"APARTMENT ZERO" (1989)

The elegant Barrio Norte stands like a beautiful woman drained by too much suffering. There is the air of a radiant aristecratic past in Buenos Aires; unhappily entangled in a dreary middle class present.

In the distance a siren WAILS, quickly growing louder. An ambulance appears, winding its way down the road toward this lonely spot .on the edge of town

Pulling back slowly, more ambulances are revealed, police cars along with them. Grim MEN mill about behind yellow tape, radios. SQUAWK officiously.

Something’s wrong.

The ambulance crawls up a muddy embankment, heading toward the secured spot. TWO PARAMEDICS get out, tugging a stretcher from the back

They head toward the other vehicles and a circle of COPS. At the edge of the crowd, a YOUNG COP, very pale, bends over, hands on his knees, trying to hold his stomach

The Paramedics move past the Young Cop and into the circle. IN THE CIRCLE,

they stop short, staring at a bloody patch of ground in alarm and revulsion.

Someone else breaks through on the other side of the circle -~ INSPECTOR BENOIT. Benoit’s not quite forty, but he looks like he hit that milestone ten years ago and it hit back Not much shocks Benoit. This does.

Jesus. Is that a man or a woman?

A massive take-up reel turns slowly, casting flickering shadows over the face ‘of ADRIAN LEDUC, thirtyish Adrian is thin, pale, with eyes that will never settle long enough for anyone to look into them.

Adrian is conservatively and fastidiously dressed. He wears a look of old world dignity that conjures up the image of an English City Gent.

Through the projectionist’s window, he watches the end of the film, Orson Welles’ "Touch of Evil”

The credits' end and the lights in the theatre go on, revealing the crowd -- if three people can be called a crowd. Adrian sighs.

The projectionist, JUAN, in his mid-fitties, shrugs ‘and flips the projector to rewind.

Adrian emerges from the back room. CLAUDIA, the ticket/counter girl, is packing up her things. She’s tall and robust, with a face that is compassionate and hard at the same time -- a face

that says she’s been through a lot and could probably endure a lot more. 3 :

Adrian helps her with her coat.

They leave the theatre.

Adrian and Claudia come out of the theatre and head for her car, a Volkswagen bug parked in front of the newsstand.

. ADRIAN

We just have to make it through —

this dry spell Once the James Dean retrospective starts next month we will. be fine. He always works miracles.

a; ° SCENE 4 GONT. CLAUDIA Im more worried, about you than about my paycheck

She smiles.

Christian. I can imagine what kind

of committees he'd have infesting the

place. No thank you. When you see him

tell him I intend to keep the level of

drama in my cinema somewhat above the ‘ level of political shouting matches.

CLAUDIA

God, if it wasn’t you saying such offensive things, Id take offense.

She smiles and drives away. Adrian watches her go and starts off down the sidewalk ‘

On the newsstand behind Adrian, a newspaper banner screams —-

“VICTIMA NUMERO 12!" -- next to a grisly photo of the crime scene. Adrian pays it no mind. .

Cut Tes z

BA.

The connected buildings open onto a central area -- the perfect setting for everyone to mind everyone else’s business.

ADRIAN arrives and enters through the main archway. For simplicity, Adrian’s fellow tenants are:

LAURA & ALBERTO WERPACHOWSKY -- Number 9, a young married couple

MARGARET MCKINNEY and her widowed sister MARY LOUISE ~- Number 8, English spinsters

VANESSA -- Number 7, a transvestite

CARLOS SANCHEZ-VERNE -- Number 6, a young executive

FRANCISCO PALMA -- Number 5, a retired schoolteacher

EDITH TRENIEV -- the caretaker, in her forties.

: 4,

MARGARET ; We’re calling the exterminator!

_ MARY LOUISE You can’t really be sure of that, can you? We feel that the exterminator should do the whole building.

Alberto Werpachowsky leads his wife Laura away from the group, ignoring Adrian and speaking loudly and pointedly.

SCENE 5- CONT.

5 ry . s * Mrs. Treniev beams at his civic-mindedness.

Adrian turns his back to them and starts climbing to his ‘apartment at the top of the stairs. . .

. MRS. TRENIEV (cont.) Senor LeDuc --

Adrian stops and turns.

. MRS. TRENIEV (cont.) Can we count on your cooperation?

: MARGARET Without knowing ~-

ADRIAN : 2 * ' Thank you for the warning. I shall \ inspect the apartment myself. If there . are mice I shall come to terms with : them on my own. Good night again.

He climbs, the stairs. They all watch him go, exchanging glances that give. voice to their dislike for him.

The apartments are situated on either side of the stairway, each divided into two units. At the top of the stairs, spanning both sides of the building, is Adrian’s apartment.

ive]

‘4!

5A.

ADRIAN stops at his door, which has a metal number zero on it. To the, left of the zero is the faded outline of a long lost number

one.

Adrian enters. The apartment is large and dark, furnished, with heavy, dated furniture.

|

et

SCENE 6 CONT.

Movie memorabilia dot the bookshelves and tables, unsigned photos of Hollywood celebrities of the past are mounted in expensive frames and carefully placed like shots of beloved friends of the family.

The face of Montgomery Clift is turned to the door, as if to welcome Adrian home.

Adrian picks up his mail from under the door. He flips through it. Bills. Dissatisfied, he tosses the stack on his desk and drops into a chair.

Late. ADRIAN, still in shirt and tie but now wearing a cardigan sweater, rorks at his desk, sorting through the stack of bills, ripping them open with a gold letter opener. A glass of red wine is next to him.

It’s quiet. There is only the sound of Adrian’s fingers CLICKING on the keyboard of a calculator.

The caleulator’s green lights wink and pulse, doubling and tripling at every touch.

Adrian continues to add, enraptured by the sheer enormity of his debt.

Still the numbers grow. He pauses after one last figure and clicks the “total” key with finality.

Adrian is startled and knocks over his glass of wine, spilling red all over his bills. He blots it hastily, rises, and goes to the door. He opens it a crack

i

a WOMAN is bent over the prone figure of a MAN. The Woman's dress is sexy, cut low in back

iy

SCENE 8 CONT,

The Woman turns when she hears the door open and grins up at Adrian garishly.

WOMAN

{very drunk) It’s only me. Vanessa.

Adtian steps back, pulling his door shut all but a crack

She giggles and tugs at the Man, trying to drag him upstairs.

There’s something odd about Vanessa ~-- her features are large, almost mannish

Very mannish, in fact. She is a he.

He pulls at the Man, whose shoes THUMP as Vanessa drags him up the stairs.

The Man’s head CRACKS into one of the railing posts. This strikes Vanessa as very funny and he doubles over, crippled with laughter.

From the top. of the stairs, Adrian’s door CLICKS shut. Vanessa looks up.

TA.

CHRISTIAN SALCEDO, escorted by INSPECTOR BENOIT, comes intn- the morgue. -Christian is a man of about thirty, consumed from within by the curse of caring too much He is apprehensive as Benoit leads him to a gurney covered by a white sheet. &

The sheet is pulled back by the MORGUE ASSISTANT. Christian is horrified by what he sees under the sheet. He nods numbly, turns, . and leaves the morgue through double swinging doors.

Through the doors, we see a small group gathered in the morgue. CLAUDIA is there with two young men -- JULIAN and LORENZO D’ANDREA, both in their mid-twenties. Clinging to Lorenzo’s arm. is ELSA, a pretty young woman of the same age.

The group take one look at Christian’s face and know what has happened. They are shattered.

ADRIAN is in bed, awake. The bills are now piled around him on the bed. Troubled, he gets up and walks into the living room.

Adrian goes across the room to a door on the opposite side. He opens the door and flicks on a light.

Adrian looks over the room, which is obviously empty. He sighs. His VOICE comes over as we cut to the next scene.

-GUT TO:

A stately looking place. So sensible it could only be an asylum. ADRIAN’S VOICE comes over. ADRIAN Quiet, tidy, single person to share large fiat. Non-smoker. Own room, private bath.

Cooking facilities. Buenos Aires central 200 Australes a month

ADRIAN sets down a newspaper and turns to his MOTHER, a dissipated woman of about seventy fivé with shining silver hair. At one time, she must have been beautiful

She smokes a cigarette greedily. When she speaks, it is disconnected, vacant.

ADRIAN

Ive got nine replies already. MOTHER

Nine? That’s a lot of money, dear. ADRIAN

(patiently) Nine people who want to take the room. Ill choose just one -- naturally. . I shall

buy some cheap sheets and towels, some plastic

cutlery -- no, that’s going too far. But you

kmow the sort of thing. With some careful

planning, I wont even have to socialize with

whoever it is. Iti] be awful, but it won't be

for long. I promise, they will be long gone by ' the time you come home.

Adrian, upset by her disconnectedness, picks up a hairbrush and brushes her hair.

: ADRIAN (feigning conversationality) Yes, but itll be cooler. You'll be os all right.

He picks up a compact from her handbag. He holds it in front of her to show her her face. Seeing it, she SCREAMS and knocks the compact out of his hand. Adrian is frantic, unable to react to calm her. :

TWO NURSES run into the room to restrain her.

9, it INT APARTMENT ZERO DAY any ADRIAN watches unhappily while an old MAN with a cane WHEEZES and CLUMPS around his apartment. The Man totters back and forth, looking about to keel over at any moment.

Adrian lunges forward, certain the Man is about to fall He tries to take his arm, but the Man holds him at bay with the cane. Adrian can’t stand it. :

cur To:

The apartment is being inspected by an overly made-up WOMAN in her fifties. She has an enormous mouth, sharply rimmed by a bold ecirele of bright red lipstick. She talks at Adrian incessantly, hardly pausing to catch her breath Her words are lost to us under music, we hear only her frequent LAUGHTER, which-is shrill and frightening. Adrian winces.

Another WOMAN is in the apartment, this one small and birdlike: She’s in her mid-thirties and her eyes dart ahout rapidly.

She . walks through the apartment, touching anything within reach, prying oe a’ small wooden box on the coffee table, poking into a cupboard, 1 .

She stops at "the framed photographs. Adrian grimaces as she picks one up and runs her hand across “the glass, lemy ine a smear of fingerprints.

WOMAN y What is this? Pewter? Is this frame pewter?

ADRIAN — Really! I don’t think that’s any ~-

WOMAN ‘ What did you pay for this? Fifty?

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a statuesque form. Jack is, in many ways, Adrian’s alter ego -- completely contemporary, energetic, possessed of a radiant magnetism that defies you not to be his friend. His features are

clean and strong ~- like those of the stars in the silver frames on Adrian’s walls. 1

He holds up a newspaper folded to the classified section.

ADRIAN

; Yes, yes of course. Come in.

Shooting a ditty "mind your own business" look at Laura, Adrian leads Jack into the apartment and closes the door.

Jack looks around the living room and his attention falls on the expensively framed movie star pictures.

Hartford, Connecticut.

+ JACK I don’t Imow. You mean the actor?

|

|

. t Jack points at the picture of Montgomery Clift.

Adrian is a

16 OMITTED

3 JACK Is that Marion Brando?

ADRIAN

Oh, no. Real movies on a real screen. Videos are killing me. People develop big backsides and blisters on their thumbs from skimming through the "boring parts." I don’t even own a television.

. JACK Why not? Afraid you might like it?

bit surprised, then laughs. He is charmed.

Théy head off across the living room.

SCENE 15 CONT.

16 -

12A.

Who? Me?

Qaughs) é You're kidding me. Where are you from?

Adrian stops outside the door to the kitchen and gestures to it.

He heads out. Jack follows. Adrian opens the door to a bedroom and they go in.

ay

He is looking at Jack pointedly, pressuring him.

Jack fidgets.

. 18. SCENE 18 CONT. JACK No, it’s okay.

ADRIAN : I haven't asked you.. What do you do? -

Jack hands him the paper. Adrian thumbs through it,

Jack smiles.

14,

SCENE 18 CONT.

They shake.

ADRIAN comes out of Harrod’s, carrying armloads of bags. He’s been buying things, preparing the apartment for Jack's arrival.

JACK and ADRIAN carry armloads of things into Adrian’s apartment. - LAURA opens her door as Jack goes by. She smiles at him.

Jack puts a few things away. Adrian appears at the door and goes to a pile of alothes tossed on the hed.

He goes out. Jack watches him, bemused. cuT TO:

ADRIAN is at the washer. As it fills with suds, he picks up Jacks shirts. He’s about to toss them in, then thinks better of it and searches for the label, looking for washing instructions. He can firid no labels, only faded squares where they once ‘were. He starts to just toss them into the washer, then changes his mind again and runs water in the sink He rolls up his sleeves to wash

them by hand. cuT TO:

¥

The table is impeccably set. ADRIAN is up and abcut, putting finishing touches on the meaL He tiptoes around, not sure whether or not he should wake up Jack

JACK comes out of his room. He sees the perfectly set table. Across the room, he sees his shirts, the ones Adrian picked up last night. They've been washed and perfectly pressed and folded. Jack smiles at Adrian, a bit uncomfortable.

' ADRIAN Just in time. Serambled eggs? JACK Great. ADRIAN

I dont want you to think I'm a regular Felix Unger. You can spit in your coffee if you like. I don’t mind.

I am Argentinian. Born and bred. We lived in England for sixteen years. My father was a cultural attache.

Lf. i SCENE 22 CONT.

'

JACK arrives at the cinema club. ADRIAN is waiting for him. Adrian leads Jack into the auditorium.

They pass CLAUDIA, who sizes up the attractive Jack Adrian pointedly doesn’t introduce him to Glaudia.

JACK and ADRIAN return to the building. EDITH TRENIEV is carrying , heavy shopping bags. Jack helps her with them while Adrian just passes her by.

Mrs. Treniev sends a grateful look to Jack and a dirty one to Adrian, .

Again, the table is set and they eat, but this time the mood is much more relaxed.

ADRIAN

That’s easy. "Mr. Roberts." JACK

Shit. ADRIAN

If you give me the three stars Ill get it every time. Listen to this one -- Edward G. Robinson, Yul Brynner and Vincent Price.

Adrian pulls a thick reference book off a shelf and hands it to Jack

Jack's eyes’ light up at the reference book

CLAUDIA and ADRIAN are in the box office. Jack leaves the cinema, smiling, and gives a thumbs up to Adrian

Adrian smiles back Claudia gives him a wondering look.

JACK comes: out of the apartment. In the hallway, LAURA

WERPACHOWSKY is saying goodbye to her husband, who has a bag packed.

She and Jack exchange an intense look

ADRIAN is asleep. He hears muffled SHOUTS coming from the other room. He gets out of bed to investigate.

Adrian goes to Jacks door, The SHOUTS are coming from Jack's room and are mostly unintelligible. Adrian reaches for the door lnob, but stops himself. Instead, he pulls a chair over and stands on it, looking through the dormer at the top of the door,

Through the dormer, Adrian sees Jack having a nightmare: A bad one. As Adrian watches, Jack calls out particularly loudly, then sits up abruptly, awake.

Adrian practically falls off the chair in an attempt to not be

“noticed. He gets down off the chair and KNOCKS on the door.

He tries the door handle. Locked. The door abruptly opens from the other side. Jack stands in front of him, covered in sweat.

. 18 A. SCENE 27D CONT,

He walks past Adrian without another word. He paces in the living room.

We

Adrian follows him. Jack is disturbed, agitated.

be

t

18B. SCENE 27D CONT.

JACK

Some people dont hide in memories, Adrian. They hide from them My mother never forgave me for ruining her figure when she had me. She told me that. Nice, huh?

He’s very agitated now. He walks away to a chair, trying not to talk but unable to stop. . i

He is sitting, his hand to his forehead. Adrian takes a step closer, trying to be of some help. He would like to put his hand on Jack's shoulder, bat can only overcome shyness enough to poke

him in the arm.

ADRIAN

No, Jack You're okay. I can help. Don’t run away and make yourself lonely. That’s bad. That’s not for you -- not for anyone. Really, Jack Youre fine. You won't --

(enormous difficulty saying

the word) -- fuck anything up.

Jack looks up at him, a strange comforted or satisfied look on his face -- as if Adrian’s words were just what he wanted to hear.

‘

The table is set, but ADRIAN is hurriedly putting on his coat. He

knocks on Jack's door. From Jacks room comes the sound of the SHOWER. .

. ADRIAN I have to go. Everything’s on the table,

JACK shouts from the shower.

‘

Adrian starts to leave, then turns back Although he’s in a

he hurry, he can’t resist a quick lesson.

He leaves. As the front door CLICKS shut, the shower switches off.

Jack emerges from his room, naked, drying himself immodestly with a towel

it hss

SCENE 28 CONT.

“He goes to the table casually, like someone alone in their own

home. He picks up a croissant, dunks it in some coffee, and bites into it. He sizes up his surroundings nonchalantly. Seeing a bowl of fruit, he goes to it and picks. up an apple.

Now on the other side of the room, he finds himself next to the door to Adrian’s room. He opens it.

Things are pretty much as we'd expect them. The bed is large and plush, the blankets and pillows neatly tucked and folded. Everything is old-fashioned, heavy and comfortable. Across the room from the bed is a large mirrored vanity that has two huge cabinets on either side. ,

Next to the door is a desk, the one at which Adrian paid his bills the night before. Jack looks over the few things on the desktop, then tries the center drawer.

Locked. Jack turns to the vanity on the other side of the room. He, goes to it and opens one of the doors. Inside is a row of Adrian’s suits, All are very similar, grey or blue only, some with a subtle, muted pattern.

Jack closes the door and opens the other side of the vanity. There are shelves and drawers. On the shelves are stachs of neatly pressed shirts -- one stack all white, one stack all blue, a third stack delicately striped.

Jack opens a few of the drawers randomly, In one of them he sees a wad of money. He picks it up, fans it, and puts it back He starts to close the door and notices a suitcase on the floor of the vanity. He gives it a tug to see if it’s empty.

It’s not. Curious, he takes the suitcase out and sets it on the bed. He opens it. Inside are various articles of womens’ clothing -- some blouses and skirts, a nightgown. Jack regards them, munching his apple contemplatively. .

He pokes around. Under the clothes is a plastic box with jewelry

in it. He looks through the pieces, then places the box carefully

back in thé corner of the suitcase. Jack repacks the suitcase and

closes it, putting it back in the closet in the same place he ' found it.

20A. i . SCENE 29 CONT.

A small flap of material from one of the blouses hangs out of the suitcase. Jack doesn’t notice.

CHRISTIAN SALCEDO, the D’ANDREA BROTHERS, CLAUDIA and ELSA watch passengers getting off an international flight. Christian holds a sign that reads “DR. MEYER." They hold the sign out to any passengers faintly resembling a medical man, but none respond.

When the last of the passengers have passed them, a small, bright woman of about thirty~five remains. DR. JOAN MEYER. Surprised by her appearance, they approach her and shake hands.

30A OMITTED “308

tt ADRIAN is “In the box office counting out receipts. CLAUDIA hurries into the office. She is obviously disturbed.

at

‘SCENE 31 CONT.

She looks distressed, dismissive of him.

Adrian seems a bit embarrassed by her obvious pain. She takes his place in the box office, while he walks to the door of the auditorium.

32° = INT LOBBY DAY 32

Adrian pokes his head into the theatre. "Rebel Without a Cause"

is playing, the "I am involved, we're all involved..." scene. curT To:

A small group is assembled in the entranceway -- MARY LOUISE and MARGARET McKINNEY, EDITH TRENIEV and LAURA WERPACHOWSKY.

FRANCISCO PALMA, the retired teacher, is climbing a ladder which is propped up against the side of the building:

JACK comes down the stairs and looks on curiously. ,

Jack looks up. A Persian cat is stranded on a ledge high above.

SCENE 33 CONT.

They all grow interested and press forward to meet him.

you? We saw the advertisement in the Herald.

<

a2.

MARY LOUISE | We wanted to invite you for a glass of sherry, but I said to Margaret “Let’s : wait" -- Mr. LeDuc is such a private person that --

She makes a gesture to Jack, indicating her sister drinks too much.

Mr. Palma, who is still waiting on the ladder, speaks up impatiently.

%, PALMA : . Can somebody please tell me how I’m doing?!

He descends the ladder. '

Jack starts up the ladder as the neighbors watch. He reaches the top of the ladder but is short of the ledge where Mohammed roosts.

\e

SCENE 33 CONT.

Jack sees another ledge below it. Finding a. handhold, he grabs on and swings out, off the ladder. A small GASP rises up from below.

He scales the building athletically. From below, Laura watches: him keenly. Beads of sweat break out on his forehead and run down his face and muscular neck Sexy.

VANESSA arrives and watches, equally entranced.

Jack, with a final stretch, reaches the cat and coaxes it into his arms. A CHEER rises up from the small crowd as Jack descends the ladder with the cat. He reaches the ground and is given a hero’s welcome.

ADRIAN appears in the entranceway. He looks around sharply, quickly sizing up the situation.

Adrian storms up the stairs.

Adrian comes in, fuming. He slams the door.

i

Very English, complete with portraits of the royal family on the walls. JACK and MARY LOUISE are seated in the living room.

MARGARET comes in with three glasses ‘on a tray.

; MARY LOUISE ' Port?

He smiles. Margaret looks away shyly like a fifteen year old._

They all drink The two ladies drink their port in one gulp.

‘ . SCENE 35 CONT.

; MARY LOUISE

When Senor Alvarez was alive -- well, we were going to be married, that’s why we came here. But he died three days before the wedding.

Jack looks strangely touched by the openness of the iwo ladies.

a

at.

SCENE 35 CONT:

MARGARET _ Happy here. Oh, Mr. Carney -- we're boring you, silly.

JACK

No, please go on. We're living — door to each other. I think it’s good to get to know one another.

’ 28. SCENE 35 CONT.

; MARGARET But he behaves as if we owed him money.

MARY LOUISE ‘ Ah, that’s nice. It’s good for Mr. LeDuc, Im sure.

MARY LOUISE

You do love him, don’t you Mr. Carney? {to Margaret, overcome by sentiment)

Isn't it nice?

meen

They giggle.

. 29: SCENE 35 CONT. MARY LOUISE No. You're right. But shouldn't he be under some care? Sometimes he behaves in an unspeakable way -- and not everybody is as understanding as we are.

MARGARET © No, not as understanding as we are.

MARY LOUISE

For us, certainly.

. MARY LOUISE Someone with a recognizable accent.

From offscreen,’ ADRIAN'S VOICE is heard calling out.

el hb

SCENE 35.

Jack sets down his glass.

MARY LOUISE

We have some back issues of thé Sunday Times, if youre interested. We can’t afford the subscription anymore, and since the --

{a whisper) -- Falklands -- we were getting it quite irregularly.

CONT. 1

MARY LOUISE

Oh, Mr. Carney! JACK

Jack. ADRIAN (0.s.)

(a real shout) JACK?!

JAGK enters and sees ADRIAN pacing. He tries to, placate him.

Adrian turns, visibly upset.

. SCENE 36 CONT. ADRIAN ; . (growing increasingly upset) Tm not mad at you. You don’t Imow what these people are like. Listen, Jack, you have to promise one thing. The only rule here is "avoid the neighbors." Don’t take them into your confidence. Give them nothing. They’ve been trying to find their way into me, you know, like dirty little worms. Not because they care, not because they like me, but to satisfy their morbid, pointless curiosity. To know my business, to chit chat, to corrode, to invade --

You probably think I'm paranoid. Perhaps I am. I don’t really have anything specific against them. I don’t know them well enough to really despise them I don’t intend to -- it’s privacy, you know? Very important. Don't jock at me as if I was crazy.

What? Have you detected others?

Me? Adrian starts to laugh as well

JACK

Be proud of it. I’m proud to know you.

Jack can’t stop laughing. Neither ean Adrian.

ADRIAN

What do you mean? Explain! JACK I can’t. How do you explain an idiosyneracy? It’s just -- there! | ADRIAN -

Don’t he ridiculous. The sky above is “there. Idiosyncracies don’t exist until some asshole spots them!

They are both overtaken by fits of laughter.

GUT To:

CLOSE UP of a photograph of a horribly mutilated AAO frozen ina grotesque death mask.

The slide is taken away, replaced on the screen by another, similar photdgraph. Several more follow.

After the slides, the lights are switched on in the conference

room. DR. MEYER, CHRISTIAN SALCEDO, JULIAN and LORENZO D’ANDREA,. .

ELSA and CLAUDIA sit around a table. Empty coffee cups and full 3 ashtrays are in front of them Dr. Meyer has taken extensive notes on a legal pad.

SCENE 37 CONT.

She sets dawn her pen.

Ss MEYER (cont.)

But there’s something that makes me ~

uncomfortable. Christian, when your

friends in London told me about the

situation, I accepted to come purely ; ; on scientific grounds. Please don't i

think I’m being insensitive to the

problem, but I find it unwise --

dangerous, even -- to mix a political

issue with a police matter.

. CHRISTIAN 2 In a country where police matters and political issues were the same thing until just the other day, you'll forgive us for not forgetting.

He looks over at Julian and Lorenzo. He takes Lorenzo by the shoulder as an older brother might.

‘murdered. He was my best friend,

‘ he was the elder brother of these two guys, he was a close friend of Claudia’s. What’s political about it?

i CHRISTIAN

Im not saying it -- Roberto said ' it himself. He left this message ‘on my answering machine. :

He pushes a button on a cassette player. The voice of a MAN comes on, in Spanish Christian translates, following the rhythm and intensity of the message.

34, ‘ SCENE 37 CONT. CHRISTIAN (cont.) Hello Christian -- it’s me. Roberto. I've just seen one of the bastards! Walking, free! You know the one -- the one who never spoke. The one that whistled when he was torturing Susana. I’m following him Ill find out where he goes. I'll call you later.

The telephone cuts out with a CLICK. The room is silent, chilled. Tears pour down the faces of Julian and Lorenzo. }

.

CHRISTIAN

’ Pheir parents declared Roberto dead

a long time ago. For his political views. They couldnt understand his Jack of indifference.

. JULIAN We were too young.

LORENZO ; We were told Roberto had been brainwashed.

ae

. SCENE 37 CONT.

There is an awkward pause. Christian turns to Dr. Meyer with , finality. . :

She looks around at the faces of Julian: and Lorenazc.

ADRIAN watches a film through the window while JUAN runs the

projector. Adrian is upset. ADRIAN

Stop it, Juan. You see how right

I am about checking the prints?

I wont put up with this any longer.

. 39 INT BENOIT’S OFFICE" DAY 39

INSPECTOR BENOIT is behind his desk, apparently having listened politely to DR. MEYER, CHRISTIAN, and his GROUP.

Julian tries to calm hin.

86, 4 SCENE 39 CONT, ‘ BENOIT There’s nothing in the murders that points at anything political None of the victims except for Roberto dAndrea had an active political past.

Meyer looks again at the faces of Julian and Lorenzo, so creased with pain.

Christian and the others look at her, surprised by her unexpected turnaround,

CUT TO: |

ADRIAN is on the telephone, fuming.

i = . BENOIT has loosened his tie. DR. MEYER, CHRISTIAN and the OTHERS look as though they have been there a long time. ‘

Concrete evidence? No. How could

I? But who were the men in the duty °

group that arrested Roberto d’Andrea ; ~ i and tortured Susana? Was there anyone . who whistled?

: BENOIT Hardly evidence, Doctor. You don't ‘have anything -- : a

s

The tone of her voice is greeted by a big silence.

cur To:

: 37, 1 AQ INT THEATRE LOBBY NIGHT . 42

ADRIAN waits as a small crowd empties out from the theatre. He wears his coat, holds another over his arm. JACK emerges from the theatre, carrying a briefcase and dressed better than usual Adrian helps him put his coat on.

‘ JACK ‘No. I saw “National Velvet."

From the ticket booth, CLAUDIA sees them talking. She’s still a bit shaky from the upsetting meeting, but she watches Jack, intrigued by him. . o

i ADRIAN 1958, ih JACK So why was it in black and white?

Claudia steps up to them, again trying to be introduced to Jack

CLAUDIA : Good night, Adrian. . 8

any

SCENE 42 CONT.

Jack notices her, looks intently into her face as if he sees

something. 'Adrian notices the eye contact.

ADRIAN (not cooperating) - Good night. , He ushers Jack outside.

Jack and Adrian pause on the sidewall Adrian gestures to Jacks briefcase. . ‘ ‘ ADRIAN I appreciate your coming right from work JACK : My pleasure. What,are you showing tomorton? ADRIAN “Lolita.” JACK Spanish? , ADRIAN Kubrick. JACK

Will I like it?

. ADRIAN Qh, God. What a treat. .

JACK

TYll see it. Okay, now it’s my treat. Let’s pick up a couple. of chicks and have some fun. What do you say?

Adrian’s jaw drops.

i ADRIAN ” What for?

JACK

What do you mean, what for? A

quick exchange of bodily fluids.

A long pause.

39,

SCENE 43 CONT.

; ADRIAN What about AIDS?

: JACK

Fine. Okay. I didn’t mean to offend

you. But you wanted to know about my idiosyneracies -- well, here comes number one. I enjoy mixed company. You know -- male ~~ female. Sometimes it works.

. JACK ‘Dont you like girls, Adrian?

A clock starts to CHIME. Jack looks up at it. It’s eleven p.m.

He walks away. Adrian calls after him, surprised and concerned. |

And he’s gone into the night.

_ ADRIAN Im sorry! "CUT TO:

A shot of the city -- lit up, alive. cur TO:

A lightly traveled, irregularly lit public square. The camera is moving, elbowing past people and heading toward a certain corner of the square. In the corner, a PRETTY YOUNG WOMAN is talking’ animatedly to her DATE. Arguing, ‘in fact. The Date is implacable, making things worse. The Girl stalks off, ending the argument. The camera follows her.

The Girl walks alone, followed by the camera. WHISTLING is heard.

ADRIAN nurses a drink morosely. The place is dark, nearly empty, ‘ BARMAN ; , (in Spanish) Glosing time, gentlemen! . CUT TO: AT INT | A BATHROOM ‘NIGHT 47

JACK, face dripping, lifts his head from the sink and looks _into the mirror. He runs his wet hands through his hair.

ener:

JACK returns to the building, ToGiketiner tired. As he. starts up the stairs LAURA WERPACHOWSKY steps out at her apartment. She sees Jack and stops. .

Laura looks as if she’s been awakened in the -middle of an : uncomfortable' dream. She looks at Jack and feels naked. She makes to move back into her apartment. He holds her eyes.

She immediately realizes that Jack isn’t stopping her, only looking at her.

She’s making an effort not to cry. She bows her head. Jack takes her softly by the chin and raises her face. .

She breaks out in uncontrollable sobbing, He takes her by the shoulder and leads her back into her apartment. At the door, he pauses and throws a sideward look up to Apartment Zero.

She stands across the room, half in darlmess, half in golden light from a table lamp.

. don’t know what Ill do. My whole family is in Italy. Im all alone here.

She looks at him, believing him, calmer.

“42. SCENE 49 CONT. . JACK - ; You'll never be alone unless you want to.

JACK , No, I don’t think Have a good night’s sleep.

She stops herself, embarrassed by her own straightforwardness. ~

She looks away.

Outside comes the sound of FOOTSTEPS on the

stairs, Jack turns his head as he hears the door to Apartment Zero open'and close. Mildly surprised, he checks his watch _.

a

. youll be alright.

. LAURA (cont.) Forgive me. I don’t know what's the matter with me. I hardly know you.

LAURA

My father was the perfect stranger. He understood. I don’t know how,

but he knew -- everything. I saw him only once a year, until the day he died. Then he was gone and I felt -- lost, I felt -- you know how you feel when you don't feel anything? : That’s how I felt. 4

42A.

SCENE 49 CONT. ;

A tear rolls down her cheek Jack steps forward a bit, closer: to her to comfort her.

LAURA (cont.)

Albee, my husband, doesn’t have a clue. He thinks Im moody. And I cant explain it to ‘him Im afraid hell get bored. He may leave and never come back I know it’s stupid, it’s so stupid. Ima grown up, a married woman. But I want my father back I want him back I need --

Jack dries her tears with his finger. He caresses her ficts with the back of his hand. ,

; An establishing shot of the hospital grounds.

49B ~~ INT HOSPITAL ROOM DAY ; a 498°

The PRETTY YOUNG GIRL from the park is in a hospital bed, There “is a dark, awful red mark around her neck She whispers in Spanish as BENOIT and the YOUNG COP listen.

In a corner of the room, CHRISTIAN translates to DR. MEYER.

“f

——

- 50 INT APARTMENT ZERO MORNING : 50 .

43,

The usual breakfast table scenario. ADRIAN looks impatient and a bit worse for wear from last night’s activities. -

No answer.

Still no answer. Adrian goes to Jacks door and knocks, then tries to open it. tee

Locked,

-He goes into his room and picks up a large ring of keys. Coming

back to Jacks door, he tries several of them.

He’s beginning to panic. The keys JINGLE as he searches i frantically for the right one.

He tosses them down and goes into the kitchen, returning with a hammer and a screwdriver. He’s about to wield them on the hinges when JACKS YOICE comes from the front door. “gl JACK Adrian!

i

“ 44, SCENE 50 CONT.

Adrian whirls.

ADRIAN | Well I was worried sick Come . “hoe on, have some breakfast. .

Jack sits at the table and starts to eat. ‘Adrian watches him for a moment, then speaks, : :

. ADRIAN (cont.) You're going to be late for work again, you know. I don't quite understand your schedule at IBM.

4 (pause) And you need a shave.

(pause)

I won't ask you where you've been. Those bags under your eyes give the whole dirty thing away.

Jack grins and chews.

INSPECTOR BENOIT arrives and is immediately accosted by REPORTERS:

They fire questions at him in frenzied Spanish. He fights his way. through them and into the building.

: : 45.

The already tired looking BENOIT’ comes into his office. Waiting for him in two chairs across from his desk are CHRISTIAN and DR. MEYER. Benoit sits at his desk

CUT TO: ;

ADRIAN visits his mother. She’s paler than last time, nore frail ,

He goes to comb her hair.

His mother turns to him She gives him a hard look

Adrian looks kt her, dumbfounded.

Adrian steps back, shaking.

* ADRIAN ‘ What? Mother! Mother!

54° Ext A STREET DAY BA

46..

JACK is walking with a TALL MAN. They speak animatedly, but we don’t hear. Jack appears frustrated; the Tall Man attempts to ; placate him. As they part, Jack looks up and sees VANESSA go into a small cinema. ,

‘urious, he follows.

JACK parts the curtains and‘ comes into the nearly empty theatre.

He looks over the sparse crowd, trying to find Vanessa. A figure of a woman -- Vanessa -- gets up and moves next to a mana few rows away and in front of Jack

Jack watches as the heads of Vanessa and the Man move closer together, .

He watches.- A few moments’ go by.

Suddenly the man’s VOICE pipes up in a hushed whisper. It quickly becomes vociferous, aggressive towards Vanessa, ranting on in Spanish :

Jack gets up and moves, sitting in the row behind them. The Man turns to Jack, launching into another tirade.

Peaple around them are irritated, "SHHH"-ing them. The Man storms’ up the aisle of the theatre, still ranting to people as he goes.

Vanessa hangs his head, ashamed at what happened and that Jack was there to see it. :

; . , 47.

ADRIAN iS on a telephone in the hallway, dppanarels waiting on “hold”. He’s nervous, upset by his mother ° s outburst.

He ‘speaks ‘to a NURSE, who stands next to him, : ‘

The Nurse leaves and Adrian turns back to the phone.

ADRIAN (cont, ) ‘

Yes? What do you mean, he isn’t listed? Of course he’s listed. He’s an American, part of your -- uh, the z exchange program.

(pause) Yes, I’m sure it’s called the exchange program. He told me so himself.

(impatiently)

i Carney. Jack Carney.

Long pause.

He hangs up the phone. Stunned. He turns and moves back down the hall, eyes wide, uncomprehending. The Nurse ——— him with a clipboard. NURSE Mr. LeDuc, I just need you to . 4

sign these forms in order to stay overnight in the building.

57 INT

. ADRIAN I have to tell her.

Adrian’s MOTHER is asleep. He stands at the foot of her bed.

-58 INT

JACK comes talking to up, taking

She starts’

surrounded

APARTMENT COMPLEX DAY "5g

into the building with VANESSA, _ EDITH TRENIEV: is the McKINNEY SISTERS in the entryway. They all look note of Jack.

VERNE on the stairs. Sanchez-Verne is tall and dark, very macho. He’s with a stunning looking WOMAN.

2 sen

MOTHER’S ROOM DAY ; 57 -

\

, : , : 49. ‘ . . : SCENE 58 CONT.

foe MARY LOUISE (to Jack) ’

We think there’s something -- wrong with

her. iHave you noticed? .

; MARGARET Nature dealt: her a-:cruel hand.

MARGARET ~ Funny thing, nature..- ‘

, EDITH She frightens me.

Carlos and the Woman stop on their way out. The McKinneys look the girl up and down and exchange a disapproving glance.

He points up at the ledge.

CARLOS ; Let’s have a drink one of these days. I’m planning, to move to the States, you know.

a EDITH Oh really? When?

‘

Le =

He gestures to Apartment Zero. Carlos raises a hand to stop hin.

‘ 50. SCENE 58 CONT. » GARLOS I know. Just give a knock on my door. I don’t want to -- Mr. LeDtc and I -- I mean, you know. Just call me. Oh, I’m sorry, this is a friend. Teresa. Doesnt speak any English. (to Teresa) Say hello.

Teresa smiles. They leave.

allowed one or two hundred idiosynecracies.

Jack starts up the stairs. He notices the door to number 7, Vanessa’s apartment, is ajar. Vanessa stands a few feet inside the apartment, inviting hin in with her eyes. Jack stops and looks downstairs. The Women are occupied in conversation and aren’t looking. He goes into Vanessa’s apartment and closes the door. < i s 8 Q

Downstairs, the front door’ BANGS open again and ADRIAN hurries in.

The Women, startled, ,look up. He ignores them and races up the stairs to his apartment. They watch him and exchange glances.

“59 INT APARTMENT ZERO ~ DAY 59

Adrian comes in, wild eyed. He goes immediately to his bedroom.

He checks his bureau to see if his cache of money is still there. It is. He goes to his desk and, selecting a key off the large ring he carries, opens the center drawer.

He looks through the things in there -- identity card, passport, eheckbook, various official looking papers -- and finds them all in order. He leaves the drawer partway open, the keys hanging in the lock. .

He goes to the large, wooden dresser on the other side of the room and checks there. Everything seeming in order, he starts to close the door but stops short. .He looks at his suitcase and notices the flap of material’ sticking out. He reaches down and fingers it. A sick sabe” hashes across ihis face.

He goes to the open mae ameens and takes out a second, much larger ring of keys.. ‘He bolts out of his room.

Adrian goes to the door to Jack’s room. It’s locked. He tries several keys, then finds the one he wants and opens the door. He goes in. . 4 ; CUT To:

Vanessa’s place doesn’t fit with the atmosphere’ of the rest of the building. It’s surprisingly austere, with touches here and there of colored cushions and pillows and an occasional vase of flowers.

VANESSA goes to JACK and gives him a little medal on a gold chain.

You don’t have to —-

ba. SCENE 60 CONT., _ VANESSA I want to. People like you don’t grow on trees. I°1ll always want § to remember how I met someone like you. You know what that means? It means hope. Hope, my dear. And you know what hope means? It means everything. So, my friend, you have given.me everything. Just by being you. ,By being you. ,

“ JACK * : Why do you put yourself down?

. “VANESSA . Oh, Isdon’t,put --'I am. Down, but happy. “Don’t worry.’ No sob. stories, I promise. Happy. Down and happy. ‘Acting a great deal. Not like you. You/are you -- here, there, anyplace. You can afford the light: | God, the light. No flaws, no fear. , I belong inthe dark. The dark is safe. In the dark I seem real. In the dark, my dear, I’ve been called things.. I’ve been called beautiful. I’ve been loved in the dark.

Jack gets up and turns on a light. He points it toward Vanessa. Vanessa steps back, covering her face. Jack pulls her hands away from her face and with the back of his hand caresses Vanessa’s face.

. ‘JACK You are beautiful.

ADRIAN searches Jack’s room. There’s not much there -- some

clothes, a few books. On top of a tall dresser Adrian finds a thin briefcase. He tries to open it but it’s locked. He puts it back. :

He finds a backpack under the bed. The large section is empty but in a small zippered pocket in the front he finds a handful of photographs.

Most of them are ordinary -- a few of girls, one of a couple that must be Jack’s parents. Adrian thumbs through them quickly.

: . SCENE 61 CONT. Abruptly he stops ata picture of four men dressed in aemy fatigues posing on a'beach. Each one has a rifle. Theyre clowning, looking more like teenagers playing soldier than the real thing. Jack is'‘one of them.

He looks different. His hair is much darker, shorter as well. Adrian’s eyes go wide and he stares at the rifle in Jack’s hands, fixating on it, zeroing in on that part of the photograph with intense .concentration -- BANG!

A door closes downstairs and footsteps start up the steps.

Adrian, panicky, serambles to put the photos back in order and into the backpack. He puts the pack under the bed and runs out of the room.

He fumbles with the key ring, trying again to find the right one to lock the door.

The FEET on the stairs are closer now. Still Adrian searches for the key, but his hands are shaking now, making it nearly impossible. Adrian hears JACK’S VOICE outside, greeting a neighbor.

Adrian gives up on the key ring and leaves the door closed but unlocked.

He races across the room and drops into a chair as the door to the apartment opens and JACK comes in. Jack sees Adrian in the chair, sitting casually but panting. 5

. . ADRIAN She’1l be alright.

3 JACK Good. Hey, I’ve got a killer for you. Harrison Ford, Robert Duvall and Teri Garr.

SCENE 62 CONT.

.-

suddenly go away, are you?

: JACK What do you mean? ADRIAN I mean -- I’ve sort of got used to having

you here. I like you to be here.

If I get on your nerves, you can tell me.

. JACK What debris? What are you talking about? -

Adtian waits, watching Jack, then breaks.

55, ; SCENE 62 CONT. _ ADRIAN Forget it. It’s me. We're all allowed one or two hundred idiosyneracies, remember? I’m kind of wobbly. To sée my mother

fading away -- I can’t bear it. JACK Adrian -- ADRIAN I have to look at you and ‘be sure, Tf that --

He points at Jack’s face.

S| JACK. ‘“S. (soberly) ¢. What do you want-to know?

h ADRIAN * (after a pause) Who are you?

: JACK (longer pause) Whoever you want me to be.

+

Jack lays a hand on Adrian’s shoulder. Adrian looks at him. JACK (cont. )}

Let's go out. There’s nothing to be afraid of.

SCENE 62 CONT.

- ADRIAN Say that again. JACK What?: : : ": ADRIAN There's nothing to be afraid of. : - JACK Theres nothing to ‘be afraid of.- . ’ ADRIAN You really thean that. : “JACK You ‘betcha, ; : . ADRIAN :

(elated and relieved) Where do you want.to go?

1 ADRIAN Okay. Yes.: Good. Out.

Adrian goes into his room, Jack goes to his. He opens the door to his room. He stops midway, looking down at the knob curiously, noticing that it was. unlocked. ;

Jack goes straight to the locked briefcase and checks to make sure it’s still secured. ‘It is. He leaves the room.

* Jack KNOCKS and comes in. Adrian is putting.on a jacket.

» JACK Oh, Adrian.

1a i i 57. t SCENE 64 CONT. "JACK Do me a favor, okay?

“He goes to Adrian ana reaches up to his neck. ‘He loosens Adrian’s tie. . : \

sack (cont. )

Dont you have 4 pair of jeans?

; ADR LAN

It doesn’t matter. I know I’m 40 years too late for everything, but that’s the sa it is.

As Adrian talks, Jack looks across the room and sees Adrian’s desk drawer hanging open, the ring of keys sticking out of the lock.

ADRIAN {cont.) - . You take Chuck Norris. I°1ll stick "to Errol Flynn, i you dont mind.

' JACK They “ll think you” re my father.

| ADRIAN and JACK walk down the sitreet.

. JACK Let’s go to a disco.

JACK

What do you. want! to do? Go to a movie, right? ADRIAN

Of course not. tts too late. JACK’

Come on, we're ih the Paris of South America. Don’t tell me that two young, good looking guys cant find anything to, do.

7 | 58.

A small, intimate theatre bar where a very dramatic looking SINGER sings a tango. Jack is far too casually dressed and gets a few looks. He and Adrian stand in|the back while the singer finishes.

She’ concludes and they sit at small table. Across the room, CARLOS SANCHEZ-VERNE is in the ‘audience with another incredible looking WOMAN. Carlos sees Jack and waves. Jack waves back.

|

: JACK Yeah, it’s Carlos.

Adrian looks. F |

| ADRIAN Carlos? Carlos? Oh, Carlos. Since when do you ~- \ « JACK Theyre polite, cial talk to me. What can I do? -: . : r ', ADRIAN . Why should you care? Do what I do -- good morning, cond aa a and that’s it.

“JACK| + They * be harmless; \’

." ‘ADRIAN | Hah! | a : ‘

Carlos has stood up arid is. approaching the table. As he draws near, he sees Adrian’is with Jack-and he hesitates. It’s too late to turn back, though; and he comes up to the table. * CARLOS Good evening! Did you enjoy the show? |

| Adrian nods and half ignores F

t

: JACK! We just got heze)

ao

“Jack nods his no attention."

Adrian nods.

'

\ 59. t SCENE 66 CONT. » CARLOS Ah, too bad.

head ‘at Adrian and winks to Carlos as if to say "pay

| CARLOS Well -- see you around.

JACK

_ CARLOS . (to Adrian)| - Good bye. - i

Sure.

Carlos: leaves. ,

to gACR That was ts Ties une

. ADRIAN: Believe me, I know what I’m doing. Next thing it’s can I borrow some sugar," then it’s “can I use your phone’ mines out; of order" and before you know it we’re all living together like one big happy ugly family.

JACK! Carlos seems very nice.

; “ADRIAN He doesn’t know who Geraldine Page is.

JACK | Oh come on. Arej;you really going around asking people if|they know who Geraldine Page is before you inake up your mind about them?

. Geraldine Page died we had a tribute

at the Club. Sanchez-Verne had just moved in, sao I gave him a chance and he blew it. "Who’s Geraldine Page?" I knew I couldnt talk to him any

further.

ee: (a

aeted

: . SCENE 66 CONT. i JACK You make it pretty difficult for yourself, don’t you? It’s going to take a while before you bump into the two or three others like

you. ' 5 ’ ADRIAN Are you calling me a freak? : JACK Put away the claws. I’m calling ® you special. ADRIAN . Special? Special? You should be a politician. God. "Special"! JACK

Well? Am:I right or not? If you were a bit more tolerant of other people’s ignorance you wouldnt be living, alone.

ADRIAN : Who‘s living alone? Where do you live? What are you, an optical

illusion? : ‘ JACK I don’t count. ADRIAN Why not? ne JACK

I’m.special too.

‘Across the room, Carlos gets up and heads: for the bathroom. Jack notices. fo. oy :

Carlos is standing at the urinal. Jack comes in and sees him.

Jack steps up and uses the urinal next to him. Carlos turns.

CARLOS ~ Not bad, eh? Unfortunately, I don’t seein to be her type.

; : JACK She must be crazy.

Carlos looks at him in silence. Someone else comes into the bathroom. Carlos looks away and Zips up. He goes to wash his bands and looks at Jack through the mirror. .

; JACK (cont. ) Have a.drink later?

‘CARLOS Why..not? “I°ll take her back and be ‘at homé in an.hour or two. ~ : DISSOLVE TO:

JACK and ADRIAN are ‘returning, going up the stairs. Jack has .managed to get Adrian slightly drunk. ‘

As they pass number 6, Jack notices the door ajar.

They get to the top and go into their apartment.

Jack and Adrian come in. Adrian is in a great mood.

ADRIAN

It was a goad idea. It was fun. Good night.

. ADRIAN I can hold my liquor, thank you very mich. What do you think?

SCENE 68 CONT.

69A

Jack walks to Adrian’ § bedroom and stands by the ‘door, He looks

over at the desk drawer, which is now closed and locked. Adrian

holds the keys in his: aI

wo ADRIAN (cont. ) | : Good night. :

| He closes his door. Jack leaves the apartment.

Dark, masculine. Carlos has’ taken off his jacket. Jack looks

around.

‘CARLOS Does he know you‘re here?

: : 63. i ’ SCENE 70 CONT. . CARLOS

She’s playing hard'’to gét. That’s

her problem.- . ; :

He returns with two dark glasses of beer. He gives one to Jack. They CLINK glasses and drink. There is a long pause.

“ CARLOS (cont. ) You have a‘double, did you know.

that? .

- AGE ° A double?

i CARLOS Tony Blakely. We went to boarding schodl together. American -- like . you. I haven’t seen him since -- Ps : strange. . We were real close. Both

fanatics of rugby. He was something

. on the field, a natural athlete. You know; one of those perfect bodies. . Girls wet their pants every time he showed up. I kind of miss him. I mean, he was —-- I don’t miss him like one would miss -- but I wouldnt mind if he was here tonight with me.

(correcting himself)

With us.

_ JACK Why dont you contact him?

Carlos laughs, but it is a forced, phony laugh.

64, SCENE 70 CONT. GARLOS (cont. ) I suppose a shrink could do a lot with that. An unfulfilled fantasy. I mean -- an adolescent fantasy.

CARLOS

Do you have any? JACK Unfulfilled? No. GARLOS Do you want another drink? JACK I’m fine. CARLOS

I was an asshole. He was much older than me that way. We were the same age, but he

wasn’t afraid. 1 was an asshole. "JACK Sometimes you have to wonder. If you could go back -- would-you be’ an asshole again? CARLOS

Who knows? ,

JACK | . (breaking the mood) Do I really look like him?

Jack walks over to a mirror on the other side of the room.

JACK: (cont. ) Garlos and Tony.

JACK, not dressed yet, eats his breakfast. ADRIAN has finished and watches him intently, looking for something, not knowing what.

Oh, come on. Let’s go.

Adrian goes to the door, pauses for one last look back, then

leaves.

. . ; ; ' 66.

Adrian comes out of the building. Across the street, a taxi cab is parked, the DRIVER reading a paper. Adrian heads for it.

Jack comes out of the apartment and locks the door.

Jack comes out of the building and starts down the sidewalk.

AGROSS THE STREET, Adrian sees him and taps the Driver on the shoulder.

: ADRIAN Okay. Follow him.

The Driver looks at Jack, then turns and Looks back at Adrian.

DRIVER ~ Is this political?

The Driver folds his arms.

Adrian rolls his eyes in desperation. He gives the driver some money and climbs out of the cab, hurrying after Jack.

From a discreet distance, Adrian follows Jack down the sidewalk.

Jack turns onto a smaller street. Adrian follows.

Pa

. 5 B7.

It quickly becomes an alley. Adrian finds it more difficult to be inconspicuous and has to duck into several doorways. Jack is walking briskly, taking turns onto obscure streets, behaving as though he knows the route very well.

Adrian stays with him. Suddenly Jack walks between two buildings which open onto -- .

TT. EXT BAGH ROCERS . DAY © . TT

" Adrian looks up and gees an enormous, modern glass box building on the other side of the boulevard. ,A sign in the plaza in front of the building has only one word:

tonmationg

Jack hurries adross the street to the building. Adrian watches, dumbfounded, as Jack."goes through:a revolving door and disappears behind smoked windows. Adrian heads off down the street in the ather direction, more ‘confused than ever.

BENOIT, the YOUNG COP, CHRISTIAN, CLAUDIA, LORENZO, JULIAN and ELSA wait in the conference room. Benoit and Christian pace nervously. DR. MEYER'is on the phone, trying to speak loud enough to be heard on an overseas .call but quietly, so as not to be heard by the others. t

Benoit looks at his watch, then at Christian. He shakes his head.

‘MEYER (cont. )} (into phone) . No, we’re waiting now. No one yet. I’ll call you later. No -- you call me. Late. Michael, don’t forget Timmy ’s swimming lesson, okay?

. SCENE 78 CONT. Benoit and Christian exchange another grim look.

She hangs up, embarrassed at the enormous incongruity of the call.

BENOIT i There’s: no point in waiting. No one is coming. I wish I wasn’t, but I’m right about this. To ask families to dig up -- reopen -- old wounds is too much.

There is a KNOCK at the door. A YOUNG WOMAN sticks her head into the room.

They all look at each other. Claudia goes to the door and opens dt.

Through the open door, Christian and the others see a group of at least twenty people -- parents, brothers, sisters -- with packages, envelopes, photographs. They stream into the room.

It is a powerful, moving moment.

ADRIAN walks through the lobby, pursued by a terribly excited CLAUDIA.

She notices Adrian’s detachnient.

He goes into the box office and closes the door. She watches him, pugzaled.

i INT CINEMA LOBBY NIGHT 81 GLAUDIA and ADRIAN are in the lobby, showing people into the auditorium. CHRISTIAN arrives, followed by some of his people. They all pass through the lobby and into the auditorium.

Adrian hangs back.

“SCENE 81 CONT.

free day, we have plans. Claudia gives him a look and goes into the auditorium.

Adrian walks casually up to the door of the auditorium and half opens it.

Christian is standing in front of the screen addressing the small crowd. , :

(to Claudia)

Can we have the -- ?°

Claudia makes a sign toward the projection booth. The lights dim.

A sort of home-movie-looking film is projected onto the screen.

MEN in uniform are riding in a truck, bouncing around on crates. There is an abrupt cut and they are.eating out of metal plates and drinking from canteens in the. middle of a field.

Another cut and the screen shows the image of a beach. Several YOUNG MEN in fatigues, appear, in front of the camera, |

holding rifles. They wave to the camera and pose, very macho young men. ’

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: SCENE 82 CONT. Adrian looks up at the sereen suddenly, caught up in the image, frozen by an awful thought.

In back, Adrian is still captivated, staring at the image that is so like the picture in Jack’s room. His gaze zeroes in on the automatic rifle in the hands of one of the Young Men, he stares at it, unblinking, horrified and fascinated, his gaze becomes more and more intense, moving in closer and closer to the moving image of the weapon in the Young Man’s hands --

Adrian is overcome and he whirls around to leave. -- JACK -- stands right behind him, smiling.

: JACK Ready to go?

Adrian is dumbfounded and unable to respond, so he turns back to the sereen, transfixed, trying to think of what on earth he should

The Men on the beach jokingly point their rifles at one another, clowning around -- and then the film is over. The lights come back up slowly.

Adrian turns around. Jack is gone. ~

ADRIAN returns to the apartment quietly, almost silently. In the other room, JACK can be heard on the telephone. - His voice is urgent, dissatisfied -- #

-- and he’s speaking perfect Spanish.

* JACK (in Spanish) No, I‘m not. going to wait another day. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll take care of that, you just take care of what ee promised.. :

sarcomas _—— _ a ee

Adrian closes the door to the apartment with a BANG. Jack hangs up and turns to Adrian, smiling like an actor. Throughout the building, doors can be heard: OPENING and SLAMMING.

The voice of MARY LOUISE calls Jack’s name urgently.

Jack walks to the door. Adrian doesn’t move.

Jack opens the door. ; : '

All the neighbors are gathered at the foot of the stairs. As one, they turn their heads to, Jack.

- MARY LOUISE Oh Jack, .dear boy -- Mr. Palma! Quickly!

FRANCISCO PALMA, the retired teacher, lies at the foot of the stairs, having an epileptic attack. Jack runs downstairs.

He gets down on his knees in front of Mr. Palma. Palma is convulsing wildly, eyes rolled back in his head, foam at his mouth.

Jack grabs him by the shoulders, faces him from a few inches away and SHOUTS -- “3%

“JACK 7 STOP! ! : i Immediately, Palma’s body goes limp. The convulsions stop and he lapses into unconsciousness,

CARLOS SANCHEZ-VERNE goes to Jack’s assistance, putting a hand on his shonlder and giving him an intense look.

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Jack puts his fingers into Mr. Palma’s mouth and expertly pulls his tongue back to avoid Palma swallowing it. The McKINNEYS and EDITH TRENIEV watch, mésmerised. VANESSA goes to Jack.

Mrs. Treniev brings the pillow and blanket. LAURA comes near to help. She leans in close to Jack and whispers in his ear.

Garlos returns and tries to get close to Jack.

Palwa, dased, regains consciousness. Everyone turns and there is a general "Ahh!" as Palma comes to.

They all press forward and congratulate Jack, sort of forgetting about Palma. In the distance, the SIREN of the ambulance can be heard. Jack looks up as the neighbors fuss to fight over him.

; 7A. ; SCENE 84 CONT. Jack looks up to the top of the stairs. From the door of Apartment Zero, ADRIAN glares down at him.

{

; CUT TO:

Jack comes in. Adrian is seated in a chair, fingering his ring of keys nervously. a

Adrian looks at him in silence. He sighs and sets his keys on the coffee table. Jack notices.

of JACK (cont. ) I’1ll be back on Monday.

‘ ADRIAN You wont come back.

ADRIAN : I don’t care who you are. Jack, you can trust me. I’m starting to decipher those shadows on your face. You don’t have to tell me anything -- just don’t go away.

I have to sort out a few things.

Jack goes into his room. Adrian follows.

Jack grabs an armload of clothes, hauls his back pack out from under the bed.

SCENE 86 CONT.

JACK ‘ You’re getting on my nerves, Adrian. You’re acting like a jealous, suspicious wife.

He goes out of the room with the back pack and armload of clothes. Adrian follows him into the living room again.

Jack drops his clothes on the coffee table, directly and deliberately on top of Adrian’s keys.

Jack goes to Adrian, stands close.

A pause. Adrian looks him in the eye.

: JACK That’s right.

Jack goes to the coffee table and sweeps his clothes into his back pack. There is a quiet JINGLE as Adrian’s keys are swept in along with them. : ——— ‘

ADRIAN is in bed, asleep. The door: to his room opens slowly.

JACK’s figure stands silhouetted in the door frame. Jack creeps in softly, stands at the end of the bed looking at Adrian.

He relocks the desk. As he turns- the key, the lock GLICKS loudly. In bed, Adrian’s eyes snap open. He doesn’t move. The figure of Jack draws close to Adrian, soon towering over him. Adrian closes his eyes again.

Jack bends down and puts a folded piece of paper on Adrian’s bedside table. He leaves the room.

As soon as dack is gone, Adrian sits up and opens the note. He turns on a light. :

The note reads: '

“

"See you Sunday. Adrian gets up and gdes into the ‘Living room.

Jack is gone. Adrian’ goes quickly, to Jack’s room. BOA INT JACK ‘S, ROOM NIGHT 89A His things are still there, but the thin briefcase is gone. The

phone RINGS shrilly, ‘stirring Adrian from his reverie. He answers it, ,

JACK and the TALL MAN seen with him earlier wash their hands at a sink. _ The Tall Man hands Jack an envelope filled with money.

. TALL MAN We won’t see each other again. JACK I promise.

a2 INT THE INSTITUTION DAY — ge

ADRIAN runs down a corridor, flanked by NURSES and a DOCTOR.

JAGK puts the thin briefcase that he kept in his room into a small locker, turns the key and pockets it.

Jack walks down a corridor toward the immigration control. He waits in the short line. After a moment, he is waved forward. He presents his passport. An OFFICER thumbs through the passport officiously. Jack shuffles his feet, waiting. A bead of sweat rolls down his nose. He wipes it off.

The Officer flips back and forth through the passport, looking for something. Finally he shoves it back at Jack. OFFICER (in Spanish) It hasn’t been validated.

: SCENE 93A CONT. Jack grabs the passport and flips through it, panicky.

‘OFFICER (cont. } You must know that by now, Mr. LeDuc.

JACK | : Yes. Of course I da. I-- [I'll do it right away.

Jack looks up. Several GUARDS stand between him and the gate. He turns and goes back the way he came.

cur TO: a4 INT INSTITUTION DAY 94

ADRIAN stands in his mother’s room. The drapes are drawn. It’s dim, almost dark. His MOTHER lies on her bed. Dead.

She’s fully dressed, lying on top of the sheets, her hands folded across her chest.

Adrian stares, consumed by emotion.

JACK takes the briefcase back out of the locker he’d checked it

in. He is furious. He walks through the airport aimlessly, beside himself with frustration.

As he walks, he makes eye contact with a handsome YOUNG MAN, dressed in conservative business clothes, who is leaving the airport.

Jack, immediately returning to his‘old self, grins at the Young Man, who grins back.

; cur TO: a6 INT CONFERENCE ROOM DAY 96

A slide is projected onto a secreen:-- several men in military attire. . .

CLAUDIA, CHRISTIAN, DR: MEYER and INSPECTOR BENOIT look on.

SCENE 96 CONT.

Another slide. They work patiently, making notes on each of the men, looking for any, traces of familiarity.

JACK is in the hotel room, feverishly trying to glue his picture onto-a new passport. Through the mirror, we see the naked body of the YOUNG MAN he made eye contact with in the airport.

The Young Man is dead, we can dimly see that his body has been mutilated -- it must have been, judging from the blood-soaked sheets that he lies on. .

Jack’s hands shake as he works with the passport. In his frenzied state he’s made a horrible mess of the job, smearing glue everywhere, ruining the document.

Another slide, more young men in army uniforms carrying weapons. There is another person at the meeting, a middle-aged man who is the CONTACT from South Africa.

Claudia stares at the.man in profile, wondering, unable to place it. i : a

ADRIAN returns to the apartment building, quite distraught. He starts up the stairs, stumbling a bit, already quite drunk.

Adrian enters and takes a bottle of booze from a cupboard. His hands are shaking and he has difficulty getting the cap off. He slaps at the bottle, .still with no result, then picks it up and sends it CRASHING into a wall, HOWLING in rage and frustration.

The CRASH and Adrian’s CRIES echo through the building.

: “ : CUT TO:

GLAUDIA signals the cONTACT. an

.° -GLAUDIA Hold on a minute. Who’s that?

She points at Jack’s face. The contact looks, checks some notes.

: CONTACT His name is Michael Weller. An American mercenary. Dead. ~

Armed Forces -- there were none. CHRISTIAN

Why, Claudia? GLAUDIA .

No, nothing. I thought -- I don’t

know.

‘ Bi.

It’s night, people are out, the city is just coming alive. JACK walks the streets -- or rather stalks the streets -~ alone, panicky, a predatory animal looking for a way out.

The place is in chaos. ADRIAN is sitting on the floor, several empty bottles of liquor around him. He’s going through old family albums. He tries to. pour himself another drink but the bottle is empty. , : ,

He tosses it away and;in doing so he knocks over the picture of Montgomery Clift. Very drunk, he CRIES OUT and picks it up off the floor. ; : ; ADRIAN... (a shout) I didn’t mean it! I’m sorry!

As the SHOUTS echo through “the building, the MeKINNEYS open their door in night dresses and look up towards Apartment Zero. MARY LOUISE rings EDITH TRENIEV’s bell. No reply. Mrs. Treniev appears at MR. PALMA’s door dressed in a nightgown.

The McKinneys are taken aback.

\ -* ; 82. . : SCENE 105 CONT. Another big CRASH comes from Apartment Zero.

The three women look up. From number 7, VANESSA opens her door, looks up at the apartment,.then down at the women..

; VANESSA - What’s going on?

The McKinneys and Mrs. Treniev look at Vanessa and go back to their apartments wordlessly.

GLAUDIA lies in bed with a light on, smoking a cigarette, thinking. Trying to place the face.

CUT To:

Morning.

‘CARLOS SANCHEZ-VERNE, in his bathrobe, flicks on his television. A NEWS ANNOUNCER speaks in Spanish, announcing the latest victim of the murderer. Behind the Announcer are photographs of the blood-soaked bed and the hotel room where Jack’s victim was found. The Announcer introduces DR. MEYER, who speaks in English.

Vanessa, in-a robe and big, fuzzy slippers, watches Meyer, fascinated.

He begins.

GUT ‘LO:

The MCKINNEY SISTERS watch Meyer, transfixed.

LAURA is watching the television, ALBERTO is still asleep.

MEYER: (cont. ) To have escaped detection so long he -- or she -- must be living and functioning within our system freely.

S = & . " CUT To:

MR. PALMA and MRS. FRENTE, wateh: ever.

' MEYER’ (cont. ) I want’ to stress that we’re not. looking for any particular face here -- there is no recognizable “look”: to the killer. He could be anyone -- perhaps: even someone you like. ‘Someone in your family, : someone you work with -- maybe i even your most trusted neighbor.

-- in the direction of Avartents Zara.

LAURA, shaky, turns her head up toward Apartment Zero.

Terribly worried, the SISTERS turn their gaze uP to Apartment Zero.

Her face creased with fear; she turns and looks up at Apartment Zero.” 3 Bal

He turns towards Apaitment. Zero, a ‘Leet: ‘of rage on his face.

The MCKINNEYS come out of their apartment and go to ring Mrs. Treniev’s bell. MR. PALMA opens the door of his apartment.

: MARY LOUISE Have you seen Jack?

MRS. TRENIEV appears from Mr. Palma’s apartment.

it : . ; SCENE 117 CONT. eo * MARY’ LOUISE: ' Always, without fail.

: -MRS. TRENIEV He may have overslept.

so MARY LOUISE Well, isn’t it odd? The shouts -- last night.

‘ MARGARET That voice from up there -- we couldnt, sleep a wink.

‘ MARY LOUISE Shouldn’t we ask the others? Perhaps someone saw him go out. I’11 ask Mrs. Werpachowsky.

1i7A INT HALLWAY —— DAY 117A

The two women climb the stairs. Mary Louise rings the bell of number 9 while Margaret calls on number 6.

LAURA and CARLOS come down with the cle tere. VANESSA opens her dou.

_ VANESSA Is something wrong?

_ CARLOS Have you seén Jack Carney, the American in-number --—

ALBERTO WERPACHOWSKY appears at the door of his apartment. Hes obviously not quite awake yet.

As one, they all turn to him and "HHH!" Laura makes a sign to her husband to come downstairs. He does.

. ALBERTO Who the hell is Jack?

MARY, LOUISE Mrs. Treniev, you should call the police!

i ' MRS. TRENIEV Me?.. Why me? I.don’t have any evidence. ¥ MARY: LOUISE The. Woman on television said that we have to involve ourselves.

: F VANESSA But it’s. absurd |

: LAURA Oh my God! a

% VANESSA Let's not..get, carried away, pléase. It can “t+ be. The victim was found ina hotel miles from here

: MARGARET Oh, but that’s the simplest thing in the world. He could have killed him here, cut him into little pieces, and moved shim to the hotel.

, - LAURA Oh my God!

' CARLOS We’re wasting time. One of us should go up there. I could knock at the door myself. Or maybe two of us. You know, show a little unity. Just knock at the door and ask for Jack.

: ALBERTO Maybe he’s not in!}

They all turn to him again -- “SHHHHHH}!"- “ MARY LOUISE He always brings the Sunday paper to us -- always.

: 88. SCENE 117A CONT. MARGARET And it he couldn*t .come he would have. called. Hes that kind of person. He would -have called.

he MARY LOUISE Unless --

" LAURA Oh my God!

* MARGARET -- Friday. When Mr. Palma adnan passed away. How are you, by the way? .

“MARY LOUISE Something happened up there last night, we all heard it.

‘ALBERTO If you want, call the police. But I‘d be grateful if you'd leave us out of it.

LAURA — Alberto. We can’t ignore it. We shouldnt wait. . We should go now.

“LAURA Well, if it’s true:+- what if -~

: + MARGARET ene At wasn’t a oral td

: ‘, PALMA’. Let’s wait until.six. If by that time --

4 , VANESSA Yes.’ Let‘s all meet at my gions at six. Then' we“ di decide what to do.

they all exchange an’ “uneasy glance.

From the top of the stairs, the group can be seen assembled below -- the MCKINNEYS, EDITH TRENIEV & MR. PALMA, VANESSA, LAURA and ALBERTO WERPACHOWSKY and CARLOS at the front. As one, they begin their purposeful march up-the stairs to Apartment Zero.

There is a furious POUNDING at the door. ADRIAN goes to the door, looking awful, hung over, drawn, sedated.

SCENE 120 CONT.

. ADRIAN

Who is it? ;

. CARLOS (o.s.) Your neighbors!

Adrian puts on the chain lock and opens the door a crack.

i ADRIAN What do you want?

He closes the door and turns to walk back to his bedroom. With one sharp CRACK, the door flies open, breaking the chain and boucing against the wall with a BANG. d

Adrian is struck by the door and falls to the ground in the middle of the floor. Carlos looms in the doorway, the others are massed behind him. :

Adrian looks up in shock.

His neighbors stand huddled in the doorway, open mouthed, seeing for the first time the apartment that has so long been a mystery to them.

Acting as if on cue, they bolt into the apartment. Adrian watches them in shock.

; ADRIAN What are you doing? What in God’s name do you think you're doing?

They ignore him.

SCENE 120 CONT.

Mr. Palma goes to the pictures of the celebrities and runs his hands over them. .He stops at one particular photograph and pulls the frame apart, examining the back of the photograph.

Finding nothing, he drops the frame in pieces on the floor and starts on another one.

Carlos and Laura go to the door to Jack’s room but find it locked. . ’

Margaret, Mary Louise, and Mary Louise go into Adrian’s room.

They search through Adrian’s things. Their search is creepy, sick. s

With one kick, Carlos knocks open the door to Jack’s room. He and Laura go in and search it.

_ ” DAURA ' (to.the others) He*s not. here! |

Throughout all ofeit, Adrian is horrified, speechless. Alberto towers over him, threaténing and silent. Vanessa cowers.

They regroup in the living room. Carlos grabs Adrian by the shirt . and pulls him to his feet. . °

‘ CARLOS What have you done with him? Eh?! Speak up! : ADRIAN

.. Leave me alone! Animals! Criminals!

Adrian shoves Carlos back. Carlos trips on some pieces of broken picture frame and falls to the floor.

He starts to get up but Alberto Werpachowsky is quicker. He steps up to Adrian and SMACKS him in the face.

He tries to get up but Alberto is closing in on him, fists clenched.

Adrian stumbles back, loses his balance, and falls down the stairs. It’s a long, hideous, painful fall, finally coming to a crushing stop at the foot of the steps.

Adrian’s body lies at the bottom of, the stairs, blood pouring. from the side of his head. From the top of the stairs, the neighbors watch dumbfounded.

At that moment, before anyone has time to react, the front door to the apartment building opens.

JACK returns. There is a general SCREAM:from everyone upstairs. Jack sees Adrian’s body lying at the foot of the stairs and he

runs to his aid. Vanessa runs down the stairs as Jack picks Adrian up in his arms.

Carlos pushes Vanessa aside.

MARY LOUISE, You were all for. it, Mr. Sanchez- Verne. : , CARLOS Shall I call an palviene?

“y . JACK* No. ‘ I711 take care of hin.

Jack carries (ern the wtaind.

. JACK I can manage.

Jack neucteu the top of the ehadus and looks at all of them. They are terribly ashamed.

Jack looks at Laura. She covers. “her face aad runs upstairs.

: ALBERTO . She* S: very upset. We all are.

Jack gets inside the apartment and closes the door.

8 MRS. TRENIEV . (to Mary Louise) ' If something happens to Mr. LeDuc, I’ll' hold you personally responsible. i You started all this.

Tears pour down her cheeks. Margaret holds her.

94, . SCENE 123 CONT. “ MARY LOUISE Always. : MARGARET . (points at.Carlos) It’ Was you who poisoned us against him. Remember all those filthy stories ear told .us Biinul him --

: CARLOS Tf you “re. ready to build a monument to Adrian LeDuc all of a sudden, go right ahead. I don’t know you ladies. ALBERTO I told you to wait, didn’t I?

They all look at Vanessa; then at each other in silence. They turn and walk to their respective apartments. Vanessa is left standing alone in the entryway.

JACK is helping ADRIAN into bed. He has cleaned the wound on Adrian’s forehead and is. keeping a wet cloth pressed against it.

95.,

‘ ; SCENE 124 CONT.

Adrian looks at Jack, reassured and calm. Adrian is still a bit drunk, and disoriented from his fall.

z : ADRIAN What did they want? What did they think? JACK They thought you’d done something to me. And you have. You’re building me -- roots. Adrian smiles. ADRIAN

You noticed. That’s good, Jack. That’s very good. We'll always be there for each other. That’s so good, Jack. So good.

’ ADRIAN Stay for a while. Roots, yes. That’s good.

Adrian falls ‘asleep.’ Jack removes the cloth from Adrian’s forehead. Looking across the room, Jack sees them both reflected in the vanity mirror. He: stares.at it. It’s a haunting image -- Adrian looks dead, interned in the bed like his mother. Jack stands over him, the blood-soakad cloth in'his hands.

It’s a confusing, terrifying image. - The telephone RINGS and jars Jack. He answers. ‘4. { oa j ,

; . JACK ~ Hello? No, he’s asleep, Claudia. His mother died yesterday.

* CLAUDIA (o.s.) Oh, no! I was so worried. Poor Adrian. How is he?

"JACK Not really, thank you. Good night.

Jack hangs up. He looks at Adrian, then back at the mirror. a“ F CUT TO:

ADRIAN, dressed in black, walks Slowly behind SIX PALL BEARERS , abviously workers at, the cemetery, who carry his mother’s casket through the ornate graveyard.

J

Adrian is solemn, somber. He wears a white bandage on his head.

A: VYolkswagen bug pulls up and parks in front. CLAUDIA gets out and goes into the apartment complex.

The place looks deserted. Claudia climbs the stairs and knocks on the door of Adrian’s' apartment. There is a long pause, then JACK answers the door.

Jack smiles at her.

Adrian’s mother’s casket is lowered into the earth. The WORKERS stand back and look at ADRIAN. ‘He is the only one there. There is no ceremony. Silently, he picks up a handful of earth and tosses it on top of aia aegket.

CUT Ta:

ADRIAN’ walks: down the sidewalk. He hesitates in front of his

building, recognizing Claudia’s car, which is still parked in front. He goes in.. '

Adrian climbs the steps, slowly at first, then with growing speed and alarm

Adrian throws open the door.

JACK is standing in the middle of the room, shaking. He sends Adrian a feverish look. His hands are full of blood.

Womens” legs stick out from behind the sofa.

Lifeless.

Bloody.

Claudia.

Over on the coffee table, Jack’s metal briefcase is open. A handgun rests inside fitted foam rubber, a long black silencer attached to the end’ of the barrel. .

Adrian remains rooted to the spot. He stitles a scream and tries to stop the throbbing in his head by pressing on his temples with

his hands.

He moves toward Adrian.

He reaches out pulls back.

s

way of saying no.is so provoking. "No, no, no!" And you’re thinking "Yes, yes, yes!". And you know she likes it,

you know that’s exactly what she wants. (imitating a childish voice) “No,: no, no!" (and a towering tone) “Yes, yes, yes!" Come on, talk to me. You’re making me “feel weird. Remember what we promised each other? I look after you and you look after me. The rest can stay in hell. You’re not going: to do something stupid, ‘are you? ‘‘You won’t spoil this bond, this'-+ this FEAGHESEIDs will you? You need me, Adrian.

at

everything. ADRIAN What about Clau -- her? JACK:

Don’t worry. I°1l take care of everything.

' * ADRIAN No. ; We “11. do it together. Whatever it is.

ae JACK. P ; No, fio, no. - You"ll mess up things. I’m used to it. You go have a rest. You ‘look pale. This isn’t for you.

. ADRIAN It wagn’t for me outside this house. Now I°ll deal with it.

i CUT TO:

ADRIAN sweats profusely as JACK and he wrap Claudia’s body ina sheet. Jack hefts her and tries to stuff her into a trunk.

: JACK Ghrist, what a whale.

He laughs and looks at Adrian, who is about to faint. ~ JACK (cont. ) So are you going to help me here or what?

Adrian comes out of the apartment, leaving the door open. He looks around. All clear.

As ‘they approch the — floor, the door of the building opens and LAURA AND ALBERTO siacaadematetiait enter. Adrian freezes. Jack

smiles like an actor.

ie Good sevening.

Laura and her husband are a bit shy, trying not to look at Adrian, who still wears his ‘bandage.

* ALBERTO ° Can I give you a hand?

. JACK I’m off to California in the morning.

Laura sends him a confused look. So does Adrian. Jack winks at Laura. ’

Adrian and Jack carry the trunk to Claudia’s car.

law? (laughs, jolly) Adrian, you're a trip. Jump in!

5 101.

ADRIAN and JACK drive through the city. Adrian looks out the window. Every passing car, every face seems to be looking in at him. Accusing.

A rather squalid area near the Tigre River, a dirty brown body of water in the suburbs. The car is parked in the darkness. ADRIAN and JACK sit in silence. .Some PEOPLE are gathered outside a bar about a hundred metérs' away, LAUGHING.

Adrian looks at Jack, who seems unconcerned. Jack’s casualness is driving Adrian insane, but he is: making an effort to keep it under control. ‘ we ; ‘

‘ ', ADRIAN , Why don” t they go, ‘away? .

JACK © They * re having fun. Relax, will you?: We have plenty of time.

Jack slouches down in his’ seat, prepared to wait.

The first light of dawn is. breaking. The place is deserted. Jack shakes Adrian, who has drifted off.

They get out of the car and pull the body out of the trunk. They earry it to a wooded area. A slope leads down to the river.

They push the body down the slope. Claudia rolls about halfway, then gets entangled in some bushes and stops, still a long way from the river.

* ADRIAN We can’t leave it there.

1O1A. - SCENE 135A CONT. : JACK - What, difference does it make?’ I’m going to get rid of the trunk.

Jack walks away.

Adrian remains alone, shaking, looking at the body. He steps out onto the slope and lets himself slide slowly down to where Claudia is entangled. ‘ .

It’s pitch dark.

He gets to the body and tries to free it from the branches, but one of Claudia’s fingernails gets tangled in the cross on a chain that Adrian wears around his neck.

Hysterical, he tries to pull Claudia’s hand away and in so doing he comes face to face with her face -- eyes wide open and her features frozen in a horrible expression of pain and fear.

ear

was ready to party. ::

“ SCENE 135A CONT. He frees her hand and pushes her down the slope to the river. She lands with a soft SPLASH.

Adrian is shaking all over. Jack returns and grabs him by the shoulders, then SLAPS Adrian’s face and embraces him.

A dark street. The Volkswagen is parked. ADRIAN cleans the interior frantically, trying to get rid of any fingerprints.

Jack looks at him, smiling.

The two of them leave the car and walk away.

JACK and ADRIAN return, exhausted -- although Jack looks as if he

“ : ACK |.

God, ‘how am I goirig to sleep tonight? Tomorrow, we have:to . think of something. If they see me here -- kemembéer, I said I was going to California.

: ~ ADRIAN Let ‘s.; go to. California.

_ JACK

(like a kid). What?’ Are you serious? Do you really mean it? Adrian, that would be fantastic! Look at me, tell me -- am I hearing things or what?

SCENE 137 CONT.

ADRIAN

Let’s go to California together. JACK

You see? This is it. I have never

shared this with anyone. I mean,

when it was a job, when I came from South Africa and helped your people elean up this country -- that doesn’t count. I was just following orders then. Then they fucked me up. Nobody

wanted to take responsibility. They told me “You don’t exist. You’re dead. Nobody ean touch you." As if that would take care of me. But I don’t even have a passport.

(a thought) By the way,’ I borrowed yours. But only to -- I mean -- well, that’s the past.. I was getting. kind of cranky, they“ ‘a promised me papers -—- but you know how they are:. They left me. with

one hell of a problem. Adrian, California!

I’m so excited -- look at this. Jack grabs Adrian’s hand and pulls it to-his crotch.

_ JACK (Gont. ) See what you “re doing to me?

Adrian moves away.

ADRIAN

I have to think. JACK

Don’t you dare change your mind! ADRIAN

No, but -- Jack, this may be an

every day event for you, for me it’s --

Camescacsth al

103A. %, SCENE 137 CONT. JACK

I know.’ I’m sorry. For me too, the first time was kind of -- I

had thé advantage of practicing

on commies. ° : (sympathetic as hell)

She was.a friend of yours. You’

sort of liked her, didn’t you?

He embraces Adrian. JACK (cont. ) : The first time is always, I don’t ‘know, strange. But dont worry. Youll get used to it.

As Jack embraces him, Adrian looks over his shoulder. His eyes fall on Jack’s briefcase, the one that houses the gun. The locks are flipped up, unlocked. ‘

Adrian pulls away from Jack, disturbed.

. ADRIAN I’m -- going to take a bath. And sleep for a while.

He goes into his room.

ADRIAN sits next to the bathtub, thinking. The water is running.

' From the bathroom, he looks into his room and sees a framed picture of he and Jack, taken at the Cafe-CGoncert. He turns off

the water. His heart beating, he gets up and leaves the room.

Jack’s shower can be heard running in the other room. Adrian goes aver to the gun and opens the case. The gun lies next to a large

combat knife. Adrian touches the gun, then Jack’s shower abruptly euts off. Adrian swings shut the lid of the case and hurries for

his door.

JACK appears in the doorway to his room, wearing a towel. Adrian is only halfway across the ‘room.

103B. SCENE 137B CONT. . JACK

Adrian? ,

Adrian stops and turns around. Jack looks at him, a confused look on his face. He leoks from Adrian’s face -- which is a mask of guilt.~- to the gun case.

He figures it out.

At the same time, Jack and Adrian lunge for the gun. They get there at about the same time, but Jack’s vastly superior strength gives him the advantage. He throws Adrian into a wall and grabs him expertly around the throat.

Adrian begins to choke. A look of anguish crosses Jack's face. Frustrated, furious, he stops, unable to kill Adrian. He turns, in a rage, and throws Adrian into the opposite wall.

He goes after him, grabs him again, but at the moment, when Adrian may die he relents. Jack is torn, trying desperately to contain

what is for him a natural response. As they struggle, they end up near the gun. Adrian grabs it, but Jack stops him. They grapple. -

Jack gains full control of the gun ~-- then he stops. He looks at Adrian’s face. ;

His face softens, his grip on the gun loosens.

A GUNSHOT rings out over the complex. Loud, echoing.

The MCKINNEYS look up at the shot, then quickly back down at the magazines they are reading. They turn a page, deaf to the shot.

CARLOS is watching a soccer match on television. The shot echoes through his apartment, but he just turns up the sound on his television, drowning it out.

ALBERTO is asleep. LAURA, in bed, pulls the pillow around her ears as the shot still echoes in her apartment. She is crying.

. 1030.

MR. PALMA and EDITH TRENIEV are in the kitchen, making breakfast. They look up at the shot and catch each others” eyes briefly -- then look back down and resume what they were doing.

137H APARTMENT BUILDING OPEN AREA DAY i37H VANESSA comes out of her apartment, worried. She KNOCKS at doors.

The MecKinneys come out of their apartment.

. VANESSA (cont. ) Did you hear something? A shot! I heard.a shot! . .

Mrs. Treniev comes out and ‘looks at Vanessa with contempt.

Just then, a MAN steps out of Vanessa’s apartment, getting dressed hurriedly. Treniev and the MeKinneys are shocked.

‘MRS. TRENIEV We don’t want any trouble. Do you hear? Ps (looks at the man, then at Vanessa with contempt) Prostituta! Out! Prostituta!

Laura and Carlos come out of their apartments. -

I said get out! Prostituta!

She marches up the steps and grabs hold of Vanessa, who resists, pulling away. As she does so, her robe comes off, revealing a male torso. GASPS from the McKinneys and Treniev.

Vanessa stands frozen to the spot, making himself very small. Covering himself, he walks in silence to his apartment.

“oo

INSPECTOR BENOIT and ADRIAN are in Benoit’s office. Benoit looks through a file in silence.

He looks up at Adrian, who now has only a small scar on the side ‘of his forehead. ; . : . BENOIT

We have everything we need, Mr. LeDuc: You were at your mother’s funeral at the time of the murder, nothing to worry about there. We “ll call you if:we need anything else.

. ADRIAN Is that all?

‘BENOIT Yes. ‘Unless you can tell us something that --

' BENOIT Yeah, well -- I know.

Benoit stands and shakes ‘hands with Adrian. Adrian heads for the door, which opens as he reaches it.

CHRISTIAN SALGEDO enters and looks at Adrian.

104A. SCENE 138 CONT. ADRIAN . : I don’t -- I don’t get involved in these things.

He leaves.

ADRIAN returns. Police cars are parked outside. Adrian stiffens, hesitates, then approaches the building..

The NEIGHBORS all regard Adrian as he comes inside. TWO POLICEMEN escort VANESSA out, who is in handcuffs. He wears no makeup, is unshaven, and has on a man’s shirt. As he is led out, he exchanges a look with Adrian.

_ MARGARET (to Adrian) He was using our building for secret assignations!

: . MARY LOUISE I’ve ‘known it all, along..

Adrian climbs the stairs in silence.

| MARGARET If you feel lonely, Mr. LeDuc, don’t hesitate. Please -- we have an open home.” ~

138¢C EXT APARTMENT BUILDING DAY 138¢

The police cars pull away, Vanessa inside.

F 105.

The doorbell RINGS and ADRIAN goes to it, pausing along the way to spray a can of air freshener casually around the room.

He answers the door. LAURA WERPACHOWSKY is outside.

to have Jack’s address?

from him yet.

LAURA .

Strange. ADRIAN : Yes, well a perhaps soon. Adrian closes the door.

Laura turns at the top, of the stairs. Most of the other TENANTS are gathered at the bottom of the steps, staring up at her expectantly.

SCENE 140 CONT.

MARGARET speaks in a whisper.

Laura shakes her head sadly. Mary Louise pinches her fingers over her nose and speaks delicately, almost mouthing the words.

Adrian turns from the door. He suppresses a small giggle and puts © his finger to his lips. : ae

The xoom is in darkness, lit only by two candles on the dining room table. Adrian goes to the table.

Adrian sits across from Jack, whose back is turned.

Adrian pours a glass of wine for both of them. He raises his glass in toast.

He drinks. Jack does not. Adrian looks at him.

Adrian moves around the table to Jack. He picks up Jack’s wine glass and vaises it to Jack’s lips. :

Adrian tilts the glass and. red wine dribbles from the lips of Jack Carney. Who is dead! And has been for some time.