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FADE IN:

EXT. NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD – DAY A perfectly sunny, northern California spring day in atypical upper-middle class neighborhood.

SUPER: APRIL 15, 2157

A car drives down the street. It parks in the empty driveway of an attractive two-story house.

Party balloons are tied to the lamppost in front of the house.

An attractive man and woman, HARVEY and SHEILA BARRETT, get out of the car. Sheila grabs a brightly wrapped package from the back seat. They walk up to the door and RING THE DOOR BELL.

INT. NICK TEMPLE’S HOME – FRONT HALLWAY - SAME

NICK TEMPLE reads THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY in a room just off the front hallway.

Nick is nineteen years old. He is a confident athlete, good-looking with close-cropped hair. His clothes are casual, but not sloppy.

There is a bookshelf with a number of unopened presents on it just inside the door. A stairway leads from the entrance way to the second story.

Nick gets up and opens the door.

HARVEY AND SHEILA (simultaneously)

Happy birthday!

They enter. Nick closes the door. Sheila hands Nick the present. He puts it on the bookshelf.

Keepers of the Flame -

NICKThanks, you guys. Mom and Dad areout back with DOC JOHNSON.

(yelling)Mom, Dad! Harvey and Sheila arehere.

(normal tone)I’ll be out in a bit.

HARVEY(salutes)

Yessir!

NICKNo need for that, Harve. I’ve gottwo years to go.

Harvey laughs. Nick watches as Harvey and Sheila head to the back of the house. The DOOR BELL RINGS. Nick opens the door.

Family friend TOM HAMILTON stands at the door with a six-pack of beer. A ribbon is stuck to the top of one of the bottles.

Tom’s had a tough night out. He wears sunglasses, and he hasn’t shaved for a couple of days. He looks to be about thirty.

TOMHey! There he is. The birthday boy. The big one nine.

Tom comes in and hands Nick the six-pack.

TOMBon appetite!

NICKGosh, Tom, you shouldn’t have goneto so much trouble.

Nick closes the door and puts the beer on the bookshelf.

2


TOMNo trouble at all, Nicky. Where’sthe party? Never mind, I’ll find it myself. I can smell a goodparty; it’s a gift I have.

Tom grabs one of the beers, and breezes by Nick heading for the backyard. The DOOR BELL RINGS. Nick opens the door.

KERRY and JOHN PARTRIDGE, and JIM and OLIVIA MIKAN are at the door. They all appear to be thirty years old. They are well-dressed, fit, tan, and successful. The women each hold a brightly wrapped package.

NICKCome in, come in. You guys all come together?

JOHNSure, Nick. We came here straightfrom church.

There is a silent pause before they all break into loud laughter.

NICKPresents on the shelf. Party’s outback. You guys look great asalways.

KERRYYou know what they say, Nick. Youwon’t look a day over thirty!

More laughter as the two couples head for the backyard. Nick closes the door, shakes his head and goes back to reading.

EXT. NICK TEMPLE’S HOME – LATER

The driveway is crowded with cars. A car parks in front of Nick’s house.

3


GRAMMY TEMPLE, an attractive, slender woman, who appears to be about thirty years old, gets out of the car. She is dressed in clothes appropriate for an outdoor springtime party.

Grammy Temple gets a brightly wrapped present out of the car’s backseat, walks up to the door and RINGS THE DOORBELL.

INT. NICK TEMPLE’S HOME - FRONT HALLWAY - SAME

LIVELY CHATTING/PARTY NOISES from the backyard can be heard in the background. Nick opens the door.

NICKGrammy Temple!

Nick holds out his arms for a hug. Grammy Temple rushes in to give him a hug.

GRAMMYHappy birthday, Nicky!Here. A little something for you.I hope it fits. You’re getting sobig!

NICKThanks, Grammy . . .Where’s Gramps?

GRAMMYOh, he had to go on one of hisclimbs. He’s in Yosemite withthat group of idiots from the

office. He sends his love.

NICKRight back at him when you see him.

4


GRAMMYSounds like the party’s alreadyin full swing. The big day’sfinally here!

NICKYeah. I guess so. I’ll just putthis with the other presents.

Nick puts the present in the pile.

NICKYou look great as always, Grammy.

GRAMMYOh, Nicky, I’m getting so damn old!

They both laugh.

NICKYou know what they say . . . You don’t look a day over thirty.

GRAMMYYou’re sweet, honey. Mom anddad home?

NICKYeah, everyone’s out back.

Grammy heads to the backyard. The camera focuses on her body as she walks away. She is stunning for a grandmother.

Nick scratches and shakes his head before he heads back to his chair to continue reading.

MRS. TEMPLE (OS)Nick, honey, you joining us?

Nick puts down his book, takes a deep breath, and heads out back.

EXT. NICK TEMPLE’S HOME BACKYARD – CONTINUOUS

5


The suburban backyard of an upper-middle class family dressed up for an adult birthday party.

The guests are all in the yard or on the covered patio. They all have drinks in their hands. No one looks more than thirty years old.

Nick’s two older brothers, HARRY TEMPLE and JOE TEMPLE, ages twenty three and twenty six respectively, are also there. They and Nick are the only ones who look younger than thirty.

Over to one side of the patio, a small group is gathered around a video game console. Grammy Temple plays a video game against Tom.

TOMYou haven’t lost a step, baby. Youthink you got what it takes?

GRAMMY What did you have in mind, Tommy?

TOMI know where I can get a six packof beer and I’ve got the rest ofthe day off.

GRAMMYWhat’ll we tell the kids, Tommy?

TOMTell them you ran off with an olderman!

Grammy, Tom, and the group all laugh.

Nick enters through a sliding screen door from the kitchen. Birthday cheers greet Nick’s entrance. Nick is embarrassed by all the attention and continues to look nervous.

Joe Temple, Nick’s oldest brother, is another good looking guy. He is self-assured, successful and comfortable. He walks over to Nick.

JOE Check out Grammy flirting over

6


there. Tom’s what, half her age?

7


NICKActually, a little less than half. You think it’s weird now, wait ‘tila hundred years from now.

JOEWhat’s weird about it? It’s only natural with the serum and all.

NICKThat doesn’t strike you as weird?

JOEI figure she’s entitled with theway Gramps is always chasing skirts.

Nick shrugs and shakes his head. Joe takes a sip from his drink and moves off.

MRS. TEMPLEBILL, light the cake, dear.Everyone’s here now.

Mrs. Temple, like everyone else, looks to be about thirty years old. She fawns on her sons and likes to tell her husband what to do. She has an apron on.

Her husband, BILL TEMPLE, is a good-natured, rock solid guy. He has a drink in his hand which he holds onto even as he lights the cake.

BILLThat should do it. Nineteen, andone to grow on!

MRS. TEMPLEOkay, everybody. Let’s gather‘round. Time to sing to thebirthday boy.

The guests gather around, sing Happy Birthday, and hoist their drinks.

Nick blows out all of the candles. The crowd cheers.

Mrs. Temple moves in to start cutting the cake and serving it.

8


NICK (above the crowd)

Before we get started I havesomething I need to let you allknow.

The crowd eventually quiets down. Mrs. Temple goes on cutting the cake and putting the pieces onto plates.

NICK (very nervously)

Mom, Dad, I suppose I should havedone this earlier. . . I couldhave saved us, well, I guess I’lljust say it.

Mrs. Temple stops cutting the cake.

MRS. TEMPLEWhat is it, sweetheart?

Mrs. Temple puts a hand on her son’s arm.

NICKI’ve made a decision. I’ve giventhis a lot of thought. Honestly,I haven’t thought about much ofanything else for the last fewmonths.

(a deep breath)I’m not going to get the seruminjections.

The crowd is in stunned silence for just a moment until John Partridge breaks out laughing, at which point they all, except Nick, start laughing.

Nick tries to get their attention above the laughter.

NICKIt’s not a joke. Really, really.I’m afraid I’m dead serious.

9


INT. NICK TEMPLE’S HOME – FRONT HALLWAY - LATER

Bill Temple says goodbye to the guests as they leave. The mood is somber.

BILLI don’t know where this came from.It’s completely out of the blue.Harvey, Sheila, thanks for coming.Sorry about all of this.

SHEILAI tell ya, it’s times like this that make me glad we couldn’t havekids.

HARVEYYou gotta get him turned around,Bill. The Academy’s not gonna putup with any nonsense like this.

BILLNo question there. We’ll handleit. I just can’t believe he’d dothis to his mother, and on hisbirthday, for Pete’s sake. His brothers never gave us any trouble.

Harvey and Sheila leave. The last out the door is Dr. Johnson.

BILLDoc. I’m sorry you came out here for nothing.

DR. JOHNSONNot to worry. I’m ready when youfolks are. Always have been.

INSERT – SMALL BLACK DOCTOR’S BAG

Dr. Johnson pats the bag.

BACK TO SCENE

BILLWe’ll call you.

10


Dr. Johnson leaves. Bill looks up the stairway that leads from the entrance way.

BILLNick! Your mother and I would liketo have a little talk with you.

INT. NICK’S TEMPLE’S HOME - LIVING ROOM – NIGHT

Nick’s family is gathered together in the family’s large, comfortable living room. They all look haggard at this point.

Bill has a drink in his hands, and is louder than the rest each time he speaks. Mrs. Temple goes back and forth from looking scared to angry.

Nick’s two brothers, Joe and Harry, a near carbon copy of, but three years younger than Joe, are also in the room.

MRS. TEMPLEBut Nick, I don’t understand. It’sperfectly safe. Everyone in ourfamily for as long as I canremember has had the injections. We’ve never had a single problem. There’s nothing to worry about, honey.

BILLOh, for Pete’s sake, dear, you’re not listening. This is some sortof political statement. That’s whatit is, isn’t it, son? A politicalstatement.

NICKNot really, Dad. I’d just rathertry life on my own terms, the way it was meant to be lived. This has nothing to do with politics.

11


BILLThe hell it doesn’t. What on earthhave you got against livingforever? I don’t get it. Whatcould anyone have against livingforever? As long as you don’t gethit by a train or something likethat, you’ve got it made. There’splenty of people in this world thatwould trade places with you in aheartbeat, young man.

Bill drains his drink.

BILLAre you on some sort of religiouskick here? Give me something to goon besides, “I did it my way.”

JOECome on, Nick. You don’t thinkthis is going to fly at theAcademy, do you? You can’t go backthere if you aren’t in the program.Only outlaws aren’t in the program.

MRS. TEMPLEWhat he’s doing isn’t against thelaw, is it dear?

BILLNo, but it should be. What ifeverybody started deciding theyweren’t going to get the injections?Things would get out of control fast.That’s what’d happen. Our taxeswould go through the roof again,that’s for damn sure, what with the the health care costs andeverything else.

Bill gets up, goes to the bar in the room and fixes himself another drink.

12


MRS. TEMPLEHow are you going to ever getmarried, honey? You’ll startgrowing old and your wife won’t.Who’s going to want to marry some-one that grows old? Have you thought about that?

NICKI at least want to have kids.

BILLWhat the hell’s that supposed to mean?

NICKAm I the only one that’s noticedthat none of our immortal friendshave children?

JOEThat’s got nothing to do with theserum.

NICKYou’re sure about that?

BILLOh, here we go. I knew it was political. You know as well as I do that they did a big study onthat. The serum’s got nothing to do with fertility rates one way orthe other. You sound like one ofthose Wise Men. They’re about theonly loonies out there that believethis garbage.

Bill returns from the bar with his fresh drink and stands beside Mrs. Temple’s chair.

HARRYYou’ll look older than the rest ofus by the time you’re thirty five.How do you think that would makeus feel?

13


JOEWho’d take orders from some oldgeezer of an Army officer? I’mtelling you, the Academy’s notgoing to like it. Two years fornothing? Shit.

MRS. TEMPLE

Joey, please.

JOESorry, mom.

Mrs. Temple, who has been crying, blows her nose.

BILLWhat about that, Nick? What aboutyour appointment, your commission?You can’t just chuck it all for some wild political idea orsome hair-brained religious quest.

NICK (deep breath)

You guys have to believe me. I’vethought about all of these things and many more. The whole idea oftrying to achieve immortality bygetting a series of chemical injections is something I’m justnot interested in. I’ll say itagain. I want to live life the wayit was meant to be lived.

BILL

You know you’re putting all of usat risk with this stunt. We’ll beshunned. You’re a history student;you know what’s happened to peoplewho don’t get the injections. Ihate to say it, but if you’re goingthrough with this, you have to leave . . .

MRS. TEMPLE (gasps)

14


BILL. . . and I mean right away. I’mgoing to bed. If you’re here in the morning, I’ll take that as meaning you’ve come to your senses.If you’re dead set on going throughwith this, I want you to clear outbefore your mother and I get up.

Mrs. Temple stands and gives Nick a tearful hug. Bill and Mrs. Temple leave for bed. The brothers sit in silence for a moment.

HARRYSo, Nicky boy, what’s it going tobe? Immortal or immoral, as thesaying goes.

NICKI thought I’d join the Wise Menfirst thing in the morning.

HARRYNot funny. Don’t even joke aboutthat. Seriously, you know whatyou’re going to do?

NICKCan you give me a lift to thelaser rail station in the morning?

HARRYYou sure about this? What about West Point?

NICKThey already know. I resignedright before I left.

JOEWow! Man, this is some deep shit.It’s like slow motion suicide orsomething. That’s all I’ve got tosay.

Joe gets up and goes to bed.

15


HARRYJoe’s right, Nick, this is some deep shit.

NICKThat’s it?

Harry gets up to go to bed.

HARRYWhat do you want me to say?

NICKSkip it. You still good for thatride in the morning?

HARRYSure, but look, don’t be afraid tochange your mind. Goodnight, little brother.

NICK‘Night, Harry.

Harry leaves Nick sitting alone. Nick walks over to a bookshelf and pulls out an atlas. He flips through a few pages and stops.

INSERT – ATLAS MAP OF WYOMING

Nick’s finger goes to Cheyenne, Wyoming, on the map.

EXT. NICK TEMPLE’S HOME – THE DRIVEWAY - DAY


Nick, with a rucksack in hand, is about to get into a car. Harry is already in the driver’s seat.

Bill and Mrs. Temple are visible in their pajamas through their upstairs bedroom window. Mrs. Temple cries.

As Nick gets into the car, he notices them in the window. He blows them a kiss.

16


Mrs. Temple buries her head in Bill’s chest. Bill stares down at him.

Nick puts his rucksack in the back, gets in, and closes the door. The car backs out and takes off down the street.

EXT. HARRY’S CAR - DAY

HARRYI’ll be honest. I just don’t getit, Nick.

NICKHaven’t you ever wanted to do some-thing different, Harry? Somethingthat makes you different from al-most everybody else?

HARRYNot this different.

NICKThis will give me a chance to gainan entirely different perspective on life.

HARRYAre you serious? You sound like an ad.

NICKCan’t help that.

HARRYWhat’s wrong with the perspectiveyou have? Dad’s right. You stickwith the program and you’ve gotit made.

NICKI’ve got a feeling the next bigidea is out there, just waiting forsomeone to come up with it, butwe’re all too focused on our ownlives and making sure that we liveforever that we’re not payingattention to the rest of the world.

17


HARRYSomeone’s been putting ideas inyour head. Living forever is apretty big idea.

NICKBut it’s not a new one. I want todo something heroic.

HARRYA hero! Please.

They drive on in silence.

EXT. SACRAMENTO LASER RAIL STATION - DAY

Harry’s car pulls up to the curb. Harry and Nick get out. Nick gets his rucksack out of the back seat. Harry leans against the driver’s side of the car.

HARRYWe gonna hear from you?

NICKOh, sure. I’ve got my iVoice withme. I’ll stay in touch.

HARRYDo that. At least let us knowwhere you end up. You have enoughmoney?

NICKFor a few weeks. Not much to spenda paycheck on at the academy.

HARRYAll right, then. I guess this isit. Take it easy, hero.

NICKYou too. I love you guys.

HARRYOkay, Nick.

18


Harry gets back in the car and drives off. Nick heads for the inside of the rail station.

INT. SACRAMENTO LASER RAIL STATION - SAME

The rail station is modern, clean, and urban looking. Everything in the station is automated.

There are various billboards on the walls. One has in caps the company name TITHINEX splashed across it. Just below the name, the billboard says, YOU WON’T LOOK A DAY OVER THIRTY . . . EVER!

Another billboard is for SENIOR SINGLES RESORTS. Just below that name it says, EIGHTY IS THE NEW THIRTY!

Everyone in the station looks to be thirty years old or younger.

Nick walks over to a ticket machine labeled BULLET POINTS EAST built into the wall. He punches in his destination, places a plastic card into the machine, and retrieves the card when it comes out moments later.

He walks over to an electronic gate, inserts the card, and walks through, retrieving the card as it is ejected on the other side of the gate.

He passes a billboard that says, IMMORTAL OR IMMORAL . . . IT’S ALL ABOUT CHOICES. . . A DEPARTMENT OF EQUILIBRIUM PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE.

MONTAGE – TRAIN INTERIOR - DAY

- Nick finds a seat by himself as an ANNOUNCEMENT states, “Please be seated for the acceleration portion of our trip.”

- The train pulls out and rapidly accelerates.

- Nick watches the landscape whipping by. The train itself is sleek and remarkably fast.

- Nick naps. The landscape is still whipping by.

19


- Nick pulls out his copy of THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY, removes the bookmark, and reads.

- Nick buys some lunch from a food cart that comes by.

- Nick is in his seat watching the landscape again as an ANNOUNCEMENT comes over the train’s p.a. system, announcing, “Next Stop, Cheyenne. Please be seated for the deceleration portion of our trip.”

- Nick puts his book in his rucksack, picks up the rucksack, and heads for the train car door as soon as the train has come to a halt.

EXT. CHEYENNE LASER RAIL STATION - LATER

Nick walks out of the Cheyenne laser rail station with his rucksack on his back. On the front of the rail station is another Tithinex billboard identical to the one in the Sacramento station.

Cheyenne is a pleasant town, with a touristy Old West feel to it.

Nick walks several blocks. No one on the street is any older than thirty.

Nick comes to a two-story motel, The ETERNAL SLUMBER MOTEL. A neon sign outside says VACANCY. Nick pauses, takes a look, and walks inside to inquire about a room.

INT. ETERNAL SLUMBER MOTEL - FRONT DESK – SAME

DESK CLERKThat’s the best rate in town. Onenight or thirty. Rate’s always thesame.

NICK I’ll take it.

DESK CLERKHow long you stayin’ for?

20


NICKAt least a week.

DESK CLERKOkay. I’ll have to debit you upfront. Got your identity card? I’ll get you all logged in.

Nick hands over two plastic cards to the clerk. The clerk scans the first, looking at the display on his computer screen.

DESK CLERKAll right there, Mr. Temple. I’ll put you in room 203, for a week.

NICKSounds good. Thanks.

The clerk starts to input data using the computer monitor as a touch screen.

NICKAre you from around here?

DESK CLERKLived in Cheyenne my whole life.

NICKI hear that the Wise Men are sup-posed to be holed up somewhere nearhere. Know anything about that?

The desk clerk instantly bristles at the mention of the Wise Men.

DESK CLERKSeems there’s been a mistake. We’re all full up. Here’s yourcards back. You’d better getgoing. If you know what’s goodfor you, you won’t ask any foolquestions about any Wise Men. Nowgo on.

Nick stands there for a moment in disbelief.

21


DESK CLERKAre you deaf as well as stupid?Git!

Nick gathers his cards off the check-in desk and backs out of the office.

MONTAGE – NICK TRIES TO GET A MOTEL ROOM

- At each motel, all of which display vacancy signs, he is advancing towards getting a room when the front desk clerk suddenly looks angry and points to the door clearly telling Nick to get out.

- This happens at three additional motels. The clerk at the last motel can be seen making a call as soon as Nick leaves.

INT. – FOREVER YOUNG MOTEL – FRONT DESK – NIGHT

Nick, looking weary, walks into the motel front desk office. The name of the motel is the FOREVER YOUNG MOTEL.

A thirty-year-old, slightly bored, female clerk is behind the counter as Nick walks in.

FEMALE DESK CLERKLooking for a room?

NICKYou bet. Any vacancies?

FEMALE DESK CLERKHow long you need it for?

NICKThree days.

FEMALE DESK CLERKYou’re smart not to spend too longhere.

NICKBelieve me, I’m getting smarter bythe minute.

22


FEMALE DESK CLERKIt’s two-fifty a night, in advance.

NICKI’ll take it.

FEMALE DESK CLERKOkay. All I need are your debitand ID cards.

Nick hands over the two plastic cards. The desk clerk inputs data on her touch screen.

NICKAre you from around here?

FEMALE DESK CLERKBorn and raised.

NICKAny recommendations on where I canget a bite to eat?

FEMALE DESK CLERKAll kinds. What are you looking for?

NICKNothing fancy. Just plenty of foodat a good price.

FEMALE DESK CLERKTry the ROUND UP. Out the door, toyour right, two blocks down on theright. Good solid food, not pricey.My husband’s been the manager therejust about forever.

NICKI’ll check it out.

23


FEMALE DESK CLERKOkay, you’re in room eight. Rightaround the corner on the first floor. Here’s your access card.Pool’s heated and there are extratowels by the pool. Enjoy yourstay.

NICKThanks. Room eight. Got it.

EXT. FOREVER YOUNG MOTEL - ROOM 008 – SAME

Nick gets to the door of his room. He chuckles slightly at the “008” sign on the door, uses his access card, and opens the door.

INT. FOREVER YOUNG MOTEL - ROOM 008 – LATER

The motel room is a standard motel room: clean, two double beds, a flat screen imbedded in the wall opposite the beds.

Nick’s rucksack is on one bed. Nick is on the other, sitting up, relaxing. Nick channel surfs and drinks a bottled water. His iVoice, on the bed next to him, RINGS. The ringtone is the theme from GOLDFINGER.

NICKYeah. I’m here.

MALE VOICE (OS)How’s the vacation spot?

NICKAbout like you predicted.

MALE VOICE (OS)Any action yet?

NICKOther than being treated like I have leprosy every time I mentionthe Wise Men, not a peep.

24


MALE VOICE (OS)Keep me posted.

NICKWill do.

A BEEP indicates the communication has ended.

INT. ROUND UP RESTAURANT – LATER

The ROUND UP Restaurant is a moderately busy, old-fashioned steak joint.

Nick sits at the bar looking over a menu.

NICKLooks like it’s gonna be the porterhouse with fries and some grilled onions.

BARTENDERAnything to drink.

NICKSure. How about a draught.

BARTENDERGot some ID?

Nick feels around in his pockets.

NICKSkip it. Just some mineral waterought to do it.

The bartender puts in the order and comes back with Nick’s mineral water.

BARTENDERWhere you from, son?

NICKJust outside of Sacramento.

BARTENDERWhat are you doing in Cheyenne?

25


NICKI’m on spring break. I thought I’dsee some of the country.

BARTENDEREver been out this way before?

NICK No. I went to Yellowstone when I was a kid, but that’s about it.

BARTENDERWhere you headed?

NICKI’m not sure. I thought I’d stickaround here for a couple of days,and then I’ll figure out what’s next. I’ve got three weeks.

BARTENDERMust be nice.

NICKCan I ask you something?

BARTENDERSure, anything. I might notanswer, but you sure as hell canask.

NICKWhy does everyone get so spookedaround here when I ask about theWise Men?

BARTENDER (laughing)

You must be asking a bunch ofscared old women.

NICKNo. I asked about four differentpeople. As a matter of fact, theywere all men. They all clammed upthe second I mentioned them.

26


BARTENDERIt’s funny, but there was a time when almost everyone out here wasthe kind of person who lovedgetting in the government’s face.Not afraid of anybody or anything.

NICKWhat happened?

BARTENDERTough to say, but this Wise Men thing, that’s people against thegovernment and the corporations. Iguess that’s just too much for mostfolks to be against all at once.

A BELL RINGS.

BARTENDERWell, here’s your dinner. Chowdown. And, if you want my advice, you’ll keep your head down, too.

EXT. CHEYENNE STREET – SAME

Nick walks out of the ROUND UP restaurant. The street and sidewalk are fairly deserted. He has a toothpick in his mouth, and he looks around as if he is trying to decide whether to take a walk or head back to his motel.

Nick starts to stroll slowly back to his motel. He gets about half a block and a dark panel van suddenly pulls up right in front of him.

The sliding door on the passenger side of the van bursts open and three men in ski masks jump out. One gets behind Nick and pulls out a pistol, shoving it into the small of Nick’s back. The other two each grab an arm.

Nick is forced into the van. The sliding door slams shut and the van speeds away.

27


INT. KIDNAP VAN - NIGHT

Nick has a hood over his head. His hands have been tied behind his back. The others in the van have taken their ski masks off. The van speeds along a dark mountain road.

PETE LAWRENCE, one of the Wise Men, is in charge of the kidnap. He is broad-shouldered and solid. He looks like he could be a longshoreman. He has a two-day beard. His face is almost fierce, his gaze intense.

PETESearch him. Look for anythingthat looks like he can communi-cate with it.

NICKWho . . .

Pete smacks Nick across the face with the back of his hand.

PETEShut the fuck up! You say nothinguntil I tell you to talk. Nothing!

CHARLIE LEWIS and BOBBY, the Wise Men who helped kidnap Nick, search him. They find his iVoice. Pete smashes it and tosses it out the window of the van. Nick’s watch receives a similar treatment.

PETEScan him.

Charlie pulls out an electronic device, runs it up and down Nick, and looks at it.

CHARLIEHe’s clean. No ID and debiton him either.

PETEI’m going to ask you some questions, asshole. You bullshit me and I’ll kill you right here,right now, got it?

28


Pete puts a gun to Nick’s head and clicks a round into the chamber.

NICKGot it.

PETEHow many calls have you madesince checking into your motel?

NICKWhat?

Pete hits him again, and shoves the barrel of the gun against the side of Nick’s head.

PETE (shouting)

You think I’m fucking around here?How many calls?

NICK None. I haven’t made any.

Pete looks to Charlie for confirmation. Charlie nods a yes.

PETEHow many calls have you received since checking into your motel?

NICKOne. Just one. That’s all. Iswear.

PETEWhy don’t you have your ID and debit cards with you.

NICK‘Cause I thought some group of pricks might kidnap me and stealmy money and identification.

Pete punches Nick, knocking him out cold.

29


PETE (under his breath)

I warned you, asshole.

EXT. MOUNTAIN ROAD – SAME

The van speeds off into the darkness.

INT. WESTERN MILITARY COMMAND CENTER - BRIEFING ROOM – NIGHT

There are about twenty seats in a small, windowless briefing room. Ten men and women are in the chairs. They chat with each other quietly.

On the front wall is a circular government seal indicating the briefing room belongs to the DEPARTMENT OF EQUILIBRIUM – WESTERN DIVISION.

The men and women in the seats are all in black combat boots with black trousers bloused into the boots, and black military sweaters. They have patches on their left shoulders identical to the seal on the wall in the briefing room.

A door in the rear of the room opens and JAKE LAWRENCE strides in and up to the podium at the front of the room. He is similarly dressed and carries a black beret in his hand.

The men and women in the chairs come to attention.

JAKEAs you were.

(waits for order)Ladies and gentlemen, IntelCom hasprovided us with possibleconfirmation on the general A.O. ofa Wise Men cell.

The audience groans sarcastically.

30


JAKEI know. We’ve heard this before,but I’ve seen the data and it lookspretty solid. I’m going to checksomething out tomorrow in the a.m. I’ll be back no later than fifteenhundred hours. I expect the teamto be ready to move out when Ireturn if the intel checks out.Questions?

MALE TEAM MEMBERAny estimate on how many unfriendlies at the site, Chief?

JAKENegative. Honestly, we haven’t pinpointed a site, just a possiblearea of operations.

FEMALE TEAM MEMBERChief, any estimate on weapons, defensive positions, etc.

JAKESame answer. Look, we’re checkingall of the elint and satellite datafor the suspected A.O. I shouldhave more for you by fifteenhundred tomorrow. Anything else?CORPORAL MURPHY, you’re with me.

Jake leaves the podium. Corporal Murphy, the youngest team member, follows Jake into the hall. All other team members stand at attention as Jake leaves.

INT. WESTERN MILITARY COMMAND CENTER – CORRIDOR - SAME

Jake and Murphy walk briskly down the hall. Murphy is twenty-two years old, but he looks like an eager, fresh-faced teenager. He is shorter and slighter than Jake. He walks a half step behind Jake and to his side.

31


JAKEMurphy, I’ve signed off on thatpass request of yours. You cantake the next 4 days off.

MURPHYPermission to speak, sir.

JAKESpeak. And quit calling me “sir.”It makes me feel old, damn it.

MURPHYI want to pull that request, Chief.

JAKEWhat?

MURPHYI want to move out with the team tomorrow, sir . . . I mean Chief.

JAKESorry, Murphy. You’re not going onthis one.

MURPHYWith all due respect, Chief, if that’s the case then why haveI been training for the past ten months?

Jake stops so Murphy stops, too. Jake gets right in his face.

JAKELook, Murphy. You’re the newest guy in this outfit. This isn’t anydamn training exercise. Take myword for it, these people are cold-blooded killers, and you’re justnot ready. Got it?

MURPHYI heard about what they did to yourbrother, Chief, but . . .

32


JAKEMurphy, since you just got here from Training Command, I’m notgoing to take this opportunity totear your head off and shit downyour neck, but if you ever so muchas think about what the Wise Mendid to my brother, I will not showthe sort of patient self-restraintI am currently displaying. Got it?

MURPHYAh, y-y-y-yes sir, Chief.

JAKEPick up your leave form from personnel. I’ll see you when youget back. That’s all.

Murphy salutes. Jake returns the salute and walks briskly away leaving Murphy dumbfounded.

EXT. COMPOUND OF THE WISE MEN - NIGHT

The van that the Wise Men used to kidnap Nick pulls into the compound. It pulls up to a concealed door in a large earth berm. The door opens and the van drives inside the earth berm.

INT. COMPOUND OF THE WISE MEN – CONTINUOUS

The sliding door on the van opens up. The van empties. Charlie, Bobby, and Pete take the bound and hooded Nick to a chair and sit him down. Pete starts smoking.

Charlie takes Nick’s hood off. Nick’s face is swollen from the beating in the van.

Also present are ABE and MARTI MADISON, the husband and wife team that leads the Wise Men. They are obviously in their late forties. They are trim, fit, and both have graying hair. They are both calm, parental figures.

33


Abe has a receding hairline. He and Marti have a normal amount of wrinkles in their faces for people their age. Abe wears a flannel shirt, faded blue jeans, and workboots. Marti is similarly dressed.

Abe motions to Pete to untie Nick’s hands.

The driver of the van, Abe and Marti’s daughter MELANIE MADISON, disappears into the compound.

Nick keeps looking back and forth in astonishment at Abe and Marti.

ABEWhat’s the matter, never seen an oldperson before?

NICKOh . . . sorry.

ABEForget it. Pete here tells meyou’re looking for some groupcalled the Wise Men.

Nick is silent.

PeteThe man’s talking to you. Show some respect.

NICKHe’s right. I was asking questionsin Cheyenne about you guys.

ABEWhat’s your name, son?

NICKNick. Nick Temple.

ABEWhere are you from, Nick?

NICKWoodland, California.

34


Marti brings Nick a glass of water. Nick drinks it and gives the glass back to Marti.

NICKThanks.

MARTITell us, Nick from Woodland, California, why are you in Cheyennelooking for the Wise Men?

NICKI think you’re probably . . .

ABENick, why do you assume we’re partof this group called the Wise Men?Maybe we’re part of a secret government agency that stamps outdissent. Maybe we’re just someex-hippies who like living in themountains.

NICKI’m pretty sure this isn’t a government operation.

ABEReally? America has always usedthe military to protect its business interests overseas; whynot use do the same thing right here at home? What’s so farfetchedabout that?

NICKThey would never let a couple ofpeople who haven’t taken the serumrun the outfit, would they?

Nick looks over at Marti as he says this.

ABEBack to my question, Nick? Why areyou looking for the Wise Men?

35


NICKWell, it sounds to me like you, excuse me, they may be the onlysane people left in the country.

ABEWhat have you heard about them?

NICKBig picture?

ABEAll right.

NICKThat they want to live normal liveswithout the help of a bunch of chemicals. That’s all I want, a normal life.

Abe and the others laugh. Nick looks puzzled.

ABEYou’ve made a huge mistake, myyoung friend.

Again, Nick looks puzzled.

ABEDoes it look to you like anyonehere is leading a normal life?

PETEYou expect us to believe thatbullshit? You just happened to land in Cheyenne and just happened to start asking everyoneand their brother about the WiseMen?

ABEHe’s right, Nick is it? It doesn’tmake much sense unless you weresent here.

36


NICKLook, I turned nineteen two days ago.I told my folks I wasn’t going toget the injections, so my dad toldme to get packing. Actually, my brother brought up the idea ofjoining the Wise Men. As far asCheyenne goes, I picked it atrandom before I left. Pure luck.

PETEDon’t buy it Abe. This guy’s trouble.

ABECharlie, take a blood sample. We’ll check him for the serum. We can at least settle that.

Charlie is a good-natured, wire-rimed glasses wearing tech geek who looks to be about thirty.

He goes to a cabinet and pulls out a small black kit that has syringes and test tubes in it. He walks over to Nick.

CHARLIEI’m going to take a blood sample from you. Do we need to tie you upagain? Doesn’t matter to me.Either way I’m gonna get thesample.

Nick holds out his arm. Charlie takes the blood sample.

PETEI’m not sure what that’ll tell us,Abe. We’d be better off if we hadhis ID and debit cards. We could scan them and see what this assholehas been up to.

Charlie finishes taking the sample.

CHARLIEI’ll be right back.

37


MARTIRelax, Pete. If he’s a plant, doyou think they’d let him walkaround with identification thatsays, “Watch out! Government spyhere”? The ID wouldn’t do us anygood.

PETEThis whole deal stinks. That’sall I’m saying.

Charlie returns.

CHARLIENick here is a serum free zone.I envy you, except that your badcholesterol is kind of high. If you’re not gonna take the serum, you better cut back on the friedfoods.

NICKThanks for the tip.

ABELook, it’s late.

(to Bobby)Throw a mattress in one of the vans.3 hour guard shifts. Let him wanderin the morning, but stay with him.

(back to Nick)We’ll continue this in the morning.For now, let’s all get some rest.

NICKThanks.

ABEFor what? For kidnapping you, beating you, and imprisoning you?

NICKFor not putting a bullet in mybrain.

38


ABEToo messy. Get some rest.

BOBBY Let’s go.

Nick follows Bobby down a corridor. Abe, Marti, Pete, and Charlie gather around the table.

PETEI don’t trust this guy, Abe. Youshould let me take care of him.

MARTIPete, we can’t just shoot him. Whatif he really is one of us?

ABEWhat if we had shot you when you showed up, Pete? No. We’re not going to shoot him.

PETEWe don’t have a lot of extra bodiesfor guard duty.

ABEWe really only have to worry abouttonight and tomorrow. Even if heslips away, he’s four hours byvehicle from anywhere. We’ll takehim with us on the supply runtomorrow night. It should be agood test.

MARTIKeep your eye on him, Pete, but trynot to be too rough on him. Wecan’t afford to lose anyone whomight be willing to help us.

PETEAnything you say, Marti. See you two in the morning.

39


ABEGoodnight, Pete. And, good jobtoday.

EXT. NICK TEMPLE’S HOME – DRIVEWAY – DAY


An official looking car drives up and parks in the driveway. The car has a Department of Equilibrium shield on the front, driver’s side door.

Jake Lawrence, in civilian clothes, steps out, takes a look around as if to make sure he is in the right spot, walks up to the door, and RINGS THE DOORBELL.

INT. NICK TEMPLE’S HOME – THE LIVING ROOM - SAME

Jake Lawrence sits on one side of the Temple living room; Bill, Mrs. Temple, and Harry Temple sit opposite Jake.

Jake keeps his tone friendly, but the Temples are clearly nervous.

MRS. TEMPLECan I get you a cup of coffee?

JAKENo thanks, Mrs. Temple. I won’t take much of your time. I appreciate you folks talking tome this morning.

BILLHow can we help you, Mr. Lawrence?

JAKEYou have two more sons, isn’t that right?

BILLYeah. Joe is at work. Our otherson, Nick, is enrolled at WestPoint.

40


HARRYHe was enrolled.

JAKEHow do you mean? Harry, is it?

HARRYHe told me he withdrew before hewent on leave, that’s all.

Mrs. Temple gasps.

BILLI had no idea, really.

JAKENo problem, Mr. Temple. I’m onlytrying to get a fix on where Nickmight be now. Actually, he mightbe in a position to help us.

HARRYWhy don’t you ask the Wise Men? Hesaid he was going to join up with them.

MRS. TEMPLEHarry! He said no such thing.

HARRYYeah, he did, Mom. Right after youand Dad went to bed.

JAKEWell that’s what concerns us. Son, did he say anything more thanthat, like where he was headed, or anything about where he thoughthe might be able to hook up with the Wise Men?

HARRYI took him to the laser rail station in Sacramento. That’s allI know about where he went. I’msure he put a ticket on his debitcard. Check the data base.

41


JAKEMr. and Mrs. Temple, I’ll need yourpermission to do that.

BILLOf course, anything at all. Is there anything else we can do?

JAKENot for now. I’ll have someonetext you for Nick’s card codes.The sooner you get that to us, thebetter.

BILLAbsolutely.

Jake gets up to leave. He hands Bill a card.

JAKE (standing)

Thanks again for your help. If youthink of anything else, here’s mycontact information. I’d sureappreciate hearing anything thatoccurs to you. If Nick tries tocontact you, give him my numbers.

They shake hands, exchange good-byes, and Bill accompanies Jake to the front door.

BILLI don’t know what happened to Nick.Everything was going along greatand then, two days ago he droppedthis in our laps. When you guys find him, save a piece of him forme.

JAKEOkay, Mr. Temple. Don’t be too hardon him. He’s got a lot of living todo.

BILLNot if he doesn’t get on board withthe serum, he doesn’t.

42


JAKEOh, right. Well, thanks again.

Jake exits. Bill closes the door behind him. Mrs. Temple, crying, runs over to hug Bill. Harry mixes himself a drink in the background.

INT. COMPOUND OF THE WISE MEN - DAY

Nick wanders around inside the compound, escorted by a guard.

Wise men work on various routines in the compound, everything from vehicle maintenance, to weapons checks, to electronics maintenance. They pay little attention to Nick.

Nick and his guard wander back to the area of Nick’s interrogation. There, Abe, Marti, Pete, and Melanie are gathered around a table with a map on it. Melanie is tall and athletic, and completely devoted to her parents.

They look up as Nick approaches and Abe folds the map. Pete is chain smoking.

ABE Good morning. Did you get some

breakfast?

NICKYeah, I ate with my new friendhere. Thanks.

PETEI can’t believe we’re feeding thisguy. We’re short enough on supplies as it is.

NICKYou guys ever go outside?

43


ABESure, Nick. Good idea. How abouta breath of fresh air?

(looks at his watch)We’re out of satellite coverage forabout thirty more minutes. Mel, showour guest around the outside. Nick, feel free to ask questions.

Nick and Melanie go through the double door entrance the van entered the night before.

PETEYou think that was a good idea?Mel’s not armed.

ABELet’s leave the door open. If hetries something, Mel will let us know. Besides, she can take careof herself.

EXT. COMPOUND OF THE WISE MEN – SAME

Outside of the compound, the landscape is a bleak mountain pasture. Some large trees obscure the entrances to the underground portion of the compound which looks like little more than a small rise in the earth from the outside.

The doors to the compound are not visible from above. There is a dirt trail, barely distinguishable from the surrounding geology.

There are patches of snow on the ground as it is early spring.

Melanie and Nick stroll around the compound as they talk.

MELANIENot much to show you, really.

NICKLocation, location, location.

MELANIEIts only charm.

44


NICKYou guys build this thing?

MELANIENo. It was built in the middleof the last century by a groupthat called themselves the Pilgrims. Not too clever, eh?They were separatists.

NICKI remember reading about thoseguys. They ended up just sort offading away.

MELANIE Almost. They’d all been given the sterility formula with theirinjections. A lot of them gave up their dreams of living low techlives when they realized theycouldn’t have kids. A couple of them changed the focus of their rage. At any rate, they managedto build about half a dozen of these throughout the West. We onlyuse them when the heat’s really on.

NICKHow’d you guys find out about them?

MELANIEMy father was given a mapshowing the locations of thecompounds by the last survivorof their group.

NICKWhat happened to him?

45


MELANIEHe was a hundred and twenty fiveyears old. He couldn’t take lifeanymore so he jumped off the GoldenGate Bridge. It’s getting to be a familiar story. More and more people just check out when they hitabout a hundred and ten. AnotherTithinex secret.

NICKIf it’s a secret, how do you knowabout it?

MELANIECharlie was their top tech guy forten years. He knows where all thebodies are buried.

NICKYou’re not really 65 years old oranything creepy like that, are you?

MELANIE (a sly smile)

Why do you care?

NICKNever mind. . . What about the restof the Wise Men? Why are theyhere?

MELANIELook, that’s a name the media gaveus. Frankly, it’s silly. We don’tsee ourselves as different, or wiseor strange or gifted. We seeourselves as remarkably normal.

NICKDo you guys recruit? Do people come to you? Or do you just

kidnap people?

46


MELANIEWe all got here different ways,but we’re all here for the samereason.

They wave to Charlie as he goes inside the compound.

MELANIECharlie found us. Like Isaid, he was the top tech guy atTithinex until he found out aboutthe sterility project, how Tithinexdoses well over half the seruminjections with sterility drugs. Actually, it was the Department ofEquilibrium’s idea about 75 yearsago.

NICKWhat took them so long?

MELANIEThey couldn’t phony up enough natural disasters to keep population growth under control, sothey got a little more resourceful.Charlie found out about it and leftthe next day.

NICKI knew it. None of my folks’ friends have had kids.

MELANIEI can’t believe more people haven’t figured it out. I guesseveryone’s so stoked about the eternal life deal that they just put on blinders.

NICKWhat about you? Don’t you want a a shot at eternal life?

MELANIEToo late now. I didn’t get thefirst three years of shots.

47


NICKYour folks forbid it?

MELANIEActually, they left it up to me.

NICKSo why all the hiding?

MELANIERemember what happened to that family in Miami about five yearsago?

NICKYeah, but weren’t they sort of in everyone’s face about it?

MELANIENot a bit. That’s just the way itwas reported. No one would leavethem alone. They were treated worse than people treat child molesters.Eventually their neighbors got outof hand and that was the end of it.

NICKThat’s not the way I heard it.

MELANIETake my word for it. They were my cousins. My Uncle Sam and his family. Never a peep out of them,but when someone found out theyweren’t taking the serum, that wasa death warrant for them.

NICKI don’t know what to say.

MELANIEThere’s nothing to say.

Nick reaches for her hand as they continue to walk.

48


NICKWhat about Pete? He seems wound tighter than the rest of you.

MELANIEPete found us, too. He and his wifehad been trying to have kids foryears. She gave up and ended uphanging herself. Pete’s beenchasing that awful demon eversince. We love him dearly. There’s nothing Pete wouldn’t do toprotect me and my folks.

NICKI got that impression.

(stops walking)Was that a warning?

MELANIEJust useful information. Whatabout you? Why are you here?

NICKYour boys kidnapped me, remember?

Melanie releases her hand and gives him a dismissive look.

NICKIt might be a chance to do something heroic. I know that sounds corny, but there it is.

MELANIEYou might get your shot.

They continue to stroll for a moment in silence until they come across Pete, leaning against a tree and smoking a cigarette.

PETEYou two having a nice chat?

NICKYou know, those things will killyou.

49


PETENot me, buddy boy. I’m immortal.Mel, your mom needs to see you.You’re with me, junior.

NICKThanks for the tour.

MELANIEYou two see if you can’t learn toplay nicely together.

Melanie heads for the door to the compound. Pete pulls out an automatic pistol. He pulls the receiver back to put a round in the chamber, and points it at Nick’s head. After a tense moment, he lowers the weapon.

PETERelax. Can you handle one of these?

NICKSure.

Pete tosses the pistol to Nick.

PETEClear the chamber, break it down,put it back together, andreload it.

Nick does as ordered with ease. When he is done, he puts a round in the chamber and points it at Pete.

ABE (OS)Go ahead. You’ll be doing him afavor, and you’ll be dead before he hits the ground.

Nick turns around to see Abe aiming a pistol at him. Nick lowers the weapon, clears it, and tosses it to Pete.

PETEGood career move, wise guy. Where’d you learn to handle aweapon like that?

50


NICK (shrugs)

I was a boy scout.

PETEBullshit.

ABELet’s hope you still are. Comeon. Let’s get inside, satellitecoverage time.

The three walk towards the compound door.

INT. TITHINEX PLANT – DAY

A public tour of the Tithinex Plant is taking place.

People are seated in small clusters of swivel chairs that are attached to a moving sidewalk. They all wear shower caps.

The tour takes them past five large flat video screens.

Two men in business suits watch the tour progress from a distance. One is the C.E.O. of Tithinex, GEORGE TUCKMAN, the other is his ASSISTANT.

Tuckman’s sleeves are rolled up, his tie is loose, with a slightly frumpy look that reveals that this is a hard working, harassed guy.

The Assistant is dressed in a neat suit. He is skinny and alert, the nervous assistant of a short-fused boss.

The seats move slowly along as the screens display an image of an elderly looking doctor in a lab coat holding up a test tube and looking at its contents.

51


NARRATOR (OS)Dr. Moriarty’s discovery of what hecalled the cell guard gene in 2015was the crucial first step in developing the Tithinex serum. Itwasn’t until 10 years later that his formula was approved, Tithinex,now the world’s largestpharmaceutical company, indeed, America’s most profitable corpora-tion, was founded, and Americansbegan reaping the untold benefits of the promise of eternal life.

GEORGEYeah. The serum had nothing to dowith making a pile of money. Not athing.

The seats move slowly along as the screens flash several images of Greek statues and the Parthenon.

NARRATOR (OS)Dr. Moriarty named his serum afterTithinus who, according to Greekmythology, received the gift ofeternal life from the gods.

GEORGENotice we never mention what happenedto Tithinus in the myth.

The seats move slowly along as the screens display an image of a line graph that shows the spiraling costs of health care during the first half of the 21st century.

NARRATOR (OS)Thanks to the Tithinex serum, the spiraling costs of health care thatthreatened to destroy the Americaneconomy were reduced by 90%.

GEORGEYeah, all those out of work healthcare providers went overseas andwrecked everyone else’s economyinstead.

52


The seats move slowly along as the screens flash images of thirty-year-old men and women frolicking on the beach, dancing, sailing, touring the world, generally enjoying life.

NARRATOR (OS)And now, thanks to the tireless efforts of Dr. Moriarty and all of those at Tithinex who came afterhim, “You won’t look a day over thirty. . . Ever!” Now ladies and gentle-men please stay seated as you enterphase 2 of the tour, the Tithinexserum manufacturing facility.

The seats move through automated doors into the main body of the plant. A young woman comes up to Tuckman and his Assistant.

YOUNG WOMAN Mr. Tuckman, there’s an urgent call for you - a gentleman from theDepartment.

INT. TITHINEX PLANT - GEORGE TUCKMAN’S OFFICE - SAME

Tuckman’s office is large and modern. On the credenza behind his desk are pictures of Tuckman’s wife, children, and grandchildren, although it’s difficult to tell which is which because they all appear to be thirty years old.

The door to the office opens, and Tuckman walks in, followed by the Assistant. He motions to the Assistant to take a seat in one of the two chairs in front of the desk.

GEORGE(yelling)

Terry, I’ll take it in here.

Tuckman sits down in the leather chair behind his steel and chrome desk, takes a deep breath, and pushes a button near a speaker on his desk.

GEORGEThis is Tuckman.

53


INTERCUT - TITHINEX C.E.O.’S OFFICE/OFFICE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EQUILIBRIUM’S DEPUTY DIRECTOR - DAY

The office of DEPUTY DIRECTOR CHURCHILL is the office of a high-ranking government official, complete with an American flag in one corner, and the Department of Equilibrium flag in the other corner.

The Deputy Director is a schmoozer.

CHURCHILLMr. Tuckman, this is Deputy Director Churchill.

GEORGEWhat’s on your mind, Churchill?

CHURCHILLWe have some pretty solid leads ona Wise Men cell location.

GEORGE (irritated)

Pretty solid leads? This betternot be like the last time. Lotsof action, no result.

CHURCHILLWell, of course, nothing’s a surething, but we’ve got someone closethis time.

GEORGESo why are you calling me?

CHURCHILLWe’re putting a team together totry to confirm. Just keeping youposted.

GEORGEWhy don’t you call me when you’vegot something solid to report, okayDeputy Director Churchill?

54


CHURCHILLI’ll take that as an okay from your end. I’ll be in touch.

George SLAMS down the phone.

GEORGEDamn! Covering his ass, that’s allthat was.

INT. COMPOUND OF THE WISE MEN - NIGHT

Abe, Marti, Pete, and Charlie are gathered around a table in the compound. The table has a map on it.

ABEIt’s a two-week supply. I wish wecould get more, but that’s all theywanted to risk.

PETEOur pick-up point is here.

INSERT – THE MAP

Pete points to a spot on the map.

BACK TO SCENE

PETEAbe’s already made the payment,so there shouldn’t be anyone elseat the site.

MARTI (checking her watch)

It’s about ninety minutes fromcamp. We’ll leave in forty fiveminutes. Charlie, our comms inorder?

55


CHARLIEEverything’s working for once. Since it’s a small load, we’ll taketwo vehicles. They’re hooked upfor secure network comms.

ABEWe’re taking Nick. Pete, he’llride with you.

PETEI gotta tell you, Abe. I think that’s a big mistake.

MARTIAbe and I talked it over. Thereshouldn’t be any fireworks, so we won’t have to watch him tooclosely. Let’s just continue tokeep an eye on him. It’ll be a good test. He tries to make abreak for it, you know what to do,Pete.

PETEAll right. But if he fucks thisup . . .

ABELook, it’s just some food andwater. If something goes wrong,we can break up for a couple ofweeks until we line something elseup. He’s coming along, and that’s it. We’re out front, in thevehicles in . . .

(looking at his watch)forty two minutes.

The group breaks up. Pete folds the map and takes it with him.

EXT. WESTERN MILITARY COMMAND CENTER – HANGER - NIGHT

Jake and six of his team members are gathered around a table. It has a map on it. They are dressed for action.

56


JAKEOur best intelligence places a Wise Men cell in the vicinity of Cheyenne, Wyoming. That’s about aninety-minute ride from here bychopper. The team will ride in thelead bird, and the transport chopperwith two A.P.C.’s in it will follow.Our L.Z. is here, about a mileoutside of town at the abandonedCounty Hospital. Our best analysisputs the cell up in these hills.

INSERT – THE MAP

Jake points to a spot on the map.

BACK TO SCENE

JAKEOur man may already be with them.We’ll drop in, see if we can pickup some local humint, play it byear. Any questions?

MALE TEAM MEMBERIf we run into them, how do weknow which guy is ours?

JAKEYou won’t. Just light ‘em up. Heknew the risks going in. Anythingelse?

The team members all shake their heads signifying “No.”

JAKEAll right, let’s get our gear andour asses in those choppers. Iwant to be airborne in ten minutes.

57


EXT. WESTERN MILITARY COMMAND CENTER – TARMAC – SAME

There are two helicopters on the tarmac. Two military jeep/hummer type vehicles are loaded into one of them.

Jake’s team members put rucksacks and weapons into the other helicopter. Once the vehicles are loaded, the team gets into the lead helicopter and the two helicopters take off.

EXT. COMPOUND OF THE WISE MEN - NIGHT

Abe, Marti, Pete, Charlie, Nick, and Bobby, perform weapons checks and comms checks between the two vehicles they have as they prepare to leave for the re-supply run.

Pete performs a function check on a small automatic rifle. Nick walks over to him.

NICKYou gonna give me one of those?

Pete pulls out a pistol that was tucked into the back of his pants and tosses it to Nick.

PETETry this on for size. Extraclips are already in the vehicle.

NICKYou spoil me.

Charlie is in the lead vehicle. He wears a headphone with a small mouthpiece.

CHARLIEThis is a comms check. You read meAbe?

Abe is in the other vehicle with a similar device on.

ABELike a book, Charlie.

(commanding)All right, let’s move out.

Car doors slam, and the vehicles roar out of compound.

58


EXT. LANDING ZONE FOR JAKE’S TEAM’S HELICOPTERS – LATER

The two helicopters carrying Jake’s team and its vehicles land near an abandoned hospital outside of Cheyenne.

The team jumps out of one helicopter as soon as it is on the ground. They run over to the other helicopter to offload the two vehicles.

After the team offloads the vehicles, the helicopters immediately take off.

Jake gets a map out and spreads it on the hood of one of the vehicles as the other team members gather round.

They are all dressed as they were in the briefing room, but they have black combat helmets and web gear on. They also have applied black camouflage to their faces. They are all armed with small assault rifles.

JAKEWe’ve got some fresh satelliteintel. Giant Eye picked up heatsignatures from a pair of vehiclesthat drove out of Cheyenne and proceeded northwest along this route into the hills. From the imaging, the vehicles stopped abouttwo hours out of town leaving some-thing by the side of the road andthen heading back down into town.

TEAM MEMBER #1I don’t get it, Chief. Do they think the Wise Men are back here inCheyenne?

59


JAKENegative. H.Q. believes this issome sort of supply drop off. Giant Eye moved out of the patternbefore we could confirm if vehicleswere approaching the drop pointfrom any other direction. If I’mright about the general location oftheir camp, that point is a perfectspot for re-supply. Let’s check itout. We’ll pull up to this spot here, about half a mile out, go inon foot, and see what happens.Questions?

Team members nod in the negative.

JAKEStay off the air, ladies and gentlemen. Let’s keep it quiet.All right. Move out.

Jake puts the map away. Jake and the other team members get into the vehicles and drive quickly away.

EXT. MOUNTAIN ROAD/SUPPLY DROP OFF POINT - LATER

The Wise Men pull up to the supply point. There are several stacks of boxes under some loosely placed branches for camouflage.

They get out of the two vehicles. Everyone speaks in whispers.

ABEPete, you and Nick head downthe road no more than a hundredyards. If you run into anything,do not engage. Get back hereimmediately and we’ll pull out.

Charlie throws his small automatic rifle to Nick.

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CHARLIEGive me that pistol. You might need something a little bigger downthere.

NICKI hope not, but thanks.

Nick throws the pistol to Charlie. He pulls the rifle’s charging handle back, putting a round in the chamber. Nick and Pete head off down the road. The others start loading the vehicles.

EXT. MOUNTAIN ROAD/JUST BEYOND THE SUPPLY DROP OFF POINT – SAME

Jake’s team approaches. Jake sees something and holds up a fist signaling for all to stop. Jake points ahead. The team member next to him nods.

Jake, using hand signals, directs two team members to the left and two to the right. The others move slowly, silently forward.

EXT. MOUNTAIN ROAD/NICK AND PETE’S POSITION – SAME

Pete signals to Nick to stop. They stop and can hear FOOTSTEPS. Pete motions to Nick to start walking backwards to the supply drop off point.

JAKE (OS)Stop right there!

Nick and Pete open fire and start running back to the supply point. Jake’s team returns fire.

EXT. MOUNTAIN ROAD/SUPPLY DROP OFF POINT – SAME

The Wise Men hear GUNFIRE as they finish loading.

ABEMarti, get in. I’m driving. Charlie, you’re in the other vehicle.Bobby, fire on the flanks with me.

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CHARLIEAbe, we gotta get out of here.

ABEGive ‘em thirty more seconds. That’s all.

EXT. MOUNTAIN ROAD/NICK AND PETE’S POSITION – SAME

Nick backs up firing. He trips and is down. A figure looms up over him. It is Jake. Jake is about to fire when he recognizes Nick. He gestures for Nick to move out. Jake scrambles up and runs for the supply point.

EXT. MOUNTAIN ROAD/SUPPLY DROP OFF POINT – SAME

Nick and Pete have rejoined the Wise Men. They all fire as they enter the vehicles.

Charlie, in the driver’s seat of the vehicle with Pete and Nick in it, is hit in the arm by return fire; he is wounded, but not badly.

The Wise Men vehicles are hit, but not disabled. Bobby is hit twice as he fires from the passenger seat of one of the vehicles. He slumps over.

Jake’s team closes in. In the flashes of the firing weapons, Jake clearly sees his brother Pete’s face. Jake freezes.

At that moment, the Wise Men vehicles back wildly up the road. They are quickly out of range.

JAKECease fire. Cease fire.

The gunfire stops.

SHERRY (OS) (moaning)

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JAKEStay calm, people. Who’s hit, who’s all right? I want a sit-rep,now!

Jake’s team, minus two members, reports to him.

FEMALE TEAM MEMBERChief, I think Johnson’s dead. Sherry’s hit too. Hartner’s onfirst aid, but she doesn’t lookgood.

MALE TEAM MEMBERChief, you want us to take one ofthe vehicles and go after them?

JAKENegative, we’d better take careof our casualties first. Okay, you two, bring up the vehicles. We need to get to a good L.Z. andmedivac our wounded out of here.

FEMALE TEAM MEMBERBut Chief, they can’t be more thanfive minutes ahead of us.

JAKEWe’re not leaving anyone behind.Besides, we have no idea what theirtotal numbers are. We could be walking into an ambush. We need toregroup. Now get those damn vehicles up here. Move.

INTERCUT - TWO WISE MEN VEHICLES FLEEING SKIRMISH - LATER

One vehicle has Pete, Nick, and Charlie in it. Charlie is driving. His right arm is bleeding.

Bobby is in the front passenger seat of the other vehicle. He is mortally wounded. Marti reaches over from the back seat to give him first aid. She looks for a pulse.

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MARTICome on. Come on. Not now, Bobby.Not now.

She tears open his shirt, and sees a huge, gaping wound.

MARTIOh, Christ.

Abe sees the wound.

ABEYou get a pulse?

Marti opens a box on the back seat and pulls out a compression bandage. She puts the bandage on Bobby’s chest, applies pressure and checks for a pulse with her other hand.

MARTINothing.

Marti starts CPR. As she does, she turns his head and sees a bullet wound in his temple. Abe sees the wound.

ABEHe’s dead, Marti.

Marti desperately keeps giving him CPR.

ABEMarti! He’s dead!

Marti, exhausted, collapses into the backseat.

ABE (into his headset)

Charlie. Do you read me?

CHARLIERight here, Abe.

ABEGive me a report.

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CHARLIENick and Pete are all right. I gotbanged up a little, but I’ll beokay. How about you guys?

ABEBobby’s dead.

CHARLIE (to Nick and Pete)

Bobby didn’t make it.

PETEI saw him get hit. It didn’t lookgood.

ABEWe need to split up. We’ll takethe Thayer Creek route back. You guys stay on the trail. Keepyour lights off. We’ll see youback at the compound.

Pete takes the headphone from Charlie.

PETEAbe, this is Pete. Nick did good.

ABEAll right, Pete. We’ll see yousoon.

EXT. MOUNTAIN ROAD – SAME

One Wise Man vehicle veers off. They both fade into the night.

EXT. LANDING ZONE FOR JAKE’S TEAM’S HELICOPTERS – LATER

Jake and his team load the vehicles into the helicopters. They also load two bodies into the helicopters. Once they finish, the other team members climb in and the helicopters take off.

65


EXT. COMPOUND OF THE WISE MEN – DAY


Abe, Marti, Pete, Nick, Charlie, and Melanie bury Bobby in a rock covered-grave. All except Pete cross themselves. Pete smokes.

PETEAbe, we’re gonna have to move.

ABEI agree. Before noon. Thisposition is compromised.

MARTIIf we’re moving anyway, why notmove up the raid? Everything’s ready. Let’s get it done.

ABEPete?

PETEMarti’s right. We were going to stay here until the raid. Now thatwe’re leaving, we might as wellmove it up.

ABECharlie, you up to it?

CHARLIE (smiling)

‘Tis but a scratch.

ABEAll right, that’s settled then. Let’s take what we need and get thehell out of here. Albuquerque’s aways away.

PETEYou guys should know. I saw Jakelast night. That’s his team chasing us.

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MELANIEWhat about you, Pete? You going tobe able to go through with this?

PETEDon’t worry about me. If it comesdown to it, I’ll be able to pullthe trigger. I guaran-damn-tee it.

ABELet’s hope it doesn’t come to that.All right, let’s get packed up andget out of here.

NICK (staring at the grave)

Shouldn’t he have a cross?

Melanie takes one of his hands in hers.

MELANIWhy don’t you make one for him?

NICKOkay. I’ll make one. Sure.

PETEHow do you like being a hero now,Nick?

ABELay off, Pete.

Nick walks off to find some materials to make a cross. Pete, Abe, Marti, Melanie, and Charlie walk together towards the compound entrance.

EXT. WESTERN MILITARY COMMAND CENTER – TARMAC – DAY

Jake’s team offloads themselves, their vehicles, and their fallen comrades. An ENLISTED MAN approaches Jake and salutes him. Jake returns the salute.

ENLISTED MANSir, they’re waiting for you in thebriefing room.

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JAKELead the way, son.

INT. WESTERN MILITARY COMMAND CENTER - BRIEFING ROOM – SAME

Several officers surround a large conference table. George Tuckman is also there. A map of Wyoming appears on the front wall.

Jake, still in his uniform from the raid, and with a day’s worth of stubble, stands stiffly at the head of the table with a pointer.

JAKEFrankly, we got lucky. They couldhave had a much larger contingent,we suspect.

GEORGELucky!? You call two dead lucky?You call a gun battle betweenAmerican citizens lucky? Christ,I’d hate to see the State ofWyoming on a day when you run outof luck, Major.

JAKE (ignoring Tuckman)

I understand that we’ve got a location on the cell’s compound. Satellite imaging has picked upmovement here.

INSERT – THE MAP OF WYOMING

Jake points to a spot on the map.

BACK TO SCENE

JAKEThat’s the latest intel.

GEORGELatest intel? I haven’t seen anynew intel.

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CAPTAIN JOHNSON, an intelligence officer, stands up. He pushes a button on a remote, and several images that appear to have been taken from a satellite appear on the screen that the map had been on. Those images show vehicles and humans moving around on the ground.

CAPTAIN JOHNSONWe have detected vehicular and human activity in an area roughlyfour hours out of Cheyenne, or twohours northwest on the trail last night’s raid took place on. We seeno reason to conclude that activity isanything other than a Wise Men cell.

GEORGEYou sure it’s not just some weekendhunting lodge? You might be in foran even bigger fight if you bargein on a set of Wyoming hunters,especially if they’ve had a fewbeers. Get your asses and facesshot up.

CAPTAIN JOHNSONNegative, sir. We’ve been trackingactivity in the area, and a Wise Men camp is the only thing thatfits.

Captain Johnson nods to Jake. Jake pushes a button on the remote, and the map of Wyoming reappears.

JAKEThere’s a suitable L.Z. about anhour out by vehicle here. We candrop and be in the compound in justunder three hours after deployment.My team needs about two hours ofR&R. I also need to call in tworeplacements. Frankly, Colonel, I’d like to double the number ofmen I take up there this time.

GEORGENot gonna happen.

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JAKE (to Colonel Schmitz)

Sir?

COLONEL SCHMITZMr. Tuckman’s right, Jake. Thereare going to be enough fireworkswith a small team. If we go in there with any more firepower, we’re gonna wake up the whole damnstate. Christ, these are supposedto be covert ops, Major, not full-fledged invasions.

GEORGEAnd can we please not forget thatthese are American citizens we’retalking about?

JAKE (exploding)

American citizens? These are cold-blooded killers, outlaws. And ifyou don’t believe me, I suggest youtake a quick trip to the base morgue when we’re all done here toconfirm the deep, deep patriotismof these American citizens.

GEORGEYou mind your manners, Major.

COLONEL SCHMITZGentlemen. This is not getting us anywhere.

JAKEBegging your pardon, sir. I’ll atleast need to reinforce from thelosses the team suffered lastnight.

COLONEL SCHMITZNot a problem.

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JAKEIf there are no furtherinstructions.

COLONEL SCHMITZMajor, you’re not bringing back anyprisoners, understood?

JAKEI did not intend to, sir.

COLONEL SCHMITZAll right. You have your orders.

Jake salutes Colonel Schmitz and leaves the room.

GEORGEThis is that cowboy’s last chance. He screws this up and I want some-one else heading up that team.

COLONEL SCHMITZGeorge, I have the greatest con-fidence in Major Lawrence’sabilities. If you have any concernsabout him, I suggest you accompanyhim on this next raid and evaluatehis performance personally.

George Tuckman stands up.

GEORGEYou mind your manners, too, Colonel. Don’t forget who you’retalking to.

George Tuckman storms out of the room.

COLONEL SCHMITZAsshole.

EXT. COMPOUND OF THE WISE MEN - DAY

The Wise Men pack up to leave the compound. They load three vehicles. Bobby’s grave with a cross at the head of it is in the background.

71


PETEYo! New guy. You’re with me. I’ve got shotgun.

Pete tosses Nick a set of keys.

MELANIE (to Nick)

Be careful.

Nick takes hold of her hands.

NICK (sarcastically)

You worried Pete might try something?

MELANIEIt’s not him I’m worried about.

NICKMe neither.

PETEHey, Romeo, let’s move it.

Melanie gives Nick a quick kiss on the cheek.

NICKThe master’s voice. Gotta go.

Nick and Pete get into the same vehicle. The Wise Men climb into the vehicles. The three vehicles drive away from the compound.

INT. PETE AND NICK’S CAR – LATER

NICKAlbuquerque, eh?

PETEWho told you that?

NICKAbe mentioned it before we left.

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PETENever mind about Albuquerque. Justgo where I tell you. I’ll let youknow when to turn.

NICKWhat’s in Albuquerque?

PETEYou’re about to piss me off. I told you to drop it aboutAlbuquerque. Why don’t you justconcentrate on the road and leaveme alone?

They drive in silence for a few moments.

NICKDid you know Bobby for long?

PETEHe joined us about eight monthsago. Used to work for Tithinex,just like Charlie. He was agood man.

Another moment of silence passes between them.

NICKPete, I’ll be honest. I was scaredshitless back there.

PETEOf course you were. Just proves you’re human. So what? That’s thedeal, see? It’s perfectly normalto be afraid of death. That’s whatgot us into this mess.

NICKJust thought you should know. . .You mind me asking about yourbrother?

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PETEYeah, I mind. Just drive and knockit off with all the questions.

Pete lights a cigarette.

NICKCan you at least crack the window?

PETE (laughs)

I forgot, these things actuallycould kill you.

NICKHysterical.

EXT. DENVER LASER RAIL STATION - PARKING LOT - NIGHT

Nick and Pete’s vehicle parks in the laser station lot. Nick and Pete get out and they get their rucksacks out, too. They close the doors.

PETEGive me the keys.

Nick tosses the keys to Pete.

NICK You mind telling me what’s goingon now?

PETEFollow me, and shut the fuck up.That’s what’s going on.

In the background is a billboard advertising HEAVENLY CIGARETTES. The slogan is YOU CAN SMOKE THEM FOREVER!

Pete and Nick walk to the front door of the station. They pass a storm drain. Pete tosses the keys down the drain. They head quickly into the rail station.

74


INT. DENVER LASER RAIL STATION - TICKET WINDOW – SAME

Pete inserts a debit card into a ticket machine identical to the one in the Sacramento laser rail station and buys two tickets. He hands one to Nick.

NICKSan Diego. I thought we were going to Albuquerque.

Pete gets right in his face.

PETEI swear to you, if you don’t shutthe fuck up about Albuquerque, I’mgonna do you right here, right now.Get it?

NICKYeah. Look, I’m sorry Pete. Ijust don’t like being in the dark.You mind if I at least take a leak?

PETEOur train leaves in 5 minutes. Canyou hold it till then, junior?

NICKOf course, pops.

Pete and Nick head down a hallway that has a sign above it that reads SOUTHWEST SPECIAL – SAN DIEGO LASER TRAIN.

INT. LASER TRAIN CAR - SAME

Nick and Pete get on the near-empty train. They pick out a couple of seats and put their rucksacks in the luggage rack overhead.

NICKI’m gonna find the head and take aleak.

PETEYou have 90 seconds.

75


NICKWhat?

PETE

You have 85 seconds.

Nick leaves the car. An announcement comes over the intercom.

ANNOUNCEMENT (OS)Please be seated for theacceleration portion of our trip.

Pete laughs to himself. The train accelerates rapidly. A few seconds later, Nick comes stumbling back to his seat.

PETEMake a mess back there?

NICKNah. I’m used to taking a whizgoing from zero to two fifty.

PETEIf you’re smart, you’ll get some shut eye. It’s gonna be a busy twenty four hours.

Pete puts his cigarette out. They both lean back as if to go to sleep.

PETEBy the way, hero, you do anything to cause any kind of harm to Melanie and I will personally ripyour balls off. Got it?

NICKWhat?

PETEJust keep it in your pants.

NICKOkay, dad.

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PETEDon’t test me on this. I’m notfucking around.

NICKMelanie have anything to say aboutthis?

PETENot a thing. Now get some sleep.

NICKAren’t you going to tuck me in?

EXT. WESTERN MILITARY COMMAND CENTER – TARMAC - NIGHT

JAKE and his team load into helicopters for the raid. Jake looks impatiently at his watch. Murphy comes running up to him, geared up and dressed to go on the raid.

MURPHYChief, I hear you need some reinforcements.

JAKEYou hear right, Murphy. Getaboard. We’re moving out.

Jake and Murphy get into the lead helicopter and it takes off.

INT. LASER TRAIN CAR - NIGHT

Nick is still asleep as an announcement is heard.

ANNOUNCEMENT (OS)Please be seated for thedeceleration portion of our trip.

Nick wakes up. The train comes to a stop.

PETELet’s go, sleeping beauty. This isour stop.

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NICKWe’re in San Diego?

PETEHa! Not hardly. But that’s what we want the Department to think. Come on. Grab your stuff. We’reoutta here.

Nick and Pete grab their rucksacks and get off the train.

EXT. TAOS LASER RAIL STATION - PARKING LOT - SAME

Pete and Nick exit from the front of a small laser rail station with a sign over it reading TAOS, NEW MEXICO. Pete leads Nick to a car in the parking lot.

As they approach the car, Pete pulls a set of keys out of his pocket. He presses a button on the keys and the doors open.

PETEERNIE, nice job. I’ve got shotgunagain. Throw your stuff in theback. You’re driving.

Pete throws the keys to Nick.

NICKWhere this time?

PETEAre you still asking questions?

NICKForget it. How do you guys affordall of this stuff?

PETEYou’ll never believe it.

NICK Try me.

78


PETEAbe. He got rich investing in resorts for singles over 80. “Eighty’s the New Thirty.” He wisedup and cashed out before he turned 35.

NICKWow! That was Abe?

PETEThat’s two questions. Now get in the car.

Nick shakes his head. They both get into the car and the car pulls out of the parking lot into traffic, heading south.

EXT. COMPOUND OF WISE MEN – DAY


Jake and his team surround the compound and post two team members at each of the doors. Each team member has a headset on and is armed.

JAKE (whispering)

Watch for booby traps people. Onthree, we’re going in. One, two, three!

All teams break down the doors to the compound.

INT. COMPOUND OF THE WISE MAN – SAME

Jake’s team does a room by room search of the compound. The rooms have the look of having been abandoned in a hurry. There is still equipment lying around, food, papers, etc.

JAKE (into the headset)

Report in.

FEMALE TEAM MEMBER

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No one here, Chief.

MALE TEAM MEMBERSame here.

MURPHYAll clear.


All right. Let’s gather up any paper, electronic device, anythingthat might tell us where they went.I want every inch of this placeon digital. Check that grave wesaw for a body. We’ll take thattoo. You know the drill. Move.

The team members stand down, stow their weapons, and start gathering up the significant materials left behind.

EXT. COMPOUND OF THE WISE MEN – LATER

One of Jake’s team members takes digital pictures of the entire outside of the compound.


That’s right, sir. The compound isempty. Judging from the looks of the place, they haven’t been gonelong. We found the supplies theypicked up the other night, so they’re traveling light. We’re going to bring what we found backfor the intel boys to look at. Maybe we can figure out their nextmove.

A helicopter lands in a small clearing just beyond the compound.

JAKEAll right. Let’s load it up and move it out.

80


The team members load what they’ve taken from the compound, including a full body bag, and then climb into the helicopter. The helicopter takes off. Bobby’s disturbed grave, minus the cross, is in the background.

SERIES OF SHOTS OF AN ABANDONED HOSPITAL OUTSIDE OF ALBUQUERQUE - DAY

In each shot, one of the three cars pulls up to the abandoned hospital. The vehicle’s occupants, the Wise Men from the compound, get out and greet Ernie and BEN.

Ben leads them inside the building.

Ernie parks the vehicles in a covered parking area marked EMERGENCY VEHICLES ONLY.

After Ernie parks the last vehicle, he runs inside where Ben and the others went.

INT. WESTERN MILITARY COMMAND CENTER – BRIEFING ROOM - DAY

Jake briefs the military brass. Colonel Schmitz, CAPTAIN ANDERSON, an intelligence officer, LIEUTENANT BURLAND, and several lower ranking officers are in the briefing room.

Jake stands in front of the room. Projected on the wall is a schematic of the Wise Men compound.

JAKEAs Captain Anderson knows, we havethe analysts going over all of the documents we found, the e-mechs checking out the electronic devicesand the image analysts going overthe digitals we took.

Jake takes a seat.

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CAPTAIN ANDERSONFrankly, so far we’ve come up emptyhanded. The documents appear to be worthless, although they do paint an interesting picture of their spending habits. We hope to be able to retrieve at least some partial financials. With any luck,we’ll be able to block furtherexpenditures. These guys werepretty careful. They left a lotof clutter. I get the feeling that was on purpose, just to tie us up.

COLONEL SCHMITZWhat about the e-mechs?

CAPTAIN ANDERSONAbout the same. We can’t restoreany memory from the chips that seems to be significant. Whoeveris running their I.T. is good. We’vebeen feeding it all through cryptoin case we’re missing anything.

COLONEL SCHMITZAnything yet?

CAPTAIN ANDERSONWe have recovered what we think are some coordinates that might give usan idea of where they’re headed next. Lieutenant Burland?

LIEUTENANT BURLANDThank you, sir. Their compound used to belong to a group of separatists that built several ofthese compounds throughout the West. We retrieved an array of numbers off one chip that seems tobe connected to a matrix fromanother chip. Together, we believethey might be encrypted coordinates. We’re doing the mainframe analysis on them now. If wecan pinpoint the sites, and if Wise

82


Men cells are using those sites forsecure locations, we could at leasttake those out.

COLONEL SCHMITZAnything else from the e-mechs?

LIEUTENANT BURLANDNegative. But we’re still runningsome other tests. We should know ifif we have anything, or nothing atall, by later tonight.

COLONEL SCHMITZThank you, Lieutenant. What aboutthe digitals?

CAPTAIN ANDERSONNothing so far, but they’re all in the imaging shop. I’ve got half adozen analysts working on them. Ifthere’s anything there, again, weshould know by, at the latest, tonight.

COLONEL SCHMITZI take it the trail’s gone cold,Major.

JAKEI’m afraid so, sir. We’ve been checking freeway cameras, laser rail monitors, debit records, airport cameras, the usual. Weknow they left the camp in vehicles, but it is too early toexpect abandoned vehicle reports.None of the accidents reported in apredictable radius from the cell’s compound fit, and we have no reports of gunshot wounds being treated that fit either. For themoment, the trail’s gone cold.

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COLONEL SCHMITZJesus, I’d like to get these guys.We’re spending way too much timeand coming up empty. Tuckman’s gonna chew my ass. Jake, haveyour team ready. If anything pops up on the radar screen, I want youto be able to move out immediately.

JAKEWe’re ready, sir.

COLONEL SCHMITZGood. All right, gentlemen, let’shope the Wise Men come up for airsomewhere and that we’re watching when they do. In the meantime, let’s get back to work.

The crowd begins to leave the room.

COLONEL SCHMITZHold up a second, Jake.

Colonel Schmitz waits until everyone else has cleared the room.

COLONEL SCHMITZLook, if we find these guys, it’s all going to be on you and your team. The Department is getting a lot of heat from Tuckman about the negative publicity from these operations. Personally, if we findthem I’d like to send in an armoreddivision and take them out forgood, but politically, I can’t dothat. It has to be a small team,and you guys know the terrain thebest.

JAKENot a problem, sir.

COLONEL SCHMITZHave a seat, Jake.

84


Jake sits down.

COLONEL SCHMITZWhat do you think about these guys?You’ve gone up against them. Whatdo you think?

JAKEI think they’re a menace, and thatthey threaten the fabric of our wayof life.

COLONEL SCHMITZCut the company man crap. You’retoo smart for that.

JAKEOff the record?

COLONEL SCHMITZIt doesn’t leave this room.

JAKEThey’re good, no doubt, and theyseem to have given more thought tosome pretty important questionsthan most of us have.

COLONEL SCHMITZHow so?

JAKELet me put it this way, sir. Do you regret having gotten the in-jections?

COLONEL SCHMITZRegret? I’m not sure. I wish I had thought it through a little more before. But you gotta startwhen you’re only nineteen, so there’s a lot of room for error.

JAKEThat’s a fact. Frankly, I regretit.

85


COLONEL SCHMITZSo why haven’t you run off and signed up with the Wise Men?

JAKEI made a promise to my country todo a job. A cliché, but true. Ifthe country is too damn lazy orsilly to figure out that this whole eternal life deal is the wrong wayto go, well that’s democracy, right? We’ve got the right to bewrong.

COLONEL SCHMITZEver bothered by that?

JAKEWhat bothers me is I can’t get pastthe notion that most people arejust going along with the programwithout giving it any thought at all.“My country, right or wrong,” orsomething along those lines.

COLONEL SCHMITZThat ever get in the way?

JAKENever. I’m going to keep mypromise even if it rubs me thewrong way from time to time, andeven if it means I have to clean upa mess that’s been made out ofignorance or apathy. Well, thereit is. Jake Lawrence on the stateof the union.

COLONEL SCHMITZI can’t say you’re wrong, Jake.That’s been the job of people likeyou and me for a long time.

(pauses)You’re a good soldier, Major, and agood man.

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JAKEThank you, sir.

COLONEL SCHMITZAll right. You and your team getsome rest. We might need you againbefore the day’s out.

JAKEAnd sir, good luck with Tuckman.

COLONEL SCHMITZ (laughs)

I’m not sure who’s worse, Tuckmanor the Wise Men.

JAKERank has its privileges, Colonel.

COLONEL SCHMITZThat it does. All right, Major. That’s all. Oh, and Major, we’restill operating under a noprisoners protocol.

Jake nods, salutes and exits.

INT. ABANDONED HOSPITAL - NIGHT

The Wise Men – Abe, Marti, Pete, Melanie, Nick, Charlie, Ernie, Ben, and DAVID – are gathered around a building diagram.

ERNIEWell, Ben’s kept a pretty close eyeon them, Abe, and there’s been no significant construction or remodelsince Charlie left with thisschematic in his briefcase. Itshould be accurate.

NICKGutsy move, Charlie. You just walked out of there with the plans?

87


CHARLIEHey, electronic security was myjob. Even if they had searched me,it wouldn’t have been unusual forme to have these.

ABEWhat about the codes, Charlie? I’msure they changed those the momentyou went A.W.O.L.

CHARLIEI buried some software that should give me quick access to any codechanges, unless they found it, ofcourse. In that case, we’re screwed. We’ll find out just insidethe perimeter. There’s a network boxI can tap into. The morons put itthere for field convenience. It makes the place a sieve. If I canstill access the software, I’ll beable to code master keys for us.

PETESounds too simple. I don’t likeit.

NICKIs there anything you do like?

ABEAll right, assuming we get in, we’llbreak up into three teams with Martiand David staying with the vehicles.Pete, you and Nick enter here, head down this corridor and position yourselves approximately here to cover the main entrance in case wehave company. There’s a nightwatchman who sits at a desk here.They overproduced so there’s beenno graveyard shift for more than amonth.

88


CHARLIEThe night watchman doesn’t move from that desk, even if there’s anemergency. He calls everything in.

ABECharlie, you have the looping software ready?

CHARLIEOnly if my codes are good. The looping software will cause the digital images on the night watchman’s screens to repeat. Ifit works the way it’s designed, thenthe time hacks on the screen will continue to change like the display is in real time. If we’re quietgoing in, the front desk guy won’tsee anything unusual on hisscreens.

ABEA lot of “ifs.”

CHARLIECan’t be helped, Abe. It all depends on that software I planted.If they found it, mission’s a scratch. If not, at least we’re inthe building.

ABEOkay. Ben and I will head to the warehouse area here. Once we’re in, we’ll plant the explosives.

BENWe’re figuring on no more than seven minutes from getting the codes until all charges are planted.

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ABEI’m going to put them on a five minute timer. That will give us justenough time to clear out once they’re set. Once you hear that they’re set, you’ve got five minutes before allhell breaks lose. If you’re stillin the building when the blast goes, you’re not going to make it.

MELANIEI’ll have master comms from backhere. I’ll at least make sureeveryone gets the word as soon asthe charges are set.

ABEGood. Charlie, you and Ernie arein first to deactivate the securitycodes. Once you’ve entered the newcodes, move to the data center to see if you can find and upload thatformula onto worldscan. Remember,once we’re all in with coded cardsit will be twelve minutes todetonation. If you don’t have theformula in seven minutes, forget it. Get out of there.

ERNIENo moss growing on this boy!

ABELook, we’ve been over this enough.Except for Nick, this should be second nature by now. Bobby didn’tmake it, so Nick you’re in. Justfollow Pete’s lead and you’ll befine. Questions?

Abe burns the schematic. He checks his watch.

ABEWe leave here in exactly ninetyminutes. E.T.A. at Tithinex ismidnight.

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The Wise Men drift off. Marti stays close to Abe as does Pete.

ABENick, stick around for a minute.

Nick turns around and comes back in.

ABELook, if you want out, now’s thetime to speak up.

NICKNo chance. I’m in Abe. This iswhy I was looking for you guys inthe first place.

MARTIYou know you’ll be executed if you’re caught.

NICKIf I was afraid of dying I wouldhave taken the injections. Life’sgotta mean something.

PETEWell, you’re probably in deep shitfor helping out the other night onthe supply run. Another capital offense or two isn’t likely to makemuch difference at this point.

ABEThings have got to be moving prettyfast for you. I just want you to make sure you’re up to this, notjust for yourself, but for all ofus. We’ll be counting on you.

NICKHonestly, I guess I’ll find outwhen the time comes. I hope I’m up to it, but it’s not the sort ofthing I’ve been practicing.

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ABEI’m not worried about your courage.I just want you to be honest aboutyour commitment.

NICK

Just point me in the right direction and we’ll see whathappens.

ABEI hope you know what you’re gettinginto.

NICKWhat about you and Marti, Abe? Whyare you guys out here risking yourlives? Pete tells me you were theEighty is the New Thirty guy. You had it made.

ABENo doubt. I suppose what turned mearound was when I found out why theserum was so highly sought after.

NICKCome on, that’s easy. People havebeen looking for the fountain ofyouth forever.

ABEThat’s what motivates individuals.I’m talking about what motivatedTithinex, in fact what motivateda good portion of the corporateworld.

NICKSo what’s the big secret?

ABEIt’s not really a secret. I cameacross it doing some genealogy research after I sold my business.

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NICKAnd?

ABEThey wanted to limit consumerdemographics. In fact, they werelooking for something even moreradical, something that would havestopped our development at the age oftwenty. But, for some biologicalreason they can only get our cells to stabilize at thirty. There it is. Let’s play God and fuck with thewhole human race so our advertisingand product development budgetsare more manageable. That wasenough to turn me to the dark side.

NICKWow! I had no idea. I thought it was all humanitarian, all about cutting health care crises andcosts.

ABEThat’s the official line, but it’sless than half the truth. Fact is,the health industry tried to stiflethe whole deal. There were too many interests lined up againstthem.

MARTIThat’s enough history lesson for tonight. Try to get some rest.We’ve got a big night ahead of us.

Nick leaves the room.

MARTIYou’re not convinced, are you, Pete?

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PETENot by a long shot. Too many things are just too convenient andwe really don’t know a damn thing about him. Like where’d he learnto handle weapons the way he does? That takes some training.

ABEYou’ll be right with him all thetime. Fact is, to make this thing work, we need the extra body.

PETEIt’s gonna work, Abe. It’s gonnawork.

ABEI pray that it does.

INT. WESTERN MILITARY COMMAND CENTER – BRIEFING ROOM - NIGHT

Colonel Schmitz, Captain Anderson, and Lieutenant Burland sit at the briefing table. There is an image of Bobby’s grave from the Wise Men compound projected onto ascreen.

Jake comes in, looking like he was just recently sleeping.

COLONEL SCHMITZMajor, come in. Take a look at this.

LIEUTENANT BURLAND (eagerly)

We think we found something in the digitals. This is the grave of oneof the Wise Men. You can see how fresh it is. The autopsy confirms that he was probably killed whenyour team interrupted their supplyrun.

COLONEL SCHMITZLieutenant, get to the point.

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LIEUTENANT BURLANDYes, sir. At any rate, we didn’t notice this at first, but if you zoom in on the cross, there are four veryfaint numbers that appear to be etched into the back of the cross.

INTERCUT – THE IMAGE OF BOBBY’S GRAVE

The cross marking the grave is zoomed in on. Faint numbers are visible at the tips of the back side of the horizontal piece of the cross.

BACK TO SCENE

LIEUTENANT BURLANDLuckily, one of your team members was smart enough to bring the crosswith him.

Lieutenant Burland holds up the cross, clearly pleased with himself. Jake comes over to start to examine it.

COLONEL SCHMITZFor Christ’s sake, Burland, cut to the chase.

LIEUTENANT BURLAND

Yes, sir, right away, sir. We examined the numbers and they wereclearly etched into the wood quiterecently.

COLONEL SCHMITZThe point, Lieutenant, the point.

LIEUTENANT BURLANDWe were going to start some computer analysis on the numbers,but one of our image analysts is a former field artillery man. Herecognized them right away. Welooked it up and he’s right. They’re coordinates forAlbuquerque, New Mexico.

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JAKE That’s twenty miles from Tithinex.

LIEUTENANT BURLANDExactly.

COLONEL SCHMITZJake, I want you to get your teamout there A.S.A.P. If the Wise Menare going to make a move, I wantyour team to be there to greetthem.

JAKEBegging your pardon, sir, but we’regoing on a couple of scratchynumbers on the back of a cross?

COLONEL SCHMITZIt’s thin, I know. But it’s toomuch of a coincidence, especiallysince our man is on the inside. Ifit’s a false alarm, I’ll take thehit. If not, you need to make thiswork, Major. You’re batting withtwo strikes, I think you know.

JAKEYes, sir. We’re airborne in twentyminutes. You’ll excuse me, gentlemen, I’ve got work to do.

Jake stands up, salutes Colonel Schmitz, and leaves briskly.

INT. WESTERN MILITARY COMMAND CENTER – BARRACKS – SAME

Jake’s team members, fully dressed, are asleep in bunk beds. Jake bursts in.

JAKEHit the floor, people. We’re moving out again. I want you on the tarmac in 10 minutes ready togo.

Team members roll out of their bunks and scramble to get their gear together.

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EXT. WESTERN MILITARY COMMAND CENTER – TARMAC – SAME

Jake’s team jumps into a waiting helicopter. As soon as the last team member jumps on board, the helicopter takes off

EXT. ABANDONED HOSPITAL - NIGHT

With the exception of Melanie and Nick, the Wise Men begin to load into two vehicles for the raid on Tithinex. The vehicles leave the scene in a cloud of dust.

Melanie and Nick come out of the hospital arm in arm.

MELANIECome back in one piece, promise?

NICKPromise.

They embrace. Nick gets into a vehicle. Melanie goes back into the abandoned hospital.

EXT. TITHINEX PLANT - LATER

The noise of car engines approaching is heard in the background.

Off to the left of the plant, and about one hundred yards beyond a fenced perimeter, the Wise Men vehicles pull to a stop.

The Wise Men get out.

ABEFinal weapons check.

Abe, Marti, David, Ben, Pete, Nick, Charlie, and Ernie all perform function checks on their weapons.

ABEFinal comms check.

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The Wise Men check their communications gear.

ABEMelanie. Are you there? Come in.

MELANIE (VO)Right here, Dad. You guys readingme alright?

Abe looks around as all of the members give the thumbs up.

ABEMarti, you and David are here. Everyone else, move out.

Marti and David take up firing positions behind the vehicle doors as the others move off towards the perimeter of the Tithinex plant.

INT. MILITARY HELICOPTER - SAME

JAKEWhat’s our e.t.a.?

PILOTOn the ground in 10 minutes, sir.

JAKEWeapons checks.

Jake’s team members perform function checks on their weapons. Each gives Jake a thumbs up when finished.

EXT. TITHINEX PLANT – PERIMETER – CONTINUOUS

All six Wise Men scurry up to the fence. There is a metal box on a concrete stand just inside the fence.

Charlie attaches some wires using alligator clips to the fence. He takes a pair of wire cutters and cuts the portion of the fence between the attached wires.

Charlie, by himself, moves inside the perimeter to the power box. He pries open the box. He pulls out a hand-held

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device similar to a BlackBerry and plugs it directly into the electronic panel in the box.

Charlie types a series of codes/numbers into the BlackBerry.

CHARLIEThey didn’t find my software. We’re in. Looping software loadedand operational. Coding cards now.

INT. TITHINEX PLANT – SAME

A NIGHT WATCHMAN, sitting at a bank of monitors at the information/slash security desk notices that all of the screens seem to blip at the same moment.

He watches the monitors for a few seconds. Time hacks in the lower right corner show continuous time starting at 12:02 a.m.

He shrugs his shoulders and goes back to reading his magazine SENIOR DIGEST.

EXT. TITHINEX PLANT – PERIMETER – SAME

Charlie slides three magnetic cards down the side of the BlackBerry and unhooks the BlackBerry device. He motions to the others to join him.

The rest of the team crawls quickly through the hole in the fence.

Charlie gives one member of each two-man team a magnetic card.

ABERemember, lads, twelve minutes. Okay, let’s split up.

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EXT. TITHINEX PLANT – SIDE DOOR - SAME

Abe slides his magnetic card through a coded locking device. Abe and Ben wait for a few tense moments. Nothing happens. Abe is about to try the card again when he hears a CLICK. Abe and Ben enter the plant.

EXT. TITHINEX PLANT – ANOTHER ENTRANCE – SAME

Charlie uses his magnetic card. It works perfectly. He and Ernie enter the plant.

EXT. TITHINEX PLANT – A THIRD ENTRANCE – SAME

Pete uses his coded card. It does not work. He tries again. Nothing.

Pete is about to explode when Nick grabs the card from him, turns it right side up and hands it back to Pete. Pete slides it through again and they hear a CLICK.

PETEThanks.

NICKNo sweat.

Pete and Nick enter the plant.

INT. TITHINEX PLANT – SERUM WAREHOUSE AREA - SAME

Abe and Ben use their magnetic card to enter the warehouse.

Once inside, they take their rucksacks off and start pulling out fist-sized chunks of plastic explosives. They have a dozen in all.

They attach electronic timers to each chunk. The timers are not yet set.

They begin placing the explosives at various spots throughout the warehouse.

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INT. TITHINEX PLANT – SAME

Pete and Nick head down a series of corridors. They have their weapons drawn. Nick covers their rear as they move forward.

A toilet FLUSHES. They turn a corner and see a night watchman coming out of a lavatory zipping his pants up. The night watchman turns and walks away from Nick and Pete not having seen them.

Nick and Pete continue. They come to a long, wide corridor that leads to the front entrance. Near the front entrance is a large circular information/security desk.

The same night watchman is seated at the desk watching a bank of monitors.

Nick and Pete take up firing positions at the far end of the corridor.

Pete removes a small black device from a pouch in his jacket. He motions to Nick and throws it to him.

Pete takes a similar device and attaches it to the wall, just beyond the corner. He motions to Nick to do the same.

Once the two devices are up, Pete adjusts his until a green light on top of his device comes on.

Pete runs his hand between the two devices and the green light turns to red. It turns back to green when he removes his hand.

Pete pulls out a small wad of plastic explosive and places it directly next to the device on his side of the hallway.

INT. TITHINEX PLANT – DATA CENTER – SAME

Ernie and Charlie enter. They walk over to a console that has two keyboards and a bank of screens. Charlie hands a compact computer drive to Ernie.

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CHARLIELoad this. Just keep hitting yes as it goes through the program.It should get us through theirfirewall and link us up with world-scan.

ERNIEGot it.

CHARLIEI’m going to look for the formula.Man, oh man, it doesn’t get any better than this. Bringing themonster to its knees!

ERNIEYeah, buddy!

EXT. TITHINEX PLANT – SAME

Marti and David see the approach of the helicopter with Jake’s team on it.

MARTI (into her headset)

We’ve got visitors. Looks likea Department strike team. Let’sput some hustle in it.

INT. TITHINEX PLANT – SERUM WAREHOUSE AREA - SAME

ABE (into his headset)

Almost done here, Marti. Hangin there.


The helicopter lands. The team jumps out.

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JAKEYou two. Head over to those vehicles we saw on the way in. Ifanyone is there, take them out and fire up those vehicles. I don’t want anyone to be able to escape inthem. The rest of you come withme, we’re going in the front door.

INT. TITHINEX PLANT – DATA CENTER - SAME

ERNIEThat’s it. The wall’s down. Up-load to worldscan as soon as you’vegot it.

CHARLIEStill looking, still looking.

INT. TITHINEX PLANT – SERUM WAREHOUSE AREA – SAME

ABELast one’s in. They’re all set.

Abe pulls a small transmitter out of his jacket pocket. He pushes a button.

INSERT

ONE OF THE PLANTED EXPLOSIVES

A digital readout lights up with 5:00 on it. It immediately begins counting down.

BACK TO SCENE

ABE (into headset)

Okay, folks. Five minutes. Get thehell out of here.

INT. ABANDONED HOSPITAL – SAME

Melanie sits at a transmitter and microphone.

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MELANIEAll acknowledge. Five minutes. All acknowledge.

INT. TITHINEX PLANT – MAIN FRONT HALLWAY – SAME

PETE (into headset)

This is Pete. Okay.

Jake’s team bursts through the front door. The night watchman is so startled he falls out of his chair.

PETEGet out of here, Nick. I’ll holdthese guys off.

Nick takes off. Pete starts firing. Jake’s team returns fire.


Charlie and Ernie can hear GUNFIRE.

ERNIE (into headset)

This is Ernie. We acknowledge.Let’s go man, we’ve got to getout of here.

CHARLIEYou go. I’m almost in. Don’tworry, I’ll make it. Get your assout of here.

ERNIEDon’t wait too long. Sounds likeit’s heating up.

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CHARLIEI’ll be okay. Now get.

(focusing)Come on, come on, I know it’s inone of these files.

ERNIELike I said, no moss growing on me.

Ernie rushes out.


A gun battle rages at the site of the parked vehicles. David is killed.

The two members from Jake’s team begin to close in on Marti. One of them is Murphy.

Marti loads a grenade into her grenade launcher mounted on her assault rifle.

She is hit as she pulls the trigger. She is killed. The grenade finds its target and kills Jake’s two team members.

INT. TITHINEX PLANT – CORRIDOR

ABE (into headset)

Marti, Marti, come in. Come in.

He looks at Ben and shakes his head.

BENCome on, Abe, we’ve got to keepmoving.

INT. TITHINEX PLANT - MAIN FRONT HALLWAY - SAME

Pete is shooting it out with the other members of Jake’s team. Jake and Pete see each other.

Pete runs back away from the entrance. Jake gives chase.

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Jake crosses the threshold of the trigger device set by Pete. He turns, sees Pete, and aims.

JAKEPete!

INSERT – EXPLOSIVE DEVICE PETE PLANTED

The light on the device goes from green to red. The deviceexplodes.

RETURN TO SCENE

Jake is killed as Pete watches.

Pete is momentarily stunned. He gathers himself and runs off down the corridor.

When the dust from the explosion clears, the remaining members of Jake’s team continue to pursue Pete.

INTERCUT - INT. ABANDONED HOSPITAL/TITHINEX PLANT – DATA CENTER - SAME

MELANIECharlie, you’ve got to get out of there. You’re under 3 minutes.

INSERT


Digital readout is 2:29.

BACK TO SCENE

CHARLIEAlmost home, baby. Almost home.

INT. TITHINEX PLANT – HALLWAY - SAME

Abe and Ben are running. They turn a corner and there’s Nick, aiming at them with his automatic weapon.

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ABENick! Don’t shoot. It’s us.

Nick drops his weapon for a second. Then raises it, takes aim and begins firing. Abe and Ben return fire. Ben is killed instantly. Abe is mortally wounded. Nick is hit badly in the leg.

Abe staggers towards Nick and falls no more than 10 feet from him.

Pete turns the corner behind Nick as Abe falls.

PETEI knew it, you son of a bitch!

ABEPete. No. Don’t turn a traitorinto a hero.

Abe dies.

Nick stares, stunned.

NICKOh, Christ. What have I done?

Pete aims his weapon at Nick.

NICKGo. I’ll hold them off as long asI can. Go, damn it. I’m your onlychance.

Pete lowers his weapon and escapes. Nick tries to stop the bleeding in his leg. He picks up his weapon and gets up. He hears Jake’s team coming down the corridor. Jake’s team members turn the corner. Nick fires. They respond and Nick’s body is torn apart by the return fire. Nick falls on top of Abe, dead.

INSERT


Digital readout is O:15.

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CHARLIEThat’s it. All your secrets allover worldscan for any asshole witha chemistry set to read. Wahoo!I am out of here.

EXT. TITHINEX PLANT - NIGHT

Pete runs with a limp away from the plant. He gets to the shot up Wise Men vehicles and finds Marti and David dead. He bends down, sobbing.

Just as he gets to one knee, the plant explodes in the background.

Pete starts to climb into one of the vehicles when Ernie runs up and gets in.

PETECharlie?

ERNIEStayed too long.

Pete closes his door, starts the engine, and puts the vehicle in gear. He looks up and sees Charlie running towards him.

Charlie climbs in.

CHARLIEIs this it?

PETE‘Fraid so. Lots of bodies. Lotsof fucking bodies.

CHARLIELet’s get the hell out ofhere.

The vehicle speeds away in a cloud of dust.

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INT. BAR IN SAN DIEGO – NIGHT

SUPER: ONE YEAR LATER

Pete sits in a not so crowded twenty-something bar. He has his back to the bar, with a schooner of beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other. He listens to a conversation immediately to his left.

BEARDED BAR PATRONNah! The government wiped thoseguys out. They all died in the NewMexico raid last year.

SKINNY MALE BAR PATRONYou buy that? Come on! Don’t be sonaïve. I hear they’re out in theeast desert, no more than a hundredmiles from here.

BEARDED BAR PATRON (sarcastically)

Oooh! You’re scaring me. The bigbad Wise Men are still lurking.

(pointing to Pete)I bet Mr. Chainsmoker there’s theirnew supreme commander!

SKINNY MALE BAR PATRONShut up. I’d at least like tothink they’re still around, thatthere’s someone out there not justrolling over for the government’sbullshit.

Pete drains his beer, turns around on his barstool, puts out his cigarette, throws a couple of bucks on the bar, and departs.

EXT. STREET OUTSIDE OF SAN DIEGO BAR - SAME

Pete stands about fifteen feet away from the bar’s entrance. He smokes and looks around. After Pete takes a couple of drags, Skinny Male Bar Patron comes out of the bar.

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He is only on the sidewalk for a few seconds when he is kidnapped in the same manner that Nick Temple was – van, THREE MEN IN SKI MASKS, etc. Pete watches.

Once the Skinny Bar Patron and two of the three Masked Men are in van, the third Masked Man looks quickly at Pete. Pete gives him an almost imperceptible nod and the third Masked Man jumps in the van. The van speeds off.

Melanie Madison joins Pete. Pete puts out his cigarette on the sidewalk. They walk towards a parked car, get in, and speed off in the same direction the van took.

The End

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