ASSASSINS
Written by
Larry and Andy Wachowski
August 12, 1994
FADE IN:
PERFECT SQUARE OF BLACK
We know that we are looking at something because its
polished surface shimmers with light.
PULLING BACK, other squares are revealed; the black and
white tiles of a chess board.
The board rises and spins, slipping beneath us we find
ourselves MOVING ACROSS the board, MOVING THROUGH a chess
game.
The pieces are everywhere, checking and covering other
pieces. It has reached that critical moment when pieces
are traded and the board begins to clear as two strategies
unravel towards a final outcome.
Standing above the pieces around him, we see the black
king.
We MOVE CLOSER TOWARDS his face, CLOSER TO his chiseled
ebony features, CLOSER UNTIL we are staring into his cold
black eyes...
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. MARSH - SUNGLASSES - DUSK
The red setting sun is reflected in the black lens.
Two men are tromping through the calf-deep mud of an end-
less marsh. It is fall, the first frost not far away and
the foliage is brown and bare. With the red-orange ball
of fire melting into the horizon, the two men at first
appear as only silhouettes or shadows slogging through the
mire.
The man with the sunglasses walks behind the other man.
He is very well-dressed in a dark suit. A .22 caliber
gun, fitted with a long silencer, dangles from his hand.
His name is ROBERT RATH.
The other man is WILLIE KETCHAM. He is also wearing a
very expensive suit though it is being destroyed by the
brambles and mud.
As he lifts his foot his Gucci shoe is sucked off by the
mud.
KETCHAM
Aw-shit!
He balances on one leg, holding his silk-socked foot in
the air. He looks at the shoe, already filling with mud.
He looks at Rath.
KETCHAM
How much farther?
RATH
Just a little ways. Up to those
trees.
About a half mile further into the thickening marsh there
is a small cluster of trees.
KETCHAM
Oh, fuck it.
He pulls his sock off and plunges his foot into the mud.
He smiles. It feels good. He hurls the sock. Lifting
his other foot he pulls his shoe off and hurls that. He
grabs for the other sock, struggling to get it off,
laughing at himself as he slips and falls into the mud.
Rath waits, a faint smile.
He manages to get the sock off and then stands digging
both feet into the dark, wet earth.
KETCHAM
Hey, this feels kinda good.
They move on, Ketcham almost playing, sinking his feet
deep pulling them out to make a SPLURCHING, SUCKING NOISE.
KETCHAM
Hey, do you mind if I talk a
little? I feel like, I don't
know, talking I guess.
RATH
Sure.
KETCHAM
Funny, I've never been a talker.
My wife was always getting on me
about that. 'Say what you feel,
tell me what's bothering you,
you ve got to talk to me.' I
never would though. Not really.
RATH
Why not?
KETCHAM
I don't know. Part of me wanted
to but part of me always said,
'What's she going to be able to
do?' I don't know. Maybe I
didn't trust her.
He picks up a handful of mud and begins shaping it like a
snowball.
KETCHAM
My Margaret... I loved her but you
know what? I cheated on her. All
the time. I don't even know why.
It wasn't the sex, Margaret was
great in bed. I think if I wasn't
married I wouldn't have even looked
at some of those women. I knew she
couldn't trust me, so how could I
trust her? If she was here right
now I'd think that I would tell her
that I was sorry... 'course, if she
were here right now, maybe I
wouldn't feel like talking.
He throws the mud ball at the grove of trees but they are
too far.
KETCHAM
I think I've heard of you.
RATH
It's possible.
KETCHAM
You're pretty famous aren't you?
RATH
I hope not.
KETCHAM
I know this may seem like a strange
question, but can I ask you how
much the contract was for -- not
to insult you or anything, I know
you're a professional, but just
for me, I was just wondering.
RATH
It's a common question.
KETCHAM
Oh yeah? I guess we still need to
see that price tag. Like art,
right? You hang some painting
that looks like baby-puke in your
living room only if it costs a
bundle.
RATH
A dime.
KETCHAM
One hundred thousand? That's it?
Jesus... Is that a lot?
RATH
Average.
KETCHAM
Shit... oh well.
Ketcham laughs.
KETCHAM
I have been thinking about this
for a long while. I knew this day
was coming. I knew someday
someone would make the call on me.
I never thought about anyone that
I had whacked. What do you call
it anyway?
RATH
Taken.
KETCHAM
'Taken.' That's nice. When I had
someone taken I would call our
General Contractor, transfer the
money and as soon as I hung up the
phone I forgot about them.
RATH
Everyone who plays the game knows
the rules.
KETCHAM
That's exactly what I told myself.
Ketcham laughs again. He is getting kind of giggly, like
he's high.
KETCHAM
I always wondered what I'd be
thinking at this exact moment. I
imagined that I would be thinking
about the fucker who contracted
this, trying to figure out who
it was...
Something occurs to him and he looks back at Rath.
RATH
Don't know. That's how it works.
KETCHAM
That's what our General Contractor
told us but how can you trust
someone like that?
RATH
Right.
KETCHAM
I thought that I would be thinking
about Margaret, or work, or that
I'd be having these deep, profound
and depressing thoughts but I'm
not. I'm trying to think really
profound thoughts, but I can't.
It seems very funny to me.
RATH
What are you thinking about?
KETCHAM
I'm thinking about Moonpies. Ain't
that funny? I haven't had a
Moonpie since I was ten years old.
Right now, I'm thinking how much
I'd love one.
RATH
And an R.C.
He's 'laughing' and Rath laughs with him. Ketcham suddenly
stops laughing. They are nearly to the cluster of trees.
KETCHAM
Can I ask you something?
RATH
Go ahead.
KETCHAM
What do other guys do?
He looks at the trees, his voice dying in the WIND.
RATH
Everyone handles it differently.
Some are ready, some are not.
KETCHAM
Do they get down on their knees,
begging and crying?
RATH
Some.
KETCHAM
When I thought about this, that
was always there, in the back of
my head, that image of me on my
knees, crying. It wouldn't go
away and it would really upset me.
It was something that I could never
get away from... but now, I feel
it's okay. I feel good.
RATH
Can I ask you a question?
KETCHAM
Anything.
RATH
Why didn't you fade?
KETCHAM
You mean quit?
RATH
Yeah.
KETCHAM
I used to think about it. I had
Margaret. She wanted kids. I
thought about moving somewhere
far away like, Europe. I could
see all of that, the first part,
the getting away but I couldn't
see that next part. 'Then what?'
So I'd stop thinking about it and
go back to work. You understand?
RATH
Yeah.
Ketcham smiles and looks around at the grove of birch
trees.
KETCHAM
I always pictured that I would end
in some land fill, under
someone else's garbage. I kept
picturing those plastic diapers
filled with some baby's green shit,
covering me. But this is nice...
He looks at the sun, bloody red seeping into the black
horizon.
KETCHAM
Look at that. I haven't watched
the sun set in a million years.
Do you mind?
RATH
No.
Ketcham stares at the last of the light.
KETCHAM
Nice... real nice.
With his face hidden from Rath he begins to cry.
Rath watches Ketcham staring at the setting sun. Rath
looks down at the gun limply held in his hand.
When the sun is gone, a red glow at the bottom of a dark-
ening sky, we hear the GUN, SILENCED, ONCE, then the BODY
FALLING INTO THE MUD. After a beat we hear TWO MORE
SHOTS.
Ketcham is lying face down, already sinking into the mud,
a red cloud mushrooming around his head like the red haze
left by the dying sun.
Rath breathes in deep and lets the air out slowly, stand-
ing alone in the middle of nowhere.
INT. HOTEL SUITE - NIGHT
The room is dark and still.
A man is standing at a wall of windows that glow from the
amber wash of urban light.
Snow is falling, heavy white flakes glittering in the
city's electric night.
The man finishes his bourbon, ICE CLINKING in the empty
glass. He is slightly drunk and he sways forward until
his forehead rests against the window.
In the dim light, we recognize the man as Rath.
Outside there is a beautiful stone church decorated for
Christmas. He watches the snowflakes drift to the
distant street below.
He is wondering what it would feel like to let himself
fall, when there is a KNOCK at the door.
Crossing the room, he opens the door. Backlit by the
bright hallway light is a WOMAN. She has already removed
her coat and though she is only a silhouette we can see
that her dress is very short and very tight.
ESCORT (WOMAN)
Hi. Did you call --
RATH
Yes. Please come in.
Her HIGH HEELS TAP against the tile foyer as she enters
and he takes her coat.
ESCORT
Goodness, it's so dark...
She reaches for the wall switch but he stops her.
RATH
I prefer it like this.
ESCORT
How can a beautiful man like you
be shy?
He smiles.
RATH
I prefer it, that's all.
She moves closer to him, the sexual confidence of her
body radiating like heat.
ESCORT
It's okay, honey. We can do it
anyway you want.
Rath is obviously uncomfortable.
RATH
Would you like a drink?
ESCORT
I'd love one. Whatever you're
having.
They move into the room, from a distance, as featureless
as two shadows.
She stands at the windows watching the snow-bubble of a
city night.
ESCORT
Beautiful.
He hands her the drink. Her smile is bright and perfect.
ESCORT
Good will towards men.
Their glasses clink as he drains half his drink. If she
drinks at all, we can not tell.
RATH
Why are you working today?
ESCORT
Holidays are our busiest days. No
one likes to be alone on holidays.
I know I don't.
She touches his face, the caress and her expression of
tenderness seemingly genuine.
RATH
You're very good at this aren't
you?
ESCORT
I think you're supposed to answer
that question.
Her hand slides down his chest, but before it goes any
farther Rath turns away, returning to the bar.
RATH
I know what you expect, but I
don't want...
He pours himself another drink.
ESCORT
That's okay, hon, I always expect
the unexpected.
RATH
I called because I just want... I
need to talk.
She sits on the couch, her body language changing, as she
becomes a listener.
RATH
I've been thinking about my life,
about things I have done... What I
do for a living is in some ways
similiar to what you do.
He sits on the other end of the couch, his words thickened
by the alcohol.
RATH
I know that everything has a
price. I want you to understand
that I'm willing to pay.
He takes out an envelope and puts it between them. She
picks it up, glancing inside at a stack of hundred
dollar bills.
ESCORT
For what?
RATH
Honesty.
She puts the envelope down.
RATH
I just want to ask you some
questions.
Uncomfortable, she waits as he searches his drink for
the right words.
RATH
Do you ever regret things you've
done?
ESCORT
Everyone regrets something.
RATH
But when you finLsh a job,
afterwards do you think about
them?
ESCORT
Sometimes.
RATH
Do you think about their wives or
their families?
ESCORT
No. They call me, I don't call
them. If they didn't call I
wouldn't exist.
Rath nods. His next question is barely audible.
RATH
Do you ever think about starting
over?
ESCORT
All the time.
RATH
Can you tell me about it?
For the first time we really see her take a drink. She
closes her eyes.
ESCORT
Sometimes I dream that I meet a
man, this good, honest man and we
fall in love. I imagine us living
on a boat, reading books, sailing
to places where no one knows who
we were or cares what we did.
She opens her eyes and looks at him.
RATH
And what if you never meet that
man?
She smiles.
ESCORT
Then, I'll sail alone.
RATH
Do you believe that?
ESCORT
Are you asking me if I believe in
another life?
Rath nods.
ESCORT
I have to.
She finishes her drink.
ESCORT
Is that all you want?
RATH
Yes.
She picks up the money and stands.
RATH
Thank you.
ESCORT
Anytime.
INT. HOTEL SUITE - NIGHT
It is the same room but now it is very cluttered, room
service trays and empty liquor bottles tossed about.
He has been here for a while.
He is sitting at the table, staring intensely at a chess
game; we see the board and all of the pieces set in the
same positions as in the opening sequence.
He rubs at the whiskers that have darkened his face and
then finishes off another bottle of bourbon.
He flings the empty bottle across the room as he reaches
over the board and moves one of white knights, taking a
black rook.
A sequence begins, obvious, and he works through it moving
both the black and white pieces. Suddenly he stops. He
gets up and shifts to the other side of the board,
studying the game from white's perspective.
Another sequence emerges and he trades the pieces through
it as he moves around the table, returning to his place
behind the black king.
The games reaches its end as black is check-mated.
He slumps down onto the table and looks across at the
white king.
RATH
Fuck you, Nick.
INT. HOTEL SUITE - DAWN
Rath is at a desk where he has set up his computer
office; a cellular phone is plugged into a modem with
cables winding through a scrambler and then into a fax
machine and the latest high-powered lap-top computer.
On the table near the desk, we see the .22, dismantled
and cleaned, spread out on a white towel.
He types in a complicated access code sequence, then
waits, staring at the blank screen.
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
Where have you been, Robert?
RATH/SCREEN
Sick. The flu.
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
I don't believe you.
RATH
I don't give a fuck --
RATH/SCREEN
It's true.
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
I have been sitting on a contract
from Cleveland for six days
because of you.
RATH
Fuck you, fuck Cleveland, and fuck
your contracts --
RATH/SCREEN
I need a rest.
CONTRACTOR/ SCREEN
That's impossible, Robert. You're
at the top of your field. These
are the best contracts. To stop
now would be self-destructive.
He looks away from the screen and sees the chess game on
the table.
RATH/SCREEN
Send the file. I'll have the
estimate tonight.
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
I'm worried about you, Robert.
RATH
You fucking should be --
RATH/SCREEN
Don't be.
On the screen the word "Transmitting" appears. Rath
slowly gets out of his chair.
The FAX MACHINE CLICKS and HUXS to life as a photograph
of a smiling, old Italian man curls onto the desk.
Rath begins destroying the hotel room, smashing anything
he can get his hands on.
INT. HOTEL SUITE - DAY
Rath is in the middle of the room which he has
demolished. Having showered and shaved, he is now
standing naked, in the midst of the rubble, practicing
the slow and graceful art of Tai Chi.
INT. HOTEL SUITE - NIGHT
Rath is working at the desk. He is tallying numbers,
materials, totaling his estimate.
Spread out over the table are several faxed photos of
the old Italian, Leevio Valli, usually surrounded by
bodyguards.
The file details Valli's life and his daily routine. It
includes: phone bills, credit card and bank account
statements, driver license and vehicle registration, the
real estate listing of his house and even a copy of his
income tax return.
Satisfied with his figures, Rath plugs the phone into the
modem and makes a call.
The network comes on-line as the General Contractor
types:
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
You're too late, Robert.
Rath types.
RATH/SCREEN
What?
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
The contract was stolen.
Rath stares at the screen.
RATH/SCREEN
Who?
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
A new player. He's using the name
Nicholai.
The name hits Rath and he sits, unable to breathe.
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
You know what must be done.
The screen goes black as the network shuts down.
Rath looks down at the pile of assembled facts. He lifts
a credit card bill on which the name of a restaurant
appears every Friday. The name of the restaurant has been
circled in red pen by Rath: "Trattoria Roma."
EXT. TRATTORIA ROMA - NIGHT
A red awning spans the entrance of a popular Italian
restaurant.
INT. TRATTORIA ROMA
It is a large establishment with many tables and booths.
The dinner crowd is a mix of yuppies and older Italian
families who have been eating here for years.
Rath is sitting alone at a booth. With very subtle
changes to his appearance, he looks like an older Italian.
In front of him is a glass and a carafe of dark red wine.
He touches neither of them. His eyes shift as he studies
the room.
LEEVIO VALLI pushes into the restaurant surrounded by five
gorillas in Italian suits. The owner hurries to greet
them, hugging, kissing, speaking only Italian.
The entourage moves through the restaurant to the over-
sized booth in the back.
Rath does not look twice at them. Immediately he is
watching everyone else, looking for the other assassin.
Leevio slides into the booth as his goons stand and sit
around the table, obscuring him from all parts of the
room.
A wine steward immediately brings a bottle of red wine and
fills their glasses. A pretty waitress sets a steaming
loaf of garlic bread out and a giant bowl of minestrone in
front of Leevio. He tells her something and she giggles.
They joke in Italian, watching her ass as she wiggles back
to the kitchen.
At Leevio's table the wine steward returns to fill their
glasses.
It is the goon standing against the wall that is the first
to realize that it is not the same wine steward. He is
the second assassin, much younger than Rath. His name is
BAIN. He smiles.
The goon reaches for his gun as --
Bain SHATTERS the BOTTLE of wine into his face. He
screams.
Leevio coughs a spray of minestrone, as a GUN flashes free
from the white linen towel hung over the steward's arm.
It happens instantly. FOUR SHOTS and the goons are dead.
Leevio screams.
LEEVIO
Don't!
A FIFTH, SIXTH and SEVENTH SHOT.
Leevio's body falls forward and softly thuds on the table.
Bain whips around drawing a small SEMI-AUTOMATIC WEAPON
from his belt expecting an attack.
Facing the screaming crowd, he begins to SHOOT anyone who
moves or stands, men or women.
There is chaos in the restaurant. People scream, falling
to the ground, scrambling under tables.
Bain is sweating, his eyes shifting wildly from one end of
the room to the other.
The restaurant falls quiet except for several people who
are sobbing.
He moves through the room, watching, searching.
BAIN
Don't anybody move. You move,
you're dead.
He passes the table Rath was sitting at, but it is empty.
BAIN
Come on, you chicken shit
motherfucker. I know you're here.
Let's go.
EXT. CONCRETE PARKING GARAGE
Across the street from Trattoria Roma, Rath jacks together
a German assault rifle with night scope.
INT. TRATTORIA ROMA
Bain looks out the window at the dark street.
He turns and searches through the people huddled on the
floor. He aims his gun.
BAIN
You! Get up!
A quivering wine steward stands.
He points to another.
BAIN
You, too! Up!
EXT. PARKING GARAGE
THROUGH the NIGHT SCOPE we see the front door to the
restaurant open and a group of wine stewards clumped
together slowly back out.
INT. TRATTORIA ROMA
Bain is second from the end, both guns aimed at the
stewards.
One of them begins to cry.
BAIN
Not yet. Don't move or you're
fucking dead.
INT. PARKING GARAGE
Rath moves the scope back and forth, unable to pick out
the assassin.
RATH
Shit. Just do them all. All of
them. Shit.
He can't pull the trigger.
EXT. TRATTORIA STOREFRONT
The group moves toward the street.
BAIN
Now run!
Like dogs out of the gate, they bolt.
INT. PARKING GARAGE
Rath watches as they scatter, finding Bain in his scope.
EXT. STREET
A chunk of BRICK EXPLODES from the wall just behind Bain's
head as he drops behind the row of parked cars along the
curb. He laughs. We get the idea that Bain is enjoying
this.
INT. PARKING GARAGE
Rath looks over his scope, talking to himself. He is
sweating.
RATH
Shit. What are you doing, old man?
You're too fucking slow.
He looks back into the scope and begins scanning the line
of cars.
RATH
Okay. Which one? Which one is
yours?
EXT. CITY STREET
Bain is crawling alongside the tightly parked cars,
staying low and out of sight.
He works his way up to a black Mercedes that is parked
illegally next to a fire hydrant and takes out his keys.
He hits the remote unlocking the doors.
INT. PARKING GARAGE
Rath finds the fire hydrant in his scope, almost obscured
by the parked Mercedes.
RATH
Amateur.
He takes aim.
EXT. CITY STREET
Just as Bain starts to open the door, the front TIRE
EXPLODES. Another second, the back TIRE EXPLODES.
BAIN
Fuck!
INT. PARKING GARAGE
Rath waits, steely calm, his finger on the trigger.
RATH
Your move.
EXT. CITY STREET
Bain hears the growing wail of POLICE SIRENS. Thinking
for a moment, he opens the car door and pulls a long
handled switchblade and a roll of electrician's tape from
the glove compartment.
INT. PARKING GARAGE
Rath sees the car light go on, but can't make out what
Bain is doing. The SIRENS are GETTING LOUDER. There's a
lot of them.
EXT. CITY STREET
Bain finishes taping the knife to his forearm and rolls
his shirt sleeve down. From his pocket he takes out a
Gameboy and begins playing "Tetris."
INT. PARKING GARAGE
Rath watches as the police cars come racing down the
street.
EXT. CITY STREET
The CARS SCREECH to a halt in front of the restaurant.
The COPS jump out, drawing their weapons.
Bain throws his guns down, raising his hands in the air.
BAIN
Don't shoot! Don't shoot! I give
up!
More CARS come SCREECHING up as the two officers hold
their beads on Bain.
COP
Hit the ground! Face down! Spread
your legs!
Bain follows the orders as the second cop edges up to him,
frisking him. In this position the Cop is unable to find
the knife strapped to Bain's forearm, but finds the
Gameboy.
BAIN
Hey, don't touch that!
COP
Shut up!
The Cop twists Bain's arms behind his back, handcuffing
him tightly.
They drag him to his feet, a swarm of police and
paramedics in the street.
INT. PARKING GARAGE
Rath holds them in his cross hairs as they move to the
police car, but is unable to get a clean shot. Bain is
using the cops for cover, keeping his head low.
RATH
Son of a bitch.
The Cops shove Bain into the back seat.
Rath very quickly walks to his car, tossing his gun into
the trunk. He gets in and STARTS the ENGINE.
INT. PATROL CAR
The two Officers are outside the car talking with the
sergeant.
Bain, laying low beneath the windows, peeks up at the
shadowy parking garage. He smiles.
The two Policemen get in the car, the second picking up
the radio. The driver GUNS the ENGINE and the black and
white RUMBLES down the street.
COP #2
This is 181, returning with suspect
involved in multiple shooting at
Trattoria Roma. Repeat, en route
with suspect.
He hangs up the radio and looks back at Bain through the
metal caging.
COP #2
Jesus Christ, do you know who you
shot in there?
Bain almost laughs.
COP #2
What are you? Some kind of a
hitman?
Bain looks out the window.
COP #2
You know what we call guys like you?
Bain looks at him.
COP #2
Sizzle lean. They're gonna fry your
ass.
He laughs at his own joke, looking at his partner, who
chuckles.
EXT. CITY STREET
Rath's car races down the street trying to catch up with
the patrol car.
INT. PATROL CAR
Bain stares out the window, silent.
Behind his back, he takes hold of his left thumb with his
right hand.
The Cop is playing with the Gameboy.
With a quick jerk, he yanks the thumb out of its socket.
His expression remains perfectly blank.
The thumb hangs unnaturally from the hand. The skin
stretches strangely as he pulls the metal cuff from his
wrist.
The Cop turns as the SWITCHBLADE CLICKS and Bain sticks
the knife through the wire mesh, into the cop's eye. A
font of blood arcs onto the windshield.
Grabbing hold of the driver's shirt collar, Bain jabs the
blade into the back of his neck.
The driver screams trying to pull free of Bain's grip.
He slams on the brakes, groping for his gun and the CAR
SKIDS out of control.
Bain stabs the Cop again, his GUN FIRING WILDLY as --
The patrol car starts to flip and roll.
INT. RATH'S CAR
Rath turns as he hears an EXPLOSION, several blocks away.
The TIRES SQUEAL as he makes a hard right.
EXT. STREET
Orange flames lick up from the belly of the overturned
patrol car. Oil black clouds billow into the night sky.
Rath's car cruises past.
Rath sees the back seat window shattered, kicked out.
Bain is gone.
RATH
I'm not done yet.
EXT. CITY STREET INTERSECTION
A brand new cab is sitting at a red light.
The cabby looks into the rearview mirror, as a pair of
headlights roll up behind him. The car gets closer, the
lights brighter; they don't stop.
He shrieks as the CAR SMASHES INTO HIS, TEARING OFF HIS
BUMPER.
The cabby jumps out, rattling off a string of obscenities.
Rath gets out of the white car, starting to apologize, as
the cabby moves toward him.
When he's close enough, Rath decks him, knocking him
unconscious.
He picks him up and puts him in the white car.
Rath then gets in the cab and when the light changes to
green, he drives off.
INT. CAB
Rath circles the area, turning up the cab's CB.
A couple of CALLS CRACKLE through the speaker, before he
hears what he's waiting for; an airport fare in this area.
At the intersection of Adams and Nine.
He picks up the mike.
RATH
This is 1242. I got it.
EXT. ADAMS AND NINE
It is a deserted intersection. The buildings are dark and
some of the street lights are out.
The cab sits by itself, ENGINE RUNNING, its taillights
glowing through the exhaust.
INT. CAB
Rath holds his gun cocked beneath his coat. His other
hand grips the door handle.
As he waits, watching the intersection, he notices the
cabby's ID pinned to the dashboard.
Leaving the gun in his jacket, he reaches for the ID card.
He rips it from the dash and as he drops it under the
seat, the door behind him opens. Someone gets in and
closes the door. Rath peers into the rearview mirror.
It is Bain.
For the first time we realize that the front and back of
the cab is separated by an inch of bullet proof glass.
There is an awkward silence as Rath sits, unsure.
Bain looks at him.
BAIN
Is there a problem?
RATH
No. No problem. The airport,
right?
BAIN
Right.
The cab pulls out of the intersection.
INT. CAB
Rath studies Bain. There is a thin line of blood down his
temple. Bain is oblivious to it and pulls out his
Gameboy, resuming his game of Tetris.
RATH
How'd you cut yourself?
Their voices are distorted through the small electric
amplifier set in the bullet proof glass near the metal
money exchanger.
Bain touches the blood on his forehead, looking at it a
bit surprised.
BAIN
Oh? Working. A little accident.
He wipes it off as best he can.
RATH
You a waiter? You look like a
waiter.
Bain is uninterested.
BAIN
Yeah. Yeah, I'm a waiter.
RATH
Where?
BAIN
What?
RATH
What restaurant?
BAIN
Uh, Fontella's
RATH
So you're from around here?
BAIN
No. No I'm not.
Bain is getting agitated.
RATH
Where you from?
BAIN
What is this?
RATH
Not too good at small talk, eh?
BAIN
Look, I'm real tired and I'm not
interested in fucking chit-chat.
RATH
I know just what you mean. I'm
pretty beat myself.
Silence.
RATH
Since you looked like a waiter, I
had to ask what restaurant because
of what happened at the Trattoria
Roma.
Bain looks up.
BAIN
Why? What happened?
RATH
Didn't you here all them sirens?
It's been all over the radio. Some
guy shot Leevio Valli, and a bunch
of bystanders, in the Trattoria
Roma.
BAIN
No shit.
RATH
Yeah, it's terrible. I mean Valli,
and I don't care what office he's
running for, the guy's a crook. He
probably had it coming, but all the
other people. Real sad.
BAIN
Yeah.
RATH
But they caught the guy. I heard it
all. Sounded like he just went
berserk, fucking loco. Shooting
anybody. Drugs, probably.
BAIN
Probably.
RATH
I'd love to sit in that jury. Send
that S.O.B. right to the chair.
Bain allows himself a bemused smile.
BAIN
Sizzle lean.
The cab passes the intersection for the airport.
Bain sits up.
BAIN
What are you doing?
RATH
What?
BAIN
That was Peterson back there. That
goes to the expressway for the
airport.
RATH
You're right. Talking too much
again.
BAIN
Yeah well, you just blew your tip,
pal.
RATH
What? You think I'm running you up?
BAIN
Just do your job.
Rath pulls over and slaps the cab in park.
BAIN
What are you doing?
RATH
Get out. You think I'm running you
up? Get out.
BAIN
You can't --
RATH
The hell I can't. It's my cab. I
don't like you. So, get the hell
out!
Bain can't figure out what is wrong, when he sees the
dashboard and the missing ID.
Their eyes meet in the rearview mirror.
BAIN
Holy fucking shit!
The cab rocks as both men move. Instantly guns fill their
hands. Bain ripping out a .357 lifted from one of the
dead cops. Rath rolls to the side whipping the gun free
from his jacket.
Bain throws open the door, about to run, but stops. He
looks at Rath. He wants him to run. Anyone who moves
away from the bullet proof glass is dead.
Both men are silent, each holding the other in their gun
sights.
Bain blinks, sweat forming on his lip.
BAIN
I get out, you got me.
Bain reaches over and closes the door. He smiles knowing
it is the right move.
BAIN
Now what?
Rath calmly uncocks his gun.
RATH
We're both going to the airport.
Bain nods.
RATH
Sit back. Put your seatbelt on.
BAIN
No fucking way.
RATH
Okay, don't.
Bain thinks.
RATH
If either of us fucks around, the
other can blow the fuel line.
He points his gun at the floor where the fuel line runs.
Bain sits back, aiming his gun, watching Rath.
Rath eases back into the driver's seat, also holding his
gun on the fuel line.
He puts the car into drive and slides back into traffic,
turning back towards Peterson.
They sit in silence, studying each other, when they hit
the expressway. Bain can't contain himself, giddy on
adrenaline.
BAIN
Jesus -- I'm being driven to the
airport by Robert Rath.
He laughs.
BAIN
I can't believe this. You rolled
some cabby for the radio, then
waited for an airport fare.
He laughs again.
BAIN
Boy, that's fucking genius. You're
a fucking genius. Then you're just
sitting there, bullshitting with me.
Man, no way I coulda done that!
RATH
What's your name? We both know it's
not Nicholai.
BAIN
Holy shit! Robert Rath wants to
know my name.
He leans back. This is a big moment for him.
BAIN
Bain. Michael Bain.
RATH
How long have you been freelance?
BAIN
Two years. Two long fucking years.
Something occurs to him and he leans close to the window.
BAIN
Hey. What I don't get was why
didn't you take the shot inside the
restaurant? I mean you had me, a
free shot. That's what I would have
done.
RATH
It's just a shoot-out then. Sixty-
forty, at best. Not my odds.
BAIN
Sounds like chickenshit --
He laughs hard.
BAIN
Listen to me calling you
chickenshit!
He stops laughing and looks closely at the back of Rath's
head.
BAIN
Is that a wig? Shit, I hate wigs!
Wigs are the worst part of this job.
I'd rather dye my hair than wear a
wig.
Rath studies him.
RATH
You're wearing a wig now.
Bain chokes on his laugh.
BAIN
God damn are you good. Everyone
says you're so fucking good. I just
can't believe I'm still alive. If I
believed in God, I'd be down on my
knees. Right now -- Hey, how come
you just didn't plug us all when we
came through the door?
Rath does not answer. Bain smiles. He knows something
about Rath now; he doesn't like killing innocent people.
BAIN
Shit if I was you, back there --
He holds his gun up to the bulletproof glass behind Rath's
head.
BAIN
Game over.
He laughs.
BAIN
Do you mind if I ask you a couple of
business questions? You know I was
wondering how much you bid this job
at?
Rath says nothing.
BAIN
You don't have to tell me that.
It's just, I know my bid was low,
but was it too low? I mean, did I
seem like an amateur, like I didn't
know what I was doing?
RATH
We both know what you were doing.
Bain moves close to the glass again, checking out Rath's
gun.
BAIN
Smith and Wesson .22 with an eight
inch silencer. Classic. When I
first heard you used that, I
thought, shit, that's a lady's gun.
Now, it's all I use. Clean, real
clean.
He looks at the gun, still trained at the floor.
BAIN
Would you really blow us?
Rath does not have to answer.
BAIN
Oh! I got a question. Jesus, this
has been driving me crazy for years
-- shit, listen to me. I sound like
some fucking fanboy. I'm sorry, but
I just got to ask you. Everybody
talks about how you left the Agency
and got into the business and then
how you went after the Russian,
Nicholai Talinkov --
RATH
Tachlinkov.
BAIN
Yeah, that's it. And he's like a
fucking genius. They said he shaded
you over and over. And in the end,
he aced you again. Shaded and
faded. They say he's living on some
Greek island, but I say that's
fucking bullshit. I say you're the
best and that you planted his ass.
Am I right?
Rath says nothing.
BAIN
I bet I'm right.
The car passes under a sign indicating the ramp for the
Cleveland airport.
BAIN
Robert Bain, driving me! Jesus
fucking Christ!
RATH
After those cops, you'll never be
able to come back to Cleveland.
BAIN
Who the fuck cares about Cleveland.
Cleveland blows. What kind of marks
have they got here? Greasy mobster,
teamster or some hand job
politician. I want the money marks.
I want the marks that you get.
A long beat of silence.
The CAB RUMBLES up onto the "departures" ramp which
circles past all of the terminals.
BAIN
So what happens now?
RATH
We go around once.
BAIN
Bullshit.
He throws off his seatbelt.
BAIN
You tell me that we're gonna go
around once, then, while I'm
checking out the lay of the land,
you bail out and send me flying over
the bridge. Right? Am I right?
Rath doesn't answer, studying the terminals, noting the
police and airport security.
Rath studies the terrain. Bain studies Rath.
Soon they have passed the entire airport. Rath nods.
Steering the car through traffic in onto a circle
interchange that will bring them to the beginning.
Bain wipes the sweat from his face.
RATH
Okay.
BAIN
What? What's okay?
Rath begins to accelerate, rounding the interchange.
BAIN
What are you doing?
RATH
There's a sand barricade up ahead;
I'm going to ram this cab into it.
The cab has an airbag, odds are good
I'll survive. But with this steel
casing and bullet proof glass, odds
for you are not so good.
Bain laughs.
BAIN
Oh man, that's sweet. That's
fucking sweet.
The speedometer continues to climb.
BAIN
You're bluffing.
Rath says nothing. Ahead, at the ramp to the terminals,
is the sand barricade.
BAIN
You're fucking with me. You want me
to jump. I jump, you hit the brakes
and bang -- Game over.
The cab is flying at its target.
BAIN
No, no. Wait. You don't want me to
jump. You're going to jump. I'm
stuck back here until it's too late.
Wham -- over!
RATH
I know you're going to jump.
Bain looks at him and then at the barricade.
RATH
You're still young. Young enough to
still think you're indestructible.
Invincible. You believe with utter
certainty you can bail out at the
last second and survive.
The barricade hurtles toward them, rising up, filling the
windshield.
RATH
If you do survive, we'll see each
other again.
Bain screams, throwing open the door and hurling himself
out.
Rath jams on the brakes, TIRES SCREAMING, steering into
the steel side rail, banking the car into the drums of
sand as --
Bain hits the pavement, bouncing like a stone skipped
across water.
A driver hits his brakes, swerving, just missing him.
SAND EXPLODES from the impact and the cab bounces up over
the median into the bus-only lanes as the driver's airbag
balloons out of the steering wheel.
Bain rolls and rolls, finally stopping sprawled out like a
piece of roadkill.
The cab careens up onto a curb, slamming into a pole, the
radiator spitting out a cloud of WHISTLING STEAM.
Several cars lock up and collide to avoid Bain; one car
stopping inches from him. A woman jumps out, rushing to
the front of the car, but Bain is gone.
Police CARS ROAR up into the midst of the accident. One
of them pulling alongside the demolished cab. The door is
open, the airbag popped. Rath is gone.
EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING - DAY
A large six flat leans out from a hill in San Francisco.
INT. ELECTRA'S APARTMENT - DAY
The apartment is always dark; heavy drapes cover the
windows.
The dining and living rooms look like the control booth of
a network television show, stacks of video monitors and
consoles, cables, electric wiring, coils of fiber optic
cord duct-taped to the floors, walls and ceilings. They
snake through holes punched in the plaster walls and hang
everywhere like some technological jungle.
At the center of this tangled web is ELECTRA, a beautiful
athletic looking woman wearing only her underwear and a
worn robe. She is curled up in an overstuffed chair, a
bowl of popcorn in her lap.
On the monitors, she is watching what at first might be
mistaken for a soap opera; a young couple are having an
argument.
What is strange is that the angle never changes; a fish-
eye lens staring down into the room.
MAN (V.O.)
I don't give a shit what your mother
thinks. I'm not sleeping with your
mother, I'm sleeping with you.
WOMAN (V.O.)
You won't be for long, with that
attitude.
MAN (V.O.)
Jesus, Jennifer, if you're so god
damned worried about your mother's
approval, why don't you move back
home so she can pat you on the head
when you do something right.
ELECTRA
Jerk.
Jennifer is too stunned to say anything. There is a long
pause that is not at all like television. It seems very
real.
She starts to say something, but stops, trying to keep
herself from crying.
MAN (V.O.)
Oh good. Go ahead and cry.
JENNIFER (WOMAN) (V.O.)
Would you please leave?
Electra lifts her head, smelling the air.
ELECTRA
Mmm, smell that, Nikita?
Nikita, Electra's black cat, is stretched lazily across
the top of a chair, her tail twitching absently. Every
corner of the chair has been clawed open.
Electra reaches for the control board and throws a series
of switches.
The monitors flicker as the image changes. We are now
looking down into a kitchen. A stove is beneath us,
almost like a cooking show, where a round woman is taking
out a tray of chocolate chip cookies.
Electra smells them again, smiling as she inhales.
ELECTRA
I hope she saves some for us.
There is a BANG, a DOOR SLAMMING in another apartment, and
a MAN YELLING.
Electra switches back to Jennifer's apartment.
The man is still in the living room, but Jennifer is gone.
MAN (V.O.)
Do you think slamming doors is going
to help work this out?
Electra punches a command into a keyboard. Several of the
screens change, showing different rooms of the same
apartment. Jennifer is in the bedroom, lying on the bed
sobbing, her face buried in a pillow.
MAN (V.O.)
I can slam doors too!
We hear the front DOOR SLAM in the hall outside of
Electra's apartment and through the monitor speakers. His
stomping FOOTSTEPS FADE as he storms down the hall and
staircase out of the building.
Electra switches all of the screens to Jennifer.
She watches and listens to her cry alone in her bedroom.
Electra reaches out; her fingers lightly touch the monitor
screen.
INT. APARTMENT HALL
Electra's front door opens slowly. Timidly, she steps out
of her apartment and walks down the hall until she is
standing in front of Jennifer's door.
She starts to knock, but stops herself. She isn't sure
she should do this.
She paces, then turns to the door.
She knocks, so softly it's almost impossible to hear.
She stands, trying to force herself to knock again, when
she hears Jennifer.
JENNIFER (O.S.)
Hello? Ken, is that you?
Electra panics.
The door knob turns, the door opens and JENNIFER looks out
into the hall. It is empty.
INT. ELECTRA'S APARTMENT
On the monitors, Electra watches Jennifer pick up the
phone.
JENNIFER (V.O.)
Hi, Mom, it's me. Ken and I just
had a big fight.
Electra's PAGER suddenly SOUNDS. She shuts down the
screens and pulls out the pager, checking the number.
ELECTRA
Crap.
INT. ELECTRA'S APARTMENT
There is a system set up that is not unlike Rath's system;
all of the same components, though the equipment is
bigger, more powerful and less portable.
On a table there is a bank of phones, several cellular.
Electra is talking on one.
WOMAN (V.O.)
Electra, they are not paying you to
sit at home and watch television.
Electra is fiddling with five plastic computer disks; each
has a MicroCell trademark and is labeled "Back-Up."
ELECTRA
I wasn't watching television.
WOMAN (V.O.)
The point is, they are paying for
information. Real information. Not
tooth paste brands. Not whether he
wads of folds his toilet paper. And
no 16 hours of recorded phone sex.
You are wasting everyone's time with
this shit.
ELECTRA
I thought it was interesting --
WOMAN (V.O.)
God damnit, Electra. This is not a
game. This is business.
ELECTRA
Right. In my hands I have five
back-up disks he made of all of his
work last night.
WOMAN (V.O.)
Jesus! Why didn't you tell me?
ELECTRA
I'll make my usual arrangements and
expect my usual bonus.
WOMAN (V.O.)
Electra --
ELECTRA
A pleasure doing business with you.
She hangs up.
INT. LOBBY
Electra comes down the stairs.
Outside the large glass door she sees KEN, Jennifer's
boyfriend, leaving.
On the lobby floor is a letter, apparently slipped under
the door, addressed to Jennifer Morgan.
Electra looks out the front door window, making sure that
Ken is gone.
She picks up the letter and stuffs it into her pocket.
INT. HOTEL SUITE - NIGHT
Rath is at his computer system.
He is staring at it, like it is a living thing, a person
that he despises, the blank screen reflecting his own
face. It is an effort to bring himself to touch the
keyboard, to type in his code.
He waits.
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
Hello, Robert.
Rath wants to type something but hesitates.
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
I know what happened.
RATH
I bet you fucking know!
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
It cost us.
Rath jumps out of his chair, screaming at the screen.
RATH
I give a fuck? I'm done! I quit!
Do you fucking hear me! I'm fucking
gone!
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
He stole another contract.
Rath turns from the monitor, pacing. Trying to collect
himself.
RATH
I'm being set up. Fucking set up!
He looks at the chess board. He hovers over it, the
pattern completely familiar.
RATH
Is this how it went, Nick?
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
Robert? Robert?
Rath turns back to the screen, speaking as he types.
RATH/SCREEN
How did he know?
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
Know what?
RATH/SCREEN
The fucking contract! How in the
fuck did he know.
A long beat.
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
Such language in front of a lady.
Rath still talking and typing.
RATH/SCREEN
I don't know what the fuck you are.
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
I know. It was a joke.
Rath stands, no longer typing.
RATH
A joke? A joke?
Rath takes out his gun and levels it at the face of the
screen.
RATH
You think this is a fucking joke?
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
$1,000,000.
Rath looks at the number.
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
That's the bonus on the contract.
Rath puts the gun down.
RATH/SCREEN
Deadline?
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
Tomorrow. The buyer is Japanese.
His retirement a condition of the
bonus.
The FAX MACHINE COMES TO LIFE, printing an inky image.
RATH/SCREEN
Who is the mark?
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
Freelancer. A woman. Surveillance
specialist.
RATH
A player?
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
We have an M.O... Her system is
protected by her 'pussy virus.'
Rath looks at the fax; almost entirely black except for
the wide, slit-iris cat eyes.
EXT. SAN FRANCISCO AIRPORT - DAY
There is a SCREECH and BLAST of ENGINES as a 747 touches
down, heat rising off the tarmac.
INT. SAN FRANCISCO AIRPORT - DAY
Several passengers walk through the gate into the
terminal.
Across from the gate, Rath sits in a grungy airport
cafeteria, reading a folded paper.
He is wearing an airport security uniform, a gun holstered
to his side.
Taped inside the newspaper is a faxed Interpol photograph
of a Japanese man wanted for "industrial espionage."
At the gate, five Japanese men emerge. Leading the group
is the man in Rath's photo. The other four are obviously
muscle.
Rath watches as they walk down the crowded terminal hall.
When they are almost out of sight, he folds his newspaper
and begins to follow.
His pace and manner is that of a cautious predator. His
focus shifts continually from face to face, expecting to
find Bain's.
His hand hovers near his gun.
Ahead of him a thin young man, wearing a long blue trench
coat, stops. Rath cannot see his face.
The man starts toward a drinking fountain.
Rath catches a glimpse of his face. It could be Bain, but
he isn't sure.
The young man bends over and slurps at the stream of
water. He rises into the barrel of Rath's .22.
A mouthful of water coughs from his mouth.
It is not Bain and in the next instant, the gun is gone.
RATH
Sorry. My mistake.
Rath continues. They young man is unable to move.
EXT. SAN FRANCISCO AIRPORT - DAY
The five men stride through the automated terminal doors
and towards a waiting limousine.
Further down, Rath, now wearing a black T-shirt and jeans,
exits and hails a cab.
INT. CAB
RATH
Hi. Up ahead my boss is in that
black limo. We're not sure which
hotel we're at, so could you just
follow them?
CABBY
Sure.
Rath sits back studying the faces exiting the terminal as
the cab pulls away.
INT. LIMOUSINE
The five men sit in silence. Strangely, a PHONE begins to
RING.
The older man, whose name is AKIRA, opens his briefcase,
removing a cellular phone.
AKIRA
Hello?
We hear Electra's voice. She speaks in Japanese; he uses
English.
ELECTRA (V.O.)
I trust your flight was comfortable?
AKIRA
Your Japanese is excellent.
ELECTRA (V.O.)
Tell the driver: the Hyatt Hotel.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - DAY
Electra is pacing, talking into the cellular phone.
ELECTRA
I'll call you again in twenty
minutes.
She punches a button and shoves the antennae down.
The hotel room looks like her apartment. There is a
computer and a series of monitors stacked on top of the
wood laminate desk. Cables whip and wind across the
carpeted floor to the central air duct.
The panel has been removed and intertwined black and gray
coaxial run up inside the duct.
Immediately, Electra is busy finishing her preparations.
She snaps in several power cords and the system comes on-
line.
On the monitor screen, we see an empty hotel room that
looks exactly like the one she is in.
INT. CAB
Rath stares out the window, watching the surrounding
traffic, the limo still in sight.
Something occurs to him and he looks down at the folded
newspaper where he had hid the contract file.
He flips past several documents before finding what he's
looking for; the cat.
He pulls the dark fax of Nikita and stares at it.
INT. HOTEL ROOM
Laying on the bed, in a patch of sunlight, Nikita watches
Electra rush about.
Electra grabs the sheet from under the comforter and yanks
it out.
ELECTRA
Excuse me, your Highness.
Nikita casually walks off the bed.
Electra takes the sheet to the open duct and tears off a
long piece of duct-tape.
EXT. HYATT HOTEL
The limousine pulls up in the lavish circular driveway.
The cab pulls in behind it.
INT. HOTEL ROOM
Electra checks her watch and picks up the cellular phone.
INT. HYATT LOBBY
The Japanese men stand in a cluster looking very rigid and
uncomfortable.
The BRIEFCASE RINGS.
INT. HOTEL ROOM
Electra is pacing again.
ELECTRA
Room 1414.
INT. HYATT LOBBY
With several other guests, the Japanese men crowd into an
elevator. The doors close.
Across the lobby, Rath enters, walking past the elevators.
INT. ELEVATOR
As the elevator rises, we begin to hear a SOUND, a
familiar sound.
Cramped in the corner is Bain. He is PLAYING "TETRIS,"
wearing dark sunglasses and a WALKMAN PUMPING SPEED METAL
into his ears.
INT. HOTEL ROOM
Electra continues to pace, checking the monitors.
INT. ROOM SERVICE KITCHEN
At the switchboard, a YOUNG HOTEL EMPLOYEE wearing an
operator's headset, takes a late breakfast order, typing
the order in the hotel computer.
YOUNG MAN (YOUNG HOTEL EMPLOYEE)
Yes, sir. That'll be up in about
thirty minutes. You're welcome.
He turns around and Rath is right behind him.
INT. ELEVATOR
The fourteenth floor; the BELL CHIMES, the doors slide
open and the clump of Japanese men get out.
Just as the doors begin to close, Bain steps out.
INT. HALL
Bain follows them down the hall, still PLAYING the GAME.
There is again an ominous sense of predator moving in on
its prey.
As Akira finds 1414 and opens the door, another door burst
open, a large family, heading for the pool.
The moment is gone; the Japanese men close the door and
Bain continues down the hall again, PLAYING the GAME.
INT. HOTEL SUITE
When the Japanese men enter the suite, we realize that
this is the image on Electra's monitors. Surveillance
camcorders and microphones are mounted in various
locations to display every inch of the room. The group
hesitates for a moment, under the electronic eyes.
The four goons have their hands in their jackets.
A small LAPTOP COMPUTER sits on the coffee table HUMMING
SOFTLY. It is the only noise in the room until a speaker
crackles.
ELECTRA/SPEAKER (V.O.)
Good morning, gentlemen. I
apologize for the arrangement, but
we all know those aren't business
cards you're reaching for. If
anyone leaves this room, the deal's
off.
INT. ROOM SERVICE KITCHEN
The operator is unconscious, slumped in the corner.
Rath studies the hotel computer screen intently, the
information rolling by.
We see that it is the previous night's room service
receipts.
RATH
One vegetarian plate and a can of
tuna fish. Room 1014.
INT. HOTEL ROOM
Electra stands in front of the monitors watching the men
as she speaks into the microphone.
ELECTRA
Ten thousand dollars per disk.
Insert the first disk now.
On the monitor, we see Akira at the coffee table shove the
first disk into the laptop disk drive.
INT. HOTEL SUITE
Akira turns from the small computer screen and nods at a
goon, who drops a green brick of bound one hundred dollar
bills, down the central air duct.
The little clock on the laptop ticks away as it copies.
INT. HYATT HALL
Bain is sitting on a bench entrenched in a fevered game of
"TETRIS."
Suddenly, he stops.
BAIN
Yes!
The display of the game reads "Game Over" and
congratulates Bain on a new high score.
Bain stands, smiling. He puts the game in his pocket and
starts down the hall.
INT. HOTEL ROOM
Electra is crouched at the open duct, grabbing another
stack of money, stuffing it into her bag.
A LOUD BANG EXPLODES out of the SPEAKERS and she looks up
at the monitor.
INT. HOTEL SUITE
The lock on the door has been broken and standing in the
frame is Bain.
BAIN
Surprise!
He raises his arm, his GUN spitting SILENT BULLETS.
INT. HOTEL ROOM
Electra stares in horror at the monitors as Bain grabs the
nearest bodyguard, FIRING a SHOT into his belly.
ELECTRA
Oh, God.
INT. HOTEL SUITE
Another SHOT and the second bodyguard falls. The other
two draw their handguns and Bain shields himself with the
lifeless body of his first victim.
They FIRE at Bain but are unable to hit him.
Bain squeezes off TWO MORE SHOTS and the two men fall
dead. He lets his human shield fall to the ground and
levels his gun on the shaking Akira.
AKIRA
Don't kill me.
Bain looks at him and smiles, then FIRES.
INT. HOTEL ROOM
Electra leaps at the computer, ripping the cord from the
modem.
Bain sees the fiber optic cable and looks right into it.
BAIN (V.O.)
Tricky. Boy, you just can't trust
anyone these days.
He licks the lens, leaving a smear of saliva.
She stuffs the disks into her bag. She puts Nikita in her
"travel kitty" and charges for the door, grabbing her
coat.
Flinging it over her shoulder, she does not notice the
letter from Ken slip out of her pocket as she bolts from
the room.
INT. HALL
Electra explodes through the door and suddenly freezes.
She is staring down the barrel of Rath's .22.
RATH
Don't be stupid and you will live.
The elevator behind Rath opens and closes against a hotel
lobby ashtray. He waves her into the elevator with his
gun.
RATH
Hurry.
EXT. HYATT HOTEL - DAY
Electra's black CAR ROARS out of the garage, onto the open
street.
INT. HYATT HOTEL - DAY
The door swings open. From the hall we can hear the
familiar BEEPING of the COMPUTER GAME. The room, 1014, is
the same as Electra had left it when she ran out.
Jutting from a shadow on the floor is the corner of Ken's
letter.
INT. ELECTRA'S CAR
Electra drives, obviously nervous, as Rath watches out the
rear window.
RATH
Turn here.
No one follows. He turns back to her.
RATH
How many bodies were there?
He checks his watch.
ELECTRA
What?
RATH
He has to clean up. How many bodies
were there?
ELECTRA
Um, five.
RATH
One hour per man.
Rath sets the timer on his watch for five hours.
INT. HYATT HOTEL ROOM - DAY
Bain has returned to room 1414. Wearing rubber gloves, he
clicks open a black leather attache and pulls out a can of
rug cleaner.
He picks up the phone for room service.
BAIN
Hi. This is room 1414 --
Behind him, in the bathroom mirror, we see one of the
Japanese men hanging from the shower by his feet. He is
naked.
BAIN
Yes, could you send up a pot of
coffee and my friends are going to
need some more towels. Thanks.
He hangs up the phone and walks over to one of the large
blood stains on the carpet. He points the rug cleaner at
the stain covering it with white foam.
INT. ELECTRA'S CAR
Rath sees the entrance for the expressway.
RATH
Get on the expressway.
ELECTRA
Where are we going?
Rath glances back.
RATH
Nowhere yet.
Electra turns onto the highway and NIKITA HOWLS from the
"travel kitty" in the back seat.
ELECTRA
Nikita, hush.
NIKITA wants out and HOWLS again.
ELECTRA
She won't stop unless you let her
out.
Rath reaches back and opens the box. Nikita springs into
the front seat onto Rath's lap.
RATH
Nikita? She helped me find you.
ELECTRA
What? How did you know I had a cat?
RATH
Took a guess. Lucky for you, I
guessed right.
ELECTRA
Who the fuck are you? Who do you
work for?
RATH
I work for the government.
ELECTRA
Yeah?
She studies his face, his eyes.
ELECTRA
Bullshit.
RATH
Yeah.
ELECTRA
You're one of them, aren't you? A
fucking pro.
RATH
I'm part of the game, just like you.
Electra pounds the steering wheel.
ELECTRA
Jesus!
He reaches into the back seat, grabbing her bag.
ELECTRA
What do you think you're doing?
Rath plucks out the bundles of money.
RATH
Twenty large? That's all?
ELECTRA
What do you mean, 'that's all'?
What in the hell do you know?
RATH
The bonus on the contract for you
was one million dollars.
Electra seems ready to jump out of her skin. The
speedometer is floating around 90.
RATH
Slow down.
He pulls out the disks.
RATH
I figure that means these are worth
ten times that, maybe more.
ELECTRA
Ten million --
RATH
Now you understand why I'm here.
Electra wants to scream. The speedometer is climbing over
100.
RATH
I really think you should slow down.
INT. HOTEL SUITE - NIGHT
The room is immaculate; near the door, several over-sized
suitcases line the wall.
Bain is sitting at the desk. His WALKMAN is on, MUSIC
BLASTING, as he flips casually through the telephone
directory.
His finger eases down a column stopping at "Morgan
Jennifer."
There is a KNOCK at the door.
He smiles and tears out the page.
There is another, LOUDER KNOCK which Bain hears this time.
He TURN OFF the WALKMAN and opens the door; a BELLBOY is
waiting with a luggage cart.
BELLBOY
Hello, sir. Have you some luggage
you need carried.
Bain gives him a wink and a smile.
BAIN
Indeed I do.
INT. ELECTRA'S CAR - NIGHT
The red "low fuel" light is on.
ELECTRA
Now what?
RATH
Turn off the engine.
Electra twists the ignition and the CAR DIES. Rath
glances around and we see the car is parked in a gas
station.
ELECTRA
You want me to pump?
RATH
No, stay in the car. I want you to
understand something. If I intended
to kill you, you would already be
dead.
Electra says nothing.
He reaches over and takes the car keys.
When he is out of the car, Electra slowly releases the
strangle-hold she had on the steering wheel.
ELECTRA
Okay, Nikita, stay calm, think,
breathe, think...
Electra checks the rear view mirror, listening as Rath
pumps the gas. Her eyes flash down to her bag.
Outside, Rath watches Electra through the windows. She
appears motionless.
The electric gas counter races like a stop watch.
In the car, Electra eases her hand into her bag.
The tank full, Rath re-hangs the pump. He walks around
the car and heads for the station.
Electra waits until his back is turned. She pulls her
tool pouch from her bag, throws it open and finds her wire
stripper. Reaching under the dash, she yanks out a
tangled handful of wire.
She looks up; Rath is inside paying.
ELECTRA
Come on, come on, it's a cake walk.
Her fingers fly with surgical precision, snipping,
stripping, twisting.
Rath steps out of the station as her head pops up, looking
for him. It takes only a second for him to realize what
she is doing.
RATH
Oh shit.
He runs at the car as she strips the last set of wires and
strikes them; the BATTERY GRINDS.
ELECTRA
Please, please.
He is almost there when the ENGINE FIRES. She stomps on
the gas, ramming the shift into drive.
TIRES SQUEALING, the car swerves forward as Rath slams
into it. He bounces backward, falling to the ground.
The car fishtails away, accelerating as Rath rolls to one
knee, his gun automatically in his hand. He draws a bead,
but, he does not shoot.
With a concerted effort, he puts the gun away.
RATH
Dammit.
EXT. ELECTRA'S APARTMENT BUILDING - NIGHT
Electra's car is parked out front.
She unlocks the lobby door and drags herself inside.
INT. ELECTRA'S APARTMENT LOBBY
Standing at the mailboxes flipping through her mail is
Jennifer Morgan. What she was hoping for is not there.
She looks up and sees Electra.
JENNIFER
Excuse me --
Electra stops.
JENNIFER
You live here, don't you?
Electra nods.
JENNIFER
I'm sorry, this may sound really
weird, but my friend told me he
slipped a letter under the door here
and I was wondering if you happened
to see it?
Electra is in a daze, her hand moving into her pocket.
ELECTRA
Letter?
JENNIFER
Yeah. He said he saw a woman with
dark hair going into the building
when he dropped it off.
ELECTRA
No. I don't have it.
Electra's mouth opens and she backs away. Jennifer is
bothered by her reaction and she doesn't push it.
JENNIFER
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to -- I'm
sorry.
She shrugs and unlocks the interior door, leaving Electra
in the lobby.
Electra watches her, as her hand moves from pocket to
pocket.
A worried expression tightens her face; the letter is
gone.
She opens the interior door, following Jennifer up the
stairs.
INT. STAIRCASE
Electra climbs the stairs, her mind pouring through the
possibilities, filled with fear.
By the time Electra reaches the top floor, Jennifer is
entering her apartment.
Electra hurries past Jennifer's door to her own.
INT. ELECTRA'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Electra flies across the living room to the monitors.
She clicks them on, putting on Jennifer's channel.
On the screen we see Jennifer in her living room checking
her phone messages. One from her mother.
Electra throws a few switches so that Jennifer's entire
apartment is in front of her.
On one of the monitors we see a shadow slide across the
oak floor as something moves along the edge of the room.
Jennifer has moved to the bathroom and is drawing a bath.
Electra clamps her hand over her mouth when he steps out.
Bain moves into the dining room where Jennifer had just
been.
Wearing rubber surgeon's gloves, he picks up the mail that
she had dropped on the table and sorts through it.
Bain moves about the apartment with complete indifference
to Jennifer's presence; as if he were invisible, as though
he knew she couldn't see him.
He moves into a room, just as she moves out.
Electra watches, dizzy, sick with terror, but she is
unable to turn away.
Bain searches through a desk drawer, while Jennifer starts
undressing for her bath.
He walks down the hall and stands outside of the bathroom.
If Jennifer would turn around she would see him.
Electra is about to run, to call out when --
Something catches Bain's eye.
He moves into the bedroom, and is turned so that he is
looking straight up into the camera.
He inches towards it, not sure what it is. The fiber
optic cable is hidden in the light fixture hanging over
the bed.
Staring at it, he is looking right at Electra.
Bain steps up onto the bed, his face distorting as he
moves close to the fish-eye lens. Poking it with his
finger, he realizes what it is. A warped smile stretches
across his face as he whispers --
BAIN (V.O.)
Oh, you sick little bitch --
Electra tears away from the screen, panic seizing hold of
her.
She rips entire drawers out of her dresser, dumping them
into a suitcase, stuffing in anything that looks
important. She grabs Nikita in the "travel kitty."
EXT. BACK PORCH
The door opens and Electra jumps out, slamming it behind
her as --
Bain turns from the back stairs.
She leaps back inside as he whips out his GUN, PUMPING TWO
HOLES in the door.
INT. ELECTRA'S APARTMENT
She scrambles from the kitchen, throwing her suitcase,
still clutching the "travel kitty," as --
The back DOOR EXPLODES from its hinges, Bain charging,
FIRING his GUN.
BULLETS HISSING past her, Electra crashes through the
front door into the hall.
INT. HALL
The stairs are at the far end. She is only halfway,
when --
Rath rises up the stairs, his gun cocked.
Electra drops to the floor as --
Behind her, Bain barrels from the apartment.
Rath FIRES.
The wood DOOR SPLINTERS, BULLET HOLES surrounding Bain.
Off balance, he lunges back into the apartment.
Rath continues FIRING, grabbing hold of Electra.
They run down the stairs.
EXT. REAR STAIRCASE
Bain leaps down the flights.
EXT. ALLEY
Bain rushes into the street, looking in every direction.
They are gone.
BAIN
Fuck me!
EXT. LARGE CHAIN HOTEL - NIGHT
Somewhere in the city.
INT. HOTEL ROOM
Electra and Rath enter the room together but they are both
immediately alone.
She walks across the room to a chair in the corner,
curling into it even as Nikita jumps up and curls into her
lap.
He sets his briefcase on the table at the opposite end of
the room and sits.
They watch each other. Silence.
Between then is the liquor cabinet. Rath knows a good
idea when he sees one.
RATH
Want a drink?
Her face is as expressionless as Nikita's.
He pours himself a very large bourbon and slugs it down.
Takes a deep breath, then pours himself another one.
RATH
Okay...
He returns to his table with his drink.
RATH
I'm not good at this sort of thing,
but we don't have a lot of time, so
I'll just go ahead and get started.
First: you. I ask myself, 'What is
she thinking?'
Her body tightens, coils.
RATH
Simple. She's scared. She's almost
been killed twice and now she is
alone in a room with a man that she
believes is an... assassin.
Another deep pull on the bourbon.
RATH
Furthermore she was brought here not
entirely on her own accord which
only increases her fear and
suspicion. Thus, as long as she is
afraid, her first, maybe her only
thought will be escape. Does that
leave me any other option?
He slugs down the rest of his drink and stands, whipping
out his gun.
RATH
No.
Crossing the room, he turns the gun around and offers it
to her. She looks at it. Back at him.
He puts it on the bed beside her, turns his back and walks
to the bar.
She picks up the gun.
RATH
The gun is silenced. She could
shoot me right now.
She stands, Nikita jumping from her lap.
RATH
She could take the car and be far
from here before the maid comes in
the morning, but --
She starts squeezing OFF ROUNDS; the LAMP EXPLODES, the
CHAIRS around him ERUPT, tufts of white stuffing leaping
into the air.
ELECTRA
Shut up!
He freezes, bottle in one hand, glass in the other.
ELECTRA
Stop trying to tell me what I'm
thinking!
She moves closer to him, the gun squeezed in her fist.
ELECTRA
I'll tell you what you're thinking
-- you think I'm not going to shoot
you but right now you're not so
sure, are you?
A slight shake of the head, no.
ELECTRA
You're thinking that maybe it was a
mistake to give me this gun, that
maybe I'm not going to think about
things logically because I'm a woman
and I'm freaked out and I'm going to
do something impulsive and
irrational -- right?
She FIRES the GUN to both sides of his head. He's
surprised to be alive.
ELECTRA
You don't know shit about me! Now
sit down!
He returns to his chair and sits with the same expression
she had worn sitting a moment ago.
She opens the cabinet and grabs one of the sample bottles
of liquor. She sucks it all down and throws the bottle
across the room.
Grabbing another, she sits on the edge of the bed.
ELECTRA
Okay. How did you find me?
RATH
You're the computer hacker, you tell
me.
ELECTRA
You didn't know anything about me.
Nikita rubs up against her leg.
ELECTRA
Nikita?
RATH
Yellow Pages. V for veterinarian.
There aren't that many.
She nods, slurping at her bottle.
ELECTRA
You're one of them, aren't you?
RATH
'Them'?
ELECTRA
An assassin?
RATH
Until a minute ago.
ELECTRA
What does that mean?
RATH
If I still was what I used to be,
you would not be pointing that at
me.
Electra eyes him, considers shooting him right now.
ELECTRA
Who is that other guy?
RATH
Another contractor.
ELECTRA
Someone hired both of you?
RATH
No. They hired Bain. The contract
would have been mine, but Bain took
it from me as he took the previous
one.
ELECTRA
So this is something between you and
him?
RATH
He stole the contract knowing that
I would come after him.
ELECTRA
Why?
RATH
Because he is trying to retire me.
ELECTRA
He wants to kill you?
RATH
Yes.
ELECTRA
Why?
RATH
The nature of the business. You
remove your competition.
ELECTRA
And you want to use me to get him?
RATH
Yes.
ELECTRA
Forget it!
RATH
We don't have a choice.
She FIRES the GUN, pocking the wall behind him.
ELECTRA
Don't tell me I don't have a choice!
RATH
Right.
ELECTRA
I'm two seconds away from making my
choice which means you've got two
seconds to tell me why I shouldn't
shoot you.
RATH
It's simple. You need me. I need
you. And we will both need money.
ELECTRA
I don't need you to get the money --
my money!
RATH
If it hadn't been for me, you would
be dead.
She's up pacing, knowing there is some truth in that.
ELECTRA
I don't need the money.
RATH
This is something that is never
going to end. You can never work in
the business again with this
contract, because he will find you.
To survive, you have to go into deep
hiding. And that's going to take
money, a lot of money.
ELECTRA
Then you can have the disks and I'll
just walk out that door --
RATH
If you walk out that door, Bain will
still come after you.
ELECTRA
Why?
RATH
Because he took a contract on you.
He'll come for you and he'll find
you.
ELECTRA
You don't know that -- you're trying
to scare me.
RATH
No. It's the truth. I know what
you are. Like me, like Bain, you're
a ghost, you're not part of the real
world. You don't have a social
security number. You don't pay
taxes. You've probably used ten
different names over the last ten
years. A long time ago something
probably happened, something illegal
and you ran, you disappeared and it
was easy. You think you can do it
again. But I'm telling you, fading
from the law is nothing. No matter
what you do, where you go, I swear
to you that Bain will find you.
ELECTRA
How?
RATH
Right now, as we sit here, he is
tearing through your apartment. He
is digging through your drawers,
emptying your closets. He will take
your telephone and address books,
your appointment books. If you keep
a diary, he is reading it. He'll go
into the kitchen and find out what
kind of food you eat, liquor you
drink, cigarettes you smoke. In the
bathroom he will find any
prescription drugs you take and
where you get them filled. If you
have video tape or recordings he
will watch and listen to all of
them.
She is coming unglued. Imagining him watching her tapes,
going through her possessions. She is moving, pacing,
ready to explode.
ELECTRA
Oh Jesus Jesus...
RATH
He will know everything about you.
Everything. I know, because I've
done it. Once you've been inside a
mark's home, you're in their head.
If you're any good, you'll find the
mark in a week, and Bain is good
because I was the best and I
couldn't take him.
She whirls and starts FIRING the GUN, firing it
everywhere, fear and anger rocketing out of her in
WHISTLING hot wads of LEAD.
When she stops, he starts to say something but she levels
the gun at him.
ELECTRA
Shut up! All right! You've said
enough!
She forces herself back, grabbing handfuls of the sample
bottles.
ELECTRA
I need to think... To be alone.
With the gun and an armful of booze and Nikita following
at her feet, she goes into the bathroom and slams the
door.
INT. BATHROOM
She locks the door and then collapses. Her body seems to
fold up onto itself as she slides down the wall; the GUN
and the BOTTLES falling from her arms, CLATTERING SOFTLY
on the bath rug as she buries her face in her hands.
INT. BEDROOM
Very mechanically, Rath begins setting up his chess board,
putting the pieces into the same positions. It is a
ritual, and with it he enters a kind of trance.
From the bathroom, almost inaudible, he hears Electra
CRYING.
INT. BATHROOM
With her head now buried in her arms and knees, she is
sobbing, her body rocking. The crying seems very similar
to Jennifer's; a complete emotional release.
INT. BEDROOM
Rath stares at the board. The CRYING grows LOUDER. He
stands and walks to the door. He starts to knock but
stops himself.
Like Electra with Jennifer, Rath would like to help, he
just has no idea how to. He turns back to the desk, to
his chess game.
INT. BATHROOM
Her eyes are now burning red. She stops crying long
enough to suck down an entire sample of Scotch. Nikita
rubs against her and she strokes her.
ELECTRA
Oh shit, Nikita.
INT. BEDROOM
Rath is setting up his computer system. He hears the TUB
FILLING UP.
INT. BATHROOM
Nikita jumps up onto the toilet seat and starts drinking.
ELECTRA
Cheers.
Electra finishes another sample and drops it to the floor
where we see that many of the bottles are now empty.
In the tub, steam rising off the surface, she wrings out a
wash cloth and covers her face, sinking deeper into the
water.
INT. BEDROOM
When Electra comes out of the bathroom, Rath is again at
his chess game. She sits down across from him and sets
the gun on the table between them.
Rath looks up at her.
ELECTRA
Listen -- I don't even know your
name.
RATH
Rath. Robert Rath.
ELECTRA
Electra.
RATH
Just Electra?
ELECTRA
Yeah.
RATH
As in daughter of Agamemnon?
ELECTRA
No. Just Electra.
The conversation dies.
ELECTRA
What I'm trying to say is that --
I'm not sure I can do this, help
you, unless I know more about you.
RATH
What do you want to know?
ELECTRA
If Bain hadn't taken the contract on
me, would you have?
He stares at her.
RATH
No.
ELECTRA
Why?
RATH
Because I'm done.
ELECTRA
This is crazy. I can't trust you.
You can't trust me. How can we
possibly help each other?
They sit in silence, the gun and the chess game lying
between them.
RATH
Do you play?
She looks at the chess board.
ELECTRA
With computers.
RATH
It's not the same, is it?
ELECTRA
Better than playing with yourself.
He smiles.
RATH
I had an opponent.
She understands that he is trying to tell her something.
ELECTRA
Had?
RATH
He was Russian. Nicholai
Tachlinkov. A legend in the
business when I was just starting.
I admired him. When I heard he
loved chess I became obsessed with
the game.
Electra studies the board.
ELECTRA
He was white?
Rath nods.
ELECTRA
It looks like white's game.
RATH
We played with a code using The New
York Times obituaries. Over three
years we played twelve matches. I
never won.
ELECTRA
Why didn't you finish this game?
She reaches over and lifts a White Knight and takes a
Bishop. Rath counters, taking her Knight.
RATH
He was... taken.
ELECTRA
He was killed.
Rath nods.
Throughout the entire conversation they continue to play
out the chess game.
ELECTRA
By who?
A long beat.
RATH
I killed him.
ELECTRA
Why?
RATH
Because that's how it works. That's
what it's about. He was the best.
He was on top.
ELECTRA
Where you wanted to be?
RATH
Yes. As soon as you get into this
business, all you can think about is
getting to the top. That's all
there is. Until then, there is
nothing. You are nothing.
ELECTRA
How did you get into the business?
RATH
The same way everyone does; the
government, the Agency.
ELECTRA
The C.I.A.?
RATH
More or less.
ELECTRA
How old were you?
RATH
They recruited me when I was in high
school.
ELECTRA
Jesus -- why?
RATH
Languages. I was already fluent in
nine languages.
ELECTRA
You were like a boy genius?
RATH
Some people said that. I never
thought so.
ELECTRA
Why not?
RATH
I was just different.
ELECTRA
You went from high school to the
Agency?
RATH
No. I graduated from George
Washington University. Then I
entered the Agency training program.
ELECTRA
They didn't give you a choice, did
they?
RATH
No, they didn't.
ELECTRA
But you knew what they were training
you for?
RATH
Of course. I was going to be James
Bond.
ELECTRA
Ahhhh...
RATH
They are very good at what they do.
It's very seductive. The training,
the weapons, the travel --
ELECTRA
The exotic women.
RATH
Women? No... not really.
ELECTRA
Why not?
RATH
Women... I don't... I don't want to
talk about women.
ELECTRA
Why?
RATH
Because you are a women.
ELECTRA
Why did you leave the Agency?
RATH
The same reason everyone does. You
hear your name on C-SPAN and you
realize you're a skeleton in
someone's closet and they're coming
to bury you.
ELECTRA
They tried to kill you?
RATH
Yes. It didn't matter much to them
as long as I disappeared.
ELECTRA
Then you went freelance?
RATH
The only thing different about the
private sector is that a General
Contractor takes less of a
percentage than the government, so
you make more money. Then once you
make the transition, you realize you
were never working for the
government; it was always the
private sector, the vested interests
and it's the same vested interests
that continue to buy your plane
tickets.
ELECTRA
Tell me about the first time.
RATH
My first take?
ELECTRA
Yes.
RATH
Why?
ELECTRA
Because I want to know.
RATH
It was... mechanical. Very precise.
It was exactly like the training
drill except for the adrenaline.
ELECTRA
Are they usually like that?
RATH
No. Just the first one.
ELECTRA
After that?
RATH
They become complicated... messy.
ELECTRA
Did it ever bother you?
RATH
Did it ever bother James Bond?
ELECTRA
That's fiction.
RATH
This is fiction! Don't you see
that? This is another reality. And
the people that come into the world
to play this game -- nobody forces
them! They're here, they know the
rules, the stakes, the risks! Do
you understand what I am saying? No
one is innocent -- including you!
ELECTRA
Does that mean it didn't bother you?
Rath leans back and stares at her. She waits.
RATH
You get a job swinging a hammer, the
first day you get a blister, it
tears open, it bleeds and it stays
sore a long time. You keep swinging
the hammer, you get a good hard
callous that covers that spot and it
never bothers you again.
Electra says nothing. He leans forward and slides a rook
into her back row.
RATH
Check.
He leans back.
RATH
Is that what you wanted to hear?
Something cold blooded... something
remorseless...
ELECTRA
No. Something honest.
A beat. Rath likes this woman.
She moves her Queen.
ELECTRA
Mate.
He smiles.
ELECTRA
I hope your plan is better than your
game.
INT. CHEAP HOTEL - NIGHT
The room is ugly. Shag carpeting, wood paneling and
polyester patterned curtains.
We hear a COMPUTER KEYBOARD CLICKING away as we MOVE
ACROSS a table. The hotel phone is in a modem, which is
held together with duct tape. Between the modem and the
computer is a scrambler constructed out of a series of
naked circuit boards.
It is a very similar set up to Rath's, only it has been
put together with a fraction of the resources.
Bain sits, typing at the computer, his shirt off. Beside
the desk-top is a six pack of Old Style beer, a bag of
Doritos and his Gameboy.
On the floor, disassembled neatly on a small white towel
is his cleaned gun.
Bain finishes punching in a code, sits back and sucks down
his beer.
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
Where have you been, Michael?
He belches.
He is communicating with his General Contractor.
On the table is a collection of personal objects, much of
it stuffed in pillow cases, taken from Electra's house.
BAIN/SCREEN
Tracking the mark.
Bain fingers a pair of satin panties. He smiles as he
smells them.
BAIN
I'm on the scent.
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
You're too late.
Bain slams his beer down.
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
I've learned from MicroCell, Rath
fulfilled the contract.
BAIN/SCREEN
How?
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
He took out the mark and sold the
disks back to MicroCell.
Bain falls back in his chair, thinking. He runs his hands
through his sweaty hair.
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
Michael?
BAIN
No. No. No. I don't believe it.
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
They money will be standard bank
transfer. We believe we will know
where and when.
BAIN
What?
BAIN/SCREEN
How?
There is no response.
BAIN/SCREEN
How in the fuck do you know that?
A long beat.
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
Such language in front of a lady.
BAIN
I don't give a fuck what you are. I
asked you --
He hits the repeat key.
BAIN
(types)
How in the fuck do you know that?
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
Do you want Rath or not?
Bain stares at the screen, thinking. Thinking hard.
INT. LARGE CHAIN HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
Another computer screen, but we don't know that it is
different.
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
It will take three days to arrange
the transfer.
ELECTRA
Three days?
We are in Electra and Rath's hotel room. She is standing
behind him, reading as he types.
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
Which account?
ELECTRA
Are you going to tell him?
RATH
It. Tell it. For all I know it
could be a machine.
ELECTRA
You said you didn't trust it.
RATH
I don't.
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
Which account?
ELECTRA
What kind of bank is going to allow
us to withdraw ten million dollars
the day it is transferred?
RATH
The kind preferred by drug
smugglers, arms dealers and
politicians.
Rath types in an account number.
RATH
Do you have a passport?
ELECTRA
Several.
RATH
Good.
ELECTRA
Where is it?
RATH
Mexico.
INT. AIRPLANE - DAY
Rath and Electra are sitting in the first class section,
which she is obviously enjoying, smiling and sipping
champagne.
ELECTRA
God, I love first class. I remember
when I was a little girl, I would
wonder what it was like up here. I
would always try to peek through the
curtains.
Rath says nothing, staring out the window.
Electra shakes her head.
ELECTRA
I hope Nikita's all right.
He still does not respond.
ELECTRA
Hey, where are you?
RATH
Thinking.
ELECTRA
About?
RATH
Nothing.
Electra sips the last of her champagne.
ELECTRA
I've never been to the Gulf of
Mexico. Is it as nice as they say?
RATH
I don't know.
ELECTRA
You were there?
A long beat.
RATH
Yes.
EXT. SMALL MEXICAN AIRPORT - DAY
The plane lands.
EXT. TERMINAL CAB STAND
Rath and Electra hand their bags to a CABBY who puts them
in his trunk.
INT. CAB
Rath speaks perfect Spanish.
RATH
(in Spanish)
Good afternoon. We have
reservations at the Hotel Paraiso in
Costa Blanca.
CABBY
(in Spanish)
Yes, sir.
EXT. HOTEL PARAISO - DAY
The cab pulls up in front of a large, brand new glass
hotel, which shimmers in the blue green reflection of the
gulf water.
Rath is upset.
RATH
(in Spanish)
No, no. I said the Hotel Paraiso.
CABBY
(in Spanish)
Yes. This is the Hotel Paraiso.
RATH
(in Spanish)
No, the other Hotel Paraiso, in the
city. Near the Plaza del Sol.
CABBY
(in Spanish)
I'm sorry, sir. A year ago there
was a fire in the old Hotel Paraiso.
This is the new Hotel Paraiso.
RATH
(in Spanish)
Take us there.
EXT. COSTA BLANCA - DAY
American tourist dollars have built up the coasts, but
much of the out-lying city is very poor.
The old Hotel Paraiso is a five story blackened husk. The
face of the building is burnt black and it seems to hang
in space as something non-corporeal, like the shadow of
the building rather than the building itself.
Rath stares at it, remembering.
Electra is behind him, standing in the midst of the Plaza
del Sol.
He looks up to the fifth story window, then turns directly
opposite of that.
The International Banco de Mexico, an enormous, beautiful
old building; its exterior walls are white-washed
concrete, blindingly bright white.
Electra looks at the bank and smiles.
ELECTRA
So, that's where all that S & L
money is?
Rath is not listening to her. He is somewhere else. He
turns back to the fourth story window.
RATH
That's where he'll be.
ELECTRA
What?
RATH
I wasn't expecting this. I need to
think.
EXT. HOTEL PARAISO - NIGHT
Beyond the lights of the hotel the gulf darkens to
midnight oil.
INT. HOTEL PARAISO ELEVATOR
On one side of the elevator is a young couple who look
like newlyweds. They are cuddling, kissing and giggling
as though they are alone.
Electra and Rath are on the other side of the elevator.
It is a strange contrast.
Electra is staring at them.
Rath, behind his sunglasses, is in his own world.
The ELEVATOR CHIMES and opens.
Nobody moves.
The DOORS CHIME again and start to close, as everyone
realizes that this is their floor.
Rath and the other man grab the doors, which spring back
open.
It is a funny, awkward moment, as everyone apologizes and
smiles politely, on the way out.
INT. HALL
The couple move down the hall, the newlyweds finding their
door first.
Rath reaches the door to their room, opens it and enters.
Electra lingers, watching the other couple, watching as he
fumbles for his keys, her hand running up between his legs
and over his ass.
He finally manages to open the door and she pushes him
inside.
Electra softly closes her door.
INT. HOTEL PARAISO - HOTEL ROOM
Rath is sitting in a desk chair staring out of the sliding
balcony doors at the dark gulf water.
ELECTRA
Did you see them?
Electra moves about the large suite.
ELECTRA
They looked like they were in love.
Rath says nothing.
ELECTRA
Well, I think I'll take a bath.
Come on, Nikita!
The two of them walk into the bathroom, leaving Rath to
himself.
INT. BATHROOM
Electra sits on the edge of the over-sized tub, water
running through her fingers as she adjusts the
temperature.
After a beat she hears a SMALL CRASH, a GLASS BREAKING.
It is followed by other MUFFLED NOISES, a WOMAN GIGGLING
and a THUMPING. The sounds are coming from the other side
of the tub wall, from the other suite. Electra puts her
ear against the tile to listen.
The WATER FILLING her TUB is too loud for her to hear.
She turns it OFF.
There is more BUMPING and THUMPING, the WOMAN LAUGHING and
then, the LAUGHS SHORTEN into SOFT WHIMPERS.
Electra hangs on each sound, slowly lifted by it, moving
up toward the over-head fan and ducts.
The SOUNDS get LOUDER as she moves closer to the vents,
until she is standing precariously on the edge of the tub,
listening to what is clearly the sounds of TWO PEOPLE
MAKING LOVE.
Their MOANS and SHRIEKS CLIMAX and Electra smiles.
INT. BEDROOM
It is dark now. A single desk light is on, under which
Rath is setting up his chess board, putting the pieces in
their familiar pattern.
Electra comes out of the bathroom. She seems very clean
and fresh, wearing a long white T-shirt and thin robe.
ELECTRA
That felt great. You should try it.
She watches him setting the pieces onto the board.
ELECTRA
Don't you ever get tired of playing
the same game?
He looks at her.
RATH
No.
ELECTRA
Why not?
RATH
It helps me to focus. It centers
me, helps me think.
ELECTRA
Oh. What do you think about?
RATH
Work. The things I need to get
done.
She sits across from him looking at the board.
ELECTRA
Do you think about the game?
RATH
Yes.
ELECTRA
But you've never figured out a way
to win.
RATH
No.
ELECTRA
Not even a stalemate?
RATH
No.
ELECTRA
What happens if you do?
This strikes Rath as a very strange question and he is
suddenly annoyed by her.
ELECTRA
Can I ask you something?
He knows she will anyway.
ELECTRA
What will you do if this works, if
we get the money?
RATH
I don't know... maybe I'll live on a
boat, sail to all the places I've
never been.
ELECTRA
That sounds nice.
He finishes his glass of bourbon.
She is not sure what to say next, if she should say
anything at all.
ELECTRA
I'm kind of tired. I think I'd like
to try and get some sleep.
RATH
You can have the bed. The chair is
fine for me.
He pours himself another drink, dropping in some ice from
the ice bucket.
ELECTRA
Thanks.
She slips out of the robe and in between the sheets.
Rath sits across the room, his back to her.
She tries to make herself comfortable, but cannot.
ELECTRA
Do you think he's here?
RATH
Here?
ELECTRA
In Costa Blanca.
RATH
Yes.
She thinks.
ELECTRA
What do you think he's doing?
RATH
I don't know... But I'm sure he's
not sleeping.
She pulls the covers tightly to her chin. Her eyes do not
close.
INT. HOTEL (COSTA BLANCA) - NIGHT
A small hotel in the city, away from the beaches, built
before there was such a thing as central air conditioning.
Bain is naked, except for a small pair of camouflage
jockeys and his Walkman strapped to his shoulder. His
head is pumping wildly with the speed metal thrashing in
his ears.
He is tearing open a long box wrapped in "Happy Birthday"
paper.
Inside the box is a massive black hi-tech assault rifle.
He smiles.
He assembles it quickly, snapping it together with
automatic ease. When the sight is tightened in place, he
jumps up.
In the mirror over the dresser, he poses down with the
gun.
Not satisfied, he grabs his shades and checks himself
again. He starts moving with the music, playing with the
gun, first as a guitar, then whipping it around, spinning
it expertly, like a drum and bugle corpsman. The gun zips
and flashes around as he whirls in place, then freezes.
The butt of the rifle to his shoulder, he peers down the
scope at his own head reflected in the mirror. He is
sweating and breathing, but the barrel does not move.
BAIN
You're dead, motherfucker.
EXT. HOTEL PARAISO - DAY
Electra leans out over the railing, smiling, inhaling the
warm air, the scent of the shimmering blue-green sea.
Rath stands in the shadow of the door frame.
RATH
Breakfast.
ELECTRA
Why don't you bring it out here?
It's beautiful out here.
Rath steps a little farther out. He looks down either
side of the building, checking sight lines. He looks out
and sees another hotel with windows facing them.
He turns to her. Says nothing. Moves back inside.
INT. HOTEL ROOM
The breakfast trays are empty. Rath is sipping coffee,
scribbling notes and diagrams on a piece of paper.
Electra comes out of the bathroom dressed for the beach.
He stops working.
ELECTRA
I know what you are thinking. I'm
not going to disappear, okay? I'm
not going anywhere, just down there,
to that beautiful beach. I got to
get out of this room, just for a
little while.
RATH
Okay.
ELECTRA
Really?
RATH
He won't be looking for you. Just
be careful. Buy a book. Keep your
sunglasses on.
ELECTRA
Book. Sunglasses. Great.
INT. HOTEL HALL
Electra steps out of the hotel room ready for the beach.
At the end of the hall, she sees the newlywed couple get
on the elevator. She starts to call to them to hold it
for her, but she stops herself.
The elevator closes.
She edges slowly down the hall, stopping outside the door
to their suite. She touches it with the tips of her
fingers.
INT. HOTEL ROOM - DAY
Rath is still at the table.
The curtain begins to billow, a soft breeze blowing
through the open patio door. They swell open and fall.
It seems for a moment that there is a figure, a shadow, in
the changing shape of the curtain.
Rath stands. He walks to the open door. Standing in the
frame, he looks out at the blue ocean below.
He slides the door closed, and the curtains fall still.
EXT. PLAZA DEL SOL - DAY
Bain moves through the market, booths lining the edges of
the plaza. His eyes shift rapidly behind his sunglasses.
He buys an apricot and strolls into the center of the
plaza.
He looks at the bank, at the military-style security
guards that patrol the front.
He turns in the plaza, checking the perimeter, his gaze
falling on the tall, burned-out building.
He looks back at the bank, imagining the sight line.
He bites into the apricot, its juice gushing, running down
his chin.
INT. HOTEL ROOM
Rath is leaning back in the bed, NIKITA PURRING in his
lap.
He did not sleep last night and is very tired. His eyes
fight to stay open.
The sound of the TELEVISION momentarily hangs in the hotel
room as he sleeps. The program is a SPANISH DUBBED
version of GOLDFINGER.
The door bangs open and Rath springs off the bed, a gun
flashing in his hand, leveling it at a dazed, blinking
Electra.
Rath sighs slowly, letting the hammer of the GUN CLICK
back into place.
RATH
You should knock.
ELECTRA
Sorry.
RATH
How was the beach?
ELECTRA
The beach? It was nice.
She smiles.
EXT. HOTEL PARAISO - DUSK
The sun burns a tropical red against the mirrored windows
of the hotel.
INT. HOTEL ROOM
Electra is sitting on the bed, her back against the wall.
In her hands is a paperback romance novel that she is
looking over the top of, staring intensely across the
room.
We can hear Rath, his breathing deep and even. He is
doing Tai Chi, wearing only his boxer shorts. His body is
coated in a sheen of sweat, his muscles strained as he
moves fluidly through space.
Electra begins to breath with him.
She moves her body slightly, her hips rising as though to
meet his.
He empties his lungs entirely in one exhale and stops, his
eyes closed, rested.
ELECTRA
That was beautiful.
He looks at her.
ELECTRA
Tai Chi, right?
He nods.
ELECTRA
Where did you learn it?
RATH
Taiwan.
ELECTRA
Not that I would know, but you look
like you're really good at it.
RATH
Thank you.
ELECTRA
I've always wanted to learn
something like that.
RATH
You should. It's very important,
that the body release the energy
that builds in it.
Electra nods, watching him bend, reaching for a change of
clothes.
RATH
I'm going to shower. If you're
hungry, go ahead and order some
dinner.
Electra nods again.
INT. COSTA BLANCA HOTEL - NIGHT
Bain is doing push ups. He is naked except for his
camouflage bikinis.
He has his feet up on a chair, making it harder, the dip
deeper.
His body is gushing sweat, his face a burning red.
He is like a piston firing up and down. The muscles in
his neck and shoulders are bulging cords.
Slowly, his arm begin to tire, the strain seen in his
knotting and twisting expression.
Half way up, he collapses, feet falling off the chair.
He rolls onto his back, rubbing a tricep. It hurts. He
licks the sweat off his upper lip and smiles.
INT. HOTEL PARAISO ROOM - NIGHT
Rath checks his watch. It's after eight o'clock. He
lifts the phone and plugs it into the modem.
RATH
I'm going to call.
Electra drops her book and climbs off the bed.
He dials, types the code and waits.
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
Hello, Robert.
RATH/SCREEN
The contract?
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
Paid in full.
ELECTRA
Oh, my God. Ten million dollars.
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
Transferred to the specified
account.
Rath stares at the screen.
CONTRACTOR/SCREEN
Goodbye, Robert.
Rath disconnects. The PHONE HUMS.
Electra picks it up, placing it back in the cradle.
RATH
Sit down.
She does.
He opens a case and pulls out his gun, some paper and pens
and two small mikes that look like hearing aids.
RATH
Okay --
He starts drawing several squares on the paper, as Electra
picks up the mike. She looks over it, frowns.
ELECTRA
Two way?
RATH
Transmits and receives.
ELECTRA
Cheap as shit.
He looks at her.
RATH
I paid a lot for these.
ELECTRA
They saw you coming a mile away. If
I had known we'd be using --
RATH
It's too late now. Okay? We'll have
to deal with these.
ELECTRA
Fine.
He goes back to his drawing.
RATH
This is the bank. This is the
hotel. In the morning I will enter
the bank.
ELECTRA
Check.
RATH
He will be hidden somewhere out
here, probably somewhere low, in the
crowd. He'll stay there until he
sees me enter the bank.
ELECTRA
But he won't shoot you right then?
RATH
No. It would be amateur. A risk.
He'll wait for the prime shot, that
he knows is coming. Once I'm
inside, he'll move to the hotel.
He'll go up the back, too much
traffic in the front.
He draws another square.
RATH
You'll be here. A restaurant. A
public place far enough away that he
won't notice you, but with a good
enough view you'll be able to see
him when he moves inside.
ELECTRA
Okay. Then what?
RATH
Then, we wait.
ELECTRA
Aiiee. More waiting? I don't know
if I like this plan.
RATH
It will take the entire day, but he
will begin to doubt himself. He
will begin to believe that he missed
me, that somehow I slipped by and am
already on a plane to Europe.
He describes this as though remembering it.
RATH
The sun will be low, almost dark,
the air cool and the bank will
almost be closed. 5:45. 5:50. He
will put the rifle down, he will get
up and he will walk across the plaza
to the bank.
ELECTRA
Why won't he wait until the bank
closes?
RATH
He won't be able to. He'll have to
go inside. He'll have to see with
his own eyes, whether or not I am
there. If the bank closes, he won't
know for sure. He'll come. I'm
sure. And when he does you'll go
into the hotel, go upstairs and take
the gun.
ELECTRA
What? What if he brings it with
him?
He shakes his head.
RATH
He can't. The bank has an expensive
security system; metal detectors and
X-ray machines.
ELECTRA
That means you won't have a gun.
RATH
That's right.
ELECTRA
And with the mikes, I'll tell you
when he leaves the hotel and you'll
tell me when he leaves the bank.
RATH
If things go well, I don't have to.
You'll already be in a rented car
waiting for me.
ELECTRA
You'll have the money. How do I
know that you won't --
RATH
I'll be walking out of the bank,
unarmed. You'll have the gun and
I'll drive the car.
ELECTRA
We split the money?
RATH
Five million apiece. You get on
your plane, I get on mine.
ELECTRA
Sounds pretty well figured out.
RATH
I've been thinking about it for a
long time.
ELECTRA
Except --
RATH
What?
ELECTRA
Except, if he doesn't come out of
the hotel.
RATH
I told you, he will.
ELECTRA
You can't know for sure, how can
you? I mean, you're not him.
RATH
I was.
She waits for him to explain.
RATH
Ten years ago, I sat there in that
same hotel window, sweat pouring off
of me waiting --
ELECTRA
For Nicholai?
RATH
Yes.
ELECTRA
You killed him here? In this city,
outside that bank?
Rath nods.
ELECTRA
What is it? I don't like this at
all. What is going on here?
RATH
I don't know. It just happened. I
was here ten years ago, I'm here
now. That's it.
ELECTRA
I don't believe that.
RATH
It wasn't planned or premeditated.
I swear. Things happened beyond my
control. I understood; I saw where
they were leading and I suppose that
it just made sense.
ELECTRA
Ten years ago.
RATH
Yes.
ELECTRA
What happened?
RATH
I waited until I was insane and then
I walked into the bank. He was
sitting there, very calm, waiting
for me.
ELECTRA
What did he want?
RATH
He wanted what I want now; to get
out of the business. To disappear
to some empty Greek island.
RATH
What did he say?
RATH
He said I couldn't win. That no one
wins at this game.
ELECTRA
Was that it?
RATH
Then he offered me one million
dollars to walk away, to quit the
business.
ELECTRA
You didn't take it.
RATH
No. I went back to the hotel. And
waited.
ELECTRA
Ten years later, here you are again.
RATH
Yes. Here I am again.
POV - THROUGH TELESCOPIC LENS - MARBLE STATUE
The cross-hairs of a telescopic sight are lined-up on the
head of a marble statue.
INT. COSTA BLANCA HOTEL - NIGHT
Bain is laying on the floor in the dark. The rifle is
under him as he aims out of his balcony, down the street
at the statue.
He looks up from the scope, checking the street. It is
dark and empty and he shifts back looking into the sight.
His finger squeezes, the GUN ALMOST SILENT, as --
INTERCUT WITH:
STATUE
A chunk of STONE EXPLODES out the head of the statue.
Again, the GUN SPITS and another cloud of dust and ROCK
BURSTS from the head. His finger is pumping the trigger,
until the head cracks and falls.
He's laughing, hysterical, looking down the street at the
headless statue.
He rolls onto his side still laughing. Then, suddenly, he
stops, staring up at the stars in the night sky.
INT. HOTEL PARAISO ROOM - NIGHT
Electra is still at the table, staring at the diagrams, in
another world.
Rath pours a glass of bourbon and sets it in front of her.
ELECTRA
This has been the longest day of my
life.
Rath nods, pouring himself a drink. Electra looks at the
drink, downs the whole glass. He refills it.
ELECTRA
Do you have ulcers?
RATH
No.
ELECTRA
I think I got one today.
RATH
Five million dollars will buy a lot
of Rolaids.
She smiles. They both gulp down their drinks and he fills
them again.
ELECTRA
What do you suppose he's doing now?
Rath shrugs. He is no longer looking at her; staring at
the board, moving his mind into the chess game.
She watches him and then begins to study it with him, the
way a child does, almost imitating him. She does not want
to be left alone right now.
She reaches over and moves a white knight.
He blinks. His eyes shifting, sorting the possibilities.
He picks a bishop and counters.
After another sequence, he takes her bishop and she takes
his knight.
RATH
Why did you trade a bishop for a
knight?
ELECTRA
I hate bishops. They're useless. I
like knights.
RATH
They're worth less points.
ELECTRA
So?
There is no point in arguing.
As they continue to play, we begin to hear in the
distance, the COUPLE in the adjoining suite MAKING very
vigorous LOVE.
Electra watches Rath to see if he hears them. He shows no
sign of it, concentrating on the game.
ELECTRA
Do you hear them?
He looks up.
ELECTRA
Listen.
He hears it. Not interested.
ELECTRA
Did you think they were newlyweds?
RATH
I didn't notice them.
ELECTRA
When I first saw them I thought they
were married.
RATH
How do you know they're not?
ELECTRA
I went into their room this
afternoon.
RATH
What?
ELECTRA
It was no big deal. I saw them
leave, I went in.
RATH
Jesus, if someone had --
ELECTRA
Nobody ever sees me.
RATH
Why in the hell would you take that
chance?
ELECTRA
I heard them last night and it made
me want to know something about
them. I wanted to, so I did.
Rath shakes his head. In the b.g., the WOMAN is ALMOST
SCREAMING.
ELECTRA
She is married, but not to him.
Another man, much older. She has
four kids. The young guy works for
her. And I think she likes kinky
sex.
RATH
Thank you.
ELECTRA
Isn't it interesting though? I
mean, look at us, in this room. Or
yesterday, when we were walking in
the plaza market. I mean, we look
like just another couple. But what
are we? Doesn't it seem so crazy?
RATH
No.
ELECTRA
No?
RATH
It's always been that way. The
world has always functioned on two
levels.
ELECTRA
I know. It makes me crazy.
RATH
Why?
ELECTRA
I don't know. When I was in
college, I was forced to go to a
psychiatrist because I was caught
drilling holes in my dorm room
floor.
RATH
And you were drilling these
holes...?
ELECTRA
So I could watch the girl that lived
under me.
RATH
Apparently this doctor was unable to
cure you.
ELECTRA
He told me that my curiosity became
unnaturally entangled with my sense
of self-preservation.
RATH
Did he explain how this happened?
ELECTRA
He believed it all went back to one
night, when as a little girl. I
watched my parents have this big
fight, really big. I thought my
mother was going to kill my father.
Then they went into their room and
made up. And I watched them make
love through the keyhole.
The WOMAN SCREAMS a final time in CLIMAX.
Electra moves her queen, taking his other knight.
RATH
What are you doing?
ELECTRA
What?
RATH
That's a ridiculous move.
ELECTRA
Why?
RATH
Because, I'll take it.
ELECTRA
I'm playing white, remember. You
can't tell me which pieces to move.
It doesn't work that way.
He shrugs and takes her queen, the game continuing.
ELECTRA
Can I ask you something?
RATH
I'm sure you will.
ELECTRA
Am I attractive?
This gets his attention.
RATH
Yes.
ELECTRA
Are you attracted to me?
RATH
Yes.
ELECTRA
Why?
RATH
Why? I don't know.
ELECTRA
Is it a physical thing, or a mental
thing?
RATH
Both.
A good answer. Electra smiles.
ELECTRA
Is that why you didn't want to talk
about women before?
RATH
I didn't want to complicate the
situation.
ELECTRA
Attraction is a complication?
RATH
It can be.
ELECTRA
It happened to you before?
RATH
Yes.
ELECTRA
Who was she?
RATH
Someone like me, like you. A pro.
ELECTRA
What happened to her?
RATH
She was taken.
ELECTRA
Did you --
RATH
No. I tried to stop it. I
couldn't.
ELECTRA
Was she the only one?
RATH
After her, I realized that to
survive I had to live without...
It's dangerous to let things become
complicated.
ELECTRA
Is this becoming complicated?
RATH
I'm not sure that I care anymore.
He looks up from the game.
ELECTRA
Were you attracted to me right away?
RATH
No.
ELECTRA
When did it start?
RATH
Honestly?
ELECTRA
Uh-huh.
RATH
When I gave you my gun and you
almost shot me.
ELECTRA
Maybe you should see a psychiatrist.
RATH
Why?
ELECTRA
That doesn't sound normal.
RATH
I'm not normal.
ELECTRA
I know. That's why I'm attracted to
you. I mean, you make me nervous.
You're intimidating. Maybe it's my
curiosity/self-preservation thing,
but all I can really think about
right now is kissing you.
They rise up from the table, together, knocking over the
chess game. The pieces fall to the floor.
They grab at each other, kissing, both of them hungry,
aggressive. They tear at each other's clothes and at
their own clothes; it has a very awkward sense to it, as
they become naked in front of each other. There is
nothing smooth or fluid about it, which makes it seem very
real.
He takes her, lifting her onto the table.
She scoots and wiggles back, the chess pieces falling out
of the way.
She opens her legs and he moves in between them.
ELECTRA
I wanted to tell you --
Her breath rushes out, then back in.
ELECTRA
My real name is Anna.
He smiles.
RATH
Martin.
ELECTRA
Martin.
Her legs wrap up around his hips and he pushes deeper into
her.
ELECTRA
Nice to meet you, Martin.
INT. HOTEL PARAISO - HALL - NIGHT
Outside of the room, we can hear the MUFFLED SOUNDS of TWO
PEOPLE MAKING LOVE.
EXT. COSTA BLANCA - NIGHT
We are MOVING DOWN the street, LOW, OVER the old
flagstones, TOWARDS the marble statue that Bain shot.
On the ground are the shattered pieces of the head.
CLOSER
We see one of the pieces is part of the face, the eyes,
which seem like the iris-less eyes of a chess king.
CLOSER
We MOVE INTO the blank white of that eye.
DISSOLVE TO:
WHITE SQUARE GLOSSED WITH LIGHT
We PULL BACK, RISING UP and AWAY, and see other squares,
black and white like a chess board.
A woman's HIGH HEELS CLICK past.
RISING HIGHER, we see the woman walking. A man crosses
behind her, in another direction.
HIGHER STILL, and we realize that we are looking at the
black and white marble floor of the --
INT. INTERNATIONAL BANCO DE MEXICO - DAY
It is a strange and beautiful bank.
The ceilings are vast, the suspended lights elaborate,
baroque, the enormous clock on the wall, built to resemble
a sun.
It looks almost as though it could be a museum, with its
massive oil paintings and bronze statues of important
Mexican figures.
Already it is crowded, people and security guards moving
about beneath us.
Rath steps onto the checkered floor and remembers.
EXT. OUTDOOR CAFE
The cafe is off the plaza.
Electra sits at a patio table. Down the street she can
see the back of the burned-out hotel.
She hears Rath in her ear-piece.
RATH (V.O.)
All right. I'm in the bank. He'll
move now. How are you doing?
She is nervous.
ELECTRA
I'm ready.
INT. BANK
RATH
Good.
Rath is wearing a well-tailored, gray silk suit and dark
sunglasses. In his hand is a very large briefcase. He
crosses the checkered floor to the teller windows.
TELLER
May I help you?
RATH
Yes. Could you check on a transfer
for me?
TELLER
Your name, or account?
RATH
Rath. Robert Rath.
EXT. CAFE
Electra smiles when she hears him, mouthing the name
"Martin."
INT. BANK
A BANK OFFICIAL walks over to the window, carrying a
printed receipt, with a very bright smile.
OFFICIAL
Senor Rath, we have received your
transfer.
He hands Rath the receipt. He glances at it, checking the
zeros. There are seven of them.
RATH
Good. Now I'll need to close this
account. I'd like you to ready the
paperwork.
The smile fades.
OFFICIAL
You wish to close this account
today?
RATH
That's correct.
OFFICIAL
How would you like the funds?
RATH
American currency.
OFFICIAL
This will take some time.
RATH
I have all day.
EXT. CAFE
Electra looks up over her book and Bain is there, moving
down the side street, gliding through the crowd with the
menacing indifference of a shark.
INT. BANK
The Official is talking to the teller in Spanish, when
Electra whispers in Rath's ear.
ELECTRA
He's here.
Rath freezes.
EXT. CAFE
Electra watches as Bain moves along the plywood wall,
covered with bills and posters, built to keep people out
of the burned hotel. He is carrying a long nylon duffel
bag.
At the corner, a section of the plywood has been pulled
loose and Bain squeezes through, into the hotel.
ELECTRA
He's inside.
INT. BANK
Rath is sitting in one of the high backed leather chairs
set in pairs along the wall of the bank.
He glances at the enormous clock, which reads 10:10. He
checks his Rolex.
RATH
Now, we wait.
INT. BURNED HOTEL PARAISO
The center of the hotel is open. Interior hall balconies,
which line each floor, look down onto an old atrium
courtyard. The fire did the most damage here, spreading
easily throughout the entire building.
The skylight and ceiling at the top of this open area, has
been destroyed and sunlight streams through throwing
broken patterns of shadow and light onto the blackened
floors and walls.
Bain enters, and carefully begins climbing the charred
staircase to the fifth floor.
INT. BURNED HOTEL ROOM
The room has been heavily burned, stained black from
smoke. The charred carpet crunches and cracks, as Bain
walks across it to the window.
As he nears the exterior wall, several FLOOR BOARDS BREAK
with a brittle SNAP and he almost falls through.
BAIN
Shit.
He pulls his leg free.
Outside the window, across the plaza, he sees the bank; a
perfect site.
Quickly he unzips the bag and lifts out the gun.
He grabs a magazine and snaps it into place.
He aims down at the bank's bright white stairs. A man is
walking down the steps and Bain finds the center of his
forehead in the cross-hairs of the scope.
Bain makes a gun noise, followed by the sound of a head
bursting open.
He giggles.
Leaning against the wall, in the shadows of the window,
the gun in his lap, he waits.
Time slows to a crawl.
Without taking his eye from the bank, Bain rummages
through his bag and finds a pack of cigarettes. He pulls
one out with his lips and lights it.
Taking a deep drag, he lets the smoke slowly leak out and
drift up into the night.
DISSOLVE TO:
SUN
White hot.
INT. BURNED HOTEL ROOM
There are five cigarette butts ground into the blackened
window sill, where Bain extinguishes another.
BAIN
What in the fuck are you doing in
there?
The room is hot, a streak of sweat up his back and front.
It is difficult to breathe.
A man walks out of the bank, wearing a suit similar to
Rath's. Bain's body snaps erect, rifle instantly leveled.
He sights the man's head, his finger tightening on the
trigger, but he is not sure it is Rath.
He looks over the scope, looks back. The man reaches the
bottom of the stairs. Bain's body sags.
BAIN
That's not him. Jesus, Bain, baby,
chill the fuck out.
He takes a deep breath and wipes the sweat from his
forehead, leaving a smear of black from the charcoal wood.
He again fumbles through his bag, finding a container of
bottled water. He chugs the whole thing.
INT. BANK
The Official walks over to Rath with a number of papers to
sign.
OFFICIAL
Your signature, senor. Everything
is ready.
Rath signs them, but does not get up.
OFFICIAL
Excellent, senor. If you could
follow me?
RATH
I'm sorry, but I am waiting for an
associate. Can you hold everything
for me until he arrives?
OFFICIAL
Of course, senor.
RATH
Thank you.
EXT. CAFE
Electra is sipping at some iced tea, dizzy at the thought
of all that money.
ELECTRA
Ten million dollars, sitting there.
Waiting... this is insane.
INT. BANK
There is a faint smile on Rath's lips.
EXT. PLAZA
The shadows are getting longer.
INT. BURNED HOTEL ROOM
Bain is rocking back and forth, breathing through his
teeth. He has to urinate. Bad.
He is checking every face that comes out of the bank with
the scope. Still nothing.
BAIN
This is fucking insane.
He grabs the empty plastic bottle, unzips his pants and
begins refilling it.
A man in a suit appears on the steps and Bain fumbles the
bottle, spilling it as he lifts the gun. It is not Rath.
BAIN
Fucking God dammit!
He hurls the bottle of piss across the room.
INT. BANK
The sun clock on the wall, perfectly still, reads 5:20.
After a long beat a single minute clicks off.
INT. BURNED HOTEL ROOM
The sun is getting low. The room much darker now.
Bain sits at the window; his body a knot.
A large group of tourists flow out of the bank and Bain's
eyes light up. One by one, the scope passes over each
face.
They trickle down the steps and into the plaza.
The stairs are again empty.
Bain screams, pounding the butt of the gun down, splitting
open the floor.
He looks at the bank. Nothing. He checks his watch. In
fifteen minutes the bank will close.
He stands up.
EXT. CAFE
Electra is watching the back of the hotel, when Bain
emerges from the shadows.
ELECTRA
Oh my God.
He is moving like a bullet, knocking into people who don't
get out of his way.
ELECTRA
He's coming.
INT. BANK
Rath looks up at the clock, smiles.
RATH
Four minutes.
ELECTRA
What?
RATH
I waited another four minutes.
ELECTRA
Shit.
RATH
Wait until he is on the stairs.
ELECTRA
Right.
RATH
I'm taking off my mike.
ELECTRA
Okay.
RATH
Electra --
ELECTRA
What?
RATH
Last night --
EXT. CAFE
Electra smiles.
ELECTRA
Was nice.
RATH
Yes.
She sees Bain storming up the stairs. She stands, tosses
several bills on the table and leaves.
INT. BANK
Bain charges into the bank, tearing off his sunglasses,
scanning the room. His face is a twisted grimace,
streaked with black charcoal. His body and clothes are
covered in sweat and large salt rings. His breathing
labored.
He sees Rath sitting comfortably, calm, his suit not even
wrinkled and realizes that Rath has been waiting for him.
His first instinct is to turn and run, but he stops
himself. He is confused, unsure.
Then, as though understanding he has no choice, he puts
his sunglasses back on and strides over to Rath, BOOTS
CLICKING against the polished MARBLE.
Bain sits down in the leather chair across from him.
BAIN
How'd you know? Just tell me that.
How'd you fucking know?
RATH
I knew the same way in ten years
you're going to know.
BAIN
What does that fucking mean?
RATH
It means that I'm going to tell you
things, even though I already know
that you're not going to listen to a
God damned thing I say.
INT. BURNED HOTEL
Electra carefully moves up to the fifth floor, then
navigates around a large hole, towards the last room.
INT. BANK
RATH
It's irony. That's what it is. But
the real irony is that you won't
know it's irony until you're sitting
over here.
Bain isn't listening. Instead he's watching, everyone who
walks near them.
RATH
When you walked in here and you saw
me, sitting here, waiting; the first
thing that went through your head
was that you were a dead man.
This catches Bain's ear.
RATH
You're thinking that you've been
sold out. That's the only way I
could know you were out there. Why
would you think this? Because you
don't trust your contractor. You
don't trust anyone. It's automatic.
It's the first and last commandment.
It's the only thing that keeps you
alive. So, try as I might to tell
you the truth, you can't believe me.
Do you see the irony of the
situation? It's kind of funny,
isn't it?
Bain is not laughing.
INT. BURNED HOTEL ROOM
Inside the burned out closet, Electra finds Bain's nylon
duffel bag.
Digging through it, she finds his Gameboy, his Walkman,
his .22, ammunition clips and several issues of Soldier of
Fortune and a Punisher comic book.
The rifle is not here.
INT. BANK
RATH
Listen to me, Bain. Two days ago,
you contacted your contractor, who
told you that they knew when and
where I was going to pick up the
transferred money from MicroCell.
You don't know how they got the
information. It bothered you, but
you didn't care. How do I know
this? Because ten years ago, I was
sitting in that chair, as scared
shitless as you are now.
BAIN
I ain't scared of you.
RATH
Yeah you are and you hate it. You
hate the fact that your hand is
shaking and mine isn't. That you're
sweating your balls off and I'm not.
You've got fear and hate in your
belly like battery acid, all because
of me.
BAIN
If you think you can take me, quit
fucking bullshitting and try it.
RATH
All right, Bain. Pay attention,
because this is where everything
changes.
INT. BURNED HOTEL
Electra is beginning to panic. She cannot find the gun
and has started looking in other rooms.
INT. BANK
RATH
You're a businessman, right? This
is a business deal. Behind that
counter, I have over ten million
dollars. I'll give you half of it,
more money than you'll make in the
next ten years if, you walk away.
Bain's face changes, muscles relaxing, the tension
slipping out of him.
BAIN
Five million dollars?
RATH
That's right.
BAIN
Shit. That sure is a lot of money.
Bain is smiling.
RATH
Did you see how I did that? Magic
wasn't it?
BAIN
What?
RATH
You understand what's going on? It
makes sense, right?
BAIN
Oh, yeah.
RATH
What I just said, no assassin would
say. What I've said, only a mark
would say.
They stare at each other.
BAIN
You think I would be an idiot to
pass up five million dollars.
RATH
You would be.
BAIN
You don't know a fucking thing about
me. You don't have the slightest
fucking clue.
RATH
Why don't you tell me.
BAIN
I'll tell you this. After
Cleveland, I thought I was lucky to
be alive. But now, here, I just
realized that you were the lucky
one.
RATH
Now I'll tell you something. It
wouldn't fucking matter if I offered
you one hundred million dollars.
You'd still be thinking the same
thing, that you're going to take me.
And here I am, sitting through this,
knowing it's bullshit, looking at
you and the only thing going on in
my mind, the only thing I can think
is that, in just a few minutes I'm
going to take you.
Bain jumps out of the seat.
BAIN
Yeah, okay! I'm ready! Let's
fucking go!
He's walking, turning, watching everything, everyone.
He's out the door.
INT. BURNED HOTEL
Electra is on the fourth level, searching desperately for
the gun, rushing through the black skeletal remains of the
hotel.
In her ear she hears Rath.
RATH (V.O.)
Electra?
She shrieks.
INT. BANK
Rath is at the counter, as the Official loads perfectly
stacked blocks of crisp one hundred dollar bills into the
case.
RATH
Electra?
INT. BURNED HOTEL
Electra is frantic.
ELECTRA
God, I can't find it! I can't find
it! I can't find the fucking gun!
INT. BANK
For Rath, everything has changed.
EXT. PLAZA
In long, pounding strides, Bain crosses the square,
twisting, glancing back, watching.
INT. BURNED HOTEL
Electra nears the room below the fifth story window.
ELECTRA
It wasn't with his other stuff!
INT. BANK
Rath is now afraid.
RATH
Electra, get out.
EXT. SIDE STREET
Bain nears the opening in the plywood wall.
INT. BURNED HOTEL
Electra looks up and there is the gun; supported by black
plumbing pipe and charred lathe. It hangs in the space
between two joists, hidden in the upstairs floor.
RATH (V.O.)
He's coming, Electra! Get out now!
ELECTRA
Oh, God. I see it!
She reaches for it, but it's too high.
RATH (V.O.)
Electra, listen! You have got to
come to the bank for the money! The
money!
She is not listening; she is rushing down the hall, back
toward the stairs.
Just as she grabs the rail, she hears BAIN STORMING INTO
THE LOBBY below.
She begins climbing the stairs, quickly but quietly.
Bain is a rampaging beast, lunging up the stairs.
INT. BANK
The bank is almost empty. Rath has begun to sweat.
RATH
Electra!
The Official looks at him strangely, stacking the last of
the green paper blocks.
INT. BURNED HOTEL
Electra peeks over the rail to see Bain right behind her.
RATH (V.O.)
Electra!
The voice screams in her ear and she tears the mike off,
stuffing it in her pocket.
INT. BANK
RATH
Electra, what's happening? What are
you --
The Official closes the case and snaps the clasps shut.
OFFICIAL
Finido, senor.
INT. BURNED HOTEL
Electra turns into the hotel room just as Bain reaches the
fifth floor. There is no time.
She slips into the closet, as Bain whips around the corner
into the room. He rushes to the window, slamming himself
against it.
BAIN
You're gonna take me? Come on!
Come on, motherfucker!
He bends down and from the hole that he fell into, pulls
out the assault rifle.
BAIN
Take this! Take this, you fuck!
Electra watches through the slits of the blackened wood
lathe.
He pounds his fist rapidly into his thigh and then through
the wall.
BAIN
Motherfucker!
He stands suddenly, perfectly still, gun aimed at the
bank.
BAIN
Comeon-comeon-comeone-it'sover-
gameover-comeon.
INT. BANK
The sun clock reads six o'clock.
There is no one left in the bank except for employees and
guards.
The Official is at Rath's elbow leading him towards the
metal gates.
OFFICIAL
We are closed, senor. Thank you for
banking with us.
It is happening as it happened ten years ago. Rath knows
that he is unable to stop it.
INT. BURNED HOTEL
Bain is rigid, cast in iron, the rifle rammed under his
chin, sight tight to his eye, finger wrapped around the
trigger.
Electra silently, ever so delicately opens her bag,
lifting out her gun.
BAIN
Make me shit, you sorry ass piece of
mark meat! Come on, come on. It's
over! I know it! You know it! We
know it!
In the...
TELESCOPIC SIGHT
we watch Rath step out of the bank, the doors closing
behind him.
BACK TO SCENE
Bain smiles.
INSIDE CLOSET
Electra slowly rises, still watching Bain.
EXT. PLAZA
The sun has begun to set and the entire plaza has a deep
orange and auburn cast.
Rath looks down at the descending, white, stone steps.
He steps down to the first stair.
INT. BURNED HOTEL
BAIN
Lift your head, motherfucker.
Electra is standing. The gun clenched in her shaking
hand.
BAIN
Look up here.
TELESCOPIC SIGHT
The cross-hairs are an "X" on Rath's head.
BACK TO SCENE
BAIN
Look up. Look at me. I want to see
your face.
EXT. PLAZA
Rath looks across the square, up the side of the hotel, at
the window; there is only black shadow.
He knows it is over.
INT. BURNED HOTEL
BAIN
Yes.
Electra shoves open the door, leveling the gun --
As Bain turns.
BAIN
Wha --
She FIRES.
His shoulder explodes, blood spraying the black wall.
EXT. PLAZA
Rath hears BAIN SCREAM.
RATH
Electra.
His eyes, his whole body comes to life.
INT. BURNED HOTEL
Bain is twisting in mid-air, diving as --
She FIRES again, moving at him. A chunk of WOOD EXPLODES
as she misses.
He falls, the burned FLOOR SHATTERING, charred JOISTS
SHEARING with the sound of BREAKING GLASS.
She watches him fall through, hears him HIT the FLOOR
below, ASH and WOOD CLATTERING around him.
The gun trained on the hole, she peers over the edge, but
he is gone.
EXT. PLAZA
Rath races wildly across the darkening market square.
INT. BURNED HOTEL
Bain, lying on his back, aims the rifle at her FOOTSTEPS.
BAIN
Die, bitch!
He FIRES, finger pumping, BULLETS ERUPTING through the
floor around her feet.
Screaming, she leaps out of the room, into the hall.
His shoulders oozing blood, Bain clenches his teeth and
rises, listening as --
She sprints for the stairs at the far end of the hall.
Beneath, he moves to the railing and aims at the
staircase, waiting, until --
Electra freezes at the top of the stairs, realizing that
they are exposed.
She flashes her head, quickly dipping back as the WALL is
PERFORATED with BULLETS.
BAIN
Fuck! God damn bitch! What are you
doing? I don't believe this is
happening!
She can hear him coming, his voice ECHOING through the
hollow building. She looks down the stairs, the hall,
above; there is nowhere to go.
BAIN
You're dead! You're fucking dead!
I'm going to kill you a hundred
fucking times for this!
Bain FIRES up at the ceiling, the BULLET tearing through
the floor, WHIZZING past Electra's head. If she moves
he'll know her position.
He FIRES another.
Electra sinks down, her back against the wall and aims at
the floor.
Another SHOT.
She FIRES back.
Bain closes, as they both start FIRING, silenced WEAPONS,
flashing, PUMPING LEAD at unseen targets.
Her gun empties first.
He laughs hearing the CLICK.
BAIN
Game over, bitch!
RATH
Bain!
Rath's scream ECHOES up through the building.
Before Bain can target him, Rath is gone; a shadow, a
ghost. He scans the hotel's courtyard. The last light
from the setting sun slips through the slits, cracks and
broken window panes, casting patterns; a surreal dream-
like grid resembling a chess board.
Electra sees her chance. She leaps to her feet, throwing
the gun over the balcony.
The two men watch the GUN CLATTER to the floor as she
races back to the room.
BAIN
Fuck no!
Rath grabs the gun tracking Bain hurling up the stairs to
the fifth floor. Rath pulls the trigger and finds the gun
is empty.
RATH
Shit!
Bain reaches the top of the stairs before Electra gets to
the end of the hall.
Rath sees it all happening.
RATH
Electra!
Bain snaps into a targeting stance.
Electra is flying toward the door, her feet hardly
touching the floor --
TELESCOPIC SIGHT
When the cross-hairs find her back.
BACK TO SCENE
RATH
Electra!
Time becomes syrup.
RATH
Down! Get down!
Bain FIRES.
Electra dives.
The blackened DOOR JAMB SPLINTER-BURSTS in front of her.
She bounces, scrambling on all fours into the room.
Bain hurries down the hall after her as Rath bolts for the
stairs.
Seeing Rath exposed on the stairs, Bain whips around and
FIRES, the WALL SHREDDING behind Rath as he dives back
down into the shadows.
Ripping open Bain's duffel bag Electra grabs Bain's .22.
Bain advances steadily, the rifle trained on the door.
Inside the room Electra grunts, hurling the duffel bag out
the door. It spins over the balcony and plummets to the
ground and bursts open.
A GUN CLIP SKITTERS across the stone tile coming to rest
in the middle of the courtyard.
Rath and Bain both see it.
Staying hidden, Rath immediately circles towards it.
Bain sweats, looking at the door, down at the clip, then
back at the door. Something's got to give.
Unsure what to do Electra waits, the gun clenched between
her two hands, covering the empty, dark space of the door.
Bain makes his choice, moving towards room 502.
Rath sees that Bain is going after Electra. He takes a
slow breath and tears from the shadows --
Bolting into the open, Rath is focused wholly on the clip,
the ground a blur beneath him --
Bain reacts; the rifle swings, rushing, arcing after Rath.
Two more steps and Rath dives, sliding, snagging the clip
as --
The RIFLE SPITS --
Rath screams, his leg erupting with blood.
TELESCOPIC SIGHT
The scope glides up zeroing the back of Rath's head.
BACK TO SCENE
Rath rams the clip in place.
BAIN
Game --
Bain squeezes the trigger --
CLICK -- the rifle is empty. Bain screams in disbelief.
Rolling over, Rath jacks back the slide and sights the
balcony but Bain is gone.
Electra searches the room for a way out. Keeping the gun
trained on the door she steps carefully over to the hole
that Bain fell through.
Grimacing, Rath struggles to his feet.
RATH
Electra!
Bain explodes through the wall, charred wood and plaster
flying.
Electra spins to shoot but the FLOOR suddenly CRACKS OPEN,
swallowing her.
Limping, lurching up the stairs, Rath hears the CRASH.
Jarred by the fall, Electra drags herself away from the
open ceiling.
RATH
The gun! He needs the gun! Get rid
of it! Throw it!
She looks up for Bain but he has again disappeared. She
looks at the gun, thinking, turning it over in her hands.
His leg soaked with blood, Rath rumbles down the hall.
Black with soot, Bain descends soundless, serpent-like to
the fourth level through another burned opening.
Electra moves towards the door aiming at every sound, at
every dark corner. She is almost there when we see Bain,
a shadow coming to life, emerging behind her.
Lumbering, Rath is halfway there, his eyes riveted on the
door to room 502.
Hearing Bain, Electra turns. In one smooth motion, he
snatches her arm and breaks her wrist. The gun falls.
Rath hears her scream.
Electra kicks at his groin but he drops, leg sweeping her
to the ground.
She gropes for the gun when he kicks her in the face,
jack-knifing her body back, knocking her unconscious.
Bain grabs the gun.
Rath whips into the room BLASTING --
BULLETS CHASING Bain as he disappears into a blackened
hole.
Rath goes to Electra not knowing if she is alive or dead.
Gently he turns her, cradling her head, her face, smeared
with blood.
From within the labyrinth, Rath hears BAIN begin to LAUGH.
BAIN (O.S.)
Hey! Tell me something, Bobby-boy.
Electra comes to, her eyes blinking open.
BAIN (O.S.)
Are you still thinking that you're
going to take me?
Electra is trying to focus, as Rath listens to the voice,
searching the shadows but the voice seems to come from
everywhere.
BAIN (O.S.)
No, I don't think you are. You know
what I think?
The voice is closer. Rath wipes the stinging sweat from
his eyes.
BAIN (O.S.)
I think you're thinking what I'm
thinking.
Still dizzy, Electra taps her fist against Rath's chest.
BAIN (O.S.)
You know what I'm thinking,
Bobby-boy?!
It seems as though Bain is in the room.
BAIN (O.S.)
You know what I'm thinking?!
Electra opens her fist and inside Rath sees the handful of
bullets from the other gun.
Bain whirls INTO VIEW, his gun whipping around to Rath who
turns too slow.
Bain pumps the trigger. ONE CLICK. ANOTHER. And
ANOTHER. The gun is empty.
RATH
Yeah, I know what you're thinking.
He levels his gun.
RATH
Game over.
Rath FIRES, OVER and OVER, emptying the GUN into Bain's
head and chest, even as he crashes through the balcony
railing and falls, twisting through lightless space,
slamming to the stone floor dead.
EXT. PLAZA DEL SOL - NIGHT
The sun is gone, the market is closing, the crowd drifting
from the plaza.
A man and a woman emerge from the shadows of the alley
beside the boarded hotel. Although they walk a bit slow,
leaning on one another, they become it seems, like just
another couple, arm in arm, holding tightly to each other
and to a very large suitcase.
FADE OUT.
THE END