of the room and watches as the tag is raised to the top of the device, through the shaft. MAGNETO Donít fear God, Senator. And certainly most certainly... donít fear me. A beat. MAGNETO Not any more. MAGNETO raises his arms and a series of metal rings up from the machine platform that holds the dog tag. With a slight motion of his hand, the rings begin to spin slowly gaining in speed as Magneto controls it with his power. The air around it ripples, gaining in intensity. WAVES OF MAGNETIC ENERGY POURS from Magnetoís hands toward the machine. Now, Magneto has the rings spinning around the dog tag at such speed, the rings themselves are no longer visible merely a blur around the stationary tag. Magneto lowers his hands. The machine is now working on its own. Kellyís eyes grow wide with fear as the metal dog tag begins to glow. Dull at first... the brightly... too brightly. The deafening whine of the machine builds louder and louder. Suddenly SILENCE FIVE SECONDS OF ABSOLUTE SILENCE. The sphere vanishes, enveloped in a light so white, it defies description. But Iíll try A light that seems to ooze rather than radiate. A light that fills the room as it expands outward and engulfs everything in sight. It is liquid light. Creeping and unstoppable. From outside the room, Pyro and Sabretooth watch through the window. It comes through, first casting its shadows darkly against the wall, then erasing them as it swallows them as though they were never there. HALLWAY NIGHT From under a door, the light leaks in, filling the room. All through the lair, air vents, keyholes, drainpipes and the like, the liquid light fills the lair to the gills. MAGNETOíS LAIR NIGHT THROUGH THE TURRET ATOP THE LAIR, the light beams up into the night sky, shinning like a beacon for miles. Then the white light obscures all. Fueled by this tiny piece of metal, the light extends like an ever growing bubble, out and up over the ocean. PULL BACK FROM THE SMALL ISLAND The bubble of white light is easily five miles across. MACHINE ROOM NIGHT Kelly grits his teeth, barely visible in the whiteness. Then it is gone. He hangs his head in exhaustion. Magneto himself is a bit overwhelmed. He looks at his own skin no apparent change. He shakes his head, blinks his eyes. Sabretooth and Pyro are also a bit struck by the display and they also seem a bit dazed. Magneto walks over and reaches into the still steaming metal device. His hand comes out holding the dog tag actually its remains. A frazzled, blackened wire, warped and spent. Nothing more. And this turns to dust in his fingers. Magneto has amazed even himself this time. The silence is shattered by a phone ringing. Sabretooth picks it up. He listens, then hands the phone to Magneto. SABRETOOTH Weíve found him. Magneto puts the phone to his ear. He smiles. MAGNETO Where? ANGLE on Kelly, his skin glistening slightly, almost luminescent. Pinker (healthier?) then it was when he came in. KELLY Oh... Oh God... what have you done to me? Magneto hangs up the phone. He crosses to Kelly, leans in and whispers in his ear. MAGNETO Welcome to the future... brother. Magneto stands, looks at his machine, then back at Kelly. MAGNETO Now if youíll excuse me... I have a train to catch. TRAIN NIGHT The silver Amtrack moves speedily through the dark countryside. TRAIN NIGHT A CONDUCTOR makes his way through a half filled car of commuters taking tickets. He passes a restroom and exits the car. He takes a seat. Logan emerges from the restroom, having avoided paying his fare. A few seats in front of him, in a grouping of seats that face one another, sit four large guys, early twenties Theyíre the guys from your college named Brad that used to get drunk and try to drown freshmen in the toilets. Weíll call them BRADS , , , and . They are drinking from beer cans in paper bags. Across the aisle from them sits a lone oddly pretty twenty year old girl. Her name is ROGUE a dark eyed and somewhat distant creature. From the shawl around her head to her boots, layers of odd clothing wrap every inch of her body, except her face and hands. She looks worn, it is the face of a runaway. Next to her, a dirty duffle bag. The Brads are staring at Rogue, making lewd comments about her. They have obviously been drinking for awhile. BRAD Hey. Rogue looks at him, then quickly looks away. BRAD Hey... Hey Iím talking to you. The Brads laugh amongst themselves at her reaction. BRAD (looking at her duffle bag) Where are you going? BRAD Awww... look guys sheís shy. BRAD Maybe thatís why sheís alone. Is that why youíre alone? Brad , who is closest to Rogue, leans toward her. BRAD Iíll keep you company. Rogue is silent and turns her back on him, trying to ignore him. BRAD Hey... Iím talking to you. Rogue continues to ignore him. This gets Brad angry. The other Brads watch his failure and laugh. BRAD (louder) I said Iím talking to you! Logan, his ears picking up everything. Rogue looks down trying not to look at them. Brad will not be ignored. He reaches out to the one place which is not covered by clothing that he can reach  Rogueís hand lying at her side. BRAD (louder still) I said...! He grabs her hand. Suddenly, Brad ís eyes open wide as if heís in shock, an instant later, he COLLAPSES. Rogue reels back. Bradís , , and stand up, they are angry. BRAD Hey, what did you do? ROGUE Donít touch me. Rogue stands, frightened and confused. Brad blocks her in. BRAD Hey Brad, sheís a mutant! Rogue moves to get away, but Brad shoves Rogue. Rogue falls to the floor of the train, right next to Loganís feet. Brad moves toward her. Suddenly, Logan steps in front of Brad . LOGAN How about you sit down and leave the kid alone, alright? BRAD Sheís a mutant. LOGAN Yeah, well, nobodyís perfect. Rogue, she gets up and huddles toward the rear of the train. BRAD (who is considerably larger than Logan) I think you should take a seat little fella. He shoves Logan backward. Logan gathers himself. Brad is very weak but regaining consciousness. Brads and stand to back their friend against Logan. Itís now three against one. All the passengers are watching LOGAN Listen I donít want any trouble. BRAD Well you got trouble. Brad slams his fist into Loganís stomach. Logan grabs the manís fist and lifts him up and over, slamming him into the train floor. Brad grabs a commuterís briefcase and smashes it on Loganís head. Bursting open, its contents fly everywhere. Logan turns. Brad stares wide eyed as the gash on Loganís head starts to heal. Suddenly, Brad is up. He grabs Logan around the neck from behind. He holds Logan in his head lock while Brad and start punching him in the stomach and face. Logan is taking quite a beating and naturally the entire train of people are doing nothing. Loganís eyes, his pupils are getting smaller. His brow furrows like a wolf. A low guttural GROWL. Suddenly rage PRIMAL RAGE Loganís feet kick out, his left foot strikes Brad in the face knocking him backward, while his right foot hooks around Brad ís head dragging him forward. With his left hand Logan grabs Brad by the throat, squeezing the esophagus. Brad is paralyzed. His eyes roll up as the oxygen is cut off. Brad collapses. Brad running out of the car with the other passengers. A TRANSIT COP pushes past the fleeing passengers, into the car. Brad still bear hugs Logan from behind. Logan reaches pushing his knuckles against Brad ís leg. Suddenly SHOOK the sound of metal extending. Brad howls in pain. SHOOK the sound of metal retracting. Brad releases Logan and stares down at three punctured holes in his leg. Logan wheels around, kicks him to the floor, and punches him. All eyes in the train are on Logan, as he raises his fist. SHOOK Logan extends his claws. Logan is at the peak of his rage. The passengers stare in disbelief. Even Rogue is astonished. TRANSIT COP Freeze... transit police. Drop your weapon. Logan pauses, only for a second. Brad is wailing for his life. But rage has taken over. Logan raises his blades to finish what he started. Suddenly, THE TRAIN LURCHES VIOLENTLY. Logan goes flying backward. TRAIN NIGHT The train has been brought to a sudden stop but the wheels are still turning. Finally, they are shut down. TRAIN CAR NIGHT The lights are out. Everyone gathers themselves. Then comes a low grinding creak. The sound of metal bending. Rivets popping. TRAIN NIGHT Like the top of a sardine can, the entire side wall of the train car is peeled off. Revealing the terrified passengers inside and Magneto, Sabretooth, Mystique Toad and Pyro on the outside. With a final thrust, the air RIPPLES and Magneto tosses the car wall to the side. Passengers from the other cars stare wide eyed out their windows. The train has stopped at a railroad crossing, the gates are down. MAGNETO You can come out now, Logan. Youíre among friends. The transit cop rises to his feet, brandishing his pistol. TRANSIT COP Freeze! With a turn of his finger, Magneto draws the pistol to him. The cop holds tight and is yanked off the train, onto the ground. With another twist of his hand, Magneto makes the gun leap from the copís grasp and HOVER, pointing at the copís head. MAGNETO You Homo Sapiens and your guns. The gun cocks. XAVIER Thatís enough, Max! All turn to see Xavier, seated in his wheelchair flanked by Cyclops, Jean and Storm. All, save Xavier, are in uniform. THUNDER RUMBLES ACROSS THE SKY Storm, a GUST OF WIND. MAGNETO Iíll never understand your regard for them, Charles. XAVIER And Iíll never understand terrorists. MAGNETO I am trying to save our kind, Charles. You should do the same. XAVIER Not at the cost of lives, Max. Xavierís metal chair is gripped by magnetic forces. It shakes and begins to inch towards Magneto. MAGNETO Magneto. The chair is pulled closer to Magneto. Cyclops steps forward. Xavier need not turn to know help is coming. Magneto sees and respects Cyclopsís power. The chair stops moving. XAVIER (to Cyclops) Itís alright... itís alright. Magneto glances at Storm, then Cyclops. MAGNETO The two in Alaska. Just how do you people manage to be in the right place at the right time? Still tinkering with Cerebro? XAVIER (referring to Logan) What do you want with him? Magneto smiles now, tapping his METAL HELMET. MAGNETO Canít read my mind? Xavierís expression falters. It appears as if the helmet has been made to block Xavier from doing just that. MAGNETO Iíll tell you something, Charles, we are more alike now than we were when we started. XAVIER Is that so? MAGNETO Still trying to make the world safe for our kind. Still trying to find a way to introduce ourselves definitively. XAVIER You definition of definitive was always a bit extreme for me, Max. What is it like these days? MAGNETO Letís just say that I am out to make some radical changes. Now come on Charles. For old times sake, for your sake... Leave him to me. Logan slowly rises from the huddled passengers. Sabretooth fighting the urge to move on him. Logan glares back at Sabretooth. MAGNETO Ahh... there you are brother. I believe you possess something I am very much in need of. Just then, SABRETOOTH ROARS UNCONTROLLABLY and punches Toad in the stomach, doubling him over. Oddly Toad is laughing. He stands upright. TOAD Do it again. Another roar and another punch. Toad is crying and laughing at the same time. TOAD Oh God it hurts. Do it again. Magneto watches this, momentarily stunned. Suddenly, Pyro grabs hold of his face. PYRO IíM BLIND. And Mystique MORPHS into a small child and begins tugging at Magnetoís pant leg. MYSTIQUE I have to go to the bathroom. Magneto looks at the cause of it all XAVIER, HIS EYES CONCENTRATING, HAS ALL OF MAGNETOíS MINIONS UNDER HIS PSYCHIC CONTROL. Cyclops cannot help laughing. Storm and Jean smile. Magneto is furious. MAGNETO If I could make you understand. If you could just be made to see it the way I do. The way itís going to be. XAVIER The way what is going to be? MAGNETO Iím going to change the world with or without you as a witness, Charles. (Points to Logan) And this one gets a front row seat. XAVIER What do you mean to do? And Magneto steps back a little further. His oddly behaving consorts follow. MAGNETO This checkmate goes to you. I didnít want to hurt anyone. But you leave me no choice. XAVIER WHAT DO YOU MEAN TO DO? Sabretooth and Toad walk away, still with the punching and asking to be punched. Magneto takes the little girl/Mystique by the hand and the blind Pyro by the arm and leads them away, humiliated, to their waiting helicopter. Xavier turns back to Logan, still standing in the train car, amidst all the huddled passengers. Suddenly, all the passengers except Rogue lay on the floor and seats and go to sleep. A few of them even snore. XAVIER Now will you come back with us? A look crosses Loganís face. Uncomfortable. LOGAN Look, I appreciate your concern. But, I do better on my own. Xavier indicates the wreckage of the train. XAVIER You got less than sixty miles today. Iíll make you a deal. Two days. If we havenít figured out what Magneto wants with you by then... Iíll bring you back myself. Logan looks up at Xavier suspiciously, hating that he is making sense. Xavier moves closer. Logan looks over at Rogue, covered in her layers of clothes. Storm is helping her off the train, yet taking care not to touch her skin. LOGAN What are you going to do with her? Xavier looks to Rogue. A warmth comes over his face. An look of understanding. At a glance he has read her mind. He knows her pain her struggle. Rogue looks to Xavier. Their eyes meet. XAVIER Rogue is a beautiful girl, with an extraordinary power. One that even her own family isnít able to accept. Sheís been on her own for weeks now, searching for a home. A place to belong. Xavier turns to Logan. XAVIER Weíre going to give her that. Logan looks at rogue, contemplating this. Then to Xavier. LOGAN Forty eight hours, old man. But if you cross me, I wonít feel any guilt about what I do to you. XAVIER Deal. Logan eyes the rest of the gang until he settles his gaze on Jean. He offers a faint seductive smile. This is not lost on Cyclops. MAGNETOíS LAIR CELL LATER NIGHT A cell with bars, but no visible door. Kelly is hunched over his toilet, heaving. His suit is rumpled and dirty, showing signs that time has passed. There is a television just outside the door We see SEVERAL NEWS HELICOPTERS circling a platform built against the backdrop of the main entrance to Ellis Island. We see massive security measures, the likes of which have never been attempted, being prepared. (Voice plays over the rest of the scene) NEWSCASTER (V.O.) Is there such a thing as too much security? A possible complication adding to the United Nations Anniversary is the sheer number of security personnel for what will be the largest single summit in the history of the planet. He walks towards the cell and tries to look down the hall, pressing his face to the bars. NEWSCASTER (V.O. CONTíD) While the Secret Service has never had difficulty handling one or even several world leaders, it has never had to handle the daunting task of watching over all of them. It is only then that he hears a slight crack and his head squeezes between the bars like a soft shelled egg. He gasps in pain, but more from shock. He pulls his head back with some difficulty and POP, it squeezes right back through. KELLY What have you bastards done to me? Kelly is horrified. Disgusted. He paces the cell, unable to comprehend what has happened to himself. It is only when he hears the sound of a HELICOPTER IN THE DISTANCE that he reacts. He starts to panic, then collects himself. Then he goes over to the bars again. He pauses, afraid... then He pops his head through again. He turns his shoulder toward the bars and begins to push. His feet slip in the floor and his fingers stretch and crack inside, then his ribs begin to pop one by one with the brittleness of undercooked spaghetti. It is agonizing, but Kelly finally manages to pull his horribly altered body through the bars. HALLWAY NIGHT Kellyís whole chest and pelvis are slightly flattened beneath his clothes, but with a hideous crunching sound, they seem to inflate again back to normal. Kelly looks at his body with a mixture of fascination and disgust. VOICE HEY. Kelly turns and screams. Blob has just walked into the room and lunges, grabbing him by the arms. Kelly is enveloped in this fat, hulking mass. He manages to keep one hand free and all he can do is push it against Blobís face. It is futile. Until... Steam begins to come off Blobís face. And Blob SCREAMS IN PAIN. HELIPAD NIGHT Senator Kellyís helicopter, which has obviously been pilfered for Magnetoís use, lands. Magneto, Sabretooth, Pyro, Mystique (no Toad) all climb out, having returned from their ill fated attempt to get Logan. HALLWAY ELSEWHERE NIGHT Kelly peers down the hall where we first went on our way to meet Magneto. Kelly, with only that way to go, does so, passing once again the odd assortment of machines, very reminiscent of the one he was exposed to. He hears voices coming toward him and he looks around wildly, wondering what to do. Shadows foretell the arrival of the brotherhood headed this way. Kelly turns to run back from where he cam from. HALLWAY ELSEWHERE NIGHT Magneto and Sabretooth come walking from the other end of the hall and pass the very spot where we just saw Kelly. No sign of him. CELL NIGHT From which Kelly has escaped. The bars bend to make room for Magneto as he walks into the room. MAGNETO How are we feeling today, Senator? Advanced, I hope... But he freezes when he actually enters the room. First, he sees that Blob is laying on the floor with a purple, welt like hand print across his face. It is blistered and hideous. Blob is gasping for air. Magneto looks and sees the cell is empty. He looks at Sabretooth. MAGNETO I want him alive. SABRETOOTH Iíll find him. MAGNETO ALIVE. And Sabretooth bolts back from where they came. MAGNETOíS LAIR NIGHT Kelly hits the fresh air, looking around wildly. He runs for the edge of a cliff high over the ocean. He raises his hands, we see his palms are covered with those wicked spines and they are dripping a venomous fluid not too different in color from the wound on Blobís face. But then suddenly, something is wrong. Kelly buckles, clutching his stomach again. He squelches what would have been a scream of agony. He looks at his palms and the spikes are gone. Kelly hears footsteps. Suddenly out of the darkness Sabretooth barrels toward him. Kelly turns and LEAPS. Sabretooth comes to the edge of the cliff. When he looks over, Kellyís body has vanished. Swallowed by the sea. Only his clothes remain on the rocks below. LOGANíS ROOM NIGHT Jean shows Logan the simple dorm cube with a bed and a small desk. Jean opens the door for Logan and he inspects the sparse surroundings grimly. Cyclops stands just outside the door eavesdropping. JEAN Anything else I can get you? LOGAN Some cigars. Case of beer. JEAN Thereís no smoking or drinking on the school grounds. LOGAN I wonít light the cigars how about that? JEAN Iíll see what I can do You should get some sleep. Even with your healing ability, youíre going to be hurting for a while. LOGAN What if I like the pain? Jean doesnít know what to make of that. She is about to leave, then pauses. JEAN The Professor said you were a solider. Actually, I believe he used the word mercenary. LOGAN Yeah? Well I donít like to talk about my past. JEAN Maybe, the Professor could help you with that. LOGAN By reading my thoughts? JEAN If necessary. LOGAN (smirks) What if theyíre naughty? Jean smiles politely at his knowing glance. JEAN Get some shut eye, slick. She shuts the door. HALLWAY NIGHT Jean hesitates at the door, thinking. Smiling. She turns and only then does she realize Cyclops is standing there. She is startled. JEAN Scott.. I  CYCLOPS I donít like him being here. JEAN What are you talking about? CYCLOPS You saw what happened tonight. You think Magneto wonít come after him again. You think he wonít come here if necessary. This is a school, for Godís sake. JEAN If Magneto is planning to use Logan for some terrible purpose itís our responsibility to do something. Cyclops shakes his head. JEAN Whatís wrong? Thereís something else bothering you. Cyclops gets closer to Jean. She puts her hand on his chest. CYCLOPS I have a bad feeling about this. Jean leans in slowly and kisses Cyclops just beside his mouth JEAN You know I love you, Scott. Cyclops pulls her close. The hold each other. LOGANíS ROOM NIGHT Loganís ear. His super sensitive hearing has picked up the whole conversation. Logan looks over on the bed and sees a new sketchbook and several pencils. A small note is attached.I hope you donít mind. I understand this helps you relax.  X Logan shakes his head. XAVIERíS OFFICE LATER NIGHT A white light board. Beastís blue furry hand slides a long, full body x ray in place. Beast is showing Loganís x rays to Cyclops, Storm, Jean and Xavier. BEAST Adamantium. Until today I thought it to be a myth. Impenetrable, unbendable, resistant to the most extreme heat, cold, indestructible. Beast points to the x ray. BEAST (CONT'D) Itís been grafted to his entire skeleton. XAVIER He also has accelerated healing abilities uncharted regenerative capability, making his age impossible to determine. He could very well be older than I am. STORM Is the Adamantium part of his mutation? XAVIER No. Someone put it there, relying on his healing abilities to keep him alive. CYCLOPS What do you think Magneto wants with him? Xavier wheels himself to the window, starring out, deep in thought. XAVIER Iím not entirely sure itís ìhimî that Magneto wants. X ray of Loganís Adamantium skeleton. MANSION NIGHT Rogue. The waifish young thing who hides so well in the shadows seems more comfortable to be moving through the mansion at night. She passes through the halls and rooms not making a sound in her strangely swathed body suit. LOGANíS ROOM NIGHT She creaks a door open slowly, letting a shaft of dim light slice the darkness. The light shines across a nightstand. Rogue stares down at the notepad, a sketch it. It is of an animal, small but fierce a wolverine. She walks in to a figure laying in the bed and stands over him. Over Logan. He lays under a single sheet, sweating, his eyes moving quickly this way and that in R.E.M. His hands twitch. Rogue leans closer. PUSH IN ON LOGANíS EYES AS THEY MOVE UNDER THE LIDS. FLASH DREAM SEQUENCE MILITARY LAB THE PAST NIGHT Like none we have ever seen thus far. In fact, judging by most of the instruments here, we are looking at a laboratory some fifty years old. Logan looks down and we can see his body, naked, strapped to a table. A hand puts a mask over his mouth and BLACK He awakens STILL LOGANíS He struggles weakly with restraints as doctors in lab coats and thick, red rubber gloves stand over him taking notes, paying very little attention to him at all. On the other side of the room is a huge vat filled with some kind of molten metal. At the base of the vat is a giant electromagnet generating a huge gyroscope which created enormous friction energy the apparent source of the intense heat for melting the metal in the vat. AGAIN THE MASK PUTS HIM UNDER AND BLACK Awake again, but this time sinking into water restrained completely now. Logan looks down and gets only a glance of his body, seeing that he is a series of incisions from head to toe literally split open the flesh held back with hundreds of clamps. HE SINKS INTO THE STRANGE LIQUID LIKE WATER BUT THICK AND VISCOUS. And the sound of a DROWNING SCREAM. AND THE METAL IS POURED IN AFTER HIM. THE SOUND OF MOLTEN METAL HITTING LIQUID IS UNNERVING. Mixed with screams, it is unbearable. LOGANíS ROOM NIGHT SCREAMING Loganís screaming as he comes to. Loganís eyes FLASH OPEN. He looks up and sees a figure looming over him. In a flash he reacts. THUD. Nothing more. Then silence. The door bursts open and Cyclops stands in the doorway shocked. Frozen. Jean is next and finally Storm. They can only stare. Logan sits upright in bed, CLAWS EXTENDED, INTO ROGUEíS CHEST. She is literally frozen at the end of his arm. Finally, Cyclops breaks the silence and moves to grab her. STORM DONíT TOUCH HER. Cyclops freezes. Logan finally pulls his claws free and retracts them. Rogue staggers, she pitches forward and touches his face gently with her hands, as though she would like him to be the last thing she sees on this Earth. Logan and Rogue, locked in a fatal moment of tenderness snaring a look of loneliness that only they can understand. But suddenly, Logan seems to change. And before he can say another word, he begins to tremble, then he starts to howl in pain. Rogue SNAPS BACK, mouth open in a gaping, silent scream. What sound comes out does not match the expression at all. Merely a gasp, like steam escaping. Through the huge slash in her clothes, we see the wound on her chest slowly vanish. Before long, she transforms back into a healthy young girl with no sign of injury. Then, her escaping breath begins to accelerate, much in the way Loganís did too much like Loganís did. It is as if she has taken in his trait of berserker rage. Soon she is smashing things all around her. One hand rakes the wallpaper like claws. Finally, she gets a hold of herself, becoming the introverted Rogue we all know so well. Then she stands slowly, looks at the others. And she runs from the room. Storm runs after her. The rest turn to Logan, who lays on the floor, convulsing. Jean goes to help him. She looks back at Cyclops. His expression makes it clear that his worst fears about Logan have come to pass. PUBLIC BEACH DAY A familiar scene of suburban escapism. Crowded enough that most people can move about unnoticed. In fact, most people do not notice the very large jellyfish shooting through the water at remarkable speed. And only a few notice the COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT MAN emerging from the water. It is Senator Kelly, and he resembles in many ways a jellyfish. His skin and innards are clear and gooey. It is only when he comes completely and naked out of the water that he returns to somewhat normal. He walks up to the beach and people recoil from the very sight of him. Pointing, whispering. Then just laughing at the naked man. Kelly grabs a towel off an empty chair, a Hawaiian shirt off another. Suddenly, he buckles, grabbing his stomach and lurching away in terrible pain. He barely pauses when he hears a childís voice in semi whisper CHILDíS VOICE Mom, is that a mutant? HALLWAY DUSK Storm and Logan walk down the hall. Logan is wearing sweats. He has obviously just woken up. The sun is low in the horizon and the hall is suffused with an orange glow. Students pass by them. By now, the students have heard rumors about what happened the night before. They watch Logan fearfully as they pass by him. LOGAN Why is everybody up at sunrise? STORM The sun is setting, Logan. Youíve been asleep for nineteen hours. LOGAN What did she do to me? STORM She borrowed your power to save her life. When she touches someone, she absorbs their strengths their gifts. In your case your ability to heal. Thatís why she keeps her body covered. LOGAN I felt like she almost killed me. STORM If she held on any longer she could have. LOGAN And you think it helps calling her Rogue? Storm shakes her head, but remains patient. STORM Weíve learned to embrace what we are rather than hide it like an affliction. For some, it has become their identity. You mock the names these people choose but they wear them as badges of pride. They arrive at the door to the gym. LOGAN Inspiring Now what am I doing here? CYCLOPS I wanted to talk to you. Logan turns and sees Cyclops. CYCLOPS Storm, would you excuse us please? STORM Of course. She exits. CYCLOPS Letís take a walk. Cyclops begins to walk away in the other direction. Logan just watches him go. After a moment, he decides it might be more interesting to see where this is going. He follows. They walk across the hall to GYMNASIUM NIGHT On first glance, the gym looks really average. A fairly standard boxing ring in the middle. A fairly standard weight set nearby. Then you notice the weights themselves are abnormally large. . . . pounds. All the way up to . And that is just one stack. Cyclops enters first with Logan coming in behind him. CYCLOPS How long have you been in Alaska? LOGAN I donít remember. Is that what you wanted to ask me? Logan is barely through the door when Cyclops whips around on Logan and thumps his finger into his chest. CYCLOPS I just wanted to make you clear on something. Personally, I donít care what Magneto wants with you. He can take those claws of yours and use them for Barbecue skewers. What I do care about is the safety of this group. The Professor is in charge, and after the Professor, thereís me. So, for the remainder of your time here, youíre going to keep that killer instinct of yours locked down so no one else gets hurt. Beat. LOGAN (smirks) Iíve served with men like you before. Methodical. Systematic Naive. You know what happens to those men in a real fight? CYCLOPS You know, you LOGAN Shut up. I got no interest in you, Xavier, (he points mockingly at the Xís on Cyclopsí uniform) or your... X Men. Logan takes him in for a moment. LOGAN And I donít think this has anything to do with my ìkiller instinct.î You just donít like the way Iím looking at your girl Or maybe you donít like the way sheís looking back. And maybe you think youíre man enough to do something about it. Cyclops is enraged. A red light begins to glow around the edge of his visor and the ruby quartz lens brightens. We can faintly hear the low hum of immense power that is now barely contained. Before Cyclops can even react, Logan puts his fist against Cyclopsí throat. SHOOK! Logan extends one claw up one side of Cyclopsí neck. He smiles. LOGAN Címon sport. You think you can blow the meat off my bones before I gut you? Letís find out. The air is now charged with tension. The two men are about to attack when XAVIER Cyclops! Logan whirls and sees Xavier regarding them sternly. Logan turns his building anger on Xavier. LOGAN I have a question for you, Chuck. Whatís the point? Xavier sits calmly as Logan, claws still extended, marches over to him. XAVIER The point of what? LOGAN This. This whole God damn thing. (derisively, at Cyclops) Making yourselves into some sort of ìteamî of super powered freaks. Teaching wayward mutants about classical literature. For what? Logan continues to advance on Xavier. Cyclops moves to stop Logan, but Xavier waves him off. XAVIER The point is to step into a more evolved position of social responsibility. To recognize that there is a world out there and that we mutants are as much a part of it as normal human beings. LOGAN What if it never happens? What if theyíre so afraid of us that we become the enemy? This place is gonna be one giant cemetery. Xavier has heard this argument before. XAVIER Now thatís Magneto talking. LOGAN No. Thatís me talking. And you know what? Itís only been thirty two hours and you still have no idea what this guy wants with me.XAVIER I believe he wants you for your Adamantium. Logan raises his hand to his chest grasping for something that no longer hangs from his neck. XAVIER Youíre thinking of your dog tag. It was made of Adamantium wasnít it? JEAN Professor. Logan turns and sees Jean walking towards them. XAVIER What is it? JEAN Rogueís missing. Logan looks at Jean with concern. CORRIDOR NIGHT A long, dark subterranean corridor with gleaming walls and floor. Well lit and strangely echoless. Logan follows Xavier, who are in turn followed by Storm, Cyclops and Jean to a thick steel door at the end of the hall. LOGAN Where are we going? XAVIER To find Rogue. LOGAN How? XAVIER The brainwaves of mutants are quite different than those of the average human being. At Xavierís eye level is a black screen with a chin rest like you see at the eye doctor. Xavier rests his head in it and the screen lights up. XAVIER Cerebro amplifies my power. It allows me to browse the worldís consciousness and find the genetically enhanced. A vertical beam scans across his eye and a picture of Xavierís retina appears on the screen next to a computerized image of the same. The two images overlap and match perfectly. XAVIER This is how I found you. A small beep and a loud KNOCK of tumblers rolling and the vault door opens. They walk inside. CEREBRO CONTINUOUS NIGHT They come into a room with a high sphered ceiling entirely black. In the center of the room is a huge for lack of a better term device. Part computer, part super structure, it is the sort of precision tangle of metal and wire that would make Da Vinci weep. It has a space in the bottom that seems to fit Xavier and his chair perfectly. Suspended above its center a web of wires, tubes, and cables all connecting to the heart of the device a CHROME SKULLCAP. Logan slowly circles the device. Logan looks at Xavier, perhaps even a little impressed. LOGAN You designed this yourself? XAVIER Actually, Magneto helped me put it together. LOGAN He helped you? XAVIER We were friends once... But that was a long time ago. Jean, Logan, Cyclops and Storm watch as Xavier fits his wheelchair into the huge machine, and the chrome skull cap lowers onto the Professorís head, fitting like a second skin. It comes to life. What was dark and menacing is now a brilliant explosion of colored lights. CLOSE UP ON XAVIER into and through his eyes and SPACE NIGHT Closing in rapidly on the planet Earth. Passing into its atmosphere, making a few orbits, all the while hearing the deafening voices of billions. Every country, every city, every town, berg, hamlet and village. Every language. Every thought. The voices descend to a sizeable crowd of millions, then thousands, gradually working their way to one. SKY OVER WESTCHESTER NIGHT Down a tree lined road and around a corner into a parking lot. Single out a figure that by the clothes can only be Rogue. Close in faster and faster, lower and lower until we go right through the back of her head to BLACK SILENCE ROGUE I donít belong... I donít belong... Iím sorry... so sorry... thereís nowhere... CEREBRO NIGHT Xavierís eyes open. XAVIER Iíve found her, Westchester Mall. LOGAN Iíll go. CYCLOPS No... Iíll go. Logan looks over to Jean. LOGAN O.K. sport... you go. WESTCHESTER MALL NIGHT A mother and child wander in a typical shopping daze. PULL OUT TO REVEAL Crowds of shoppers mill about, a typical crowded evening at the mall. Rogue comes up the escalator, wandering through them all. She walks under a high sphered glass ceiling, revealing the night sky outside. She walks over to a Victoriaís Secret store and looks up at the mannequins in the windows who wear almost nothing at all. Quite a contrast from her own, stifling garb. She touches the glass as though trying to reach them, then she moves on. ROGUEíS She looks all around the mall at the many oblivious people here. Children playing tag on one side. A young couple holding hands. Human contact all around. She walks past a small child, her hand nearly brushing the girlís hair. Rogue takes a seat on a bench, alone. A figure comes into frame. STORM Rogue. Rogue looks up and sees Storm standing right in front of her. Her eyes dart around, looking for a way out. STORM You donít have to run. Finally, Rogue surrenders. ROGUE Iím sorry. Iím not like the rest of you Iím tired of hurting people. She starts to cry now. STORM Itís okay. ROGUE Why did I have to be like this? What purpose does it serve? And when Rogue looks up, she sees another figure this one filling the frame behind Storm. A huge clawed hand grabs Storm around the throat and lifts her up as she struggles in vain. MALL LOWER LEVEL NIGHT Cyclops looks up and sees Storm is being CHOKED BY SABRETOOTH, her feet not touching the ground. Rogue is frozen with fear. He tries to get a shot with his visor, but too many people are in the way. MALL UPPER LEVEL NIGHT Sabretooth smiles as Storm struggles to turn. He whispers in her ear. SABRETOOTH Scream for me. CLOSE UP ON STORMíS EYES as the life is being squeezed out of her. XAVIERíS OFFICE NIGHT MIRROR SHOT OF XAVIERíS EYES Suddenly, Xavier touches his throat, then raises a shaking hand to his head. XAVIER Dear God. Xavier wheels himself from the room. MALL LOWER LEVEL NIGHT Cyclops has a clear shot now. His eyes start to glow brightly. Suddenly, a familiar movement on the pedestal behind him. Toad has been camouflaged the entire time. He comes down and FLICKS HIS LIZARD LIKE TONGUE, snatching the visor from Cyclopsí face. Deep red light far greater than anything we have ever seen before comes blasting out of cyclopsí eyes without any sort of control, as if a fire hydrant had been ripped from the ground. His head comes back and the light blows the whole of the glass ceiling to smithereens, bringing it down on panicking shoppers who scatter. Toad leaps to the second level and then again out of sight. MALL UPPER LEVEL NIGHT Sabretooth reacts, surprised by the sudden shift. This gives Storm one last chance to breath. We notice now that something is happening to her body. MALL LOWER LEVEL NIGHT Cyclops stumbles helpless, his eyes are shut to prevent further destruction. CYCLOPS GET OUT OF THE WAY. GET OUT OF THE WAY. MALL UPPER LEVEL NIGHT Storm, nearly lifeless now, struggles with what little strength she has to get free of Sabretooth. He relishes the slow kill. But suddenly ALL THE HAIR ON HIS BODY STANDS ON END. Sabretooth is momentarily confused. Stormís eyes open wide as her body convulses. BOOM A huge bolt of lightning shoot from her body into Sabretoothís chest, knocking him back in shock. Storm falls to the ground, not breathing. Sabretooth, stunned and scorched, gets to his feet and smiles at his handiwork. He is about to move in and finish them both when the rumble of a helicopter can be heard above. He looks up and sees SENATOR KELLYíS HELICOPTER passing over the hold in the roof. Sabretooth leaps up and pulls himself out of the opening. Toad is a leap behind. Rogue rushes to Storm, struggling with how to give her mouth to mouth, CPR, anything to resuscitate her without touching. She is starting to panic now. She looks around, but anyone still left in the mall is running for the doors. ROGUE SOMEONE HELP ME. SHEíS NOT BREATHING. MALL LOWER LEVEL NIGHT Cyclops stumbles blind and helpless, covering his eyes. He hears Rogue screaming. CYCLOPS ROGUE? ROGUE HELP ME. STORM ISNíT BREATHING. Cyclops tries to find a way up, but he trips over all the debris, helpless. CYCLOPS YOU HAVE TO COME AND GET ME. I CANíT SEE. STREETS NIGHT Xavier is in a specially designed car that enables him to drive solely with his hands. He races towards the mall. MALL UPPER LEVEL NIGHT Rogue is talking, walking backwards towards Storm, trying her best not to lay a hand on Cyclops. ROGUE Here, here, here... a little left. Careful. Cyclops drops to his knees, the sprinklers still gushing. His eyes are tightly shut. He feels for Stormís face and touches her lips. CYCLOPS Oh God. He immediately begins mouth to mouth, though it may have been too long. MALL NIGHT Xavier fights the rush of traffic people fleeing madly from the mall. As he pulls up to the front doors, he sees Cyclops emerging, carrying Storm. She is conscious, but her breathing is shallow. His eyes are shut tightly and he must follow Rogueís direction. Sirens wail in the distance. Xavier looks at the lot of them waifish Rogue, blind Cyclops, unconscious Storm and his wheelchair bound self as their guardian. XAVIER But why would they do this? Then a look of realization... MANSION MEANWHILE NIGHT Rogue hurries past several students. She runs up to the large front doors of the school, but they are locked. She looks around and then runs toward the side of the building. LABORATORY NIGHT Beast, continuing his research into Magnetoís plan, is analyzing the x rays of Loganís skeleton. Several books about metallurgy are scattered across the table. LOGANíS ROOM NIGHT Logan is sketching quietly. He chews a cigar, keeping it politely unlit. He hears something. He stands, goes to the door and opens it. He cocks his head... listening... smiling... We hear it too, sharing his ears. It is a woman breathing, groaning. He smiles and follows the noise. MANSION NIGHT Rogue climbs through a studentís open window. MANSION NIGHT She darts down a hallway and around a corner, looking around, staying low. GYMNASIUM NIGHT Jean is working out on an average sized set of free weights, sweating, pushing hard. Obviously the sound Logan heard. She is on her back doing presses. Suddenly, she looks up and sees Logan standing over. She is startled and starts to drop the bar. He catches it. LOGAN You should always work with a spotter. JEAN Heís busy right now. Logan cannot help but glance at her left hand, still clinging to the bar. The shimmering diamond on the third finger. LOGAN I was thinking maybe you and me could go into town. JEAN Were you now? LOGAN What do you say? JEAN Not interested. Logan shrugs, starts to take his hands away. Jean is not ready to take the weight of the bar. It almost comes down on her when he catches it again. JEAN Let go. LOGAN Suit yourself. And he does. And so does Jean at the same time. She gets up and faces Logan the bar simply hovers in mid air. Logan smiles. LABORATORY NIGHT Beast looks at his watch. Itís stopped. He puts it to his ear shakes it. Then his ears perk up. He hears something. He glances at the wall. All things METAL picture frames, chairs, objects on tables, etc. start to move one after the other. It is as if some magnetic force is moving past the wall, just outside the lab, heading for the open door. Beast, sensing the danger, makes a run for the metal door. Just as he reaches it, it SLAMS closed knocking him back across the room. Beast CRASHES into the wall on the opposite side of the lab. His leg badly hurt, Beast tries to crawl toward the door. But as he does this, METAL OBJECTS from around the lab fly in front of it sealing him in. CORRIDOR NIGHT Rogue moves quietly down the corridor that leads to Cerebro. She comes to the retinal scanner she brings her eye to the screen. It lights up and scans her eye. A PICTURE OF XAVIERíS RETINA appears on the screen. A SINGLE WORD APPEARS ON THE SCREEN beneath it ACCESS DENIED The scanner scans again. ON ROGUEíS EYE Something is wrong. The eye not being scanned is a familiar yellow. It is Mystique. Her other eye changes in the light of the scanner. The retina reshaping itself in minute ways. The screen ACCESS GRANTED CHARLES XAVIER The door to Cerebro opens. Rogue or rather Mystique, rushes in. She goes to a small panel on the side of Cerebro. She opens it. She reaches in. SHE REMOVES A COMPUTER CHIP No more than three inches wide. HALLWAY NIGHT The black boots of a man, walk down a hallway, as students peer from their sleeping quarters, terrified. GYMNASIUM NIGHT Jean is casually wiping sweat from her brow. Loganís eyes possess a certain focus intent. LOGAN Heís uptight. JEAN He takes his work seriously. LOGAN He takes himself seriously. JEAN What is it youíre failing to get at? Are you interested in me? JEAN Iím just interested. Holding out her left hand. JEAN Logan, do you see this ring? LOGAN Iíve seen a lot of rings. JEAN Yeah, Iíll bet you have. Before he can reply, Rogue is standing in the doorway looking at them. JEAN Rogue, where have you been? ROGUE Logan. The Professor wants you to come with me right away. on Loganís nose. His nostrils flare... sensing... Logan squints the tiniest bit. We know he knows something is wrong, but he is hiding it. LOGAN (to Rogue) Hey Rogue, tell Jean what you were telling me last night. Rogue pauses. Confused. ROGUE The Professor Logan walks towards her. LOGAN You remember. About women. He moves closer. ROGUE Logan  LOGAN Whatever you say about them being the same... SHOOK. The claws are out. HE LUNGES. LOGAN No two women smell alike. He grabs Rogue by the throat. JEAN Logan, what are you doing? Jean, seeing Logan threaten Rogue with his claws for the second time, RAISES A VAULTING HORSE INTO THE AIR. LOGAN This ainít Rogue! He keeps his claws pointed at her face. ANGLE TIGHT Loganís left hand is wrapped around Rogueís throat but part of it is TOUCHING THE EXPOSED SKIN OF HER FACE WITH NO ILL EFFECTS. Jean realizes that Logan is right. ROGUE MORPHS INTO MYSTIQUE. MAGNETO Telekinesis. Jean spins around and sees MAGNETO. Without hesitation, the vaulting horse FLIES AT MAGNETO. Simultaneously, one of the thousand pound weights flies from the weight set and smashes the vaulting horse aside. MAGNETO Fascinating. What I wouldnít give for that. Alas, metal is all Iím good for. But it seems to serve me well enough. Jean is completely unaware of the huge set of lockers rising behind her. LOGAN Jean! WHAM. The lockers hit her in the back, sending her flying. Jean lies motionless on the floor, unconscious. The heavy lockers are floating above her, wavering between a few feet and a few inches. MAGNETO I do love a good check mate. LOGAN What do you want? MAGNETO Come with me and Iíll let her live. LOGAN You think I care about her? Iím the only one whoís sure to walk out of here. Pause. MAGNETO Then why donít you kill her. This catches Logan a little off guard. MAGNETO Go on. Kill her. You can do it quicker than I will. Maybe Iíll just cripple her. The lockers now stand upright, hovering over Jeanís knees. MAGNETO So do her the favor. Show her mercy. Logan thinks for a moment looks at Jean still unconscious on the floor. Then Logan retracts his claws. Mystique has morphed back into her natural state with the exception of ONE OF ROGUEíS POCKETS, which still clings to her hip. Mystique produces a large syringe from the pocket and sticks it in Loganís neck. Loganís legs weaken instantly. MAGNETO (to Mystique) Call the others and tell them we have what we came for. MANSION LATER NIGHT The fence that surrounds the property has been bent and buckled violently. MANSION HALLWAY NIGHT Xavier wheels down the hallway, pajama clad students are milling about the halls. Their faces showing that they are afraid to go back to their rooms. One GIRL, younger and smaller than the others, seems particularly upset. Xavier wheels over to her and gently touches the side of her face. XAVIER Itís going to be alright. She manages a faint smile. Then Xavier looks to the other students their frightened faces. LABORATORY LATER NIGHT Beast reclines in his lab chair, a splint on his leg. Jean stands with Cyclops who watches through a new visor. Rogue sits off to the side, bearing the guilt. While Storm, her neck badly bruised, stands near her. For the first time we have seen Charles Xavier is angry. STORM When Rogue left the mansion, they must have followed her. Xavier shuts his eyes furious. XAVIER Yes... they wanted me out of the way. If I had been here... I... Xavier opens his eyes and sees Rogue sitting on a chair in the corner. She is visibly upset. Xavier wheels over to Rogue. Xavier reaches out and softly touches her clothing covered shoulder. XAVIER This was not your fault. I knew there was a danger, I should have never left the school. And with that he turns his wheelchair to the door. XAVIER I am going to find Logan. Xavier leaves. CEREBRO NIGHT Xavier enters and wheels himself into the giant machine. It immediately comes to life lighting the room. The chrome skull cap descends onto Xavierís head. Xavier closes his eyes as the machine powers up. ON XAVIERíS EYES They fly open. And then a terrible noise. The sound of a well tuned machine suddenly going horribly wrong. Xavier is in terrible pain. His back arches and he falls from his chair onto the floor. He struggles to reach for a fire alarm on the wall. His fingers stretch until finally he pulls it. Warning bells wail. Xavier falls unconscious, convulsing. Cyclops and Jean as they burst into the room. LABORATORY LATER NIGHT Xavier lies asleep in a hospital bed. Several electrodes are taped to his head. A screen next to the bed monitors his erratic brain waves. Jean and the splinted Beast stare at the monitor following its rhythm. Storm and Rogue stand at the foot of the bed. They are each trying to hide their fear, and not doing a very good job of it. Cyclops looks on, the stress shows on his face. CYCLOPS Whatís wrong with him? JEAN His vital signs are weak and getting weaker. BEAST Iím in the process of running more tests. But it seems that every minute that goes by he gets weaker. All are silent. Rogue looks to Beast with desperate eyes. ROGUE Can you help him? BEAST I donít know. Xavier lies in bed, motionless. FRONT HALL DAY Two huge wooden front doors morning light shines through the jagged holes in the wood where the knobs had been pulled off. The antique steel knobs lay twisted and mangled on the floor. The small girl from last night kneels in front of the door with a dustpan, sweeping up the mess. Something catches her eye. She sits up and leans in closer to the jagged hole in the door. The little girl light from the hole washes over her face. Then suddenly the light is cut off, as if something is blocking the hole. DOLLY IN as the small girl steps back, a look of fascination comes across her face. As if she sees something coming through the hole. CEREBRO DAY Cyclops, Jean and Storm stand before the device. Beast rises awkwardly on his splinted leg, his back to the open control panel. BEAST Itís gone. The neuro filter, someone removed it. Jean stands. STORM What does that mean? BEAST The neuro filter acts like a surge protector, regulating the infinite flow of information from Cerebro to the Professorís mind. Itís what keeps him from being crushed by the consciousness of millions. Cyclops steps away, pondering Beastís words. He understands the ramifications the damage that has been done to Xavier. CYCLOPS Can the Professor repair his own mind? BEAST Iím afraid without Cerebroís help, he wonít have the strength to heal himself And without the neuro filter... thereís no Cerebro. Jean is noticeably upset. JEAN Heís already losing control of his vitals. Respiratory. Cardiovascular. Unless we manage to replace the filter by tomorrow morning, Iím afraid. CYCLOPS We have to find Magneto. He exits. Jean follows him. HALLWAY DAY Cyclops is standing, motionless. JEAN Are you all right? CYCLOPS No. Iím... I donít know if we can do this without Charles. Jean puts her hand lovingly to his face. Cyclops takes her hand. JEAN He put you in charge for a reason, Scott. She goes to kiss him. SMALL GIRL Dr. Grey?... The small girl stands alone in the hallway. SMALL GIRL Someone is here to see you. Jeanís eyes widen and around the corner steps Senator Kelly, wearing the clothing he had taken from the beach. He trembles as though from a high fever. His body is covered with a layer of sweat. KELLY Dr. Grey. JEAN Senator? CYCLOPS How did you get in here? KELLY Your front door was damaged... there was a hole... Kelly makes a hole with his hands that is not much larger then that of a coffee can. KELLY ... I squeezed through. Kelly buckles in pain, but then catches himself. Jean and Cyclops rush to help him. Beast crutches himself out to see whatís happening. Kelly notices Beast. KELLY What in Godís name are you? BEAST Iím Beast. KELLY Of course you are. LABORATORY LATER DAY Xavier is in bed, eyes closed. Rogue holds vigil at his side. Kelly is in the bed next to him, trembling, burning up from what seems to be a bad fever that keeps getting worse. Jean has a syringe in her hand and is swabbing some alcohol on Kellyís skin. KELLY Iím sorry to come here, Ms. Grey. I was afraid if I went to a hospital, they would... JEAN (interrupting) Treat you like a mutant? We are not what you think. Not all of us. KELLY Tell it to the ones that did this to me. Jean looks closer at his hands. JEAN I donít see these spikes youíre talking about. Iím going to give you an antibiotic for the Oh my God. Jean and Kelly both look as the cotton swab ignites like flash paper in her hand. Everyone is shocked. Jean pauses and takes the bottle of alcohol from the shelf. She pours a small amount on Kellyís arm and it instantly catches fire. LABORATORY LATER DAY Rogue is still sitting in a chair, next to Xavierís bed Xavierís opens his eyes. He looks at Rogue and smiles softly. XAVIER Hello, Rogue? Rogue almost jumps out of her chair with excitement. ROGUE Hold on, Iíll get the others. Rogue exits. Xavier slowly looks over to Kelly lying in the bed next to him. Both men are weak and getting weaker. XAVIER Senator... Kelly? KELLY Yes... Who are you? XAVIER I am Charles Xavier. This is my school. Kelly tries to speak, but his strength is waning. The two men are a pitiful sight, both slowly coming apart. XAVIER Can you tell me what happened to you? Kelly is in pain. Itís a struggle to speak. KELLY (weak, delirious) I was kidnapped... They killed GUYRICH... mutants... There was a light... a bright... light. Xavier turns to Kelly, looking deep into his eyes. He begins to PROBE KELLYíS MIND. VARIOUS FLASHBACK DAY/NIGHT FLASH The following is an audio visual collage of Kellyís perspective from throughout the film, coming back to us in a new order. THE CAGE OF SENATOR KELLY in Magnetoís lair. NOW HIS as seen by Xavier. Vision fades in and out in a sedated haze. He is laid out of a gurney. KELLY (V.O.) Whatever you do to me... no matter what youíll make me right. Every word I have spoken will be confirmed. He looks up and sees Mystique wheeling the gurney, smiling down at the Senator. MYSTIQUE (V.O.) And people like you are the reason I was afraid to go to school as a child. FLASH Kelly is looking around a large, sphered room. In the center is the MACHINE. JEAN (V.O.) The mutant gene tells the body when it needs to change. KELLY (V.O.) I can assure you, there is no such creature in my genes. FLASH The DOG TAG as it is elevated into the machine. JEAN (V.O.) In every organism on Earth there exits a mutator gene The X factor. The beginnings of another stage of evolution. SLOWLY BUILDING LIGHT, growing brighter and brighter. MAGNETO (V.O.) God works too slowly. Pull back as if the camera is pulling back through his eye, into his head A MICROSCOPEíS VIEW OF HIS CELLS, suddenly and violently disturbed. KELLY (V.O.) What have you bastards done to me? CHILDíS VOICE (V.O.) Mom, is that a mutant? Kellyís reflection in the metal of the sink in his prison. MAGNETO (V.O.) Youíre a leader Senator Kelly, you set an example... Blobís face, burned by Kellyís hands. Over the cliff. GUYRICH (V.O.) ... A Demonstration of some kind? The venomous spike emerging from Kellyís hands. MAGNETO (V.O.) Because if more of you... were like more of us... like more of us... GUYRICH (V.O.) ... the UN summit... the whole world will be watching. KELLY (V.O.) What is it you intend to do to me? The woman staring up at him on the beach. KELLY (V.O.) Oh... Oh God... what have you done to me? The boy on the beach. JARRING FLASH KELLY (V.O.) Dear God.... dear... God. NEWSCASTER (V.O.) ... the largest single summit in the history of the planet. JEAN (V.O.) ... the mutator gene will activate. MAGNETO (V.O.) Welcome to the future... brother... The brotherhood of mutants. A VIOLENT COLLISION OF NOISE, IMAGE AND LIGHT AND THEN Xavierís eyes burst open. LABORATORY NIGHT Rogue leads Storm, Jean, Beast and Cyclops quickly into the lab. Xavier is lying in his bed. Jean looks up at the screen above him and sees Xavierís brain waves have dropped severely. Kelly lies unconscious in his bed, his heart monitor weakening. Beast limps over to Xavier. Xavier struggles to speak. Beast bends down so that Xavier can whisper into his ear. Xavierís lips move as he tells Beast what he knows. LAB LATER NIGHT Jean, Storm, Beast and Cyclops talk while the news plays silently on the TV in the background. BEAST It appears as though Magneto has built a machine which somehow triggers the mutator gene in normal human beings. And he is using Adamantium as its core. CYCLOPS Its core? Beast grabs a wax pen and draws a lightbulb on a glass drawing board. BEAST Thomas Edison knew how to make the light bulb. He had the energy source. He had the vacuum. But he didnít have the filament. He tried metal after metal but nothing would hold to power. STORM (nods now understanding) ... until he found tungsten. Beast finishes his lightbulb by drawing the filament. BEAST Correct... Apparently, Adamantium is the only metal strong enough to hold the energy this machine produces. He used the Adamantium in Loganís dog tag to test it on the Senator. And I assume now he plans to use the rest of Loganís skeleton for a larger demonstration. CYCLOPS For what purpose? BEAST Yes Only thereís a problem. The mutator gene is not responding to the radiation the way it would in mother nature. Itís forcing the bodyís cells to replicate thousands of times faster than theyíre accustomed to. The Senatorís body is literally burning itself out. Scott this machine kills people and I donít think Magneto realizes it. CYCLOPS So where do you think heís planning this larger demonstration? Jean looks down and sees Xavier pointing with a trembling hand, trying to speak. Xavier is pointing to the television. XAVIER There... He is looking at yet another report on Ellis Island. Cyclops and Jean walk over. All they see on the TV is an aerial shot of Manhattan, slowly coming around toward the harbor. The television image is from the of a helicopter circling Ellis Island, taking in all the security and construction. The grand main hall to Ellis Island and finally, what the helicopter sees as it comes around for one more pass. SUDDENLY The sound of Kellyís heart monitor begins to PICK UP SPEED. Jean rushes to Kelly and touches his pale neck. She draws her hand back quickly as if burned. The heart monitor keeps speeding up until it is racing faster than a human heart could possibly produce. Jean backs away helplessly. The sheet that covers Kellyís body begins to flatten out. The sweat covering the hapless Senatorís body thickens into a viscous, clear liquid and begins to run off the table. Kelly is literally melting away. Cyclops holds Jean as she turns away. THE TV the gathering leaders of the world, the water clogged with boats, and the thousands of onlookers on Manhattan Island. All well within range. READY ROOM NIGHT Storm finishes preparing to leave in another section of the ready room. Beast stands by on his Beast size crutches feeling useless. BEAST I wish I could go. STORM We all do. BEAST Storm. Try to look for the highest vantage po From what I can figure, heíll need to gain as much altitude as possible to blanket the island. It is my feeling that Magneto has to  STORM Beast. Beast looks at her. STORM Weíll be fine. LAB NIGHT Cyclops stands looking down at Professor Xavier. He starts to walk away but he is stopped. He looks down and sees that the Professor has weakly grabbed his sleeve. Cyclops looks at Xavier but he is still unconscious. His hand falls back to the bed. CYCLOPS You can still hear me... canít you. Xavier lies still. CYCLOPS I want to thank you for taking me in. Taking us in... You have taught me everything in my life that is worth knowing. Cyclops grimly regards Xavier. CYCLOPS And I want you to know that Iíll take care of them. READY ROOM NIGHT Cyclops and Jean get into their uniforms. Jean is about to go to the hanger when Cyclops stops her. CYCLOPS Hey. Iím sorry. About Logan. I was jealous. JEAN (putting her arms around him) Well, I think thatís perfectly understandable. CYCLOPS Iíll tell you one thing though. JEAN Whatís that? CYCLOPS He calls me sport one more time, and Iíll blow a watermelon sized hole through him. She smiles and kisses him. CYCLOPS Now letís go get him. X JET NIGHT Cyclops, Storm, and Jean board the X Jet. They find ROGUE, strapped into a seat, ready to go. HANGER NIGHT ROGUE stands outside the jet, obviously having been kicked off. X JET NIGHT Jean reaches out a hand. Cyclops takes it. They squeeze tight. The X Jetís engines begin to fire up. HANGER NIGHT The hatch slowly starts to swing closed. From where she stands Rogue debates, and then runs, dashing inside as the hatch to the X Jet closes behind her. BASKETBALL COURT NIGHT A basketball sits on the ground near the middle of the court. Suddenly the asphalt starts to vibrate and the basketball rolls a few inches. THEN There is a grinding noise and the surface begins to separate at the half court line. The basketball falls through the widening hole and bounces off the wing of the rising X Jet. LIFT OFF. The jet turns and clears the hanger before blasting off into the night sky. ELLIS ISLAND NIGHT An aerial shot showing us the whole of the event. Security of every kind covers every inch of the island. Helicopters are coming in at the rate of about one every minute to deliver dignitaries and their families from all over the globe. ELLIS ISLAND BRIDGE TO NEW JERSEY NIGHT A steady flow of limos pour onto the island over a simple two lane bridge from New Jersey. A NEWSCASTER IN THE FOREGROUND. NEWSCASTER With the ceremonies beginning shortly, it looks as though the last of the dignitaries have landed at Newark and Teterboro airports and will be arriving momentarily. It would seem the United Nations has had their wish tonight. There doesnít seem to be an empty seat in the house. BATTERY PARK NIGHT The pier of the Ferry to Liberty Island. A great many families have come to watch curiously the going on. MANHATTAN HARBOR NIGHT The harbor is filled with police and Coast Guard vessels watching the water closely. NEW YORK CITY APARTMENTS/VARIOUS NIGHT A series of shots showing the many folks gathering to watch the historic event on television. In some of these apartments, Ellis and Liberty islands can be seen from their windows in the distance. SECURITY CONTROL CENTER NIGHT The OPERATING COMMANDER monitors the countless video screens that display nearly every crevice of Ellis Island as well as other parts of New York Harbor as well as the network news feeds of the event... ELLIS ISLAND MAIN ENTRANCE NIGHT The front of the Great Hall of Ellis Island, where once immigrants poured into the new world by the millions. A huge military band off to one side plays music from the different countries to help with the milling about and shaking of hands. The PRESIDENT himself is in the crowd, meeting and greeting, a mob of Secret Service always right there. Follow him into ELLIS ISLAND MAIN HALL A YASSAR ARAFAT TYPE, who we will call Yassir Arafat, comes up to the President and smiles. The President introduces his WIFE AND CHILD as more delegates approach. The two men LAUGH and then HUG to the flashing of a million bulbs. Smattering of ass kissy applause. Arafat and the President wave to press and the like. OBSERVATION DECK ELSEWHERE NIGHT We are looking down on what APPEARS TO BE a deserted part of the island. Away from the action. PAN ACROSS THE EDGE OF THE ISLAND Every fifty feet or so, uniformed Secret Service agents keep tight watch on the island. One Secret Service guy in particular. PUSH IN FROM ABOVE We realize we are pushing in unusually fast, as though we are falling. WHAM. A sickening crunch. Toad lands on top of the Secret Service guy. We have been watching from his The Secret Service man is tumbled into a heap. A real frog rabbits O.S. Toad looks around quietly, listens... THEN LEAPS out of frame. Hold on the body of the Secret Service guy. LONG PAUSE. ANOTHER SICKENING CRUNCH OFF SCREEN. LIBERTY ISLAND NIGHT Two Secret Service guys approach one another. One is holding a smoke, the other is producing a lighter. Just as his smoke is about to hit the flame, the flame dodges to one side. He moves the smoke to follow it, and the flame dodges the other way. The guy with the smoke looks at the guy with the lighter as if to say ìknock it off.î The guy with the lighter shrugs as THE FLAME INSTANTLY GROWS TO A RAGING INTENSITY, ENGULFING THEM. As they are incinerated and their ashes fall to the ground, Pyro climbs into view from the seawall below, dripping wet. He has come dressed to make trouble tonight. Strapped to his back is an impressive looking flame thrower. A three tanker. SEAWALL NIGHT A Coast Guard boat crawls into view just off shore. A Secret Service man in the foreground waves to the boat as it passes by. COAST GUARD BOAT DECK NIGHT A thirty footer. Fast and sturdy. The PILOT OF THE BOAT, a man in his late forties, waves back. SEAWALL NIGHT As the Secret Service guy waves, he jolts upright, his face contorting in impossible pain. Slowly, he is lifted off the ground. COAST GUARD BOAT DECK NIGHT PILOTíS Sabretooth holds the last Secret Service man aloft, impaled on his claws. He waves now, the body swaying this way and that before he casually throws it to the ground. The Pilot turns to the wheel of the boat as he MORPHS INTO MYSTIQUE and turns the boat toward the island. BOTTOM OF THE SEAWALL BOAT NIGHT Man made rocky shore. The boat bumps and grinds on the rock. Sabretooth jumps down to the deck and meets Magneto coming up from below. They nod to one another and walk toward the front of the boat. On the deck is something covered with a tarp. Sabretooth pulls back the tarp to reveal Logan, still unconscious from the drug. ANOTHER, MUCH LARGER OBJECT is on the back of the boat under another tarp, but we cannot see what it is. Magneto steps off the boat and looks up up at someplace we cannot yet see. ELLIS ISLAND GREAT HALL NIGHT The dignitaries take their seats as the ceremony commences. X JET NIGHT Cyclops pilots the plane as Manhattan comes into view. They bank to the south. Cyclops checks his monitors. CYCLOPS Radar Stealth Mode checks out. All right, thereíll be less security north of the George Washington Bridge. Iím taking her down. JEAN Into the Hudson? CYCLOPS (smiles) Uh huh. HUDSON RIVER NIGHT The X Jet slows to a hover. Itís Harrier Jet engines tilt back until they are vertical to the water. The engines cycle down and the plane lowers until it is hovering a few feet off the surface. X JET NIGHT CYCLOPS V.T.O.L. off. HUDSON RIVER NIGHT The Jetís engines cut and the plane splashes down into the water. It floats there for a moment and then sinks below the surface. BELOW RIVER SURFACE NIGHT As the X Jet sinks, the hatches close off and the wings retract to transform the plane into a submarine. The engines pull tight to the body of the craft and begin to propel it forward. HUDSON RIVER NIGHT AERIAL VIEW The water ripples as the submersed aircraft passes under the bridge and into the harbor. SMALL ROOM NIGHT C.U. on Logan. He wakes. His arms are cuffed behind his back. He is delirious and weakened from the drug. He looks around and sees that he is in an oddly shaped room with barely enough space for him and Magneto, who smiles at him in the half darkness. LOGAN (very weak) Where am I? MAGNETO Youíre backstage at the encore of creation. He looks at his watch. MAGNETO Three minutes to curtain. LOGAN What are you going to do? MAGNETO In the road to survival, there is always sacrifice Logan. We are the future... not them. We must protect ourselves. After tonight, when the leaders of the world return home They will return as brothers, as mutants... and our cause will be theirs. This is survival, I know you understand that, Logan... or is it Wolverine? He steps out of the hatch and closes it. LIBERTY ISLAND NIGHT Magneto who looks down. From atop what, we cannot tell. Magneto comes to stand on a railing outside from his high perch, overlooking the island. From here we pull out to reveal at last where he is. HE IS NOT ON ELLIS ISLAND AT ALL Instead, he stands on the catwalk around the torch of the Statue of Liberty, about a mile away. He has his back to itís gold translucent flame, looking over at the activity on Ellis Island, hearing the band and inhaling the cool evening breeze. MAGNETO Give me your tired, your poor... And he turns to the bright lights of Manhattan and itís millions of inhabitants. MAGNETO ... Your huddled masses. He brings a radio to his lips. MAGNETO Lights. POWER STATION NIGHT Sabretooth is tearing the padlocks off of the generator shed that powers the island. POWER STATION NIGHT Sabretooth grabs a hold of a fuse lever marked ìLiberty Display Lightsî and pulls it down. Turning it off. TORCH NIGHT Logan is now in darkness. He frantically pulls on his binds. No use. X JET NIGHT Cyclops is monitoring the area above water on a video screen. JEAN (points to the monitor) The lights on the Statue of Liberty are off. STORM Beast said that he would have to take a high vantage po Cyclops, motioning to an open area of water next to Liberty Island. CYCLOPS Letís dock over there. Cyclops pulls a lever. The X Jet begins to surface. CYCLOPS Storm, give us some cover. APARTMENTS/VARIOUS NIGHT Televisions all over the city show the Statue sitting dark to countless curious viewers. X JET NIGHT The water level outside the X Jet lowers as the plane surfaces. X JET NIGHT The plane rises until it is nearly flush with the surface of the water Not a hundred yards from an obvious Coast Guard cutter. Out the jetís window, the Statue rises away into the fog that is now rolling in over the Harbor. SECURITY CONTROL CENTER NIGHT The OPERATIONS COMMANDER raises a radio to his mouth. OPERATION COMMANDER Liberty One, Liberty One, this is Horizon, do you copy. AN AGENTíS VOICE RESPONDS. AGENTíS VOICE Go, Horizon. OPERATION COMMANDER (on radio) Liberty, whatís the situation with the lights, over? LIBERTY ISLAND NIGHT IT IS MYSTIQUE. The lower part of her face and the whole her neck are that of a stocky man. MYSTIQUE/AGENTíS VOICE Uhhh, Horizon, weíve seem to have had a shutdown at the generator, weíre five by five. There now, checking it out. Everything is fine other wise. OPERATION COMMANDER (on radio) Roger Liberty one. Horizon out. She MORPHS back into her full self and smiles. MYSTIQUE Darling... Weíre clear. SEAWALL NIGHT Jean, Cyclops, Storm and Rogue step off the wing tip of the X Jet onto the island. They climb over the fog encased seawall and stand staring up at the Statue and the desolate island. TORCH NIGHT Magneto takes this moment in the darkness to point his hands and all of his concentration on the bottom of the torch. The air RIPPLES with magnetic energy as the cap like end piece of the torch begins to vibrate, metal groans, twists... WITH A CRACK OF METAL, it comes free, dropping to the ground. TORCH NIGHT Logan stares down through the hollow torch as the cap falls away into the fog. STATUE BOTTOM NIGHT The foursome are deciding how to proceed. CYCLOPS We should check out operations, see if the Secret Service is still around. Storm is surveying the layout of the island. She looks up at the Statue. STORM LOOK OUT. They all look up. The cap of the torch is SCREAMING DOWN towards them out of the sky. It crashes down as they leap out of the way. CYCLOPS Iím going to assume that means that the Secret Service is out of commission. Jean, can you raise me up there? JEAN Itís too far. CYCLOPS (assessing the situation) Storm, Rogue, you take the south entrance. (pointing to the main entrance) Jean and I will go in here. Storm and Rogue start for the south entrance. CYCLOPS (to Storm and Rogue) Iíll see you both soon. TORCH NIGHT Magneto prepares to execute the next stage of his plan when he looks out over the island. A DENSE FOG has rolled in, obscuring his view of the bottom half of the Statue. He looks out towards Ellis Island and sees that the fog is localized over Liberty Island. MAGNETO (into radio) Be careful everyone... I think we may have company. SEAWALL NIGHT The Coast Guard boat Magneto came in on. The giant tarp on the boat and what is under it. IT RISES IN THE AIR, standing upright. The tarp slides to the deck to reveal THE MACHINE. The one Kelly and Xavier saw. The air ripples as it rises higher in the air. MUSEUM NIGHT Storm and Rogue quietly enter the Statueís museum. It is filled with scale models and full size displays documenting the history of Lady Liberty. One display showcasing the METAL STRIPS which line the Statue for support. They quickly head for an exit on the far side of the room. SUDDENLY The lights go out. Darkness. A low guttural CROAK echoes in the void. STORM (whispering) Rogue... run. Rogue runs into the darkness, heading for the exit. She dashes past a six foot copper replica of the Statue and out the door. As soon as Rogue is past, the Statueís HEAD TURNS and watches her go. The replica blinks and the eyes turn Mystique yellow. TORCH NIGHT The machine is rising. Logan yanks at the manacles in an attempt to pull his hands free. OLD TORCH ROOM NIGHT A giant room that welcomes the many visitors to the Statue. In the center is the old torch, placed there after the Statueís restoration. The only light in the room is a soft red glow that emanates from the old torch. Cyclops notices a map of the Statue on a pedestal. CYCLOPS Over there. Cyclops and Jean study the map, looking for the way to the torch. In front of them is the old torch. Itís eerie red glow is growing brighter. STATUE TORCH NIGHT THE MACHINE rises up and into the bottom of the torch itself. TORCH NIGHT The machine is now almost on him. Loganís struggles turns to rage. SHOOK He pops his claws and frantically cuts at the wall behind him, as the machine draws closer. MUSEUM NIGHT We hear an ominous LOW RUMBLE, as you hear on an overcast day just before a thunderstorm. SHEETS OF HEAT LIGHTNING begin to roll across the ceiling, lighting the room in sporadic bursts. Toad darts around the room. FLASH Reptile eyes DARKNESS. FLASH A WEBBED CLAW closer DARKNESS. FLASH leaping body closer DARKNESS. Silence. Darkness. The heat lightning continues to expose the room in rolling flashes. Silence. Darkness. Suddenly, behind Storm the sound of ELEVATOR DOORS OPENING. Storm spins and unleashes a BOLT OF LIGHTNING. The lightning strikes an empty GLASS HYDRAULIC ELEVATOR SHAFT. No TOAD. OLD TORCH ROOM NIGHT The map of the statue. Cyclops watches as the dim red glow turns brighter and brighter. He turns to look up at the old torch it glows FIERY RED HOT. CYCLOPS Get down! THE TORCH EXPLODES. A RING OF FIRE wipes across the room. Cyclops and Jean duck behind the marble map pedestal as fire whips around them. Move up through the CEILING OF FIRE to reveal Pyro at the center of the old torch. His eyes wide, manipulating the fire like an orchestra conductor. HALLWAY OUTSIDE THE MUSEUM NIGHT Rogue runs down the hallway, she stops. The sound of footsteps echo from behind her. The footsteps quicken from walking to running. Rogue runs to get away as the footsteps of her pursuer get closer. MUSEUM NIGHT Darkness. Silence except for the sound of Stormís own breathing. Stormís eyes dart around the room, her senses are in overdrive. Suddenly, SLIME drips onto her cheek. A low guttural CROAK. Storm looks up TOAD clings to the ceiling. WHAM. Webbed feet slam into Stormís chest sending her flying into the elevator shaft. She crashes helplessly to the bottom stunned. Toadís head peers through the open elevator doors to the level below, looking down on the helpless Storm. Toad SMILES. His webbed finger presses the elevator button. The elevator doors above her close, sealing her in the glass tubular shaft. The ROAR of the hydraulic engine coming to life, the elevator begins its crushing descent down toward Storm as she lies at the bottom of the shaft dazed. OLD TORCH ROOM NIGHT C.U. on Jean and Cyclops both pinned down. Fire sweeps around the map pedestal. Cyclops turns. BOOM He fires a series of OPTIC BLASTS blindly through the fire, blasting the ceiling. Chunks of debris from the ceiling shower down onto Pyro. The inferno stops. Smoke fills the room, Jean tries to catch her breath. Cyclops stands and heads toward the old torch trying to draw a bead on Pyro. Cyclops doesnít see him. When A COLUMN OF FIRE erupts from the thick smoke, rocketing at Cyclops. Cyclops dodges, flipping a heavy wood table with flaming pamphlets on it using it as a shield against Pyroís fiery onslaught. TORCH BACK NIGHT ANGLE FROM DIRECTLY OVERHEAD Magneto on the side of the torchís flame raises the huge machine while on the other side LOGAN PUSHES HIMSELF THROUGH THE HOLE his hands still bound behind his back, and slams against the outer railing of the torch. Logan looks around in shock. He realizes where he is. He looks out at all the activity on Ellis Island, drawing a greater understanding of Magnetoís plan. TORCH FRONT NIGHT With a MAGNETIC RIPPLE of the air Magneto drives the machine right up through the bottom of the torch like batteries in a flashlight. TORCH BACK NIGHT Logan turns his back to the hole he has just emerged from and braces his cuffs against the rising machine. The machine pushes against Loganís wrists driving his cuffs up against the top of the hole. CRACK. The pressure leaves the cuffs apart. ELEVATOR SHAFT NIGHT Stormís eyes open, looking straight up. The elevator continuing its crushing descent. Storm struggles to her feet. Her hand presses against the thick glass elevator shaft, it surrounds her like a coffin. LIGHTNING strike the glass to no effect. Storm frantically searches for a way out. She looks up to see the elevator closing fast. Storm raises her hands above her head. WIND begins to lift Stormís hair. The wind picks up and starts swirling violently against the sides of the elevator shaft. Wildly, the wind whips around causing a CYCLONE within the glass shaft buffeting upwards against the elevator. The elevator groans as the hydraulics fight the unrelenting vortex of wind. Smoke begins to pour from the hydraulics, which whine in protest. At the center of the tornado stands Storm, a force of nature. As the elevator continues its descent the cyclone pushes outward. Small cracks start to appear on the glass walls. She is now forced almost to the ground. The elevator is now inches from Stormís head. The floor is made of a thicker version of the same Plexiglas and we look up through it, the massive elevator looming over Storm. BOOM. The glass walls explode outward, showering the museum. Storm partly rolls and is partly blown from the shaft to safety. The pressure of the cyclone released, the elevator SLAMS to the bottom. OLD TORCH ROOM NIGHT Jean, having caught her breath, looks over to C.U. on Cyclops. Heís pinned down as fire wraps around the table the fire is burning through. Jean, seeing Cyclops defenseless, stands up from behind the marble podium. She quickly scans the room and spots, on opposite walls near the old torch, TWO LARGE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. Jean stretches out her fists and focuses her telekinesis. Pyro spots Jean with one hand continuing to blast Cyclops, he uses the other to unleash an ARM OF FIRE toward Jean. Jean focuses as she brings her outstretched fists closer together. Suddenly the two fire extinguishers crash through their glass holders. Like two gunslingers in a showdown. The extinguishers bullet toward Pyro. The arm of fire rockets closer to Jean. Suddenly, the EXTINGUISHERS COLLIDE EXPLODING in front of Pyro. Inches from Jeanís face, the ARM OF FIRE disappears. The COLUMN OF FLAMES against Scott VANISHES. The flames once covering the room are gone, a choking smoke is all that remains. Through the smoke, at the center of the old torch, Pyro lies dead, covered in a sea of white foam. Jean starts choking on the smoke. Cyclops stands and motions for her to get out of the smoke filled room. TORCH FRONT NIGHT The machine finally locks into place. Magneto raises a walkie talkie to his face. MAGNETO Lights on. POWER STATION NIGHT Sabretooth grabs a hold of the lever for the ìLiberty Displayî power breaker and pulls up. Turning it on. ELLIS ISLAND GREAT HALL NIGHT The lights of the Statue come back on. The crowd of dignitaries burst into enthusiastic applause as if it is part of the proceedings. SECURITY CONTROL CENTER NIGHT The Statue now lit up in the monitors. OPERATION COMMANDER Roger. We see the lights. TORCH FRONT NIGHT Magneto turns and opens the hatch. Magneto sees the hole Logan is gone. TORCH BACK NIGHT Magneto walks over and stares at the hole, clearly out by Loganís claws. Magneto looks at his fingers after wiping the edge of the hole. Loganís blood. Magneto looks down and sees Loganís claw marks down the arm of the Statue, marking his escape. Magneto scans the island from his high perch. He does not see Logan. STATUE MAIN ENTRANCE NIGHT The doors to the old torch room burst open SMOKE BILLOWS OUT. Jean runs out coughing violently. Suddenly, Toad lands in front of Jean, grabs her head and before she can react, his tongue launches at her face. His tongue covers her face with an ADHESIVE SLIME. Jean falls to the ground. Toad looks back at the main entrance, sees Cyclops emerging and LEAPS up, out of frame. Cyclops stumbles out of the smoke filled building. Seeing Jean lying on the ground, he runs to her. Cyclops turns Jean on her back, ready to perform CPR. He is shocked, the slime has now hardened to Jeanís face. She is suffocating. He desperately tries to pry it off. The camera quickly pulls higher and higher revealing TOADíS OBSERVATION DECK NIGHT Toad looks down, perched on top of the railing surrounding the base of the Statue the same position he had before crushing the Secret Service agent. Toad arches his back ready to spring downward. He will kill two birds with one crushing leap. The sound of WIND. C.U. Toadís face static, his eyes slowly look to the side. His head twists, looking over his shoulder. Storm stands behind him. Toad turns and hops off the railing towards Storm. C.U. on TOADíS FACE. Which is horrible. TOAD Donít you people die? Suddenly the wind picks up violently. Toad moves closer fighting the wind. Storm is MAD. A face we remember seeing on a young girl in Africa. Toad fights the gale force winds, his webbed feet adhering to the ground. He inches closer to Storm. Toad bares his FANGS. STATUE MAIN ENTRANCE NIGHT On the ground Cyclops notices the wind howling with rage above him. He frantically pulls on the encrusted slime suffocating Jean. OBSERVATION DECK NIGHT Stormís eyes widen. HURRICANE force winds blast Toad. Try as he might to use his sticky feet to hold on, Toad is blown back off his feet, catching the deck with his hands. The piece of the deck TEARS LOOSE still attached to Toadís hands. He flies off the deck, past the metal railing. Toadís tongue LASHES OUT AND ATTACHES TO THE RAILING. For a moment, Toad just flaps there like a flag. Storm RAISES HER ARMS. CRASH A huge BOLT OF LIGHTNING strikes the railing. Toad is blown off the railing in a flash of electricity and HARBOR NIGHT Toad lands in the water. He disappears below the surface leaving nothing but bubbles. OBSERVATION DECK NIGHT Storm moves to the railing. She looks down at Cyclops and Jean. Suddenly, the metal railing on which her hands rest BEGIN TO BEND TOWARD HER. STATUE MAIN ENTRANCE NIGHT Cyclops continues to pull on the slime. Jeanís struggles are becoming more panicked. Cyclops stops and puts his hands on Jeanís shoulders, pinning her down. CYCLOPS Jean. Jean stop. Stop moving. Jean continues to struggle for a moment. She starts to calm down, her chest still hitching involuntarily for air. CYCLOPS Jean, trust me. Donít move. He takes a hold of her chin and grips it tightly. He FIRES A THIN, FOCUSED OPTIC BEAM INTO THE ENCRUSTED SLIME, splitting it in half. He pulls the remains away from her face. Jean GASPS for air. Then she looks up. Her face turns to horror. Behind Cyclops, towering over him is Sabretooth. WHAM! Sabretooth smashes down. BLACK HALLWAY OUTSIDE THE MUSEUM NIGHT Rogue turns the corner of the hallway and trips, tumbling to the ground. Rogue watches from the floor as the shadow of her pursuer bends around the corner. The sound of their footsteps get closer. The shadow is upon her, turning the corner. It is LOGAN. LOGAN I didnít mean to scare you. ROGUE Thank God. Logan... we have to help Storm we have to. Logan looks around to make sure itís clear. LOGAN Iíll go back, but first let me find you a safe place. Logan extends his hand. LOGAN Here, take my hand. Rogue looks at Logan confused. Logan grows impatient. LOGAN Take it! Over Loganís shoulder. On the back of his neck we see some BLUE SCALES. Logan is not Logan, Logan is MYSTIQUE. STATUE HEAD NIGHT on Magnetoís belt, which is lined with METAL STRAPS. Magnetoís hand comes into frame holding CYCLOPSí VISOR and places it against one of the straps. The strap WRAPS ITSELF BACK AND AROUND, pinning the visor to the belt. He brings a radio to his mouth. MAGNETO (into radio) Mystique... Mystique, where are you? Magneto turns to Sabretooth. MAGNETO Find Logan. Sabretooth exits as Magneto turns to reveal Jean and Cyclops, without his visor, are trapped in a hideous tangle of metal (taken from the Statueís steel bracing) forcing the two to face each other. Two sharp points of metal rest on either side of Cyclopsí head, locking it in position. Cyclopsí is close enough to feel Jeanís breath if he opens his eyes, he will destroy everything in his path, including Jean. Storm is also encased in a myriad of sharp metal bands, pinning her to the wall. Razor sharp pieces of metal warp and close on her throat. All in all, they are completely disabled. Jean struggles to free them with her telekinesis, to no avail. CYCLOPS (whispering) Jean... can you? JEAN (whispering) Iím sorry. Iím not strong enough. Magneto stands next to Storm. Close. MAGNETO (whispering) If the temperature changes a single degree... (looking at Jean) I only need one hostage. Magneto stares icily at Storm. As if to accentuate the threat, a piece of metal pokes ever so slightly into the side of Stormís throat. MAGNETO (raising his voice) Now if you can hear me Logan... SEAWALL NIGHT We find Logan The real Logan. He has made it off the Statue and is about to jump off the seawall. He stops suddenly. of his ear. His powerful hearing enables him to hear Magneto. MAGNETO (V.O.) ... and I know you can It is a five minute run from the furthest distance on this island. If you are not back in this time... I will kill these friends of Xavierís. Including the young lady from the gymnasium. I think they came here to ìrescue you.î STATUE HEAD NIGHT Magneto looks to his hand the CHIP from Cerebro. MAGNETO I also have a small piece of Cerebro that might be of interest to you, if you hope to save Charles Xavier. SEAWALL NIGHT MAGNETO (V.O.) Xavier is dying you know. Five minutes Logan. Loganís face shows the frustration. Again, he is forced to make a decision. STATUE HEAD NIGHT Magneto pulls out the chip taken from Cerebro and walks over to Jean. MAGNETO Here Xavierís life. He tucks it in an exposed part of her uniform. MAGNETO If I get what I want, you can try and save him... for old times sake. Magneto turns to Storm. MAGNETO Now... shall we talk about the weather. ELLIS ISLAND MAIN ENTRANCE NIGHT The President addresses the audience. We move across all the worldís leaders sitting with their families. Men, women and children of every race, color and creed that the planet Earth has to offer. STATUE HEAD NIGHT JEAN Magneto. Iíve seen the results of your machine. Iíve seen Senator Kelly. MAGNETO Ahhhh, so the good Senator survived his fall? And the swim to shore? He is stronger than I ever could have imagined. JEAN The experiment was a failure. Kelly didnít make it. Yes, you were successful in activating his mutator gene, but you failed to take into account the rest of his body it wasnít ready for the strain. Kelly was dead within hours. Your machine kills. MAGNETO Quiet... Magneto pauses. Shock registering on his face that he could be wrong. Thinking. Considering what Jean is telling him. His mind races and calculates the possibility. Then MAGNETO I donít believe you. JEAN You donít understand. Magneto gets angry squeezing the metal surrounding Jeanís head. Jean gasps. This drives Cyclops crazy, but he is helpless to stop it. CYCLOPS (yelling) Stop it! MAGNETO Why canít you see what I am trying to do? Why do you stand in my way? Magnetoís anger is boiling over. THUD the sound of footsteps, then another and another. The faces around the room look at the stairs as the footsteps get closer and louder. MAGNETO Check and mate. PAUSE. SUDDENLY SHOOK Loganís claws shoot up through the floor, and through Magnetoís feet. Magneto howls. The claws retract and Magneto falls. Magneto, writhes in pain, rolling onto his stomach. Logan quickly comes up the stairs and into the Statueís head. He stands over the crippled Magneto. Logan turns to Jean who is still pressed eye to eye with Cyclops. He is relieved to see her alive. Storm. She sees something. Several of the steel bands that support the top of the Statueís head begin to move. STORM Logan! THREE METAL BAND peel off the ceiling, coming to life with magnetic energy. They leap across the room and wrap around Logan. Forcing his fists to press against his chest. Should he so much as extend his claws, he will rupture his own vitals. The metal bands wrap behind his back. Magneto raises his hand and MAGNETIC WAVES RIPPLE. Metal groans as Magneto peels open a gaping hole in the top of Lady Libertyís head. Magneto looks up at the torch. The wind howls. The AIR RIPPLES again as Magneto levitates the steel bands holding Logan, lifting Logan off the ground and out the hole in the Statueís head. STATUE HEAD NIGHT MAGNETIC WAVES thrust Logan through the air and TORCH NIGHT WHAM THROUGH the metal skin of the flame. Logan lands in the center of the sphere on top of the machine. Inside the sphere is a metal structure resembling the model of an atom. Its rings expand as it receives Logan. Logan looks through the hole in the frame, down into the hole in the Statueís head, at Magneto. STATUE HEAD NIGHT Magneto struggles to his feet, pulling himself up by his hands. Magneto stares at Logan, impatient. Magneto stands with a hand raised up toward the machine. Then a slight motion of his wrist TORCH NIGHT The rings start revolving just as it did with Kelly, back at the lair. Spinning slowly, then gaining in speed. The air around it RIPPLES, gaining in intensity. STATUE HEAD NIGHT MAGNETIC ENERGY POURS from Magnetoís hands toward the machine, behind him Jean and Storm watch helplessly. TORCH NIGHT The rings are spinning around Logan at such a speed, the rings themselves are no longer visible merely a blur around the stationary Logan. Logan yells. Unthinkable pain, his skeleton beginning to glow through his skin. His eyes look down, through the hole in the torch, into the Statueís head, searching for Jean. The deafening whine builds louder and louder. STATUE HEAD NIGHT Magneto looks at the incredible displays as MAGNETIC ENERGY flows from his hands continuing to charge the machine. Mystique emerges from the stairwell behind Magneto. Her eyes widen in awe. MAGNETO Ahh, there you are. Mystique walks slowly toward magneto. Storm and Jean watch the torch in horror. JEAN (to Mystique) You have to stop him, the machine... it kills people... Mystique ignores Jean. She stops behind Magneto. She looks up and sees Logan staring back in agony. JEAN ... Please do something. Magneto tilts his head slightly, acknowledging Jean, but not moving from his task. MYSTIQUE Donít listen to her... itís a trap. Magneto turns. MAGNETO What is? MYSTIQUE This is. And she grabs the sides of his face and kisses him deeply. There is an awkward moment. Until MAGNETO CONVULSES. Once, then again. Then he struggles to be set free. And MYSTIQUE TRANSFORMS INTO ROGUE. It has been her all along, using SHAPE SHIFTING powers borrowed from the real Mystique. Magneto fights to get free, but his power is being drained from him. JEAN ROGUE, DESTROY THE MACHINE! Rogue goes to pull away, BUT MAGNETO WONíT LET HER GO. Magneto grabs hold of Rogueís throat CHOKING HER. TORCH NIGHT Logan looking down, through the hole in the Statueís head for Jean, sees Rogue and Magneto struggle. Logan watches helplessly as MAGNETO STRANGLES ROGUE. LOGAN YELLS THE WHITE LIGHT BEGINS TO EMANATE FROM HIS BODY. His flesh starts to SMOLDER. STATUE HEAD NIGHT Magneto is strangling Rogue, who clings to his face drawing his powers. The walls GROAN as magnetic energy RIPPLES through the Statueís head. Rogue, choking to death, looks frantically at Cyclops for help. She raises one of her hands and uses Magnetoís stolen power to BEND BACK THE METAL POINTS so that Cyclops is able to move his head again. Without his visor however, he is still unable to open his eyes. Magneto, feeling the last of his power draining from him, grabs Rogue tightly and SLAMS her into the wall. Rogue slumps in Magnetoís arms and the two collapse to the ground. TORCH NIGHT The sound from the machine is DEAFENING. SUDDENLY SILENCE. ABSOLUTE SILENCE. At the silence, all eyes turn to the torch. It is too late THE MACHINE IS FULLY CHARGED. Loganís eyes tense. He clenches his teeth. Logan does the unthinkable. SHOOK. The glowing white claws extend through Loganís chest and out his back cutting three metal straps binding him. Logan ROARS in pain as he Pulls his claws from his chest. SLASH his claws rip through the inside of the machine  cutting apart the rings spinning around him. The translucent torch of the Statue is CUT TO PIECES BY THE FLYING METAL. ELLIS ISLAND GREAT HALL NIGHT The President and the dignitaries turn. Secret Service rush to the window. A wave of panic sweeps the crowd. SECURITY CONTROL CENTER NIGHT The flaming torch lights up one of many screens. OPERATION COMMANDER Liberty one this is Horizon... I repeat... do you copy? Liberty one this is Horizon ... I repeat... do you copy? STATUE TORCH NIGHT Where the flame of the torch once stood, now stands Logan, his skeleton cooling down. Logan leans on the torchís railing, his chest bleeds from the six claw wounds. Logan is exhausted. He looks down at his comrades still trapped by the metal bands. And Magneto lying powerless on the floor. SUDDENLY, from below A MASSIVE CLAWED HAND strikes Loganís chest. The blow sends Logan sailing back to the far end of the torch. Logan lies against the railing. Opening his eyes he sees TWO CLAWED FEET following upward to a very angry, very large Sabretooth, towering over him. Sabretooth leaps at Logan. Against the New York skyline THEY GO AT IT, SLASHING AND HOWLING. MANHATTAN HARBOR NIGHT Several Coast Guard cutters head full speed toward Liberty Island. Their decks covered with armed Secret Service. TORCH NIGHT Sabretooth picks up Logan over his head and throws him like a rag doll into the railing on the other side of the torch. Logan struggles to his feet dazed. Suddenly, Sabretooth, running at full steam, tackles him. Slamming Logan into the railing. The metal railing bends. Sabretooth holds Logan by his wrists, trying to push him over the edge. It is several hundred feet to the ground below. Logan is weakening. Sabretooth is in complete control, he leans down near Loganís ear. SABRETOOTH (whispering) Your girlfriend is n With all his might, Logan pushes his clenched fists as close to Sabretoothís face as he can. SHOOK! The claws pop. Sabretooth springs back to protect his face. LOGAN KICKS WITH ALL HIS MIGHT AND SABRETOOTH flies back to the other side of the torch. LOGAN leaps up and running at full speed, tackles Sabretooth like a train plowing into a stalled car. The metal railing snaps and they both go flying through the air. STATUE HEAD NIGHT CRACK. Sabretooth and Logan slam onto the top of the Statueís head. Logan rolls off the back of the Statueís head and falls. Sabretooth stands and looks over the edge nothing. All he can see is the Statueís body curving away towards the ground. He smiles, and turns back to the hole. STATUE HEAD NIGHT LOGAN Hanging from the ear of the Statue, the claws of his right hand embedded in the lobe at the end of three sets of long claw marks. He looks up. A look of brutal determination crosses his face. Straining, he pulls himself up by his right arm. The cords stand out on his neck as he tries to get to shoulder level. He aims his left claw a little further up on the ear and THUNK. He drives it in. STATUE HEAD NIGHT WHAM Sabretoothís feet as he lands on the metal floor. He quickly takes in the situation, Magneto and Rogue are still unconscious. He walks towards Storm. The air in the room starts to CRACKLE and Sabretoothís hair begins to stand on end as it did when these two last confronted each other. SABRETOOTH I donít think so. Sabretooth backhands Storm across the jaw, knocking her out. As her head drops, he draws his claws and slashes it down. It STOPS, just before tearing open Stormís throat, HELD BY AN UNSEEN FORCE. He turns and sees that Jean has focused her power in his arm. He smiles. He walks to Jean and tears off her bonds. He reaches out to grab her neck but his claw is stopped again in mid air. Sabretooth just smiles wider and forces his hand forward. The outcome never really in doubt, the claw wraps around Jeanís neck. She begins to choke. CYCLOPS Jean! Sabretooth lifts Jean by the neck and walks away from Cyclops as he chokes her. SABRETOOTH Sorry about this sweetheart, but I made Logan a promise. Jean struggles desperately against Sabretoothís unbreakable grip, the life draining from her. Then LOGAN Hey, ya big pussy. Sabretooth whips around, still clutching Jean to see LOGAN Bleeding, beaten and panting, and yet still standing defiantly over Magnetoís unconscious body. LOGAN I ainít finished with you yet. Sabretooth looks at him, disbelieving that this man can still be standing, let alone challenging him... and he starts to laugh. SABRETOOTH You? Logan grins. LOGAN Not just me. And with that he extends ONE CLAW from his right hand, squats down, and cuts the piece of metal holding Cyclopsí visor to Magnetoís belt. He lifts it up and it slides down his claw to his hand. He casually throws it in the air. LOGAN Jean? Logan looks at the visor and it freezes in the air. It flies across the room, right past Sabretoothís head. He lunges at it with his free claw but just misses it. The visor lands square on Cyclopsí eyes, and attaches itself to Cyclopsí face. He turns. BOOM! A focused OPTIC BLAST hits Sabretooth like a FREIGHT TRAIN. He drops Jean and SLAMS THROUGH THE WALL. STATUE NIGHT We see the side of the Statueís head. Suddenly, Sabretooth BLASTS THROUGH THE EYE. For a moment Cyclopsí beam continues to fire through the eye as if the Statue itself is imitating Cyclopsí power. SEAWALL NIGHT Magnetoís boat still sits quietly next to the seawall. CRASH. Sabretoothís body SMASHES THROUGH THE ROOF of the boat. The tarp flies up and drifts back down to rest over Sabretoothís body. STATUE HEAD NIGHT Loganís breathing is strained, a blood stain in the middle of his shirt, but he is in control. Logan looks up, his eyes met by Jeanís. He walks over to Storm and Cyclops and SHOOK! cuts them loose. Jean and Cyclops catch Storm, who begins to come around. Cyclops smiles. Logan kneels down beside Rogue. He wants to comfort her but cannot touch her. She opens her eyes and sees Logan. ROGUE Hey... There you are. (sudden apprehension) Is it really you? LOGAN (not quite sure what sheís talking about) Yeah, itís really me. CYCLOPS Come on, letís get out of here. Logan stands. He takes a couple of steps before collapsing in Cyclopsí arms. LOGAN (sliding to the ground) Iím o.k. Iím o.k. CYCLOPS Sure you are, sport. LIBERTY ISLAND DOCK NIGHT Several Coast Guard cutters and police boats reach the island. Men run across the dock as we pull up LIBERTY ISLAND NIGHT The Coast Guard, Secret Service, and FBI descend upon the island. OLD TORCH ROOM NIGHT Security enters the smoldering remains of the old torch room. The walls blackened by a past inferno. At the center, Pyro lies motionless in a sea of foam. MUSEUM NIGHT Push in on MYSTIQUE who is tied up. Across her feet a crack of light as the door begins to open. Swish pan over to the NYPD entering the room. Swish pan back. Mystique has taken the form of a Secret Service agent. AGENT/MYSTIQUE Hey, could somebody untie me! SEAWALL NIGHT A Secret Service spots the wreckage of Magnetoís boat and the large tarp which covers it. He pulls his gun. SECRET SERVICE MAN # (to other agents) Hey! Over here. Three other agents pull their guns and aim at the tarp. The first agent pulls it back to reveal... nothing. Sabretooth is gone. STATUE HEAD NIGHT NYPD and Secret Service rush up the stairs and into the head. Magneto lies unconscious on the floor. The lead guy, an NYPD OFFICER in a flak jacket, holding a shotgun, stares up at the ceiling. He peers out through the gaping hole. Beyond the damaged torch the star filled sky is momentarily eclipsed by a aircraft the X Jet. The officer turns to say something, but stops wondering if his eyes were merely playing tricks on him. MANSION DAY Cyclops, Jean, Storm, Rogue and about two dozen students all sit in front of a wide screen TV watching the Special Report on the Mutant Registration Act vote. As the Anchorman speaks we move over the concerned looks on all of their faces. ANCHORMAN Even after last weeks terrorist vandalization of the Statue of Liberty by an unidentified mutant organization, the outcome of the vote was to in opposition to the Mutant Registration Act. A LOUD CHEER as the room erupts into celebration. CYCLOPS Quiet. Quiet everybody. ANCHORMAN This narrow defeat was probably due in large part to the surprising last minute reversal by Senator Scott ìFrankî Kelly, who until today provided the loudest voice in the cry for Mutant Registration. Earlier today, Kelly had this to say The TV cuts to a shot of Kelly being grilled by reporters as he walks down the Capitol steps. KELLY (struggling to get through) If we can not go into the future together, the divisions of fear and prejudice will tear this country apart. As he is speaking, we cut to CAPITOL BUILDING WASHINGTON D.C. DAY Kelly pushing past reporters. KELLY No more questions. Please, no more questions. The back of Kellyís neck as he passes. A BLUE SCALE is visible above his collar. LOGANíS ROOM DAY The FAINT CHEERS are heard through the walls. HAZY THEN FOCUS INTO light pushes through blinds. A gentle breeze moves them slightly. Logan sits up in his bed, his chest bandaged. VRRRIP the sound of blinds being pulled open. Bright sunshine fills the room, washing across a box and a card sitting on a bureau. the card as Logan reads it. LOGAN WELCOME HOME. It is signed simply, X. Logan reaches in the box, pulling out a UNIFORM. He lays it on the bed. He pulls on one of the gloves, stretching his fingers in it. Perfect fit. SHOOK He pops his claws through THREE METAL RINGLETS on the back of the glove clearly it was made specifically for him. Logan looks down into the box for him. LOGANíS ROOM LATER DAY From behind Logan we see him finish putting something on over his head. Logan turns into frame, he is wearing a dark blue MASK. It fits his head neatly. The sides arch up shadowing his ears, giving him a wolf or fox like appearance. The shape is reminiscent of Loganís sketch the wolverine. Logan stands facing a mirror. The mask looks good on him and he seems to know it. Xavier is in the doorway. Logan pulls off the mask, embarrassed. LOGAN Donít you knock? XAVIER Theyíre all asking how youíre doing. Are you feeling up to saying hello to everyone? LOGAN (pulling the glove off) Actually Iím feeling up to leaving. Logan walks over to the closet and pulls out a shirt. He puts it on. XAVIER (surprised) Why? You have a home here now, if you want it. Everyone will... LOGAN What?... miss me? Charley, Iím gonna walk out the front door and trust me, it wonít be soon enough for everyone here. Logan pulls a duffle bag out of the closet. LOGAN Can I, umm? XAVIER Of course. Everything in this room is for you. Logan seems genuinely touched by the gesture. LOGAN Thanks, Iíll pay you back. Logan shoves some clothes into the bag, but not all. XAVIER Well if youíre going to leave then you at least owe them a goodbye. Logan smirks. He picks up his bag. They exit the room together. MANSION DAY The celebration continues unabated. The newscaster on the defeat of the Mutant Registration Act muted, in the background Storm, Jean, and Cyclops all sit around a table chatting. Rogue sits on the couch with other students, trying on a new pair of leather gloves. XAVIER Excuse me. (louder) Excuse me. Xavier is in the doorway. XAVIER Everyone, Logan would like to say... Logan steps into the doorway. Everyone can see him now. Before Xavier can finish his sentence he is interrupted by APPLAUSE simple, genuine, applause. Students slowly stand up. Proud of Logan. For he is one of them. He is a mutant. And he is a hero. As the unconditional applause echoes around him, Logan seems sincerely touched by their spontaneous outpouring. He is almost choked up almost. The applause quiet. XAVIER Well, Logan. All eyes are on Logan. Logan pauses. He looks to Xavier, then back to the room. LOGAN Whatís a guy gotta do to get a beer around here? Logan puts his duffle bag down. He walks over to the table with Storm, Cyclops and Jean. Jean smiles at him, so does Cyclops his arm around the back of her chair. Logan sees them together, they are happy, and finally he offers a smile. Xavier holds for a moment at the door. A look of pride on his face, the pride a father has for his children. PLASTIC PRISON DAY A CLEAR PLASTIC HALLWAY Thatís right, PLASTIC. Everything we can see walls, ceiling, floor is made, entirely, of thick, clear plastic. DOWN THE HALL TO A THICK PLASTIC CELL There, in the middle, at the clear plastic desk, with two clear plastic cups filled with the only thing of color other than the two men in the room. Xavier and Magneto. They play a friendly game of chess. Magneto is notably without his trademark helmet. Two casts encase his legs from his Logan inflicted injury. Xavier is on a modified plastic chair with plastic wheels. MAGNETO I wouldnít really have let you die, you know. I just needed... XAVIER (interrupting) I know. Magneto thinks for a while; then MAGNETO Doesnít it ever wake you in the middle of the night? The feeling that some day, some day very soon, they will pass that foolish law or one just like it and they will come for you and your children? Take you all away? XAVIER It does indeed, Max. MAGNETO And what do you do when you wake up to that? XAVIER I feel a great swell of pity for the poor soul who comes to that school again looking for trouble. He stares right at Magneto. Xavier makes a move, Magneto counters. Xavier moves again. MAGNETO But you know that it is a war, old friend. And to win a war it takes the will to fight it at all costs, by any means necessary. And for that reason, I will always have the advantage. No matter how you trap me, how I am contained Chess pieces seem to visually mimic their conversation Xavierís white pieces slowly surrounding Magnetoís Black King. MAGNETO I will always find an escape. XAVIER And I will always be there, old friend. And with that, Xavier places his queen gently down, taking away a knight. XAVIER Check. Just then, the door to the cell opens. A Guard waits. Magneto and Xavier stare at one another before Xavier turns and wheels himself out of the room. The door closes behind him, leaving Magneto alone with his plastic chess set in his plastic cell. And Magneto looks at the pieces before him. Something occurs to him. He smiles a wicked smile. And his rook LEVITATES, despite its properties, moving across the board and toppling Xavierís king. MAGNETO And mate." }