CRADLE TO THE GRAVE

             Written by
  John O'Brien and Channing Gibson

              Story by
            John O'Brien




          May 2002 Draft




      FOR EDUCATIONAL
       PURPOSES ONLY

                                                                 2.

FADE IN:

EXT. STREETS (LOS ANGELES) - DAY

End of the day.     An armored truck moves through the city of
Los Angeles.

EXT. JEWELRY EXCHANGE - DAY
The armored truck pulls up. An ARMORED TRUCK GUARD emerges
from the back with a satchel and heads inside.


INT. JEWELRY EXCHANGE - LOBBY - CONTINUOUS ACTION
A large foyer. Security station and elevators. PARTY SOUNDS
can be heard from a second floor balcony.
DOUGLAS is the security guard manning the station. Seeing
the Armored car Guard entering, he picks up the phone and
dials. Beat. Into phone --
                         DOUGLAS
           Last delivery's finally here.
The Armored Truck Guard approaches the security station. As
he and Douglas exchange paperwork, the Armored Truck Guard
references the sounds from upstairs --
                           ARMORED TRUCK GUARD
           Party?
                         DOUGLAS
           Introducing a new line of jewelry.
                         ARMORED TRUCK GUARD
           Wife wants me to buy her a ruby ring.
           Told her to spend a little time with
           the family jewels first.
PING. An ELEVATOR opens. A second security guard's inside.
Handing over the satchel and heading out --
                           ARMORED TRUCK GUARD
           Keep it real.

INT. ELEVATOR - CONTINUOUS ACTION
We see the security guard with the satchel use a key-card to
gain elevator access to the lower floors. As the elevator
doors slide closed...

                                                              3.

INT. VAULT ANTEROOM - MOMENTS LATER
An exclusive showroom. Display tables empty. At one end of
the room, the elevator. At the other end, the open door to
a walk-in vault.

The ELEVATOR PINGS, and the doors open. The guard emerges
with the cart. Pushes it across the room to the outside of
the vault.
A man in a suit emerges from the vault and starts unloading
the cart into the vault.

INT. SUBWAY STATION - DAY

A train arrives.   People jostle on and off.
One man remains on the platform. MILES. Crisp dresser.
Carrying a large leather bag. A cylinder hanging by a strap
over his shoulder.
The train doors begin to close.   When...
A fist inserts itself between the doors. They re-open, and
a man steps onto the platform. TONY FAIT. Well-dressed.
Intense.
Fait joins Miles. They watch the train pull out. They
check to make sure the station's empty. Then jump off the
platform into the tunnel and disappear.

INT. VAULT ANTEROOM - DAY
The man in the suit has finished unloading the cart. He
closes the heavy vault door and spins a large wheel on the
door, securing the vault.

INT. SUBWAY TUNNEL - DAY
Fait and Miles run down the dark tunnel, staying close to
the wall. Miles stumbles. Falls toward the deadly, high-
voltage third rail.
Out of nowhere, Fait's hand grabs Miles' jacket. Stops him.
Just before he hits. Inches from the rail. Fait pulls him
back up and away from the danger.
                        FAIT
          Watch yourself.
Miles nods.

                                                              4.
                           FAIT
          Keep it tight.
Miles nods again, and they set off.


INT. JEWELRY EXCHANGE - LOBBY - DAY
Sounds of the PARTY continue from upstairs. At the security
station, the guard, Douglas, looks up from a magazine and
scans the security monitors.

ANGLE - SECURITY MONITORS
depicting the empty vault, empty vault anteroom, various
empty store areas and the elevator, in which we see the man
in the suit riding up.

BACK TO SCENE
Douglas settles back in with his magazine.

INT. SUBWAY TUNNEL - DAY
Fait and Miles reach an access door tagged with paint.    Fait
starts to open it.
Suddenly, the tunnel is filled with the ROAR of an
APPROACHING TRAIN. Fait and Miles leap to the wall.   Press
their backs against it as tightly as they can.
The TRAIN whooms past, inches from their faces. When it's
gone, Miles sighs with relief. Fait cracks the access door.

INT. SUBWAY UTILITY TUNNELS - DAY
Fait moves quickly, Miles following. Fait makes fast lefts
and rights, following more spray paint.
They branch off into a small dirt-floored space, deep in the
sub-foundation of a building. Fait stops. Overhead is a
flat ceiling. On the ceiling, his flashlight finds a spray-
painted circle.
                           FAIT
          Bull's-eye.
Without a word, Miles begins assembling equipment.    Fait
pulls out a cell phone.

EXT. PARKING GARAGE - (SANTA MONICA) ROOFTOP - DAY

                                                                    5.

A man, DUNCAN SU, sits in a rental 2002 Thunderbird.

INT. SU'S RENTAL T-BIRD - CONTINUOUS ACTION

Su's focused, intense, listening to a fancy WALKMAN through
HEADPHONES. We hear what he hears. Only there's no music,
just STATIC.
Suddenly, on Su's headphones, a PHONE RINGS. Su grows even
more alert. We hear a man with a French accent answer the
phone.
                           CHRISTOPHE (V.O.)
           Yes?

                         FAIT (V.O.)
           We're in position.
                         CHRISTOPHE (V.O.)
           Delivery confirmed. The stones are
           there.
                           FAIT (V.O.)
           Not for long.
CLICK.   HISS.
Su didn't like what he just heard.       Curses in Chinese.   And
takes off.

EXT. CHRISTOPHE'S APARTMENT BUILDING - DAY
Perched on the side of a cliff above the Pacific, next to
the park. The top floor is at street level.
Su easily gains access to the roof of the building. He
moves to an exact position just at the ocean-side edge. It's
an eight-story drop.
Su faces in.      And then... Hops backward off the roof.
Falling feet-first through the air, Su momentarily grabs
onto an eight-floor balcony rail, slowing his descent, then
lets go.
Momentarily grabs a seventh-floor rail and lets go. Grabs a
sixth-floor rail. Hangs on this time. Vaults lightly onto
the balcony.


INT. CHRISTOPHE'S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - DAY

                                                                    6.
A large, free-standing FISH TANK BUBBLES away. Nearby,
CHRISTOPHE is packing to leave town. When...
                         SU (0.S.)
           Where are the stones?

Christophe turns.       Sees Su standing behind him.
                         CHRISTOPHE
                   (French accent)
           Who the fuck are you?
Wham.   The Chinese boxing version of a bitch-slap.
                         SU
           Who's getting them for you?

                            CHRISTOPHE
           Fuck off.
Wham!   Wham!   Wham!     Wham!   Much more violent than a bitch-
slap.
                            CHRISTOPHE
           I'll tell you.
                            SU
           I know.

INT. SUB-FOUNDATION - DAY
A plasma torch burns through the metal-reinforced slab
overhead. Fait taps Miles, who turns off the torch.
Fait hammers at the last layer. And...

INT. VAULT ANTEROOM - CONTINUOUS ACTION
A hole appears under the private display table, where it
can't be seen by the room's security camera.

INT. SUB-FOUNDATION - DAY
Fait communicates via a high-tech, transmitting/receiving
earwig.
                            FAIT
           Daria.

INT. JEWELRY EXCHANGE - LOBBY - DAY
Douglas looks up from his magazine and checks the security
monitors again. Everything a-okay.

                                                                   7.


ANGLE - FRONT DOOR
A limo pulls up outside.


EXT. JEWELRY EXCHANGE - DAY
A uniformed chauffeur gets out of the limo, moves to the
back and opens the door. A very attractive woman in a
short, tight dress emerges.

INT. JEWELRY EXCHANGE - LOBBY - DAY

Escorted by the chauffeur, the woman, DARIA, enters. She
approaches the security station. Up close, in the light,
Daria's even more alluring. And knows how to wield it.
                        DARIA
          I'm here for the reception.
                          DOUGLAS
          Name, please?
                          DARIA
          Angie Rawlins.
Douglas scans a list of names.      Checks off hers.
                        DOUGLAS
          Thank you. You can go on up.       Front
          elevator, to the mezzanine.
Daria turns toward the elevator. Then doesn't go. Just
glances up toward the party, suddenly unenthusiastic.
                        DARIA
          ... I hate these things.      Don't you
          hate these things?
                        DOUGLAS
          I'm just here to do my job.
Daria looks back at Douglas.      Studies him a moment.   Liking
what she sees.
                        DARIA
          Then again, you never know who you're
          going to meet...
She shifts her wrap, baring cleavage.      Then leans over the
desk. Giving Douglas an eyeful.
                          DARIA

                                                               8.
          I'll bet you're a lot more fun than
          any of those boring people upstairs.
Douglas is unaffected.   Just looks at her blankly.
                         DOUGLAS
          Really, ma'am.   I have a job to do.
Daria doesn't understand why he's not interested in her.
Then she glimpses Douglas's magazine lying on the desk.

DARIA'S POV
The magazine is Genre.   Males for males.   Buff boys.   Big
pecs, big penises.


BACK TO SCENE
Daria steps back.
                        DARIA
          Well, I suppose I should go up and
          see what they're selling.
Daria turns back and calls to her chauffeur, TOMMY.
                         DARIA
          Tommy...
What happens next happens very quickly and sotto voce, as
Daria walks toward Tommy:
She whispers into a hidden mike --
                        DARIA
          Change of plans. He's gay.
Tommy hears it over his earwig.
                         TOMMY
          No way.
                         DARIA
          Yeah way.
INTERCUT WITH:

INT. SUB-FOUNDATION - DAY
Fait and Miles have heard it, too.   Into his mike --
                          FAIT
          Tommy.    Your turn.

                                                            9.

A look of alarm on Tommy's face.    Into his mike --
                         TOMMY
          Uh-uh.

                        FAIT
          This isn't a conversation.    Do it.
It's an order.    Tommy knows he has to.   Shit.
                         TOMMY
          Shit.
                         DARIA
          Key-card.

Then, still to Tommy, her voice again at normal volume --
                        DARIA
          Why don't you keep my purse?     I
          shouldn't be too long.
Daria hands Tommy her purse. Palms the key-card from him.
Then heads toward the elevator, as...
Tommy replaces the sick look on his face. Does his best to
look flirty as he walks over to the security station. Leans
over the desk with a yummy-smile on his face.
                         TOMMY
          ... Aloha.
(NOTE: The following scene is INTERCUT with Scenes 20
 thru 28.)
Douglas looks up from his magazine.
                         DOUGLAS
          Hi.
                        TOMMY
          I hope you don't take offense at
          this... but I just have such a
          weakness for a man in uniform.
                        DOUGLAS
          If that's your thing...
                        TOMMY
          Uniform's definitely my thing. I
          mean, I see a sailor, I'm thinking,
          mmm, seafood. Y'know?
                        DOUGLAS
          I'm not actually supposed to be

                                                   10.
          talking on duty.
                        TOMMY
          Who's talking? Honey, this is a
          flirting... But you're probably just
          another good-looking man wasting it
          all on women. World's full of fools.
Beat.   Douglas lets him see the Genre magazine.
                        TOMMY
          Yahtzee!... Okay, Mr. I-Always-Have-
          A-Hard-Nightstick. Put away the
          pictures of those underfed, white
          males and let's broaden your
          horizons.

                        TOMMY (CONT'D)
          I like sunsets and puppy dogs, and
          I'm big in the pants. Just hope I'm
          not too cute for you. And don't tell
          me it's a color thing, hon, or I'll
          come over there and slap a little
          discrimination right upside your
          yummy little cheeks.
                        DOUGLAS
          I'm hooked up.
                        TOMMY
          Another big, hot, cuddly, black love-
          Jesus got there first. That bitch.
          Taking you. From me.
                        DOUGLAS
          Sorry.
                        TOMMY
          Hey... This day and age, sweetie, I
          can appreciate the monogamy. Saving
          it for your number one is keeping the
          world safe, and it's okay by me.
          Even if you are just breaking my
          heart... Guess I'll just have to come
          in here someday, let you catch me
          shoplifting and resist arrest -- just
          to have you wrestle me down and cuff
          me.
                        DOUGLAS
          I can be pretty rough.
                        TOMMY
          Don't you get me all excited now.   I
          was just learning to accept my
          disappointment.

                                                                11.

Tommy sticks out his hand.
                           TOMMY
          Tommy.     But you can call me Rachel.

Shaking hands --
                        DOUGLAS
          Douglas. And, man, I really gotta
          get back to what I'm supposed to be
          doing, okay?
He looks away.     Scans the monitors.


ANGLE - MONITORS
Everything looks normal.

ANGLE BACK ON TOMMY AND DOUGLAS
Seeing Douglas is unaware of what's happening in the vault,
Tommy relaxes.
                        TOMMY
          I'll leave you alone. But is it okay
          if I just stand here and stare at the
          muscles I'll be missing for the rest
          of my
          life?
OFF which...

INT. ELEVATOR - CONTINUOUS ACTION
Daria gets in. Looks back to make sure Tommy has Douglas's
attention. He does.
Instead of going up, Daria uses the key-card to access the
controls to go down.

ANOTHER ANGLE
As the doors close, Daria shoots a wink back at...

TOMMY
who furtively flips her the bird.        Never missing a beat with
Douglas.

                                                            12.
INT. VAULT ANTEROOM - DAY
Fait emerges from the hole beneath the table.

INT. LOBBY - SECURITY STATION - DAY

On the monitors, we see Fait in the vault anteroom and Daria
descending in the elevator as Tommy keeps Douglas's
attention diverted.

INT. VAULT ANTEROOM - DAY
Fait holds a small digital camera next to the room's
security camera. Mimicking the security camera's slow pan,
Fait films the room. When he's done....

CLOSEUP - FAIT'S DIGITAL CAMERA
We see the panning shot of the room on the monitor. Fait
pulls up an on-screen menu, clicks on "Repeat." Whereupon
the mini-movie begins playing in a continuous loop.

INT. VAULT ANTEROOM - DAY
As Fait mounts his camera in front of the security camera,
Daria steps off the elevator, putting her hair up, ready to
work.

INT. LOBBY - SECURITY STATION - DAY
On the anteroom monitor, we see the monitor on Fait's camera
slide into position, making the room look empty, as Tommy
continues diverting Douglas's attention.

INT. VAULT ANTEROOM - DAY
Fait and Daria push the display table aside as Miles shoves
equipment bags through the hole in the floor.
Fait opens the leather bag, revealing tools, a tripod, three
steel cables and a long, rectangular box. Miles grabs a
high-tech DRILL. Begins BORING a hole high up on the vault
door.
Fait hands Daria the tripod to set up, while he uncoils the
steel cables, attaches them to the wheel on the vault door.
Then opens the rectangular box and lifts out what's inside.
A surface-to-air missile. Fait sets it on the tripod.

                                                             13.
Miles, the hole drilled, picks up the cylinder he'd had
slung over his shoulder. Pulls out a pressurized metal
canister of liquid nitrogen.
Miles injects the nitrogen into the hole. A CRACKLING sound
as the super-low-temp LIQUID spreads out inside the vault
door. The outside frosts over.
Fait finishes attaching the free ends of the cables to clips
on the SAM. Final checks of the rig.
                        FAIT
          Out.

INT. SU'S RENTAL T-BIRD - DAY

Speeding through L.A.   Calling 911 on a cell phone.
                        SU
          ... I want to report a crime in
          progress.

INT. SUB-FOUNDATION - DAY
Fait is the last one down through the hole.   Beat.    He looks
at the others.
                        FAIT
          Faith.
                        MILES
          Faith.
                        DARIA
          Faith.
Fait pulls out a remote control firing device.   He pushes
the button. And...

INT. VAULT ANTEROOM - DAY
The SAM IGNITES with a blinding flash and streaks across the
room. The steel cables instantly snap taut and... RIP the
vault's wheel and frozen locking mechanism right the fuck
out of the door.

INT. LOBBY - SECURITY STATION - DAY
They felt a rumble.   Tommy covers --
                        TOMMY
          Earthquake.

                                                             14.

Douglas checks the monitors.      Everything looks okay.
                        TOMMY
          Bet you know how to hit a ten on the
          Richter scale...


INT. VAULT ANTEROOM - DAY
The crew re-emerges through the floor to find the vault door
in pieces and a hole the size of a Sub Zero where the SAM
augured into the opposite wall.
                          DARIA
          Holy shit...

Fait's already swinging open the vault.
                        FAIT
          This will trigger the silent alarm.
          Let's go. We got eleven minutes.
Miles moves down the rows of   drawers, using a tool to pop
all the locks. Fait and Daria   follow behind, quickly pulling
out the drawers and emptying   jewels into nylon bags. Fait
empties drawer after drawer.    All white diamonds. When...
He opens a drawer containing various colored diamonds.     And
stops, admiring them.
                        FAIT
          ... I love colored stones... Look at
          this...
He holds up a small, faceted blue diamond.
                        FAIT
          Two-point-seven million.
Into the bag.
                        MILES
          Whose shit we stealing, anyway?
                        FAIT
          Drug dealers and money launderers.
                          DARIA
          Works for me.
Then something else catches his eye. He holds up a small,
pink diamond on a chain. Admires it.
                        FAIT
          This I can use.

                                                           15.

And pockets it.
                         DARIA
          T.

Fait moves to her. Daria's fishing into a nylon bag she
found in a drawer. Pulls out a handful of... Large black
diamonds. Many more in the bag.
                         FAIT
          Pow.
He takes the bag. Stows it in his jacket. When...
Suddenly, Fait's CELL PHONE RINGS. Surprising them.   Beat.
Fait answers.

                         FAIT
          Go.
INTERCUT WITH:

INT. SU'S RENTAL T-BIRD - DAY
Su's speeding through Los Angeles streets.
                        SU
          Your employer betrayed you. The
          police are on the way. Leave the
          black stones.
                         FAIT
          Who is this?
                        SU
          You know the ones I mean.
                        FAIT
          Don't think I'll do that.
Fait just hangs up.

INT. LOBBY - SECURITY STATION - DAY
Tommy and Douglas hear APPROACHING SIRENS. The SIRENS STOP
outside. SWAT, cops, the works. All heading for the front
door. Tommy whispers urgently into his mike.
                        TOMMY
          Shit.  Five-0 at the do'.
                  (then, aloud to
                  Douglas)
          Better move my car.

                                                          16.

INT. VAULT ANTEROOM - DAY
Fait grabs a bag of jewels.
                           FAIT
          Go time.     Leave the rest.

INT. LOBBY - SECURITY STATION - DAY
SWAT swarms in.
Tommy exits behind them.


INT./EXT. LIMO - DAY
Tommy gets in.    A SWAT COP signals him.
                           SWAT COP
          Move it out.

INT. UTILITY TUNNELS - DAY
Fait, Miles, and Daria run.

INT. SUBWAY TUNNEL - DAY
Slam! Fait, Miles, and Daria blast out the access door.
Fait kneels, feels the track.
                         FAIT
          Stopped the trains.
                  (then)
          We're in the rabbit hole, they're
          sending down the snakes.
                  (then)
          Daria comes with me.
                  (to Miles)
          I got no idea where you should go,
          but you know where to end up.
Miles nods.
                           FAIT
          Faith.
                           MILES
          Faith.

INT. SU'S RENTAL T-BIRD - DAY

                                                                17.
Su studies a computer map of downtown as he drives.

INT. SUBWAY TUNNEL - MILES - DAY
running like hell. Rounds a curve.      Ahead are the rear
lights of a stopped train.

INT. SUBWAY TUNNEL - FAIT AND DARIA - DAY
Approaching the front of another train, stopped at a
station. Fait signals Daria to stay put. Then pokes his
head around the corner of the train.


FAIT'S POV - STATION PLATFORM
SWAT cops hustle passengers off the train. One SWAT GUY
helps another up to check the top of the train. The SECOND
COP jumps back down.
                          SWAT COP #2
             All clear.

ANGLE BACK
Fait turns back to Daria. Signals her to climb up onto the
top of the train. Then begins climbing after her.
As Fait reaches the driver's window, he sees ANOTHER SWAT
COP approaching the train's DRIVER, checking under seats,
etc.
Fait has to climb fast. The SWAT Guy and the Driver getting
closer. Looking up. Just as...

INT. SUBWAY TRAIN - THEIR POV - CONTINUOUS ACTION
Fait's leg just clears the window.      They don't see it.
But...

INT. SUBWAY TUNNEL - CONTINUOUS ACTION
As Fait rolls onto the top of the train...

INT. SUBWAY TRAIN - CONTINUOUS ACTION
The NOISE causes the SWAT Cop to react.      To the Driver --
                          SWAT COP #3
             Hold it.

                                                              18.

A moment, as they stop and the Cop looks around.    The Cop
checks the Driver's compartment. Nothing.
                         SWAT COP #3
                  (radios)
          Train's clear.
The Cop exits.    The Driver enters his compartment.

INT. SUBWAY TUNNEL - CONTINUOUS ACTION
ANOTHER SWAT COP stands outside the Driver's window.
                         DRIVER
          Okay to go?
                        SWAT COP #4
          Just hang tight.
During which, just above them...
Fait and Daria lie very still. Daria's tense. Fait winks at
her, trying to relax her. Daria's still tense. He raises his
eyebrows slightly. Shifts his gaze down.
She doesn't get it. Finally follows his gaze. Sees her
position is giving him a full view of her cleavage. She
looks back at him in disbelief.
                         FAIT
          Nice.
That does it. She relaxes and smiles back. Under which a
voice crackles over the SWAT Cop's radio.
                         RADIO (V.O.)
          All clear.
                          SWAT COP #4
                    (to Driver)
          Okay.    Get this train outta here.
Whereupon the train jerks to a start.

INT. SUBWAY TUNNEL - MILES - DAY
running toward the rear of the stopped train.   Leaping onto
the rear steps. When...
Out of nowhere, a foot catches him in the head, sending him
flying back down onto the rails. And... There is Su in
front of him.

                                                             19.
                        SU
          The stones.

                        MILES
          You'll have to come and get 'em.

Su moves on Miles. Miles throws a solid punch at him. Su
and Miles fight on the track behind the stopped train. The
deadly third rail making the fight even more dangerous.
Miles is a street boxer. He's good. He's ferocious. But
he's no match for Su. When Miles is subdued, Su grabs the
bag of jewels, makes sure Miles doesn't have any more, then
goes.


INT. SUBWAY TUNNEL - SUBWAY CAR ROOF - DAY
Rocketing underground. The tunnel ceiling whizzes by above
Fait and Daria. Intermittent tunnel fixtures just inches
from their heads.
Every time the train takes a curve, they both slide toward
the edge. Fait places a calming hand on top of Daria's. The
car takes a wide curve.
Daria's body flips to the side. She loses her grip.
Screams as she starts to fall off the train. Fait reaches
for Daria, losing his grip on his bag, which plummets off
the train.
Fait can't grab her. The train jerks again. He starts
sliding away from her, off the opposite side. Fait thrusts
out both hands as far as he can. And...
Just snags her at the last second. Grips Daria's wrists
with all he's got. They're now draped across the curved roof
of the train. Hands in the middle. If Daria slips, or Fait
lets her go, they both die.

INT. RENTAL T-BIRD (OUTSIDE SUBWAY ENTRANCE) - DAY
Su gets in. Empties Miles' nylon bag into his lap. A
fortune in gems and jewelry pours out. Su sifts through it,
increasingly agitated. What he wants isn't there. He throws
the bag down, cursing in Chinese.

INT. SUBWAY TUNNEL - SUBWAY CAR ROOF - DAY
Fait is at his limit. His grip starts to loosen. When the
train begins to slow. They pull into a station and stop.
Fait releases Daria, and she drops to the platform.

                                                            20.
Fait jumps down on the other side. He's lost the bag of
jewels. Knows they're gone for good. He feels for the bag
of black diamonds. Still has them.
Unseen, Fait joins Daria on the platform, and, hand in hand,
they melt into the crowd of commuters.


EXT. AIRPORT - GENERAL AVIATION TERMINAL - DUSK
A stretch limo and a Cadillac Escalade wait on the tarmac
next to a Gulfstream, which has just arrived.
The jet door opens, and a man emerges with a bodyguard. The
man, LING, is Asian, about forty. Emanates grace and power.
As Ling descends the steps, and two thugs from the SUV go to
retrieve baggage...
A woman steps out of the waiting limo to greet Ling.   She's
also Asian. Dressed in American casual. Beautiful.     SONA.
She's not smiling. As Ling approaches her --
                        LING
          Enjoying California?
CHARLES, the bodyguard, answers for himself.
                        CHARLES
          Hope we're not here long.    I hate
          sunshine.
Ling kisses Sona on the lips.    Then --
                        SONA
          We may have a problem.
Ling's mood quickly darkens.
                        LING
          The stones?
                        SONA
          The exchange was just robbed.
                        LING
          ... Let's hope that was part of the
          plan.

INT. JEWELRY EXCHANGE - VAULT ANTEROOM - DAY
Swarming with police. When... Su steps off the elevator.
He's carrying the bag of jewels he took from Miles. To a
COP --
                        SU

                                                            21.
          Who's in charge?
                        COP
          Who wants to know?
Su flashes I.D. We don't see it.   The Cop scopes it a
moment. He's clearly impressed.
                        COP
          Follow me.
As he leads Su toward his superiors in the vault...

INT. VANESSA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

VANESSA, eight, is in her pajamas, playing SIM Coaster on
her computer. The door opens. Fait enters. His daughter.
                        FAIT
          You know it's past your bedtime.
                        VANESSA
          Just a little longer.
                        FAIT
                  (imitating sweetly)
          'Just a little longer'... School
          tomorrow, baby. Let's go.
Vanessa sighs. Fait stands over her as she shuts down the
computer, talking her through the commands, making sure she
doesn't dawdle.
                       FAIT
          'Exit.' 'Quit.' 'Do not save.'
          'Special.' 'Shut down.' Sleepy-
          time.
Whereupon he whisks her out of her chair, flies her once
around the room and tucks her into bed.
                        FAIT
          You bag some Z's now, you hear?
                        VANESSA
          Okay.
                        FAIT
          ... Wait a second.
                        VANESSA
          What?
                        FAIT
          I think there's something behind your

                                                               22.
          ear.
                        VANESSA
          Oh, please, that is so lame.     It's in
          your hand.

She takes his right hand, opens it and turns it over.
Nothing. Takes his left hand, opens it and turns it over.
More nothing. She's stumped.
Fait smiles. Puts his hands together. When he opens them,
there is the pink diamond pendant on the chain.
                        VANESSA
          How'd you do that?

Fait slips the chain over her head and kisses her.
                          FAIT
          Good night.
Then Fait looks up.     Addresses the air above her.
                        FAIT
          Angels east, angels west, north and
          south, do your best. Guard her,
          watch her, while she rests.
A bedtime ritual. Fait goes. When she's alone, Vanessa
holds up the diamond, which catches every bit of available
light and shines in the dark.
Then she rolls over and closes her eyes.

INT. FAIT'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - NIGHT
Fait enters.     Vanessa's nanny, TONITA, is there.    To Tonita
--
                        FAIT
          She'll stay down now.
                        TONITA
          She won't listen to me lately.     Only
          you.
                        FAIT
          I'll have a talk with her about it
          tomorrow.
Still to the nanny --
                        FAIT
          I got some work to do in the office.
          You can go on to bed.

                                                            23.
                        TONITA
          I'm watching TV, if you need me.
Fait exits.


INT. FAIT'S BAR/LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS ACTION
Fait enters.    Tommy and Daria are there.

                        TOMMY
          What the hell happened?
Fait puts a finger to his lips.    Leads them across the room
to another door.


INT. FAIT'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS ACTION
They enter.    Fait shuts the door.
                        TOMMY
          Should we be considering a
          long vacation in a warm,
          foreign climate where there's
          no extradition?
Fait's thinking it through.
                        FAIT
          The guy who called was only
          interested in the black stones...
                        DARIA
          Christophe sold us out.
                          FAIT
          Or something.
Just then, Miles enters.
                          DARIA
          You made it.
                        MILES
          By the skin of my ass. Some
          Chinese dude kicked me around
          the motherfuckin' block. Busted
          my ear piece.
He takes the broken communication device out of his ear and
tosses it on the table.
                        MILES
          Snagged my loot, too... Maybe time to

                                                              24.
          rethink the no-gun policy.
                        TOMMY
          Little ass-whuppin's nothing. 'Least
          you didn't have to play all foxy with
          the rent-a-cop.

Fait pulls out the bag of black diamonds.
                        FAIT
          Means this is all we got.
                        DARIA
          So what do we do?
                        FAIT
          You all wait to hear from me.
                        TOMMY
          Where're you going?
                        FAIT
          To get some answers.
Miles moves to go with him.
                        MILES
          I got your back.
                        FAIT
          No. I got us into this.     I'll call
          you if I need you.
Daria moves to him.   Their eyes meet.
                         DARIA
          Be careful.
Fait gives her a kiss.   Then goes.

INT. CHRISTOPHE'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Christophe's arms are   wrapped around the large fish tank,
one arm over the top,   the other through the legs of the
stand. His hands are    bound. He can't move. His beaten
face is pressed to the   glass. Large, weird fish swim past
in front of him.
The weird fish scatter as a face appears on the other side
of the tank. Ling. Looking through at Christophe.
Ling straightens and walks around the tank. Sona is with
him. So is Charles, the bodyguard. In b.g., the two thugs
stand sentry near the front door. Christophe's eyes follow
them.

                                                            25.

                        LING
          So this is Mr. Christophe?
                        SONA
          Yes. Only the handcuffs and fish
          tank are a new look.
                        LING
          Apparently we're not his first
          visitors today.
                        CHRISTOPHE
          Please, Monsieur Ling --
Ling interrupts him with a hand on the shoulder.

                        LING
          Whatever you're going to say... Make
          it the truth.

EXT. ARCHIE'S AMERICAN SURPLUS - M1A1 TANK - NIGHT
Sitting in the middle of the large lot, which is full of hot
goods and military surplus equipment. The tank's turret is
spinning around. The cannon elevating and depressing
seemingly at random. When...
The cannon stops. Having locked on...Fait, standing in
front of the tank. From inside the tank, a muffled voice.
                        VOICE (O.S.)
          Bang.
A hatch opens. ARCHIE, a fairly straight-ahead-looking man,
pops his head up out of the tank.
                        ARCHIE
          Like it?
                        FAIT
          It's cool.
As Archie climbs out of the tank and joins Fait --
                        ARCHIE
          Want it? Give you a good deal. Ammo
          included... Reactive armor, twin M240
          machine guns, 120mm smoothbore
          cannon. Guaranteed to get you
          through the rougher areas of the city
          and keep the neighbors in line.
                        FAIT
          Pass.

                                                         26.

                        ARCHIE
          How about a Marine Corps assault
          hovercraft?
                        FAIT
          I got other business.
Fait and Archie walk to a work table. Nearby, two MEN
UNLOAD HOT TVS from a truck. One Man calls to Archie.
                        MAN UNLOADING HOT TVS
          We're outta room over here, Arch.
                        ARCHIE
          Stack 'em in the office, if you have
          to.
Then Archie turns his attention back to Fait.
                        ARCHIE
          ... You weren't downtown tonight by
          any chance, were you, Tony?
                        FAIT
          Don't know what you're talking about.
                        ARCHIE
          Me either.
                        FAIT
          Ever see black diamonds before?
                        ARCHIE
          White, blue, yellow, pink. Neil
          Diamond. Lou Diamond Phillips.
          Black diamonds? Solid rocks? No.
Whereupon Fait opens the nylon bag and pours the black
diamonds out onto the table. Archie pulls out a loup.
Studies them a moment. Shrugs.
                        ARCHIE
          You got me.
                        FAIT
          Find out how much they're worth.
                        ARCHIE
          There a timetable on this, or --
                        FAIT
          Yesterday.
                        ARCHIE
          That's what I figured.

                                                                27.

Fait's heading out.
                        FAIT
          I'll be back. I gotta go fuck over a
          guy who fucked me over.


INT. CHRISTOPHE'S APARTMENT BUILDING - HALLWAY - NIGHT
Fait opens a door with an electronic lock pick.

INT. CHRISTOPHE'S APARTMENT - LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Fait enters. Stops a moment, his back against the closed
door, while his eyes adjust to the dark. Then moves quietly
out into the room. Looking for Christophe.
Fait continues moving around through the room. When he
steps in something wet. He bends down and checks it out.
Water. The carpet's soaked.
His eyes go to something. Fait finds a cord and turns on a
switch. The light in the fish tank snaps on.
REVEAL Christophe.     Stuffed inside the tank.     Sleeping with
the fishes.
                        SU (O.S.)
          Looks dead to me.
Behind him.   Fait turns around.      Sees Su.   Sitting on a
sofa.
                        FAIT
          Guess you got to him first.
                           SU
          Not me.     Someone else.
Fait does the math.
                        FAIT
          ... You're the one who called me.
          The one who took on my guy... Who the
          fuck are you, man?
                          SU
          My name is Su.
                           FAIT
          Cool.     I'm Sally.
                        SU
          I want the black stones.

                                                                  28.

                            FAIT
             Yeah?   Make me an offer.
Su stands.

                           SU
             You can walk out of here.
                            FAIT
             ... No deal.
Fait launches   himself at Su. Gonna fight     his way    out the
door. A much    better fighter than Miles.     And...    He's saved
by the bell:    the PHONE RINGS. The fight     stops.     The
phone's near   Fait. Beat. The answering      machine    picks up.

                           CHRISTOPHE (V.O.)
             Christophe here. Leave a message.
BEEP.
                           LING (V.O.)
             I know you're there, Mr. Fait.
Beat.   Fait pushes the button for the speakerphone.
                            FAIT
             Who's this?
INTERCUT WITH:

INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
Overlooking L.A. Ling and Sona. Enjoying hotel room
service. Ling's on a cell phone.
                             LING
             The man for   whom Mr. Christophe
             arranged to   have the black stones
             brought into   the country and
             deposited at   the jewelry exchange.
             The man who   wants them back. Now.
                            FAIT
             Fine.   How much?
                           LING
             Maybe you didn't understand me.    The
             stones are already mine.
                           FAIT
             I got 'em, I'm selling 'em. So get
             your bid in or go fuck yourself.

                                                               29.
                           LING
             I don't have time for this.
                           FAIT
             That your final offer?

                           LING
             I can be a very dangerous man, Mr.
             Fait.
Fait just hangs up.
                        FAIT
          Everybody think I'm the fucking
          Goodwill or something...? Look, I've
          had a shitty night, and so far, I got
          zip for all my troubles. So I don't
          know who the fuck you are, and I
          don't care. But hear this: you can
          beat my ass around the block all
          night --
          Brother, it ain't gonna get you those
          stones.
A long beat. The two men facing off. Then...
As Su stands aside, giving Fait a clear path out...

EXT. STREET NEAR CHRISTOPHE'S - NIGHT
Fait slides into his Porsche and drives off.

INT./EXT. FAIT'S PORSCHE - NIGHT
Fait's checking his rearview mirror. Sees a black Cadillac
Escalade pull away from the curb and follow.
Fait doesn't need it.
                           FAIT
             Oh, man...
He's about    to punch it. When... A cop car turns a corner
and falls    in beside him. Fait throttles back. Keeps
driving.     Until, finally... The cops turn off. And now...
Fait hits    it. Until...
Traffic ahead forces Fait to turn into an alley in a semi-
industrial area. Behind him, the Escalade tries to follow,
but is cut off by the on-coming cars.
We STAY WITH Fait. He GUNS down the alley. Reaches an
intersecting alley. Turns. GUNS it out of sight.

                                                               30.
INT./EXT. ESCALADE - CONTINUOUS ACTION
Finally forcing its way through on-coming traffic and
speeding down the alley after Fait. The ESCALADE reaches the
intersection. Turns. And... CRASHES into a DUMPSTER rolled
into its path. The dumpster forces the Escalade into a
wall.

EXT. ALLEY (SEMI-INDUSTRIAL AREA) - CONTINUOUS ACTION
Two men start to get out of the Escalade. We recognize
them: Ling's two thugs. We barely have time to realize
that Fait's escape has been blocked by construction
equipment down the alley. He's had no choice but to turn
and fight.

Which is what he does, rushing the passenger.
The battle's ferocious and fast. Ultimately, Fait's out-
muscled and out-gunned. He's forced back against the open
door of the Escalade, guns to his head.
                        LING THUG #1
          Give us the stones.
                        FAIT
          Man, how many times I gotta tell
          people: I'm a business man. Make me
          a motherfucking offer.
                        LING THUG #2
          Here's your offer.
He cocks his pistol.   Beat.
                        FAIT
          That shit ain't gonna do it, biggie.
          'Cause I ain't scared of guns, and I
          ain't got the stones.
                        LING THUG #1
          Then you're gonna tell us where they
          are.
Whereupon a...
BOTTLE
Spins through the air. The bottle knocks the gun from one
Killer's hand. The gun skids under a nearby chain-link
fence.
REVEAL
the person who threw the bar.   Su. The fight's on.   Two on

                                                            31.
two. Using all means available. During the battle, a killer
tries to reach the gun behind the chain-link fence. Almost
gets it. When...
Two vicious DOBERMANS, guard dogs for the junkyard behind
the fence, leap out of nowhere, SNARLING and SNAPPING and
smash into the fence. The killer jumps back, barely
escaping with his arm.
The fight continues.   Fait and Su wear them down.
Behind the fence, the Dobies want flesh. Every time someone
crashes into the fence, they're right there trying to get a
piece.
Also, every time someone crashes into the old fence, we see
a series of chain-link connections loosen and break. Until
it happens one too many times. The entire fence goes down.
The dogs are out. The nearest targets: Su and Fait.Su and
Fait must now focus their attention on fighting off and
evading the ferocious attack dogs.
Finally, Su kicks one dog flying. Whip-kicks the other off
Fait. The two men run for the Escalade. The dogs are up in a
flash. Su spots an abandoned car. A rear door is open.
                        SU
          Over here.
Fait follows, right on his heels.
The dogs close in.
Su reaches the car. Dives through the open door.
Somersaults over the rear seat. Kicks open the far door and
rolls out. Fait dives in right behind him. The Dobies leap
in after Fait.
Fait's airborne completely through the back seat and out the
other side of the car. Clears the door. And... Su slams
the door shut.
We watch a two-Doberman pile-up against the suddenly closed
door as Su leaps to the car's other side and shuts that
door, too. Trapping the SNARLING, foaming DOGS inside.
The bad guys are gone. And Fait's CELL PHONE is RINGING. As
Fait digs out the phone, to Su --
                        FAIT
          Man, what the hell's up with these
          fucking stones?
                  (into phone)
          Go.

                                                           32.
INTERCUT WITH:

INT. ARCHIE'S AMERICAN SURPLUS - OFFICE - NIGHT
Archie's had the shit beat out of him.

                          ARCHIE
          It's Archie.    Bad news.   We got a
          problem.

CLOSEUP - VIDEO MONITOR
Surveillance camera footage of Archie's.

Five armed African-Americans, faces hidden under baseball
caps, enter Archie's place, put Archie up against a wall and
start to beat something out of him.
                        ARCHIE (O.S.)
          ... I did what you said, right? Put
          it out on the street, trying to get
          info on the stones. Next thing I
          know, the Jackson Five here show
          up... Now, there are three
          significant elements to notice here.
          One, I'm outnumbered. Two, they're
          heavily armed. Three, they're gonna
          beat me like a bongo drum...

INT. ARCHIE'S AMERICAN SURPLUS - OFFICE - NIGHT
Archie, Fait and Su are watching the monitor. On screen,
Archie surrenders immediately.
                        ARCHIE
          ... I mean, hey, I coulda resisted,
          sure -- and they coulda beat me into
          a coma or killed me or whatever --
          but then, see, I'm thinking: How
          would I be able to tell Tony what
          happened to the stones? Right? What
          good am I dead or on life-support.
          So I threw in the towel.
          Reluctantly, of course. For your
          sake.
                       FAIT
          Okay. You saved yourself to tell me.
          So tell me.
                          ARCHIE
          What?

                                        33.
                FAIT
Who are they?
              ARCHIE
Uh... Don't know.

              FAIT
What'd they say?
              ARCHIE
Well... 'Give us the stones,
motherfucker.' You know. That kinda
thing.
                FAIT
That's it?

                ARCHIE
Pretty much.    Yeah.
              FAIT
Thanks for keeping yourself alive to
pass on all that valuable
information.
              SU
Did you call the police?
              ARCHIE
Look around. Are you crazy? Then
again, maybe you are crazy, 'cause I
have no idea who you are.
              FAIT
Big question is, who's behind the
boost?
              ARCHIE
        (re: footage)
I don't know that, but I know they
got great guns. I can't even get
those. U.S. Special Forces only.
                FAIT
... Chambers.
                ARCHIE
What?
              FAIT
He's wired into everything going down
in this city, and he can get that
kind of firepower. Gotta be him.
              SU
Who's Chambers?

                                                  34.

                        FAIT
          Runs the biggest outfit in town.
          What warlords are to Afghanistan,
          Chambers is to L.A... And you want to
          take him on, you're on your own.
          Game over for me.
                  (beat; then)
          And now that I'm truly fucked -- what
          the hell are you, anyway? You got
          some I.D.?
Beat.   Su takes out his wallet and shows him.

INSERT - I.D.

In Chinese.     Clearly official.
                        FAIT
          Doesn't mean shit to me.
                        ARCHIE
          Let me see that.
Archie takes it, reads.
                        ARCHIE
          Taiwan. Central Security Bureau.
          Taiwanese intelligence.
                        FAIT
          You read Chinese?
                       ARCHIE
          No. But I know 'cop' in every
          language.
                        FAIT
          What, you some kinda Asian James
          Bond?
                        SU
          The stones belong to my government.
                        FAIT
          Yeah, well, they're Chambers' now.
          And even governments don't go to war
          with him.
UNDER which, Fait's CELL PHONE starts RINGING.
                        FAIT
          I'm starting to hate this phone.
                  (answers)
          What now?

                                                              35.

INTERCUT WITH:

INT. LIMOUSINE - TIGHT ON LING AND SONA - NIGHT

Ling's on his cell phone.
                        LING
          I hope you've reconsidered.
                        FAIT
          Hey, it's Mr. Dangerous.   'Sup,
          'homie'?
                        LING
          You've made this difficult, Mr. Fait.
          Let me make it easy.
                        FAIT
          Can't wait to hear.
                        LING
          I have your daughter.
Fait freezes.
                        LING
          She's very pretty in her pink
          pajamas. Aren't you, Vanessa?
REVEAL Vanessa, in the limo, held by Charles.     On Ling's
signal, Charles uncovers her mouth.
                        VANESSA
          Daddy!
                        FAIT
          Vanessa!
                        LING
          I want my stones, Mr. Fait.
                        FAIT
          Motherfucker...
                        LING
          You think about it a moment. Let me
          talk to the Chinese gentleman who's
          with you.
                        FAIT
          Don't you hurt her.
                        LING
          That's up to you... The Chinese

                                                             36.
          gentleman, please?
Beat.   Fait hands the phone to Su.
                        FAIT
          He has my daughter.

                         ARCHIE
          Oh, Jesus...
                        FAIT
          He wants to talk to you.
Su takes the phone.   In CHINESE with ENGLISH SUBTITLES --
                         SU
          Hello.
                        LING
          I thought I killed you.
                        SU
          I have the stones.      No negotiations.
          Let the girl go.
                        LING
          Do you really want one more person to
          die?
We see this resonates with Su.
                        SU
          No negotiations.
And then, he simply hangs up.
END INTERCUT.
                        FAIT
          What'd you just do?     What happened?
                        SU
          I said I have the stones and won't
          negotiate for your daughter.
                         FAIT
          You what?
                         ARCHIE
          Oh, Jesus...
                        SU
          It will confuse him.     Buy us time and
          keep her alive.
                         FAIT

                                                              37.
          What the fuck're you talking about?
          That asshole has my daughter.
                         SU
          Look -- I know him.
                  (then)
          I want the stones, you want your
          daughter. We'll get them both back.
          We'll work together.
                        FAIT
          ... I gotta work with you?
                        SU
          You have no choice.

Beat.   Fait realizes what this means.
                        FAIT
          ... Shit... We gotta go see
          Chambers...
                  (beat, then)
          Oh, god... Vanessa...

INT. AIRPLANE HANGAR - NIGHT
Large, empty, brightly-lit.    The door opens, and the limo
pulls in.

INT./EXT. LIMOUSINE - CONTINUOUS ACTION
The limo stops inside the hangar.    To Charles, re:   Vanessa
--
                        LING
          Find a place to put her.
Then, as Charles forces Vanessa out --
                        VANESSA
          My daddy's gonna come and kick your
          butts.
Sona just reaches out and slaps her. It hurts and surprises
Vanessa. Tears come to her eyes. But she's Fait's
daughter: she won't let this bitch make her cry. Charles
takes Vanessa out. Ling's mind is still on the phone call.
                        LING
          Su says he has the stones... But why
          cut me off? Why not negotiate for
          the girl? It doesn't make sense.
                        SONA

                                                           38.
             The buyers fly in tomorrow.   Should
             we stop them?
                            LING
             We'll never regain their confidence.
                     (beat)
             We need information. Find the right
             people. Pay whatever it costs.
             Something's not right. Something's
             happening with the stones.
                           SONA
             What about the girl?

                           LING
             We'll need her... She stays alive.
             For now.

INT. FAIT'S PORSCHE - NIGHT
In motion.     Fait and Su.   Fait on the cell to Tommy.
                             FAIT
             I'm on the way to Chambers... Yeah, I
             know, but I got no other choice.
             Just get the word into his pipeline
             that I'm coming and want permission
             to visit... I'll get back to you...
             Faith...
                      (hangs up)
             Maybe Chambers'll have a heart and
             give the stones back.
                      (then)
             Yeah, right -- and maybe he'll join
             the Peace Corps.
Su looks over.     Beat.
                           SU
             I'm sorry about your daughter... How
             old is she?
                           FAIT
             This ain't the Biography Channel.
             Let's just get there.
A long beat.     L.A. moving by outside.
                            FAIT
             Eight.   She'll be nine in September.
Beat.
                           SU

                                                          39.
          Mine is fifteen... Boyfriends...
                          FAIT
          Never happen.    I'll just kill
          'em.

                        SU
          I wish it were that easy.
Another beat.   Then --
                        FAIT
          About time I got the 4-1-1.
                          SU
          4-1-1?

                        FAIT
          What's this all about?
                        SU
          The stones aren't what you think they
          are.
                          FAIT
          No shit.
                  (then)
          How about the guy who has Vanessa?
                        SU
          He's exactly what you think he is --
          a thief and a killer.
                          FAIT
          Great...

INT. HANGAR - NIGHT
A battered Ford camper now sits in the middle of the hangar.
We see Vanessa inside the camper. She's screaming. Loudly.
Not scared. Pissed. As...
Ling Thug #2 covers the windows with black spray paint.

ANGLE - ACROSS HANGAR
Ling Thug #2 hands car keys to Charles.
                        CHARLES
          Where'd you get that piece of shit?
                        LING THUG #1
          Let's just say Grandma and Grandpa
          have a long walk back from the

                                                              40.
          campground.
                        CHARLES
          You're sure you cleaned it out?
                        LING THUG #1
          Everything except the denture cream
          and adult diapers.
Vanessa's still screaming.   It's getting on Charles' nerves.
                        CHARLES
          I'm sick of her already.
He marches toward the van.   Unlocks the rear door and slides
it open.


INT./EXT. CAMPER - CONTINUOUS ACTION
Vanessa is standing inside, still yelling.
                         CHARLES
          Shut up!
                         VANESSA
          You shut up!
                         CHARLES
          Go to sleep!
Vanessa reaches over and flicks ON the camper's TV.   Turns
it UP LOUD. Giving him stink-eye defiance as...
Charles slams the door shut.   Locks it.   And...
Now that Vanessa's made her point, and Charles can't see her
anymore, her boldness begins to subside. She lies down on
the bed and curls up, alone and scared inside the dark
camper.
Vanessa holds up the pink diamond pendant and gazes at it.
A talisman. Connecting her to her father. Not making the
fear go away, but giving her strength.

CLOSEUP - FAIT
As he drives, just as if he can sense Vanessa's need for him
--
                        FAIT
          Angels east, angels west, north and
          south, do your best. Guard her,
          watch her, while she rests.

                                                               41.
OFF which, as Su regards him...

INT. MEDIUM SECURITY PRISON - CELLBLOCK - DAY
A prison guard escorts Fait and Su past cells, each just as
dreary, spare and institutional as the next. That is, until
they reach the last cell.
The last cell is guarded by two convict sentries.    Hanging
blankets cloak the cell entirely from view.
Fait, Su and the prison guard stop outside the cell. One
sentry blocks the way in as the other parts the blankets
covering the open cell doorway, REVEALING...


INT./EXT. CHAMBER'S CELL - CONTINUOUS ACTION
After a walk through Kansas, this is the land of Oz. The
last cell is as comfy, colorful and a well-appointed as
Joel's office.
JUMP CHAMBERS, a large, brutal-looking, inner-city crime
lord has clearly used money and influence to improve the
terms of his incarceration.
Chambers puffs a Cuban as a prison trustee, WILLY CHICKENS,
sets out breakfast before him: fresh-squeezed OJ; eggs
benedict; large, juicy sausages; fresh breads and pastries;
French-press coffee; LA TIMES, NY TIMES, WSJ, Maxim, Hustler
and the daily mail.
The guard leaves Fait and Su, turns to go.
                          CHAMBERS
             Metz.
The guard, METZ, stops and looks back.
                           CHAMBERS
             D.V.D.'s broke.
                           METZ
             Get you a new one straight away, Mr.
             Chambers.
Metz goes.
Beat.   Chambers eyes Fait and Su through his cigar smoke.
                            CHAMBERS
             Thanks for your patience.   Man needs
             his nightly rest.
                     (then)
             Who's the gook?

                                                            42.

                        FAIT
          ... Chinese guy.
                        CHAMBERS
          ... No shoes in my crib.

Then, when Fait and Su have removed their shoes --
                         CHAMBERS
          In.
The sentries move aside. Fait and Su enter. Chambers ash-
trays his Cuban and digs into b-fast.
                        FAIT
          How you doing, Jump?
                        CHAMBERS
          Don't waste my precious time.
                        FAIT
          ... I got a problem.
                         CHAMBERS
          How's Daria?
                         FAIT
          ... Good.
                        CHAMBERS
          Always was good. From the moment I
          found her till the moment you took
          her away from me. Problem, you say?
                        FAIT
          ... The black stones.
                        CHAMBERS
          Bitch brought it in. Made me a lotta
          money. But that all stopped. You
          stopped that. You decided it was
          okay to put an end to that. Black
          stones. Go on.
                        FAIT
          I need 'em back.
                        CHAMBERS
          Only smart thing was not pimping her
          yourself, 'cause then I'da been real
          sore-angry, and you'da both been real
          cold-dead...
                        CHAMBERS (CONT'D)
          But you don't pimp, do you? Just a

                                                              43.
          thief in the night. Stealing what
          don't belong to you.
Chambers turns to Su.   In SUBTITLED KOREAN --
                        CHAMBERS
          You like tall white women?
Su doesn't say anything.   Back to English --
                        CHAMBERS
          He can't talk?
                        SU
          I don't speak Korean.

Chambers carves up a sausage.
                        CHAMBERS
          Bought myself this Korean club
          downtown. Packing in the Seoul
          brothers 24-7-365... Black man
          gouging Koreans, ain't that a
          switch... Motherfuckers got faces
          like walls, but they love to drink
          liquor and look at naked girls...
          Place is no shitbox, either. Got me
          an office looks like a kabuki love
          palace. My own little sanctuary --
A QUICK SHOT OF Fait, taking this in.
                        CHAMBERS
          -- just waiting for when I parole
          out... Stop by sometime, eyeball the
          poon.
                        FAIT
          ... Jump, my daughter's mixed up in
          this. I gotta have the stones, or
          she's dead.
No response.   Chambers just keeps eating.
                        FAIT
          If you need something more than that,
          here it is...
                  (this is hard)
          I'm begging you, Jump.
Still no response... Chambers finishes eating.    Wipes his
face. Finally --
                       CHAMBERS
          Big heist. Risky heist. Breaking
          news. I'm watching it wondering why.

                                                                44.
          What's worth that kind of trouble,
          that kind of heat? Gotta be
          something good. Gotta be something
          expensive.
Beat.   He meets Fait's eyes.   Holds them.

                        FAIT
          She's my little girl.
                         CHAMBERS
          Make another one... Lotta offspring
          running around. Big scores're rare
          in a lifetime.
Another beat.   That's it.   No deal.

Fait takes a sudden step toward Chambers.     Su stops him.
                        CHAMBERS
          Slope's no dope.
He indicates behind them. They turn. The two cell sentries
are wielding prison shanks. So is Willy Chickens.
                         CHICKENS
          Let me cut one of these
          motherfuckers.
                         CHAMBERS
          Your choice.
Chickens is happy.   Thrusts the knife at Fait.       When...
Su reaches out and catches the   blade.  Catches it with just
the thumb and forefinger of one   hand.  And holds it like
that. Holds it hard. Chickens     can't push and can't pull.
Doesn't know what to do next.    Finally yanks really hard.
And...
Su lets go. Chickens goes backward, ass over teakettle. A
beat. Then, to Fait --
                        CHAMBERS
          Say hey to Daria. And don't forget
          your shoes.

EXT. PRISON - DAY
Fait and Su walk toward the Porsche.
                        FAIT
          I used to look up to that guy.      All I
          wanted was to be like him.

                                                            45.
                       SU
         In Taiwan, I could force him to talk.
                        FAIT
         This ain't Taiwan.
                 (then)
         Only thing we can do now is find out
         where the stones are and go take 'em.
                       SU
         You make it sound easy.
                        FAIT
         It won't be.
They're about to get in the car. Fait stops.     Looks back at
the prison. Suddenly realizing something.
                       FAIT
         ... They're at his club.
                       SU
         How do you know?
                        FAIT
         I know. I can feel it.      That ever
         happen to you?
                        SU
         No.
                       FAIT
         I thought Chinese people were all
         mystical and shit.
                       SU
         We like to gamble.     Not guess.
                       FAIT
         It's no guess... But I could be
         wrong... We'll hit the club. You
         gotta see Archie.
                        SU
         Archie?
                       FAIT
         He's gotta remember something about
         the guys who took down his place.
                       SU
         What if he can't?
                       FAIT
         Pretend it's Taiwan.    Make him
         remember.

                                                          46.


INT. HANGAR - DAY
RUSSELL, the science and technology end of Ling's operation,
carries a piece of equipment from the back of a five-ton
truck and approaches some kind of strange contraption, which
he's in the process of erecting in the middle of the hangar.
He puts down what he's carrying next to the contraption and
starts back for something else, when he sees Charles is
looking in the back of the truck.
                          RUSSELL
          Hey!    Get away from there!
Russell hurries over, extremely edgy, almost manic.

                        RUSSELL
          What are you doing?!
                        CHARLES
          Whoa. Take it easy. Just seeing if
          I could help with something.
                        RUSSELL
          You can't! It's very delicate
          equipment! Stay away! Just stay
          away from my truck!
                         CHARLES
          What?
                        RUSSELL
          Stay away from my truck!
                         CHARLES
          What?
                        RUSSELL
          Stay away from my truck!
                         CHARLES
          What?
Sona's emerging from a trailer/office nearby.
                         SONA
          Stop it.
Charles does. And now we can hear Vanessa, who's begun
screaming inside the camper.
                        VANESSA (O.S.)
          I want my daddy!
Charles backs up, continuing to address Russell --

                                                            47.

                        CHARLES
          I'm backing away... I'm backing
          away...
                        VANESSA (O.S.)
          I want my daddy! I want my daddy!
Charles joins Sona.   Re:   Russell --
                        CHARLES
          Someone give the geek his Ritalin.
                        SONA
          At least he's doing his job. Which
          is more than I can say for some
          people.
                        VANESSA (O.S.)
          I want my daddy! I want my daddy!
Sona tosses Charles a roll of duct tape.
                        SONA
          Tape her up and gag her.
As Vanessa continues to SCREAM, Charles moves to the van,
unlocks the rear door with the key/remote and pockets it.
Then opens the door. And...
Vanessa bolts out, crying, and clamps her arms around his
waist.
                         VANESSA
          I want my daddy! I want my daddy!    I
          want my daddy!
                        CHARLES
          Get the hell off me.
He pries loose her arms from around him. Keeping a grip on
her wrists with one hand, Charles turns her around to face
away from him. He's about to start duct-taping her wrists.
                        CHARLES
          ... Waste of time... I can think of a
          better way of shutting you
          up --
Vanessa back-kicks him hard in the 'nads.   Charles howls in
pain and lets her go.
Quickly, Vanessa jumps back inside the camper.

INT. CAMPER - CONTINUOUS ACTION

                                                           48.

Vanessa slams the sliding rear door shut. And now... We
suddenly realize she has the key and remote! The crying
just an act she put on to pickpocket Charles. Vanessa pushes
the remote. And...


EXT. CAMPER - CONTINUOUS ACTION
THUNK go the DOOR LOCKS. Charles, still in pain, is
surprised to hear this. Feels his pocket. Realizes the key
and remote are gone.
                        CHARLES
          Shit.
                  (yells to Sona)
          She got the key!

INT. CAMPER - CONTINUOUS ACTION
Vanessa climbs into the driver's seat. Puts the key into
the ignition and STARTS the ENGINE. Puts it in "D."

CLOSEUP - ACCELERATOR PEDAL
To reveal Vanessa's rigged a soda can to the pedal. An
extension for her short legs. As her foot tromps down on the
can...

ANGLE - CAMPER
takes off. The windows are blacked out and Vanessa can't
see where she's going. But she's going.

INT. HANGAR - CONTINUOUS ACTION
The camper careens around the large space.   Charles
scrambles after.

INT. CAMPER - CONTINUOUS ACTION
Vanessa keeps driving blind, pedal to the metal.

INT. HANGAR - CONTINUOUS ACTION
The CAMPER veers toward the rear wall.   And...
... CRASHES into a support post.
As Charles yanks Vanessa from the wrecked van, unhurt...

                                                           49.


INT. KOREAN CLUB - DAY
A hostess bar, but very high-end. Beautiful women. Elegant
decor. Pumping MUSIC. No strip-club cheese. For extra
money, private rooms for private pleasures. It's day, but
the place is wall-to-wall with Korean men.
Chambers' African-Americans maintain low visibility:   at the
door, behind the scenes, counting the register, etc.
ODION, a dangerous-looking Chambers main man, moves through
the crowd to Daria, waiting near the front door.
                        ODION
          Delicious Daria.
                         DARIA
          'Sup, Odion?
                        ODION
          Long time no see.
Then, checking her out --
                         ODION
          Like cognac. Just getting better.
                  (then)
          So what brings you around?
                        DARIA
          ... Sometimes you need an old friend,
          y'know?
                         ODION
          Got trouble?
                        DARIA
          ... With a capital 'T.'
                       ODION
          Tony Fait? Thought you and him were
          tight. Bonnie and Clyde.
                        DARIA
          Used to be that way. Not treating me
          right these days. The kid's all he
          cares about.
                        ODION
          ... What do you want me to do?
                        DARIA
          ... Man, I don't know. Probably
          nothing you can do. I just

                                                     50.
          thought...
                  (then)
          Hey, y'know, this is crazy. I don't
          know what I was thinking. I
          shouldn't even be here like this.
          Sorry, Odion.

Daria starts to go.   Odion stops her.
                        ODION
          Nah, hey, hold up. It's okay.
                        DARIA
          Back in the day... Just always seemed
          like you and I had something special
          between us.

                        ODION
          Didn't know you thought so.
                        DARIA
          I always cared for you, Odion.
          That's why I'm here.
                        ODION
          ... You looking for a job?
                        DARIA
          I need something.
                        ODION
          ... So maybe you could work here.
                        DARIA
          Here?... Oh, man, I don't know.
                        ODION
          You were the best. Not many girls
          pulling in two g's a night.
                        DARIA
          Yeah, but it's been a while for
          that... Might not remember how.
                        ODION
          Just like a bicycle, baby.     You don't
          forget that stuff.
Daria considers it a moment.
                        DARIA
          Don't know how Jump'd feel about it.
          Having me back.
                        ODION
          Hey, you let me worry about Jump,

                                                            51.
          okay?
                  (then)
          Meantime, why don't you come on in,
          and you and me can, y'know, talk some
          more about it.

Beat.   Daria knows the look in his eyes.   Gets the subtext.
                         DARIA
          ... Just talk?
Odion's drinking her in.
                         ODION
          ... No.

A beat. Then, as Daria reaches out and slips her hand into
Odion's, smiling at him --

INT. SU'S T-BIRD - DAY
Su and Archie.
                        SU
          They have boxing matches in the day?
                        ARCHIE
          Not exactly boxing. More dangerous.
          No gloves. No rules. Big money.
          Very illegal... Started holding 'em
          during the daytime to fool the cops.
                        SU
          The man you remembered -- how do you
          know he will be here?
                         ARCHIE
          I don't. But Chambers owns the
          operation, so I figure it's a good
          place to start.
                  (then)
          This is it.
They turn into...

EXT. FIGHT CLUB - CONTINUOUS ACTION
A cavernous industrial building.   Cars parked on the
perimeter.

INT./EXT. SU'S T-BIRD - CONTINUOUS ACTION
As they park --

                                                            52.

                        SU
          How will you recognize him?
                        ARCHIE
          I didn't see his face.   But I'll know
          his pinkie ring when I  see it. Ten
          carats. Round cut with   square mount.
          Good color and clarity.   I remember
          thinking what it would  do to my face
          if he hit me.
OFF Su's dubious look, as Archie crams on a baseball hat to
help disguise himself...


INT. FIGHT CLUB - CONTINUOUS ACTION
Archie and Su exit the car and approach a GUARD manning a
gate to the fight arena beyond.
                        SU
          How do we get in?
                        ARCHIE
          Leave that to me.
Then, to the Guard --
                        ARCHIE
          Hey, man, how you doing? Got a
          fighter here I want to enter.
Su shoots him a surprised look.
                        ARCHIE
          My man's gonna put the rest of these
          bums to beddy-bye. He'll go in there
          and get all Chinese on 'em -- the
          teeth are gonna fly, the blood's
          gonna run... Gonna be fun.
                        GUARD
          Whatever... You're number twelve,
          Bruce.
He hands a card reading "12" to Su. As Archie and Su make
their way toward the arena --
                        SU
          I didn't come here to fight.
                        ARCHIE
          You won't have to. That was just to
          get us in.

                                                                  53.
They reach the arena. It's also huge. Packed with men.
Hazy with smoke. Loud with betting, cheers and boos.
A large, chain-link cage stands at the center of the room.
Inside, two battered and bloodied fighters are beating the
shit out of each other.

Like at    a Gallagher concert, front row fans have sheets of
plastic    over their laps. Whenever a hard kick or punch
lands,    the nearest fans quickly raise the plastic sheets to
shield    themselves from flying blood.
                          ARCHIE
            Good day, over a million dollars'll
            pass hands in here.

                             SU
            Find the ring.
                             ARCHIE
            Yeah.    Okay.
He looks around.      Lotta African-American males.
                          ARCHIE
            Could take a little while.
As Archie starts moving through the crowd, looking at hands,
and Su follows...

INT. PRIVATE ROOM - DAY
Daria and Odion enter, and Odion closes the door. He starts
to take her in his arms. Daria slows him up. Guides him
back toward a sofa.
                             DARIA
            Sit down.
Odion sits.
                          DARIA
            Put on some music.
Odion puts a DISC in the STEREO.        Cranks up some HIP-HOP.
                            DARIA
            Nah.    Something slower.
Odion SWITCHES MUSIC.        A SLOW TUNE fills the room.
                          DARIA
            That's good... Now just relax... And
            watch...

                                                            54.
Daria just stands there a moment, getting her body into the
music. Then starts dancing for him. Slow and sexy.
And Odion's eating it up.


EXT. ROOFTOP - DAY
Fait and Miles climb onto the roof with gear bags.   Via
earwig mike --
                            FAIT
          Tommy.

INT./EXT. PEST CONTROL TRUCK - DAY

Tommy's behind the wheel, wearing a pest control uniform.
                        TOMMY
          Here come da bug man.

EXT. KOREAN CLUB - STREET IN FRONT - DAY
The DOORMAN watches Tommy drive up in the pest-control
truck, put on a respirator, get out, unreel 20 feet of pest
spray hose from the truck and advance toward the door.
                            TOMMY
          Hey.    Howzit?
                        DOORMAN
          What the hell you doing?
                        TOMMY
          Pest control. Don't tell me you
          didn't get your notice.
                            DOORMAN
          What notice?
                        TOMMY
          See, that burns my ass right to the
          bone. I mean, hey, I'm here doing my
          job... Anyway, putting that aside, if
          you had gotten your notice, you'd
          know there's a new city ordinance
          saying all businesses catering to
          foreigners gotta be sprayed.
                          DOORMAN
          Yeah?    How come?
                        TOMMY
          'Cause foreign people're bringing all

                                                     55.
          their scary-assed foreign bugs over
          here. Y'know, in their luggage and
          shit. And then the bugs're getting
          loose and fucking everything up --
          eating all the trees and everything,
          y'know, making people sick... Anyway,
          city says we gotta spray to prevent
          any infestation and possible spread.
                        DOORMAN
          We're doing business inside. Can't
          let you just start hosing the place
          with bug spray.
                        TOMMY
          Yeah, well, maybe you should at least
          ask the manager about it.
                        DOORMAN
          Manager's busy.
                        TOMMY
          ... Okay. Your call. Just know the
          city quarantine people'll be here
          first thing tomorrow.
                        DOORMAN
          Quarantine people?
                        TOMMY
          They'll be shutting you down for non-
          compliance... Peace out.
Tommy starts to go.
                        DOORMAN
          Wait, wait, wait.
Tommy stops.
                        DOORMAN
          City's really gonna come and close us
          up?
                        TOMMY
          Quicker'n a Zip-loc.
                        DOORMAN
          ... You sure you're not fucking with
          me?
                        TOMMY
          I'm a licensed exterminator.   Why
          would I be fucking with you?
The Doorman considers it another moment.   Then --

                                                              56.

                        TOMMY
          Look. Let's do this. You let me
          start with a couple small rooms,
          y'know, offices or something,
          someplace you don't have customers.
          Upstairs, so the fumes don't bother
          anybody. I'll pop off a couple bug
          bombs, and then we'll do the rest
          later. How's that?
The Doorman considers a moment.     Then --
                        DOORMAN
          ... Yeah, okay. Get the bombs, and
          come on.


INT. PRIVATE ROOM - DAY
Daria keeps dancing. Peeling off layers now.    Showing skin.
Odion's starting to salivate.

INT. CHAMBERS' OFFICE - DAY
What Chambers' cell is to a normal cell, this place is to a
normal office. No expense spared. (Think Joel again.) A
large, "Zen" FOUNTAIN BURBLES meditatively in the center of
the room.
The door opens.   The Doorman admits Tommy, who looks around
in amazement.

                          TOMMY
          ... Look.   At.   This.
                        DOORMAN
          Just do your thing and go,
          bro.
                          TOMMY
          Roger that.
He positions the BUG BOMBS. Then.... PFFFT.     He sets off
one. PFFFT. The other. As he goes --
                        TOMMY
          Just keep the door closed and be sure
          to give this shit a full hour before
          anyone comes in.
OFF the closing door...

                                                              57.
EXT. ROOFTOP - DAY
Fait and Miles grab gear bags and mobilize. Clip onto
ascender/descenders and lower themselves to a second-story
window. A window into...


INT. CHAMBERS' OFFICE - CONTINUOUS ACTION
Where the BUG BOMBS HISS away.
Fait tries the WINDOW. Locked shut. He quickly tapes it.
BREAKS it. He and Miles climbs inside. Grab the bug bombs
and toss them out.
As Miles locks the door, Fait opens a gear bag and pulls out
a folding metal detector. Uses it to scan the entire room
quickly: floor, walls, ceiling... Gets LOW-VOLUME RING-OFFS
from various hidden metal. But he's looking for something
bigger.
BLEEE.   He gets it when he sweeps past Chambers' big desk.
                             FAIT
             Safe.
He kneels.     Removes a desk panel.   And...
There it is.     The safe is small but highly secure.
                             FAIT
             Take it down.
Miles finishes assembling a Barrett .50 caliber rifle. A
big gun. Opens an ammo box labeled "Depleted Uranium. .50
cal."

INT. PRIVATE ROOM - DAY
Daria's down to bare essentials -- still dancing slow and
sexy for Odion.

INT. CHAMBERS' OFFICE - DAY
Miles loads one of the massive D.U. cartridges into the
Barrett.
                           MILES
             Even with the music, they're gonna
             hear it when I fire this tank buster.
                             FAIT
             Daria.   Get ready to move.
                      (then)

                                                                58.
          Do it.
Miles aims the BARRETT directly at the safe lock.      Miles
FIRES. BIG BANG.


INT. PRIVATE ROOM - DAY
Odion starts.
                          ODION
          What was that?

INT. CHAMBERS' OFFICE - DAY

Basically, the lock's just gone. Melted. Burned through by
the DU slug. Fait swings the safe door open.

INT. PRIVATE ROOM - NIGHT
Odion's heading out the door. When he stops.       Looks back at
Daria. A realization dawning.
                        ODION
          'Sometimes you need an old friend'...
He steps toward Daria.    Backhands her.   Hard.   Then opens
the door.
A CHAMBERS MAN outside the door addresses Odion.
                        CHAMBERS MAN
          It came from the office.
                         ODION
          Watch her.   Don't let her leave.
Odion goes. The Man enters. Shuts the door, leering at
Daria, who starts putting on what she's taken off.

INT. CHAMBERS' OFFICE - DAY
Fait's tossed the safe.     No stones.
                          MILES
          Not here?
                          FAIT
          They're here.    Somewhere else.
                        MILES
          What're you talking about?

                                                              59.
                         FAIT
           I'm telling you, they're here.
                         MILES
           What're we gonna do?

                           FAIT
           Everyone out.
Fait's started searching the room.       Tearing it apart.
                         MILES
           What about you?
                         FAIT
           I gotta save Vanessa.     I gotta find
           'em.
                         MILES
           I'm not leaving you.
                           FAIT
           Yes, you are.    Go.   Now.
Someone starts RATTLING the LOCKED DOOR.      Fait doesn't stop.
                        MILES
           T. Come on, man. They're outside.
           Give it up.
                         FAIT
           Shut up and get the fuck outta here!
           That's an order!
Miles hesitates. Fait's unreachable. Chambers' men are
trying to break down the door. Miles goes. Out the window.
Onto the ascender-descender. And gone.

INT. PRIVATE ROOM - NIGHT
Daria finishes dressing.     When...
                         CHAMBERS MAN
           ... Y'know, I got the big one...
Her response is a front kick to the head. Followed by a
spin kick, knocking him out. Then, stepping past him --
                         DARIA
           Keep it in your pants.

INT. CHAMBERS' OFFICE - DAY
CRASH!   Odion and his men break down the door.

                                                               60.

Fait's still searching. Desperate to find the stones.
Desperate to save his daughter. He fights off the first
men to reach him. A wild animal. Fights off another. And
then...

The guns are out.     All pointed at Fait. No stones. No exit.

INT. KOREAN CLUB - DAY
Daria walks out the front door.

INT. CHAMBERS' CELL - DAY

Willy Chickens hovers near Chambers, who is talking as he
eats another meal. Lobster. At first, we don't realize who
Chambers is addressing.
                        CHAMBERS
          ... If you're willing to pay five,
          you're willing to pay ten.
                           CHAMBERS (CONT'D)
          You're    willing to pay ten, you're
          willing    to pay twenty. Twenty,
          forty.     Forty, eighty... I'm not
          selling    till I know exactly where the
          ceiling    is.
Whereupon we see who he's talking to:     Ling.
                        CHAMBERS
          You like foreplay?
                        LING
          How much money do you want for the
          stones?
                         CHAMBERS
          I hate foreplay. Fuck the warm-up
          drills -- girl's gotta get in there
          and be ready to score points. Bring
          it straight to the motherfucking
          hoop. You understand?
                  (beat)
          So, instead of us going back and
          forth doing warm-ups, my idea's for
          you to think of a number. A very
          high number. A very final number. A
          number so high and final it'll get me
          off good, bam, right when I hear it.
Chambers hasn't looked at Ling the whole time.       Still isn't
looking. Forks up some lobster meat. When...

                                                             61.

Chickens' face suddenly appears in front of him. And...
Ling slams a lobster claw deep into Chickens' neck. Chambers
doesn't wait for whatever's next. Jumps back. Fast for a
big man.

But Ling is much faster. Stronger. Deadlier. Quickly, and
quietly beats Chambers like a drum. Chambers knows when it's
finally tent-folding time. Croaks surrender through the
blood and swelling --

                          CHAMBERS
          Okay, okay...
Ling stops.

                        CHAMBERS
          Ain't worth my life... I'll take the
          five and call it a game.

INT. CELLBLOCK - OUTSIDE CHAMBERS' CELL - MOMENTS LATER
Ling emerges from the cell through the blankets. Closing
the blankets behind him. To the sentries, who've heard
nothing --
                         LING
          Mr. Chambers is resting.   He says not
          to bother him.
OFF which, as Ling walks away...

INT. CHAMBERS' CELL - DAY
FIND Chambers. No one will bother him. Ever.       The lobster
fork driven deep into the base of his skull.

INT. FIGHT CLUB - DAY
Archie still looking for the man with the diamond
pinkie-ring. Su still following.
                        ARCHIE
          ... By the way, when we do find him,
          what then?
                        SU
          I'll handle it.
In the cage, a fight has just ended. The loser's
unconscious and looks like he stepped into a spinning
airplane propeller. The winner doesn't look much better.

                                                            62.
The midget RING ANNOUNCER steps in with a mike.
                        RING ANNOUNCER
          Seven advances, eleven's out...
          Next up, eight versus twelve. Eight
          versus twelve. Fighters report to
          the cage.
As Archie and Su continue the search --
                        ARCHIE
          You're after the stones, too, huh?
No response from Su.   Beat.
                        ARCHIE
          ... I did some more checking around
          to see what anyone knows about 'em...
          Guess who get back to me? My Defense
          Department connection. Now, I think
          he's calling me about this surplus F-
          14 Tomcat I'm trying to get my hands
          on. But no. Turns out he's calling
          to tell me about a rumor outta Taiwan
          about black stones --
In the ring, we see another bruiser waiting to fight as the
midget calls out --
                         RING ANNOUNCER
          Number twelve!
                        ARCHIE
                  (to Su)
          -- only they're not jewels --
                         RING ANNOUNCER
          Number twelve!
                         ARCHIE
          They're --
Suddenly, seeing the "12" card in Su's hand, a FIGHT CLUB
FAN grabs his arm and raises it. Yells out --
                        FIGHT CLUB FAN
          Twelve's right here!
Su pulls his arm back.
                        FIGHT CLUB FAN
          I'd be scared of him, too.
Su glances into the ring, seeing the BRUISER for the
first time. The Bruiser's beckoning.

                                                            63.
                        BRUISER
          Let's go, chickenshit!
Su waves them off.
                          SU
          Not today...
The catcalls start.    Archie leans into Su.
                           ARCHIE
          I know it    wasn't the plan. But if
          you don't    fight, they're gonna toss
          us out on    our asses. We might never
          find the    guy.

A long beat.    Su hates this place.   Su hates Archie.

INT. KOREAN CLUB - DAY
Fait's in handcuffs. A big cut on his head. Being escorted
by two COPS to the stairs leading out of the club. To
Odion, as they pass him --
                        COP #1
          He's pretty beat up.
                        ODION
          Yeah. Fell down the stairs... Enjoy
          the jail sex, Fait.
As they continue up the stairs --
                        COP #2
          Better have the E.M.T.s look at his
          head.

EXT. HOT DOG STAND (NEAR KOREAN CLUB) - CONTINUOUS ACTION
Near, but not too close. The club visible in b.g. Daria,
Miles, and Tommy watch as Fait is led into an ambulance.
Via earwigs --
                        DARIA
          We're still here to help you, T.
                        MILES
          Anything you want us to do?

INT. AMBULANCE - CONTINUOUS ACTION
Fait's heard.
                          FAIT

                                                               64.
          Not yet.
The PARAMEDIC treating him doesn't understand.
                         PARAMEDIC
          What?

                         FAIT
          Nothing.

CLOSEUP - BEHIND FAIT'S BACK
His cuffed hands.    Fingers feeling the inside of his belt.
Finding a spot where a small rectangle has been cut into the
leather. Popping out the rectangle to reveal a hollowed-out
recess in the belt. Where...
Fait has a hidden handcuff key.

CLOSEUP - ANOTHER SET OF HANDS
struggling against their duct-tape bonds.   REVEAL...

INT. CAMPER - DAY
Vanessa's hands are taped together behind her back. There's
tape around her feet. Tape over her mouth. The TV is ON
nearby, but she's not watching.
Vanessa struggles a moment longer, but can't break the tape.
Finally gives up trying. Just lies there. Tired and
scared.

INT. FIGHT CLUB - DAY
DING! The crowd's yelling and betting as number eight
leaves his corner and advances on Su.
Su has nothing against number eight. He's just trying to
buy time. So he dodges his opponent. Not exactly
running. Fighting by not fighting. A target one moment,
gone the next. Again and again, number eight swings and
misses. Until...
Number eight delivers a knockout blow. Unfortunately
it's against himself. The momentum of a missed punch
carries him headfirst into a metal post.
Number eight drops. As the referee counts over number eight,
Su uses the chance to find...

                                                             65.

ARCHIE
still checking out the hands of African-American men in
the crowd. Not making any friends as he does it.


SU
Number eight's on his feet.    Moving in again.   When...

ARCHIE
Suddenly, he sees it.    The ring.


SU
dodges number eight again. Then... Sees Archie signaling
he's found the guy. And... Gets nailed by number eight. A
solid hit. Exciting the crowd and pumping up number eight.
Whereupon... Su turns to him and bows.
                          SU
          You win.
Su turns, heads out of the cage. The crowd roaring its
disapproval. As... The midget Ring Announcer bars Su's
path.
                          RING ANNOUNCER
          No quitting.    Get back in there.
Su moves him aside. The midget resists. Five other waiting
fighters come to the midget's aid. Forcing Su back into the
cage. Where... It's now Su against them all.

HOT DOG STAND - DAY
Daria, Tommy and Miles wait. Two     extreme MOTO-RIDERS
dressed in leathers have pulled up    in a truck and gotten out
to eat. In the back of the truck     is a motorcycle and a
four-wheel ATV. The two men Ogle     Daria. To her --
                          MOTO-RIDER #1
          Looking good.
She ignores them.     To each other, so she can hear --
                          MOTO-RIDER #2
          Nice rack.
                        MOTO-RIDER #1
          Like the upstairs, like the basement,

                                                              66.
          too.
                        DARIA
          Shut up, assholes...


INT. AMBULANCE - CONTINUOUS ACTION
Fait's heard. Looks past the Paramedic. Past the Cops
talking outside. Sees the hot dog stand in b.g. Sees the
truck with the motorcycle and ATV parked near the stand. The
Paramedic finishes bandaging Fait. To the cops outside --
                        PARAMEDIC
          He's all patched up.

A Cop calls inside to Fait.
                           COP #1
          Let's go.
Fait stands.     Starts out.   Into his mike --
                        FAIT
          Get ready to move.
And we see...
The handcuffs aren't on him anymore.

EXT. AMBULANCE - CONTINUOUS ACTION
Fait reaches the rear doorway.      When...
He jumps. Knocks one Cop down.      Shoves another aside.   And
takes off running.
Fait's caught the cops completely by surprise. It takes a
few moments before the cops give chase, some on foot, others
by car.

ANOTHER ANGLE
Fait runs toward the truck parked by the hot dog stand.
To Daria, Miles and Tommy, looking on --
                           FAIT
          Get the car.     Stay close.
As Daria, Miles and Tommy quickly mobilize, Fait jumps into
the bed of the truck. Jumps on the ATV. IGNITION.
The Moto-Riders suddenly realize what's happening.

                                                           67.

                          MOTO-RIDER #1
          Hey!
Too late. Fait blasts out of the rear of the truck.   Right
through the nylon mesh tailgate.

Fait flies from the truck bed. Lands on the hood of a
police car. Gets big air off the windshield. Clears the
rest of the car and grabs pavement with all four wheels.
As Fait tears off, and cop cars follow, one of the Moto-
Riders jumps into the bed of the truck and climbs aboard the
remaining motorcycle. His friend calls to him --
                        MOTO-RIDER #1
          Don't let that fucker get away!
The Moto-Rider FIRES UP the MOTORCYCLE. Drops it into
first. Dittoes Fait's leap out the back and SCREAMS off in
pursuit.

INT. CAMPER - DAY
Vanessa still taped up.    TV still ON.   When...
                        TV ANCHOR (V.O.)
          ... We go now to this breaking
          story...
ANGLE TO INCLUDE TV
Airing a chopper shot tracking Fait on the ATV.
                        TV ANCHOR (V.O.)
          ... You're watching a man on an all-
          terrain vehicle leading police in a
          high-speed chase through downtown Los
          Angeles. An L.A.P.D. spokesman says
          the man, Anthony Fait --
Vanessa looks over in surprise.
                        TV ANCHOR (V.O.)
           -- commandeered the A.T.V. after
          escaping from police officers while
          being treated at a local hospital for
          injuries resulting from his earlier
          arrest for robbery... And this is
          certainly one of the wildest chases
          we've witnessed here in L.A...

EXT. DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - VARIOUS SHOTS - DAY

                                                               68.
WHOOOM! Fait's flying. Seventy-plus. Down streets,
sidewalks, squeezing through places police cars can't.
Over, under, around, through -- doesn't matter. The ATV's
fast, strong and maneuverable.


One problem: so is the moto-cross bike.     The guy's right on
Fait's ass. Matching move with move.
Overhead, police choppers follow Fait's every move. While
on the ground other police vehicles move to block his path.
But whenever Fait meets a roadblock, he somehow finds an
escape. At one point, he uses an outdoor escalator. At
another point he blasts through the Hotel Bonaventure.
This'll be a news highlight for days to come.


INT. FIGHT CLUB - DAY
The place is bedlam. In the crowd, bets are going down on
the battle royal, now in full effect inside the cage. Su
versus the five fighters. And the midget.
The different fighters use different fighting styles against
Su. Kickboxing, grappling, aikido, kali, American street
fighting...
Su uses all his own skills and whatever's at hand. At one
point he engineers it so one opponent turns on another
opponent. At another point, Su wields the midget like a
fighting staff.
One by one, Su starts reducing the opposition.

EXT. DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - VARIOUS SHOTS - DAY
Fait's everywhere.   And so is the moto-bike.   Still on his
tail.
Fait veers inside a building.   The bike follows.

INT. BUILDING - VARIOUS SHOTS - CONTINUOUS ACTION
Fait and the moto-bike ascend the stairs.   One floor.   Two
floors. Up and up.
Fait reaches the top-floor hallway.   Nowhere left to go
except...
Out the window at the end.   And...
That's just where he goes.

                                                              69.
And where he goes, the moto-bike goes.

EXT. DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - ROOFTOPS - CONTINUOUS
The ATV and the moto-bike make the first leap.    Onto the
roof of a next-door building.
From there, it's rooftop to rooftop.    Jump after jump.
Longer and longer. Until...
The MOTO-BIKE eats it in a spectacular CRASH.     The moto-
rider walks away, but his chase is over.

EXT. DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - VARIOUS SHOTS - DAY

Fait's ATV SCREAMS down another street, still chased by
cops. Into his mike --
                          FAIT
           Yo.

INT. DARIA, MILES AND TOMMY'S CAR - DRIVING - DAY
                          DARIA
           Here.
                         FAIT
           Above ground parking garage in
           Chinatown?
                          MILES
           Know it.
                          FAIT
           Get there.

INT. FIGHT CLUB - DAY
It's down to Su and the kick boxer.    The kick boxer spins
and kicks and punches, and...
Su just ties the guy up in his own clothes.    Ties him into a
pretzel. Cinches him tight. Then...
Looks for Archie.     Can't find him. Can't find the guy
wearing the ring.     And hurries out of the cage.

EXT. PARKING GARAGE - DAY
Fait jukes the ATV in the entrance.    Up the spiral ramp.

                                                             70.

Moments later, police CARS SKID up and seal the entrance.

INT. CAMPER - DAY

On TV, a chopper shot of the garage surrounded by police.
                        TV ANCHOR (V.O.)
          ... And it looks like this chase will
          end here, as police seal off the
          building...
OFF Vanessa, watching...


INT. FIGHT CLUB - DAY
Su runs into the parking area. Archie's in the T-bird.
Sitting, a little unnaturally in the front.
                         SU
          Where is he?
                        ARCHIE
          Decided to leave early.
                         SU
          Where'd he go?
                         ARCHIE
          Right here.
Su looks inside the car.

ANGLE - CAR
Where Archie sits atop the man with the diamond pinkie ring.
Holding a STUN GUN to the guy's cheek.
                        ARCHIE
          Good thing I brought my stunner.
He ZAPS the air.    Then puts it back to the guy's cheek.
                        ARCHIE
          Okay, bud, wanna start the Q and A?

INT. CAMPER - DAY
On TV, the chopper zooms in on a familiar car, as it rolls
down the exit ramp toward the police barricade.

                                                                71.
                        TV ANCHOR (V.O.)
          ... Here's a car coming down the exit
          ramp...
We see the police approach the car.

                        TV ANCHOR (V.O.)
          ... The police apparently talking to
          the driver...
The police let the car pass.
                        TV ANCHOR (V.O.)
          ... Now letting this car drive on as
          the search inside continues...

Vanessa notices something about the car.     Looks carefully.
When...
The car turns, giving the news chopper a better zoom angle
of the people inside, and...
Vanessa sees Daria, Miles and Tommy.
Which could mean only one thing:    her daddy's safe.   And
soon he'll be coming to get her.
With a rekindled hope inspired by her father's escape,
Vanessa now looks for a way to free herself from her duct-
tape bonds. When, just as it's about to seem hopeless
again, her eyes go to...
Her necklace.   The chain and pink diamond pendant.
Vanessa bends over    and lowers her head until the necklace
slides off onto the    bed. Then turns around and  picks up the
necklace behind her    back. Holding it as taut as  she can
between her hands,    she begins sawing away at the tape around
her wrists.

EXT. NEAR KOREAN CLUB - HOT DOG STAND - NIGHT
The gang's all here.    All eyes on the club.
                        FAIT
          I knew the stones were in there.
                        TOMMY
          Question is, how do we get 'em out?
          Place is slamming nonstop.
A long beat.    Fait doesn't answer.
                        SU
          Something isn't right.

                                                                  72.

                         FAIT
          Yeah.   That's what I'm getting.
                          SU
          The doorman.


                         FAIT
          ... Where the hell is he?
                  (then)
          Everyone stay put.
OFF which, as he and Su go --


INT. KOREAN CLUB - UPSTAIRS HALL - NIGHT
MUSIC pumps downstairs as Su and Fait cautiously move down
the hall toward Chambers' office.
                        FAIT
          No Chambers' guys.     I don't get it.
They reach the closed office door, where they stop and
listen. Hear nothing.
Su and Fait exchange a "ready-ready" look.     Then Su opens
the door.

INT. CHAMBERS' OFFICE - CONTINUOUS ACTION
Su and Fait enter, unchallenged, to find...
Odion and the other Chambers' men.    Dead.   Skull shot.
                          FAIT
          I get it now.
Su ignores the bodies, quickly moves to the Zen fountain,
where he reaches into the water and begins searching the
rocks lining the bottom. Beat. Then --
                        FAIT
          Are they there?
Su doesn't answer, still searching.
                        FAIT
          No. This can't fucking happen.      They
          gotta be there.
Another beat. Then, at last, Su holds something up:         one
black stone. It takes Fait a moment to understand.

                                                                 73.
                              FAIT
             ... What?     That's it?
                           SU
             The rest are gone.

Fait can't believe it.
                           FAIT
             ... What the hell happened?        Who got
             'em?
                             SU
             ... Ling.
                           FAIT
             How do you know?
                             SU
             I know.
                           FAIT
             ... How'd he get here before us?
                             SU
             He's good.
Beat.   Failure.       Summed up in one word:
                           FAIT
             Vanessa...
                     (then, trying)
             He has the stones. There's      no reason
             to keep her. Hell, she's a      little
             girl, she's eight years old     -- she
             can't hurt him. He can let      her go...
             He can just fucking let her     go...
Su just looks at him.        Not a chance.   And he knows Fait
knows it, too.
It's over.     For Fait, it's as if his life just ended.
                           FAIT
             ... What the hell am I gonna do?
                           SU
             ... We need to go.
Fait doesn't move. Then, suddenly, it all explodes as rage,
and Fait picks up the large, stone ball spinning atop the
fountain and, screaming, hurls it into a large display of
exotica, destroying it.
Beat.   Fait looks at Su, who meets his eyes.          Then --

                                                            74.
                         SU
          Come on.
OFF which, as Su mobilizes him, and they go...


INT. HANGAR - NIGHT
Ling pours the black stones out on a table.   To Sona and
Charles --
                        LING
          We're back in business.
                       CHARLES
          Good. I don't have to baby-sit much
          longer.
                         SONA
          I hate kids.
                        LING
          Is everything else ready?
                        SONA
          We just have to test the device.
Russell, who's been working on his scientific contraption
nearby, speaks up.
                         RUSSELL
          Dye master oscillator. And not test,
          calibrate. Which I'm now ready to
          do... Goggles.
When the goggles are on, Russell hits a switch.   And...
Inside the contraption, brilliant green laser BEAMS begin
bombarding a sensor. OFF which...

INT. CAMPER - NIGHT
Vanessa succeeds in using the necklace   as a saw to free her
wrists from the duct-tape. She quickly    rips the tape from her
mouth. Untapes her ankles. Then tries     to figure out what to do
next. Begins searching the camper for    anything that might help
her escape or fight. When...
Looking through the glove box, she finds a cell phone. An
old model. So old, it takes her a moment to figure out
exactly what it is. Then she pushes "Power," and...
The phone turns on.    Sort of.
CLOSEUP - CELL PHONE

                                                                75.

"Low Batt" flashes on the screen.
INT. FAIT'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Rock bottom.

Fait's desolate, sitting on the sofa, staring off.      Daria
tries to comfort him, but it doesn't help.
Miles and Tommy stay close and stay silent.
Even Archie's quiet for once.
The only noise is Su, speaking into a cell phone in Chinese
to someone who is obviously his superior.

                        SU
          ... I lost the stones. Ling has
          them... I don't know where he is... I
          have no way to find him... What do
          you want me to do?
Under which, the PHONE begins to RING.    And...
Fait's too upset to care about answering.

INT. CAMPER - NIGHT
Vanessa's on the old cell phone.    We hear RINGING on the
other end.
                        VANESSA
          ... Answer, Daddy, answer...

CLOSEUP - PHONE
"Low Batt"... "Low Batt"...

INT. FAIT'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
The PHONE'S still RINGING.    After another moment...
                        MILES
          Want me to get that?
Which finally mobilizes Fait to reach over and answer.
                        MILES
          Hello.
INTERCUT WITH:

                                                               76.

INT. CAMPER - NIGHT
Vanessa whispers urgently.
                         VANESSA
          Daddy?
                         FAIT
          Vanessa!
Which gets everyone's attention.
                         VANESSA
          Come get me!   Please!   I want to go
          home!

                        FAIT
          Okay, baby, okay. Just calm down.
Under which, in b.g., Su quickly ends the phone call to his
superior. Still in Chinese --
                        SU
          I'll call you back.
                         FAIT
                  (continuing, to
                   Vanessa)
          Where are you?
                        VANESSA
          I don't know. I'm in a van inside a
          big building. They painted the
          windows. I can't look out.
                         FAIT
          Try.   Try to see something.
Vanessa puts her eye to the window.    Finally finds a small
gap in the paint.

VANESSA'S POV
Few details. Just some chairs and bright green light from
Russell's contraption.

CLOSEUP - VANESSA'S PHONE
"Low Batt"... "Low Batt"...

BACK TO SCENE

                                                77.
                          VANESSA
          I see chairs.    And there's green
          light.
Fait repeats for the others' benefit.

                        FAIT
          You see chairs and green light?
          Where's the light coming from?
                          VANESSA
          I can't tell.
                          SU
          Is it bright?

                        FAIT
          The green light, baby -- is it
          bright?
                         VANESSA
          Yeah.   Really, really bright.
                        FAIT
                  (to Su)
          It's real bright.
                          VANESSA
          Daddy, hurry!    I'm scared!
                          FAIT
          I know, baby.    Just hang in there

CLOSEUP - VANESSA'S PHONE
Fait's voice drops out as the battery dies.

BACK TO SCENE
                         VANESSA
          ... Daddy?!   Daddy?!...
END INTERCUT.
                        FAIT
          ... Vanessa?... Vanessa!... Shit!
Fait slams the phone down in frustration.
But Su's mind is on what she told them.
                        SU
          ... He's doing it here.    Tonight.

                                                  78.
                        TOMMY
          What?
                         SU
          Selling the stones... A dye laser
          emits green light. He needs it to
          activate them.
                        MILES
          What the hell you talking about?
                        DARIA
          What are these stones?
Archie answers it.

                        ARCHIE
          Doomsday in disguise.
All eyes go to him.
                         ARCHIE
          They're some kinda new synthetic
          plutonium. Small and portable, but
          mega-powerful.
                        TOMMY
          This fucker's making bombs?
                        SU
          Not making them.
                        ARCHIE
          Yeah, he'd need a big operation for
          that. Why bother? Just demonstrate
          the stones work and sell 'em to
          whichever international scumbag
          offers the highest bid. He makes
          millions, they make the bombs,
          then... 'look out, world.'
                        FAIT
          ... Okay, so we know what he's up to.
          How's it get us to Vanessa?
Su considers it a moment.
                        SU
          The buyers will want to arrive and
          leave quickly... Somewhere private...
          Accessible by aircraft.
                        FAIT
          Vanessa said she's inside a big
          building. Could be a hangar.

                                                             79.
                        MILES
          Man, there's dozens of little
          airports around here. We'd never get
          to 'em all.
                        SU
          ... Flight plans.
                        ARCHIE
          Hey, yeah. Flight plans show
          destinations. All aircraft file 'em
          with the Aviation Administration. If
          we could get a list, we could maybe
          figure out where the sale's going
          down.

                        FAIT
          ... Daria, call the aviation people.
          Use our L.A.P.D. credentials. We
          need flight plan info for all private
          aircraft in this area tonight...
          Everyone else get ready to move...
          Miles, the no-gun policy's revoked.
          You break out the heat... Tommy, you
          gotta get us a diversion.
                        ARCHIE
          I can help with that.
                        FAIT
          ... Do it all fast.

INT. HANGAR - NIGHT
Ling, Sona, Charles, and Russell.
Russell finishes testing his contraption.    Switches it OFF.
Then, removing his goggles --
                        RUSSELL
          We're operational.
The others remove their goggles.    Sona checks her watch.
                        SONA
          The buyers arrive in less then an
          hour.
Beat.   Ling holds up a black stone and examines it.
                        LING
          ... So small. So deadly... We're
          selling conscience for money...
A look at the others.   Serious.   Then a broad smile of

                                                             80.
consummate satisfaction suddenly spreads across his face.
                         LING
           ... But it's a lot of money...
Beat.   He puts down the stone.    A glance at the camper.

                         LING
           Be ready to kill the girl and go as
           soon as the sale's over.

CLOSEUP - TOPOGRAPHICAL MAP OF LOS ANGELES AREA
Fait's finger indicates a spot.

                         FAIT (O.S.)
           Wick Airfield...
PULL BACK TO...

INT. FAIT'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Fait, Su, Daria and Miles.
                         FAIT
           ... Five private choppers arriving
           tonight within minutes of each other.
                         DARIA
           Sounds like our best shot.
                         FAIT
           .. It better be, or my baby's dead.
He and Su exchange a look.     Then --
                         FAIT
           Let's go.

CORPORATE HELICOPTER - NIGHT
Noselight beaming, the chopper lands next to four other
high-end biz copters, including an Agusta A109, outside the
hangar, where the bruised Ling killers stand guard.

INT. CAMPER - NIGHT
Vanessa peeks through a void in the paint covering the
windows.

VANESSA'S POV - HANGAR

                                                            81.

An internationally-diverse group of men -- some occupying
the chairs, some studying the contraption, some clearly
muscle. Across the room, Sona and Ling greet the new
arrivals.

In all, sixteen men have arrived for the sale. There are
five buyers -- one RUSSIAN, one AFRICAN, one PAKISTANI, one
EGYPTIAN, one FRENCH. The French Buyer is in a wheelchair.
Each buyer has brought with him one right-hand man and one
to three bodyguards.
Vanessa SHIFTS her VIEW, REVEALING...
Charles standing nearby.    Too close for her to escape.

Charles turns, and...

BACK TO VANESSA
Quickly, before Charles can see her, she steps away from the
window.
There's no way out.

EXT. FAIT'S PORSCHE - NIGHT
Driving.   Daria and Miles following in their car.
                         FAIT (V.O.)
           So tell me... How the hell's Taiwan
           fit into all this?
                         SU (V.O.)
           One of our scientists made the
           stones. Tried to go into business
           for himself. We stopped him.
           Recovered the stones... Ling betrayed
           us. He took them.
                          FAIT (V.O.)
           Ling?   He was one of you?
                         SU (V.O.)
           We were partners. Six of us. He
           killed the others. He thought he
           killed me, too.
                          FAIT (V.O.)
                   (beat)
           So what're you really after -- the
           stones or the payback?
                         SU

                                                            82.
          Both.
                        FAIT (V.O.)
          ... Yeah... Let's get it all.


INT. HANGAR - NIGHT
                        LING
          You're the world's foremost arms
          dealers. You all know that weaponry
          equals power. And in the world of
          weaponry, nukes rule.
                        (MORE)
                        LING (CONT'D)
          But nuclear material is hard to
          obtain and difficult to handle... But
          what if it weren't?... That's the
          question that brought you here
          tonight... And here's the answer.
Ling holds up a single stone.
                        LING
          In its present state, it's completely
          inert. Zero radiation, zero
          volatility...
Whereupon Ling places the stone on a piece of velvet on a
table. Folds the velvet over. Then, whack, hits it hard
with a mallet.
He unfolds the velvet.   The stone's smashed to pieces.
Ling picks up a sliver of stone and hands it to Russell, who
places the sliver inside a small ceramic capsule, then
inserts the capsule into his contraption.
                         RUSSELL
          Goggles on.
Everyone puts on goggles. Then Russell hits the switch, and
the green lasers bombard the capsule containing the sliver
of stone, which begins to glow.
Russell announces each passing threshold as a numerical
readout on the contraption races up the scale --
                        RUSSELL
          ... Firecracker... .44 magnum...
          R.P.G... Sidewinder... SCUD...
          Tomahawk... Daisy Cutter...
          Hiroshima... two Hiroshimas...
And it just keeps going.   Until, finally --

                                                             83.

                         RUSSELL
           ... New World Order.
As the buyers absorb this...

Russell shuts off the beams.
                           RUSSELL
           Goggles off.
Russell removes the capsule and hands it back to Ling, who
holds it up.
                            LING
           One small    fragment. Transformed into
           a source    of immense energy. More
           powerful    than weapons-grade plutonium
           a hundred    times its size.
A beat as this sinks in.
                         SONA
           The purpose of today's sale is to
           begin trading a new commodity on the
           black market and establish its
           value... There are fifty stones
           available in the first sale. The
           opening price is one million per
           stone... Bids, please?
The buyers indicate their bids both aloud and by using hand
signals a la traders in a commodities exchange pit. At the
same time, they're all crunching the numbers on calculators.
Ling looks on as Sona runs the sale, and Russell uses a
laptop to input data and develops supply and demand market-
analysis for Sona to consult.
The pace starts out slowly and unevenly as the buyers feel
out the situation.
                         RUSSIAN BUYER
           Five at one million.
Sona is silent.   Silence means "No."
                         AFRICAN BUYER
           Five at one-point-two.
Silence.
                         PAKISTANI BUYER
           Three at two million.
                           SONA

                                                             84.
           We'll take that.
                         FRENCH BUYER
           Six at one-five.
Silence.

                         EGYPTIAN BUYER
           Ten at two million.
Silence.

EXT. WICK AIRFIELD - FAIT AND DARIA - NIGHT
Near their cars.

(NOTE: From now until the battle's over, it's night. At
the airport, Fait, Su and Fait's team will all communicate
via earwigs.)
                         FAIT
           Miles, what do you see?

EXT. AIRFIELD - ROOF
Atop the building next to Ling's hangar. The five choppers
rest on the wide tarmac below, between the two buildings.
Miles scans Ling's hangar through the scope of a silenced
sniper rifle.

SNIPER-SCOPE POV - NO NIGHT VISION
FINDING the Ling killers outside the hangar.
                         MILES (V.O.)
           Two sentries my side.
Then, scanning inside Ling's hangar THROUGH windows --
                          MILES (V.O.)
           Sale's at this end... There's a
           camper with painted windows. Middle
           of the hangar.

EXT. AIRFIELD - FAIT AND DARIA
                         FAIT
           Vanessa said she was in a van.
           That's gotta be it.
                   (to Daria)
           When we get her, you move her outta

                                                              85.
           there fast.
                         DARIA
           I'll keep her safe.


EXT. HANGAR
Su's reached the top of outside stairs.    Opens a door and
enters.

INT. HANGAR - CONTINUOUS ACTION
High above the floor, Su steps onto a catwalk.    The sale
continuing below. More heated now.

                         RUSSIAN BUYER
           Eight at three.
Silence.
                         FRENCH BUYER
           Nine at three.
Silence.
                         EGYPTIAN BUYER
           Ten at three-one.
                         SONA
           We'll take that... There are now
           thirty-seven stones available.
And now, in more and more rapid-fire succession --
                         AFRICAN BUYER
           Five at three-five.
                         PAKISTANI BUYER
           Eight at three-five.
                         FRENCH BUYER
           Twenty at three.

EXT. AIRFIELD - FAIT AND DARIA
                          FAIT
           Miles.   Sentries.

MILES
is already sighted in.   PULLS the TRIGGER.   PHUT!

                                                             86.

SENTRIES
One Ling killer takes a leg hit and goes down.
Before the second killer has time to react, he catches a
BULLET in the shoulder.

MILES
                          MILES
           Done.

FAIT AND DARIA

                         FAIT
           Tommy and Archie. Watch out for the
           camper. Punch it.

INT. HANGAR
The sale's now a frenzy.
                         PAKISTANI BUYER
           Five at five million.
                          RUSSIAN BUYER
           Six at five.
                          FRENCH BUYER
           Seven at five.
                          AFRICAN BUYER
           Ten at five.
                         EGYPTIAN BUYER
           Ten at five-one.
                          FRENCH BUYER
           Five-two.
When suddenly...
KA-WHAM! Archie's Abrams TANK BLASTS through a wall and
into the hangar.
Archie's head pops out of the driver's hole. At the same
time, Tommy pops up out of the turret and trains a mounted
machine gun on the stunned group.
                         TOMMY
           Freeze, motherfuckers!

                                                             87.
Russell watches the advancing tank.
                           RUSSELL
            I knew it!   I knew it!


ANGLE - BEHIND TANK
Fait and Daria enter through the hole in the wall using the
Abrams for shelter.

INT. CAMPER - CONTINUOUS ACTION
Vanessa peers out through a gap in the paint to see what's
happening.


VANESSA'S POV
Charles is drawn away by the advancing tank.

BACK TO VANESSA
She looks back into the camper. Finds a heavy iron skillet
amid the stove utensils. Swings it. And...
SMASH!    She SHATTERS a side WINDOW.

MILES' SNIPER-SCOPE POV (NO NIGHT VISION)
We FIND Vanessa, jumping out of the camper.
                          MILES (V.O.)
            Vanessa's out of the camper.   Running
            this way.

INT. HANGAR - FAIT AND DARIA
To Daria --
                          FAIT
            Stay.
And he's gone, sprinting after her just as...

VANESSA
reaches a button for opening and closing the giant hangar
doors. She jabs a button, and the nearest door begins to
motor open.

                                                              88.

CHARLES
hears the OPENING HANGAR DOOR.    Turns.   Sees Vanessa and
goes after her.


SNIPER-SCOPE POV (NO NIGHT VISION)
Vanessa rolls out under the rising door and runs.
                          MILES (V.O.)
          She's out.
Then, FINDING Charles coming after her --

                        MILES (V.O.)
          There's a guy after her.
PHUT!

INT. HANGAR - CHARLES
A BULLET rips through the collar of his leather coat. Just
behind his neck. Just missing him. But he keeps coming.

SNIPER-SCOPE POV (NO NIGHT VISION)
Charles rolling out under the door.

MILES
SHOOTS again.   PHUT!

CHARLES
The BULLET RICOCHETS off the PAVEMENT right next to him. In
a flash, he's up and running. Heading out into the darkness
of the airfield after Vanessa. Meanwhile, back inside...

INT. HANGAR
In here, the hangar door continues to open as the tank makes
its slow approach. Archie's not a great driver. Tommy
sweeps the muzzle of the machine gun across the group.
                          TOMMY
          Just be cool!
At which point, Russell breaks for his five-ton truck.

                                                             89.
                        TOMMY
          I said don't move, motherfucker!
Russell just keeps going. Slides open the side door in the
back of the five-ton, revealing... A twin-fifty machine gun.
Two barrels, .50 caliber. Dangerous even for a tank.
Russell vaults in and takes aim.
                        RUSSELL
          Fucking amateurs!
He starts FIRING. People start running. .50 CAL. ROUNDS take
big CHUNKS out of whatever they hit.
                        TOMMY
          Shit!   What do we do?

                          ARCHIE
          Shoot back!
                          TOMMY
          How?
The question's answered for him.   He somehow does the right
thing. And...
Tommy's MACHINE GUN begins RIPPING CHUNKS out of the FIVE-
TON and EVERYTHING near it. Tommy's a horrible shot; the
gun's more in control of him. But...
Russell finally dies under a HAIL of HEAVY LEAD.
                        ARCHIE
          Twin .50's some major firepower.
          How'd that little shit get one?
                          TOMMY
          Motherfucker.    Couldn't fucking
          listen.
INTERCUT WITH which...

ACROSS HANGAR
Ling and Sona are moving toward the limo. Ling has the
stones. When... Su is there. Blocking the way. Sona
attacks. Su easily blocks the counters. Knocking Sona back.
Never taking his eyes off Ling. When...
Sona, who's fallen back against a buyer's bodyguard, quickly
takes the bodyguard's small, full-auto SCORPION and turns
the gun on Su.
Su dives for cover as the BURST SHREDS the AREA where he'd
just been standing. As Sona continues hunting Su... Su sees

                                                              90.
Ling getting into the limo.    To Archie and   Tommy, as he
signals --
                        SU
          Don't let him get away!

As a result of which...

TOMMY AND ARCHIE
Having just waxed Russell, see Ling in the limo. Tommy's .50
is out of ammo. He switches to the .30 cal. tank's machine
gun. As Archie steers toward the limo, Tommy begins BLASTING
away.


LIMO
Ling's trying to drive out, when the .30 CAL. SLUGS PUNCH
HOLES in the LIMO. The tank keeps coming. Ling bails out as
the TANK CRUSHES the LIMO.
INTERCUT WITH which...

SU AND SONA
Play cat and mouse. Su rapidly runs out of room to hide.
He can't get away. Su stands. Faces her. Faces the
inevitable. When...
WHAM! Daria appears from nowhere. Kicks the gun from
Sona's hand. To Su, re: Ling, now running from the crushed
limo
                          DARIA
          Get him.
Su goes after Ling.
And now it's Daria vs. Sona.
Sona's a better fighter, but Daria's got passion on her
side. It's a good fight. Until, at last, Sona finds the
Scorpion. She swings it up. And...
Daria executes a sudden, improvised double move that strikes
Sona's arm in such a way as to cause her to point the
SCORPION at herself, just as she FIRES. The burst rips
through her chest and kills her.
And now, here's what's been going on outside...

EXT. AIRFIELD

                                                                91.

As Charles runs from the hangar, chasing Vanessa across the
tarmac into the darkness of the airfield...

MILES

flips to NIGHT VISION on the sniper-scope.    And...

SNIPER-SCOPE POV - NIGHT VISION
Charles and Vanessa become clearly visible. Charles is
closing in on her. Cross-hairs FIND him. PHUT!


CHARLES
The BULLET knocks his gun from his hands.    Charles is slowed
but keeps going.

SNIPER-SCOPE POV - NIGHT VISION
Charles reaches the flight line. Parked planes, a gas
truck, a shed, etc. He disappears behind the equipment.

MILES
sweeps the rifle, looking for Charles and Vanessa.     He comms
Fait.
                        MILES
          Lost 'em behind the gas truck.

CHARLES
stops behind the gas truck.   Looks around for Vanessa.    No
sign of her. Until...
Charles notices the door to the gas truck isn't closed all
the way. He whips it open. And...
There's Vanessa, hiding inside.
Charles grabs her.   Yanks her out struggling and kicking.
                        CHARLES
          Time to end this my way.
And then...
                        FAIT (O.S.)
          Drop the girl.

                                                              92.

Charles looks over.    Fait is there, holding a gun on him.
Vanessa's relieved and excited to see her father.
                          FAIT
          Put her down.
Charles lowers Vanessa to the ground.    He releases her.
                          VANESSA
          Daddy!
Vanessa runs to her father. Dives into his arms. It's a
little more energetic than Fait was expecting. And...

Suddenly, Charles uses the distraction to rush in behind
her. He hits Fait hard. A kick sends the gun flying.
Charles keeps coming. Charles keeps pounding.
Fait's hampered by Vanessa. She won't let him go. Fait
stays between Charles and Vanessa. Guarding his little
girl. Barely managing to fend off Charles, a seemingly
unstoppable force.
The fight winds through the planes, under wings, through
struts.

SNIPER-SCOPE POV - NIGHT VISION
Fait, Charles and Vanessa.    No clear shot.

MILES
comms Fait.
                          MILES
          No shot.

FAIT, CHARLES AND VANESSA
The fight continues.   Fait's suffering under Charles' brutal
attack. When...
Vanessa causes Fait to stumble near a plane.   They fall.
Charles moves in. And...
Fait's hand goes to a set of chocks set against the plane's
wheel. The chocks are two heavy wooden blocks connected by
a length of nylon rope.
Fait turns to Vanessa.

                                                            93.
                         FAIT
          Don't move.
Fait jumps to his feet. Swinging the chocks. Not quite
like nunchakus; more like a medieval mace. And now, all of
Fait's fury comes pouring out as he uses the chocks to beat
the living shit out of Charles. Charles tries to fight
back, but he's out-matched by the chocks and Fait's emotion.
The punishing blows land like Thor's hammer. Until...
A mighty swing nearly takes Charles' head off. Charles is
unconscious before he hits the ground. Fait stands over
Charles. Tosses the chocks down.
                          FAIT
          Wrong kid.    Wrong dad.

Fait turns. He moves back to where Vanessa's still hiding.
He scoops her up. And... Father and daughter hold each
other tight. Forever. During all of which, also INTERCUT...

EXT. HANGAR
Ling, having just escaped being crushed in the limo, runs
out just as... Four helicopters take off, one after the
other, carrying the buyers away.
The fifth chopper, an AGUSTA A109, is POWERED UP, waiting
for the wheelchair-bound French Buyer, being helped by a
bodyguard.
Ling intercepts them. Knocks out the bodyguard and tips
over the Frenchman's chair. Then jumps into the Agusta.

INT. AGUSTA - COCKPIT
Ling puts a gun to the pilot's head.
                         LING
          Go!

EXT. HANGAR
Su, having left Daria to fight Sona inside, runs out.

EXT. AIRFIELD
The Agusta begins to lift off. Su starts running toward the
helicopter. Runs under the rising aircraft. Jumps. Just
in time to... Grab onto one of the retractable rear wheels.

                                                                 94.
EXT. AGUSTA
As the chopper transfers to forward motion, Su struggles to
get a foot hooked on something, anything. In the process,
he kicks against the helo's sleek underbelly.


INT. AGUSTA
Ling hears the THUMPS.    Looks out.

LING'S POV - SU'S LEG
swinging beneath the Agusta.


LING
To the pilot --
                          LING
            Retract the gear!

CLOSEUP - CONTROL PANEL
The pilot hits the wheels-up switch.     And...

SU
The gear begins to retract. Disappearing into the bottom of
the chopper. In a second, there'll be nothing left to hold.
                          SU
            Shoot it down!   Now!
And then... Su lets go.      Drops fifteen feet to the ground.
As...
Behind him, having clanked out of the hangar, the Abrams
tank is stopped. The turret swivels toward the Agusta.

INT. TANK
Archie aims the cannon.
                          TOMMY
            Can you hit it?
                           ARCHIE
            No problem.   Absolutely... Load.
Tommy slides a shell into the breech.

                                                                95.

Archie's locked on.     He hits the trigger.   And...

ABRAMS TANK

BOOM!   The big CANNON FIRES.      And...

SKY
The Agusta's tail is BLOWN AWAY by the CANNON SHELL.

INT. TANK

Archie and Tommy exult.
                          TOMMY
            Shot him right in the ass.
                           ARCHIE
            I did it.   I can't believe it.
                          TOMMY
            Thought you said it was no problem.
                          ARCHIE
            What do I know?

INT. AGUSTA - COCKPIT
The pilot hopelessly fights to keep the chopper from
crashing.

EXT. AIRFIELD
The out-of-control AGUSTA swings back toward Su and the
hangar, losing altitude. Then SMASHES into the tarmac,
ripping open the fuel tank, spilling fuel behind it as it
caroms off the hangar and inscribes a large, skidding circle
around Su before CRASHING into another CHOPPER and BURSTING
INTO FLAMES.
The spilled fuel ignites.    A circle of intense fire.   With
Su in the middle.
The Agusta pilot, still alive, has been thrown outside the
circle. But Ling's only path of escape takes him inside.
Into the circle. He emerges with the bag of stones.
Su is waiting.
                          LING

                                                          96.
          You were lucky last time.   You
          Won't be lucky again.
The final fight begins.
The two martial arts masters battle in the circle of fire,
using everything they can lay their hands on. Each the
equal of the other. Each knowing it's a fight to the death.
For a long time, the fight could go either way. Until...
Ling gets an arm around Su's neck. Like Charles, Su thrashes
and flails. Like Charles, he can't get away.
                        LING
          I'll kill you fast.    You won't
          Feel a thing.

                          SU
          ... I won't.    You will
What happens next happens in an instant:
Su breaks the hold. Hooks one of Ling's arms.   Wrenches it.
A direction it can't go.
Ling's ARM BONES SNAP, TISSUES RIP.
Ling screams in pain. Just as... Su pulls the ceramic
Capsule containing the activated sliver of stone from
Ling's pocket. And...
Slams the capsule deep into Ling's open mouth. Ling gags,
choking on the capsule lodged in his throat. His horror-
stricken eyes meet Su's. Su lets him suffer another moment.
Then, in SUBTITLED Chinese --
                        SU
          This is for our friends.
And Su strikes him in the throat. A spearing, open-hand
blow with his fingertips. Hard. Hard enough that...

INSIDE LING'S THROAT
The CERAMIC CAPSULE SHATTERS. Releasing the hot, glowing
white sliver of stone into Ling's windpipe. The fragment's
super high-energy radiation instantly beginning to cook
Ling's body from within. The power of a few thousand
microwave ovens turned on all at once.
Ling's bodily fluids instantly start boiling dry as...

ANGLE BACK ON LING

                                                             97.

As, light beaming from his eyes and mouth, Ling flash-cooks
from the inside out.
Not simply burned. Horribly desiccated. His seared and
darkened skin shrink-wrapped, mummy-like, around his
skeleton. Human jerky.
In a moment, it's finished. Ling's dry-roasted remains
topple over. Su has closed a chapter.

SAME SCENE - MOMENTS LATER
Su and Fait meet on the tarmac. Su has the stones. Fait's
holding Vanessa, asleep in his arms. SIRENS APPROACH in
b.g.
The two men regard each other a moment.
                         FAIT
          We got it all.
                  (then)
          What happens to the stones?
                        SU
          They'll be destroyed.
They see police and emergency vehicles beginning to arrive
in b.g.
                        FAIT
          Looks like I'll be doing some jail
          time.
                       TOMMY
          Jail? Man, you just helped save the
          planet. Law's gotta allow for that.
A look between Fait and Su.   Su nods.
                        SU
          I'll do what I can.
                        ARCHIE
          That's good, 'cause I mean, we make a
          helluva team, y'know?
                  (to Su)
          Well, not you, 'cause you're law
          enforcement. But the rest of us
          -- look, a white guy comes in handy
          now and then. Y'know, if you're
          pulling a job in Beverly Hills or
          ripping off a country club or
          whatever... What kind of percentage
          are we talking?

                                                                98.

                         FAIT
          We're not.
Fait looks at Vanessa again.     Finding a new purpose in her
eyes. Beat.

                        FAIT
          Time I got real.
He regards the others.
                        FAIT
          Time we all did.
                          ARCHIE
          Get real?    What's that mean?
                        TOMMY
          ... Means we're through with that
          life.
Fait's eyes meet Tommy's.     Beat.   Tommy nods.
Fait looks to Daria for her answer.
                        DARIA
          I'm with you, T.
He looks to Miles.
                        MILES
          Whatever you say, man.
Fait looks back to Su.   They hold the look.
                         SU
          ... Good luck.
                         FAIT
          ... Faith.
Another beat. Then they turn and start walking toward the
arriving cop cars. Daria and Miles follow. Archie and
Tommy lag behind. As they all walk away from us --
                        ARCHIE
          What, you're all gonna go straight,
          just like that?
                        TOMMY
          Maybe oughta try it yourself.
                        ARCHIE
          Me? Are you kidding? I've had
          straight jobs. You ever had a

                                                       99.
          straight job?
                        TOMMY
          I had plenty of straight jobs.
                          ARCHIE
          Name one.
                        TOMMY
          I sold Avon door-to-door.
                        ARCHIE
          ... You were an Avon lady?
                        TOMMY
          I was an Avon man. You got a problem
          with that?
                        ARCHIE
          No, it's just, well, uh...
                         TOMMY
          Nah, I'm just fucking with you.
                  (then)
          But my momma did it, and don't you
          dare start disrespecting my momma...
And so on... OFF which, we...
                                           FADE OUT:


                            THE END