"BROKEN ARROW" (1996)

STATS100pages189scenes18,248words34%dialogue29characters

Words

  • dialogue6,28834%
  • action11,09061%
  • other8704.8%

Scenes

location
  • INT 97
  • EXT 86
  • INT/EXT 5
  • UNKNOWN 1
time
  • DAY 2
  • NIGHT 3
  • DAWN 1
  • DUSK 1
  • UNKNOWN 182
1

OPEN

BROKEN ARROW

by

Graham Yost

FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY

FOURTH DRAFT
March 7, 1995

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk™ Online http://www.screentalk.org

FADE IN:

A FIST HITS A FACE

The fist is in a boxing glove. It belongs to VIC DEAKINS, 38. The face belongs to RAWLEY HALE, 28. They are in...

2

INT. GYMNASIUM, WHITEMANAFB - DAY

Hale and Deakins are sparring in a ring. Other people are lifting weights, shooting baskets.

IN THE RING

Hale and Deakins circle each other. Hale is shaking cobwebs out of his head.

DEAKINS
You know what happened there?
HALE
Hell, I barely know what day it is.
DEAKINS
I set you up. I fake right, go left three times in a row. You expect it again, I take the right in hard. That's what boxing's all about. Make your opponent think you're gonna do one thing, then do another. Like Ali in Zaire, using the rope-a-dope on Foreman.
(mimes rope-a-dope)
Everyone thought Ali's arms were getting destroyed, when he was really just letting Foreman tire himself out. Eighth round, Ali starts hitting, George's got nothing left -- fight's over.
HALE
The fact that I can't feel the left side of my face -- that's okay, right?

Deakins laughs. Hale seizes the relaxed moment and suddenly launches into Deakins with a flurry of punches.

THE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE GYM

Take notice -- the fightis getting real. They move to the ring.

DEAKINS

Several of Hale's punches land. Deakins staggers back, caught off guard. It looks like he might even go down.

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HALE

He cocks his arm back. He could finish Deakins off. But he doesn't. He drops his fist.

DEAKINS

Seizes the opportunity and slugs back.

THE CROWD

Loves it.

HALE AND DEAKINS

Now Deakins has the upperhand. He backs Hale around the ring.

DEAKINS
Don't watch my hands -- watch my shoulders. That's where the punch starts. Ready?

Deakins hits Hale hard in the face, sending him back.

THE SPECTATORS

Are circling the ring, following the fighters, cheering.

HALE AND DEAKINS

DEAKINS
You were looking at my hands. Let's try it again. Ready?

Deakins hits Hale hard. He's got Hale on the run.

DEAKINS
Come on. Focus. Ready?
(punch)
My shoulders. Ready?

Deakins fakes left, putseverything into one big uppercut. It connects.

HALE

Lands, dazed, blood trickling out of the corner of his mouth.

DEAKINS

He's in silhouette, the lights above him.

HALE

Looks up at Deakins, catches his breath.

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HALE AND DEAKINS

Deakins offers his hand. Hale pushes it aside. Deakins ignores Hale, grabs him and helps him to his feet. Deakins climbs out of the ring between the ropes.

Hale grabs the top rope and flips himself over, landing on his feet. Deakins gives Hale a look, laughs, shakes his head.

3

INT. SHOWERS

Hale lets the water rinse the blood off his face.

4

INT. LOCKER ROOM - DAY

Hale and Deakins are sitting on the bench between their lockers, getting into their flightsuits, pulling on boots. Deakins is smoking a cigarette. The smoke curls up into the light slanting down across the room from high windows.

HALE'S LOCKER

Is in sunlight. On the inside of his locker door are pictures of exotic planes -- the SR-71, a swept-wing fighter, an artist's rendition of the Aurora,etc.

DEAKINS' LOCKER

On the shady side of theroom. Nothing on the inside of his locker door. The locker is spare, Zen-like in its neatness.

HALE
Here.

HALE'S HAND

Slams a twenty dollar bill down on the bench.

DEAKINS
I can't take that.
HALE
Oh, shut up.
DEAKINS
Really. I feel bad. How many times have we fought and how many times have you won?
HALE
Jerk.
DEAKINS
Well, if you insist.

Deakins grins, folds thebill and jams it into his flightsuit.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 4.

DEAKINS
You know why I beat you?
HALE
Because you've been boxing for twenty years and you're much better at it than I am?
DEAKINS
You don't want it enough. You had me today. I was back on my heels. But you didn't close the door.
HALE
We were just sparring.
DEAKINS
Life isn't sparring, Hale.
HALE
I think I saw that on a T-shirt.

Deakins pulls out the twenty dollar bill; hands it back to Hale.

DEAKINS
Here.
HALE
No, that's yours.
DEAKINS
If you weren't giving it everything you've got, then I don't want it.
HALE
No, I mean -- that's yours, literally. I took it out of your wallet when you were in the shower.

Deakins laughs, puts themoney away.

5

EXT. WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE - DUSK

Planes taxiing, vehiclesmoving.

6

INT. WHITEMAN MISSION BRIEFING ROOM

Deakins and Hale enter to find GENERAL BOONE, 50s.

DEAKINS/HALE General.

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BOONE
Gentlemen.
(nods at NO SMOKING sign)
Deak?
DEAKINS
Sorry.
(puts out cigarette)
What's the mission, General?
BOONE
Simulate a border penetration. Hug the ground. Scare some cows. See if anyone can spot you.
HALE
The usual ...?
BOONE
No, actually, it's a little unusual. You're carrying a couple of nukes tonight, fellas.
(off their looks)
Palmdale's afraid low-level gamma and x-ray diffusion might screw up the peripherals. They asked us to send a couple on a run, see if anything glows.
HALE
'61s?
BOONE
(shakes head)
Big ones. '83s.
HALE
Ooh. Crowpleasers.
7

INT. HANGAR

A BOMB TRUCK carrying two B-83 nuclear weapons drives underthe wing of a big, black plane, toward the open bomb bays. GROUND CREWMEN are hurrying about.

HALE AND DEAKINS

Enter and walk under theplane, nodding to the ground crew. Hale and Deakins are royalty. Deakins and Hale climb up the airplane's Crew Entry steps and disappear.

8

INT. COCKPIT

Hale and Deakins climb into a very strange cockpit. There are two pilots' seats in this plane, with duplicate controls.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 6.

But instead of the usualdials and gauges on the control panels, there are FOUR COMPUTER SCREENS in front of each pilot. Hale gets into the left seat;Deakins the right. They review information on their screens, flip switches.

INTERCUT WITH BOMBS

Being loaded into the bomb bays. When they've been clamped into place in the rotary bombracks...

DEAKINS
(into helmet mike)
Ready for rollout.
9

INT./EXT. HANGAR

Alarm horns sound, wheels roll on track and the huge hangar doors open revealing...

THE GHOST

An enormous black flyingwing.

10

INT. COCKPIT

Deakins looks at maps onhis computer screens. Hale looks over, sees the map of Utah.

HALE
You know, these exercises are fantastic. I mean, when that day comes and we finally go to war against Utah, we are really going to kick ass.
CUT TO:
11

EXT. CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK, UTAH - NIGHT

Bright moonlight shows acampfire burning at the edge of an escarpment, the ColoradoRiver a thousand feet below. Near the campfire is an Army surplus tent. Next to it, an easel holds a painting in progress.

A PARK RANGER TRUCK

Drives up, stops. The driver's door open, and out gets...

A RANGER

We don't see his face inthe dark. He switches on a flashlight, walks over and taps on the tent.

RANGER
Park Ranger. I'd like to talk to somebody about this fire.

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We hear a man and a woman -- JIM and WANDA, 60s -- wake up.

JIM (O.S.)
Wha--? Oh, hell.
WANDA (O.S.)
I'll talk to him, Jim.
JIM (O.S.)
Wanda, you stay put.

Jim comes out of the tent, the ranger's light in his face.

JIM
I know -- no wood fires in the Park. It's just -- Wanda's got a cold and I wanted her to stay warm.
RANGER
Sir, you see any other hikers, campers anywhere around here?
JIM
Not this time of year. What's the fine for something like this?
RANGER
Your life.

Jim grins. But the ranger pulls out a pistol and shoots Jim, who falls into the fire. He then puts three shots through the wall of the tent. Nothing moves. The Ranger -- call him BAKER -- pulls out a walkie-talkie, clicks on.

BAKER
Done.

HEADLIGHTS

Come on and two Humvees roll in and four men get out. Three of them -- JOHNSON, a tech-whiz; LETT, gangly, grim, and NOVACEK, a wiry guy in a baseballcap -- start setting up what looks to be a high-tech missile launcher. The fourth man is...

MR. PRITCHETT

A neatly groomed man, 40s, with a perpetually sour attitude.He looks like -- and is -- a lawyer.

PRITCHETT
(to Baker, re: Jim in fire)
Jesus. Do you think maybe you could get him out of the fire? Unless you like that smell.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 8.

12

EXT. THE NIGHT SKY

The Ghost flies overhead, roaring.

13

INT. COCKPIT

Deakins and Hale check their screens.

DEAKINS
(thinks of something)
Weren't you going to call Taylor today about the Aurora Project?
HALE
Yeah. Turns out he wants people with more fighter hours.
DEAKINS
What'd you say?
HALE
What could I say?
DEAKINS
Jesus. You are such a pussy. You never fight for anything.

Hale is stung. Pissed, he goes on the offensive.

HALE
Yeah, well you know what your problem is?
DEAKINS
Because I said what your problem is, you're gonna--?
HALE
You fight too much.
(Deakins look at him)
Right? You said it yourself -- you should be at least Wing Commander by now. Maybe you would be if you didn't insist on telling people what they're doing wrong all the time.
DEAKINS
I'm usually right though, aren't I?

Hale shakes his head, grins. Deakins clicks on his mike.

DEAKINS
Ghost 7 to McMurran. Hey, Wilkins, you old bag of dirt, your boys in Utah still awake?

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 9.

14

EXT. MCMURRAN AIR FORCE BASE - UTAH

Establishing shot of McMurran Air Force Base.

15

INT. MCMURRAN CONTROL CENTER

Jammed with MEN looking at radar screens and computer monitors. COLONEL WILKINS, 50s, seen it all, talks over a headset.

WILKINS
Ready and waiting, Mr. Deakins. And tell our favorite hotshot, he's not gonna lose us tonight.
16

INT. COCKPIT

Deakins covers his mike,turns to Hale.

DEAKINS
Wilkins says you won't lose them tonight.
HALE
Tell Colonel Wilkins I could fly this puppy up his ass without him knowing.
DEAKINS
(grins, shakes his head; into helmet mike)
Hale says ... if anyone can catch him it'd be you.
17

INT. MCMURRAN CONTROL CENTER

CU RADAR SCREEN

The Ghost makes a prominent blip on the screen.

WILKINS
Everyone get a fix! They're about to turn out the lights!
18

INT. COCKPIT

Deakins turns to Hale.

DEAKINS
Ready, Major?
HALE
On your word.
DEAKINS
Go to war.

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CLOSE ON CONTROL PANEL -THREE BUTTONS

The left, labeled TAKE OFF, is lighted. The other two buttons are MISSION and LANDING. Hale pushes MISSION.

THE COCKPIT

everything goes quiet.

19

EXT. NIGHT SKY

The plane's running lights go out. The roar of the engines quickly drops to a low rushing sound. The plane in in full stealth mode.

20

INT. MCMURRAN CONTROL CENTER

CU RADAR SCREEN

The Ghost's blip disappears.

WILKINS
Lost 'em on active! Who's still got 'em?
IR CREWMAN
Got their heat signature, sir.
(points to computer screen)
Their engines may be cold, but the air is colder.

CU COMPUTER SCREEN

Half of the screen showsa waveform, like a voiceprint. The other half shows a triangle moving across a map of Colorado.

21

INT. COCKPIT

Deakins studies the mapson the computer screens.

DEAKINS
Descend to 400 feet AGL. River valley approach.
HALE
Airspeed lock at point-seven Mach. Blue line descent on throttle to 400 feet AGL.

Hale pulls back on the throttle. The plane descends.

HALE
Time to limbo down. How low can we go.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 11.

22

EXT. NIGHT SKY

The Ghost drops away from us, a stark black cut-out againstthe moonlit Colorado landscape. The Colorado River is a winding silver ribbon five milesbelow.

23

EXT. CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK, UTAH - NIGHT

A PARK RANGER TRUCK

Driving along the blacktop. The driver is not Baker. It's...

TERRY CARMICHAEL

Pretty, late 20s. Her radio squawks.

CLYDE (V.0.)
Terry? You been through the Needles entrance tonight?
TERRY
(grabs mike, answers)
No. Why?
CLYDE (V.0.)
Mrs. Parker called --
TERRY
Oh, God. What is it this time? UFO abduction? Ritual human sacrifice?
CLYDE (V.0.)
She said she saw a bunch of trucks going through the Needles entrance an hour ago and thought they looked suspicious.
TERRY
Yes, well, this is a woman who chopped off one of her own fingers because it'd "turned on her."
CLYDE (V.0.)
Thing is, she said one of the trucks was ours, and you're the only one out.
TERRY
(arches eyebrow)
She was probably hallucinating, but I'll check it out.
24

EXT. COLORADO RIVER VALLEY - THIRTY MILES UP RIVER

We feel the Ghost beforewe hear it. It rushes over, close to the river, below the ridgelines on either side of the valley.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 12.

25

INT. MCMURRAN CONTROL CENTER

The triangle representing the Ghost disappears from a computer screen.

IR CREWMAN
Lost 'em.
WILKINS
Stay on it. They're gonna have to come up for air sooner or later.
26

INT. COCKPIT

Deakins reads his computer screens.

DEAKINS
We're under the radar. Proceed to primary target.

Hale hits a button, letsgo of the stick -- they're on autopilot. It's a moment of peace. Hale looks out.

HALE
I tell people I became a pilot because I wanted to fly cool planes. It's also for this. When we're up here, I feel... closer ... I don't know.
DEAKINS
To God? Is that what you're going to say? That you feel closer to God up here?
(snorts)
Hell, Hale, with the payload we're carrying, we are God.

Deakins notices something odd on his screen. He checks between the screen and what he can see through the windshield.

DEAKINS
Hale, take a look out your side. I think our terrain following is off. It's got us two klicks from the left flank ridge.

Hale turns to look out the window on his side.

HALE'S POV

Looking out the window. There's some movement in the reflection in the glass. QUICK PULL FOCUS to see, distorted in the curve of the window, Deakins reaching inside his flight suit.

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HALE

Turns his head back toward Deakins.

HALE
Deak, you can't smoke in here --

But then Hale sees it's not a cigarette that Deakins is pulling out of his flight suit. It's shiny, metal. It's...

A GUN

And Deakins levels it right at Hale's head and his finger starts to squeeze the trigger.

HALE

Grabs Deakins' hand, pushing up as...

DEAKINS

Pulls the trigger and the gun FIRES.

HALE

The bullet cuts a line through the top of his helmet, punching a hole in the window by his head.

DEAKINS AND HALE

Deakins goes for anothershot, but Hale grabs the gun and pushes up, sending bullets through the ceiling of the plane, into the walls. Deakins forces the gun down, fires.

THE BULLET

Tears through Hale's harness, blowing apart a shoulder strap.

HALE AND DEAKINS

Hale brings Deakins' gunhand hard against Hale's own helmet. Deakins yowls and the gun goes flying. Then Hale sees something.

THE PLANE

Is banking towards a ridge-line cliff wall.

HALE

Sees it, yanks on the stick.

THE PLANE

Banks hard away from thecliff, just missing.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 14.

27

EXT. CANYONLANDS

Baker gives a sign. Johnson, standing beside the missile launcher-like device, hits a button. Instead of a missile, a brilliant light shoots out.

28

INT. COCKPIT

ARMAMENTS CONTROL BUTTONS

Buttons include ONE, TWO, LOCK, LEFT, RIGHT, OPEN, CLOSE, ARM and RELEASE. Deakins presses ONE and TWO, then RIGHT.

HALE
No!

He pulls at Deakins' arms.

CU COMPUTER SCREENS

Graphics of bomb racks rotate, the B-83 nukes -- labeled and glowing red -- move intothe bottom spot. The word RELEASE appears on the screen. Next to it, the word UNARMED flashes.

HALE AND DEAKINS

Deakins hits Hale with the back of his hand, knocking him back. Hale grabs Deakins' helmet, yanks it off his head and smashes Deakins back with it. Hale keys the armament buttons.

CU COMPUTER SCREENS

The nukes rotate out of the release position. RELEASE and UNARMED disappear.

HALE AND DEAKINS

Deakins grabs a fire extinguisher, swings it, getting Hale in the face. Hale is almost knocked out, blood running from his nose.

29

EXT. PARK - NEEDLES AREA

Terry is standing by hertruck, talking on the radio.

TERRY
Clyde, tell Mrs. Parker that there's nothing weird going on. No truck, no UFOs, and, except for the odd human head on a stick, no sign of Satan.

She feels it before she hears it or sees it.

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THE GHOST

Rushes over Terry, no more than fifty feet above the ground.The jet-wash rocks the truck, almost knocks Terry down.

TERRY
Holy shit.
30

INT. COCKPIT

Hale groggy, hears a loud click. He looks down to see...

DEAKINS' HAND

AUTO to MANUAL. Deakins grabs Hale's EJECTION HANDLE.

HALE AND DEAKINS

Hale tries to push the handle down as Deakins pulls it up as...

31

EXT. THE GHOST

Heads into the beacon light.

32

INT. COCKPIT

Hale and Deakins look ateach other as the plane enters the light and the light, in SLOW MOTION, washes across their faces.

DEAKINS

Suddenly lets go of Hale's hand, then hits Hale hard under the chin with the fire extinguisher.

HALE

His head snaps back as Deakins pulls.

HALE'S EJECTION SEAT HANDLE

Pop, hiss like a huge vacuum-sealed can is being opened.

33

EXT. ABOVE GHOST

The ejection hatch blowsand is ripped away by the wind.

HALE'S POV

As he rockets up out of the cockpit.

HALE

When the chute opens, healmost spills out because of the severed shoulder harness. He grabs the straps, holds on.

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34

EXT. ON THE GROUND

Terry, on the radio withClyde.

TERRY
Somebody ejected!
35

INT. COCKPIT

Debris -- coffee cups, flight bags, anything not nailed down-- is whipping around the inside of the cabin. Deakins reaches through the maelstrom, then reaches to the ARMAMENT BUTTONSand punches them.

36

INT. BOMB BAYS

The the clamps snap backand the two B-83s drop toward the earth.

37

INT. COCKPIT

Deakins looks around, then gets an idea. He hits the LANDING mission mode button and the cockpit lights up.

38

INT. MCMURRAN CONTROL CENTER

The Ghost starts poppingup on everyone's screens. There's a chorus of "I got em!" and "They're ba-a-a-ck!" Wilkins looks at a screen, puzzled.

WILKINS
They're not due for another halfhour.
39

INT. GHOST COCKPIT

Deakins yells into his helmet mike as he gets ready to eject.

DEAKINS
(into helmet mike)
This is Deakins! Hale lost it! I have to punch out!

Deakins pulls his secondhandle. BLAM! WHOOSH! He's gone. He hear and feel the plane dropping, screaming toward the earth.

40

INT. MCMURRAN CONTROL CENTER

CU RADAR SCREEN

The Ghost's blip suddenly disappears from the screen. A chorus of "What the hell?" and "Jesus."

WILKINS
That's not good.

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41

EXT. MCMURRAN RUNWAY

Alarm horns blare. FIVE MEN are running to a waiting Blackhawk helicopter. Waving the men on is Wilkins. The last man up is...

LIEUTENANT COLONEL SAM RHODES

40s, short grey hair: hecould snap your neck with a look.

Wilkins pats Rhodes on the shoulder and Rhodes jumps into...

THE HELICOPTER

And it lifts up and flies off.

42

EXT. CANYONLANDS

Hale lies, unconscious, his parachute whipping in the wind.

43

INT./EXT. SEARCH AND RESCUE HELICOPTER/DESERT

The helicopter glides over wind-whipped sand, searchlights on. Rhodes sits with MCKELLAR, the pilot. Lieutenants KELLY, REED and THOMAS are in the back.

IN THE SAND

Something glints in the searchlights but the helicopter moveson.

RHODES
Hold it. Come back.

The lights sweep back, find...

THE TIP OF BLACK WING

Sticking out of the sand.

CUT TO:
44

EXT. PENTAGON - NIGHT

Establishing shot.

45

INT. PENTAGON - SITUATION ROOM

AKA "The War Room." Phones, faxes, computers, TV monitors, backlit maps and coffee. Present are GENERALS (including Air Force General CREELEY), the CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF (CHAIRMAN) and ASSISTANTS, all in uniform. They turn as...

BAIRD

Enters. Baird, 60s, is the White House Chief of Staff. His assistant stays in the b.g. as Baird walks in.

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BAIRD
So, do I wake the President?
CHAIRMAN
Where is he -- Las Vegas?
BAIRD
(nods)
Computer convention. Some information superhighway crap.
CHAIRMAN
Let him sleep for now.
(hands Baird a piece of paper)
We're going out with this. Rick's team prepared it.

The chairman nods towardRICK. Baird reads, mumbling.

BAIRD
"United States Air Force ... regrets to announce ... C-130 heavy-lift cargo plane ... down over the Utah desert ... status of crew not determined at this time ... yadda yadda ... Nice bullshit, Rick.

Baird hands it to Rick, who starts for the door.

GILES (O.S.)
That's a mistake.

The room quiets. All eyes on...

GILES

Baird's intensely competent assistant.

BAIRD
Giles ...?
GILES
Aviation Week has been following this plane's development for years. They have stringers who spend their vacations sitting in lawnchairs all night long by the Whiteman perimeter fence just in case one of these things takes off. The boys in those lawnchairs know one took off tonight. They're going to know when it doesn't come back.
(more)

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GILES (cont'd)
And when we put out a press release saying a C-130 went down in Utah, they're going to put two and two together. Aviation week will run a story, everyone'll know what really happened and we're going to look real stupid.
(beat)
We might as well tell the truth.
BAIRD
(mock shock)
The truth? How the hell did you get this job?

A few chuckles in the room. Baird looks at the Chairman -- well? The Chairman thinks for a second, nods. Baird turns to Rick.

BAIRD
Rewrite it. What Giles just said.

Rick grits his teeth andhurries out. Baird looks at Giles.

BAIRD
I want you in Utah. Now.

Giles nods, heads out. Baird grabs his arm.

BAIRD
You scare me sometimes.
GILES
Hell, sir. Sometimes I scare myself.

And out Giles goes.

46

EXT. GHOST CRASH SITE

Rhodes and his men are on the ground. Wind is whipping the sand. Rhodes is walkingunder part of the wing that is exposed. He's yelling into a headset microphone.

RHODES
(into mike)
Cockpit's empty! We're checking the payload!
47

INT. MCMURRAN CONTROL CENTER

Wilkins talks to Rhodes over the radio.

WILKINS
Watch your needles!

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 20.

48

EXT. GHOST CRASH SITE

Rhodes walks up to his men who are in the process of openingthe bomb bay doors manually. The doors are open a foot. Rhodes signals his men to stop. Rhodes steps up, shines a light into the bomb bays.

INSIDE BOMB BAYS

Rhodes' light plays overthe bomb racks -- empty.

RHODES
(into headset mike)
Colonel?
(takes breath)
We've got ourselves a Broken Arrow.
49

INT.PENTAGON - SITUATIONROOM

Stunned silence. They've just gotten the news. Baird doesn't know what it means.

BAIRD
Broken Arrow?
CHAIRMAN
That's what we call it when we lose a nuclear weapon.
BAIRD
Oh, Jesus.
(thinks, shakes head)
I don't know what's scarier -- losing nuclear weapons or the fact that it happens so often that you people have a term for it.
50

INT. MCMURRAN CONTROL CENTER

Wilkins is on the radio with Rhodes.

WILKINS
Find the nukes, Sam. But be careful. I know they say those eggs can't be cracked, but if your geigers pick up more rads than you'd get off a toaster, I want you out of there.

Wilkins to the CORPORAL.

WILKINS
Get the teams in. I want Colonel Rhodes and his men backed up.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 21.

51

INT. PENTAGON SITUATION ROOM

CU COMPUTER SCREEN

Various views of a B-83 nuclear weapon. Creeley is briefing Baird on the nukes.

BAIRD
They dropped from a plane but they didn't go off...?
CREELEY
They have to be armed to detonate.
BAIRD
Then they're destroyed?
CREELEY
(shakes head)
They're designed to survive crashes intact. They can lie in a pool of burning jet fuel for five hours without any problem.
BAIRD
How did this happen?
CREELEY
In his last transmission, Colonel Deakins said Major Hale lost control. He probably hit weapons release by accident. Believe me, when a plane's auguring in, you start pushing every button you can.

Baird stands, looks at apicture of a Ghost shakes his head.

BAIRD
Hell, we should take the cost of the plane out of major Hale's salary. Although I guess at two billion dollars a pop, that could take a while.
52

EXT. CANYONLANDS - DAWN

Hale is still unconscious, lying beside his parachute. There's the crunch of footsteps and a FIGURE looms over Hale. The figure reaches down to touch Hale's shoulder and...

HALE

Spins, grabs the shirt of the figure and cocks his arm aboutto punch. He hesitates when he sees it's...

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 22.

TERRY

She seizes Hale's hesitation and punches him hard.

HALE AND TERRY

Hale is stunned. Terry starts to get up, reaching for her gun. Hale strikes out with a leg, getting Terry in the gut, sending her back. She hits the ground, still struggling for her gun. Hale gets up, runs, sprinting off over the rocky terrain.

HIS POV

Jarring, racing over rock and then...

HALE

Pulls up fast, almost not fast enough.

HALE'S POV

He's stopped right at the edge of a fifty foot drop.

TERRY (O.S.)
That would be the wrong way.

TERRY

Is walking slowly, calmy, up behind Hale, pistol out.

TERRY
Turn around.
HALE
(turning)
Look, I --
TERRY
(not interested)
Gimme your hands.

Hale sticks his hands behind him. Terry handcuffs them.

HALE
I'm going to tell you something I can't tell you.

Terry puts away her gun,spins Hale around and starts marching him off.

HALE
There were nuclear weapons on that plane. The guy I was flying with is trying to steal them.

Terry reacts to that, but keeps Hale moving.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 23.

HALE
I have to stop him, and I need your help.
TERRY
(stops)
Look, pal, all I know is, I saw you come down, I come in to help you and you grab me, kick me and run away.
HALE
I only ran because you punched me.
TERRY
What, we're ten years old now? "You started it. No you started it."
HALE
He has men on the ground. I --
TERRY
Save it. My dog's waiting for his breakfast.

Terry starts to push Hale along again and...

HALE

Jumps up and through thehandcuffs.

TERRY

Reaches for her revolver, but...

HALE

Grabs it from her, puts it to-her head, but not before...

TERRY

Whips a knife from her belt and puts it under Hale's chin.

HALE AND TERRY

Don't move. A beat while they catch their breath.

HALE
This isn't a stand-off, okay? I've got a gun.
TERRY
Yeah, well, I never keep my gun loaded.

Terry taps her belt.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 24.

CLOSE ON HER BELT

A line of bullets.

HALE AND TERRY

Terry holds out her hand. Hale lets the revolver swing down on his finger. Just as Terry takes it...

HALE

Moves fast, grabs Terry's knife hand, then kicks her legs out from under her. Hale lands on top of her, still holding her knife hand, putting the knife to her throat.

HALE
I'm telling you the truth.
TERRY
This is a good way to convince me.
HALE
I could kill you now. Right?

Terry nods, bewildered and more than a little scared.

Hale lets go of Terry's hand holding the knife.

HALE
I need your help.

Terry looks at Hale for a long moment. She's still holding the knife. She exhales, then sticks the knife in the dirt.

53

INT./EXT. HELICOPTER

The helicopter flies low. Rhodes looks at a device on his lap.

ON THE DEVICE'S SCREEN

Green, like a radar screen. It's blank, and then two dots appear on the outer edgeof the screen.

RHODES
Got 'em!
54

EXT. CANYONLANDS

Terry unlocks Hale's handcuffs.

TERRY
I've got a radio in the truck. We can call McMurran and get the Marines in here.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 25.

HALE
(shakes head)
Deakins'll be monitoring any radio transmissions out of here.
(off her look)
That's what I'd do.
TERRY
Who is this guy?
HALE
(a flash of the horrible betrayal he feels)
Someone I would've trusted with my life.
(beat)
You've gotta get to a phone.
TERRY
Me? What are you going to do?
(no answer, she realizes)
Wait. You're gonna go after this guy? Isn't he going to have a lot guns and shit? I don't want to sound insulting or anything, but ... you're just a pilot.
HALE
I don't have any choice. The nukes are my responsibility. Besides...
(pulls something from pocket)
I do have one thing going for me.
TERRY
What's that?

Hale sticks...

A TWENTY DOLLAR BILL

Under a rock.

HALE
The last thing in the world he expects is for me to come after him.

Hale walks off into the light of the rising sun. Terry looks at the $20 bill.

55

EXT. CREVICE SITE

The helicopter is parkedat the edge of a deep crevice.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 26.

DOWN IN THE CREVICE

Rhodes comes down the last few feet of rope to the bottom ofthe crevice. Kelly, Thomas and Reed are waiting, shining lights on a B-83 lying in the dirt, all in one piece.

RHODES
(into mike)
We've got one intact.
(to his men)
Let's go find the other one.

Rhodes starts off along the bottom of the crevice.

56

EXT. TOP OF THE CREVICE - BY THE HELICOPTER

McKellar is sitting in the pilot's seat, eating a candy bar.He turns at the unexpected sound of a truck-driving up.

A HUMVEE

climbs up the slope toward the helicopter.

MCKELLAR

Grabs his rifle, hops out of the helicopter.

NOVACEK AND LETT

Are in the Humvee. Novacek sticks his head out.

NOVACEK
Hey, you guys need any help?
MCKELLAR
It's an Air Force training exercise, sir. I'm going to have to ask you to leave.
NOVACEK
Hey, no problem. We just --

LETT

Whips out a silenced rifle and shoots.

MCKELLAR

Barely has time to raisehis rifle before he's hit. He drops.

ANOTHER HUMVEE

Drives up fast.

BAKER, JOHNSON AND PRITCHETT

Get out. Johnson wears radio headgear. Pritchett is furious.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 27.

NOVACEK

Picks up McKellar's half-eaten candy bar, takes a bite.

BAKER
(to Novacek)
Any sign of Deakins?

Novacek, mouth full, shakes his head.

PRITCHETT
He better be dead.
DEAKINS (O.S.)
Sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Pritchett.

They all look over to see...

DEAKINS

Walk out of the shadows,smoking a cigarette. While soldierly with his men, Deakins iscourteous and polite with Pritchett.

PRITCHETT
You said nothing would go wrong!
DEAKINS
Well, point of fact, nothing has.
PRITCHETT
You didn't drop the nukes where you were supposed to!
DEAKINS
Ah, but we always planned on the search and rescue team finding the weapons for us, and they have. Mr. Pritchett, I really have thought of everything.

Johnson walks up, pointing to his radio headgear.

JOHNSON
Newsflash. Two gunships just left from McMurran and they're headed this way.
PRITCHETT
You thought of that?
DEAKINS
That'll take care of itself.
PRITCHETT
What about the other pilot? We saw him eject.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 28.

DEAKINS
You don't have to worry about Major Hale. He's probably hiding behind a rock somewhere, praying I don't find him.
JOHNSON
Someone else might find him.
(off Deakins' look)
A Ranger called her base, said she saw a pilot come down and was gonna go look for him.

Deakins thinks it over, turns to Novacek.

DEAKINS
Get ready. You'll go when the clean-up's done.

Novacek nods, goes to the helicopter.

57

EXT. CANYONLANDS - 4WD TRAIL

Hale and Terry are hurrying along a 4WD trail toward Terry's truck. Terry taken a look at Hale's ripped and torn flightsuit.

TERRY
Is that the new uniform?
HALE
Yeah. Less constricting.
TERRY
The dayshift guy left some work clothes in the truck. You can have them if you want.

Hale nods. His feet crunch on something.

TERRY
Don't walk there.
HALE
Don't walk where?
TERRY
On that black stuff. That's cryptogamic soil. It's very fragile. One footprint takes centuries to repair.
HALE
That's a new one. Endangered dirt.

Terry gives Hale a look.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 29.

58

EXT. BOTTOM OF THE CREVICE

Rhodes, Reed, Thomas andKelly move along the shadowy crevice.

59

INT. HELICOPTER

Novacek flips switches in the helicopter, getting ready to start up. Deakins reaches in,flips off a switch marked COM LINK.

60

EXT. BOTTOM OF CREVICE

Rhodes hears the connection go dead. He taps his headset.

RHODES
Hello? McMurran? Come in.

Suddenly, there's a softpopping sound and Reed drops.

RHODES
Reed? What the --?

Rhodes looks down, sees blood on Reed. Before he can say another word, there's a fusillade of soft popping sounds as silenced bullets ricochet off the rock around them. Thomas goes down.

61

INT. MCMURRAN CONTROL CENTER

Silence from the speakers.

WILKINS
Sam? Sam, are you there? Sam?
62

EXT. TOP OF CREVICE

Lett aims a sniper's rifle down into the crevice. He flips a switch and a red laser beam stabs out from the scope.

63

EXT. BOTTOM OF CREVICE

Rhodes and Kelly are pressed against the crevice wall.

THE RED LASER BEAN

Dances along the wall, heading for them.

RHODES

Raises his pistol and shoots at the source of the laser.

64

EXT. ATOP THE CREVICE

Lett pitches back, dead.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 30.

PRITCHETT AND DEAKINS

Pritchett looks at Deakins -- another part of the plan? Deakins is unperturbed. He's holding an overnight bag. He unzips it.

65

EXT. BOTTOM OF THE CREVICE

Rhodes whispers to Kelly.

RHODES
We'll open up the access panels, put in a couple grenades. The nukes won't go nuclear, but they will go dirty. I won't lie and say we'll be all right. We won't. But if we're gonna go, might as well take those bastards with us.

Rhodes scrambles off.

KELLY
Just one thing, sir.
RHODES
(turns)
What?
KELLY
This.

Kelly opens fire with his rifle. Rhodes is thrown back, dead. Kelly yells up top.

KELLY
Done!

Kelly grabs the rope, climbs fast.

66

EXT. ATOP THE CREVICE

Mr. Pritchett looks at Deakins, surprised. Deakins -- putting on new clothes -- just grins. Deakins takes...

THE TWENTY DOLLAR BILL

From his flightsuit and puts it into his shirt pocket.

KELLY

Climbs into view.

67

INT. MCMURRAN CONTROL CENTER

Kelly's voice comes in over the speaker.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 31.

KELLY (V.0.)
(terrified)
Colonel Wilkins? You there?
WILKINS
Who is this?
KELLY (V.0.)
It's Lieutenant Kelly, sir.
WILKINS
What happened, Kelly?
68

EXT. ATOP CREVICE

Kelly talks over the helicopter's radio mike. Deakins is behind him, shaving with an electric shaver.

KELLY
Colonel Rhodes is dead, sir! They're all dead!
WILKINS (V. 0.)
What happened?

Deakins puts the shaver to the radio mike. There's a wash of 40 static. Deakins pulls the shaver away, nods to Kelly.

KELLY
It's the nuke, sir! It's open! Wide open! Oh, God, what am I going to do?!

Deakins puts the shaver to the mike again -- more static. He reaches into the helicopter and flips off the COM LINK switch, then backs away, shaving. He nods to Novacek, who fires up the helicopter.

69

INT. MCMURRAN CONTROL CENTER

Wilkins slumps in his chair.

WILKINS
Call back the teams and get me the Room. We're gonna need NEST in here.
70

EXT. CREVICE SITE

Novacek lifts off in thehelicopter and flies away.

Deakins turns to Kelly and applauds his performance.

DEAKINS
Brought a tear to my eye.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 32.

KELLY
I'd just like to thank the members of the Academy.
PRITCHETT
(to Deakins)
I hope you've got another surprise up your sleeve. If I'm not mistaken, there are two attack helicopters headed this way.
JOHNSON
Not any longer.

They look at him; he taps his radio headgear.

JOHNSON
They've just been recalled.
DEAKINS
You see, Mr. Pritchett, they think they've got an exposed core. They'll want to get a satellite to take a look, but it'll take ninety minutes minimum to shift the orbit. Until then? Well, people get a little weird when it comes to radiation. No one'll have the balls to come near here unless it's NEST -- the Nuclear Emergency Search Teams --and it'll take the nearest team at least two hours to get out here, and we only need an hour to reach our connection with the transport squad.
(grins)
Not that I'm not delighted with your presence, but you really don't need to be here.
71

INT./EXT. TERRY'S TRUCK - 4WD TRAIL

Hale and Terry are riding in Terry's truck. Terry drives. Hale is wearing work clothes. After some silence...

HALE
What's your dog's name?
TERRY
Bear. I was going to call him Death, so I could say things like, "I walk with Death," and "Death chewed my boots," but I chickened out. You?
HALE
No dog.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 33.

TERRY
Do you have a name, or is that classified?

Before Hale can answer...

THE SEARCH AND RESCUE HELICOPTER

Rises up in front of them, Novacek piloting. Novacek thumbs a button and machine guns on the sides open up.

TERRY AND HALE

Terry jumps on the brakes. She and Hale bail out as...

THE TRUCK

is riddled with bullets and explodes.

TERRY AND HALE

Sprint up the trail.

HALE
We've gotta hide!
TERRY
Follow me!

Terry leads Hale up a short slope. Hale scrambles over the top and is stunned. Terry runs out onto an open expanse -- no cover.

HALE
Hide where?

IN THE HELICOPTER

Novacek grins, shoots.

HALE

Looks at the helicopter as the bullets whistle in. When he turns back, Terry's gone.

HALE
What the --?
TERRY (O.S)
Come on!

Hale runs in the direction of her voice.

NOVACEK'S POV

Aiming at Hale's back. But then Hale suddenly drops from view.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 34.

HALE

Arms flailing, drops fifteen feet, to deep sand.

TERRY
This way.

Terry runs. Hale follows.

HALE
How do you --?
TERRY
(looks back, still running)
I'm a Ranger. I've been over these trails a million times.

Not looking, Terry runs straight into a wall, smacks her head and drops like a rock.

IN THE HELICOPTER

Novacek can't see his prey. He gets an idea and reaches back.

TERRY AND HALE

Terry is trying to get her eyes to focus.

TERRY
Please don't tell anyone I did that.

IN THE HELICOPTER

Novacek has a box of grenades beside him. He pulls the pin on a grenade and drops it.

TERRY AND HALE

Hale is helping Terry toher feet as BOOM -- the first grenade goes off. They run.

THE HELICOPTER

Chases them, strafing them. BOOM! -- a grenade goes off in front of them. They run back. They're cornered. Hale looks around, looks up.

HALE
Can you climb up?
TERRY
Yeah ...?
HALE
Give me your gun.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 35.

TOP OF CLIFF

Terry climbs up into view of...

NOVACEK

Who sees her.

TERRY

Pull herself up, stands,hands up.

THE HELICOPTER

Novacek swivels the helicopter around.

TERRY
This has nothing to do with me.
NOVACEK
Tell me where he is!

HALE

Is down in the fissure, pointing the revolver straight up atthe helicopter hovering right overhead, figuring out where to shoot.

HALE
Blackhawk ... Moved pilot seat back a foot ... Puts him right about ... here.

Hale hesitates -- he's never shot at someone before -- then takes a breath and starts shooting.

IN THE HELICOPTER

The bullets fly up from below. One hits Novacek. He slumps, pushing the joystick to one side.

THE HELICOPTER

Starts to lean over sideways.

HALE

Is surprised -- it worked!'

TERRY

Watches in horror as...

THE HELICOPTER'S MAIN ROTOR BLADES

Angle toward her, slicing the air as the helicopter tips over.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 36.

TERRY

Dives and rolls over theedge of the cliff as...

THE ROTOR BLADES

Hit the rock, sparking, grinding, right over Terry's head. The blades stop dead. But the torque of the motor brings...

THE TAIL OF THE HELICOPTER

Up and over, in a high arc.

TERRY

Looks up.

THE TAIL --SECTION

Is swinging over fast and the tail rotor is coming right forher.

HALE AND TERRY

Hale runs up, grabs Terry, pulls her to her feet as...

THE TAIL SECTION

Swings down, rotor spinning. It digs into the dirt and sand a split-second after...

HALE AND TERRY

Run clear.

72

EXT. ATOP CREVICE

Deakins and Pritchett watch a fireball from the exploding helicopter rise up in the distance.

PRITCHETT
We don't have to worry about the other pilot?

Deakins shakes his head.

PRITCHETT
Then how come the helicopter crashed?
DEAKINS
(a flicker of worry)
Pilot error.

Deakins turns and walks away, over to...

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 37.

BAKER AND KELLY

Who have taken the three-foot, pointed, front section off each nuke. They are loading them into the back of one Humvee.

Pritchett walks up behind Deakins, still nagging.

PRITCHETT
Tell me again how I don't need to be here.
DEAKINS
Mr. Pritchett, I understand your concerns. You and your associates gave me a lot of money to mount this operation. But they're getting ten times that back if we succeed.
PRITCHETT
If we succeed?
DEAKINS
All I can do is my part. We've got the weapons, we're ...
(checks watch)
... seventeen minutes ahead of schedule and everything will be in place within two hours. But I can't guarantee that the assholes in Washington won't do something stupid like not pay.
PRITCHETT
What if they don't?
DEAKINS
Then the next census for this region is going to show a very sudden drop in population.
73

INT. MCMURRAN CONTROL ROOM

Giles enters and is brought over to Wilkins.

GILES
Colonel Wilkins? I'm Giles Prentice.
(they shake hands)
My word from your search and rescue team?
WILKINS
No.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 38.

GILES
I'm sorry. Picked up any radiation?

Wilkins shakes his head.

GILES
That's kind of strange -- if there's an exposed core out there.
WILKINS
Point?
GILES
Probably nothing. I asked for a transcript of the last cockpit transmission...?

Wilkins nods to a CORPORAL who hands some papers to Giles. Giles reads them quickly.

WILKINS
I don't know what you expect to find.

CU TRANSCRIPTS

We see COLONEL DEAKINS: "This is Deakins! Hale lost it! Oh, God! I have to punch out!"

GILES
You know these guys? The pilots?
WILKINS
Just on the radio. Never met 'em. Why?
GILES
(looks up)
What if this wasn't pilot error?
74

INT. PENTAGON SITUATION ROOM

Baird has put Giles on speaker phone. The people in the Situation Room exchange looks.

BAIRD
No rhetorical questions, Giles. Spit it out.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 39.

CROSSCUT WITH GILES IN MCMURRAN CONTROL ROOM

GILES
In the last transmission from the plane, Colonel Deakins said Major Hale lost it and made the plane crash. We all assumed that meant pilot error. But what if Deakins meant Hale made the plane crash.

Murmurs of "That's insane" "No way" fill the room.

BAIRD
Why would he do that?
GILES
Two nuclear weapons would be worth a hell of a lot of money.
CHAIRMAN
To whom? Son, there are easier ways for someone to buy nuclear weapons. You go to one of the old Soviet republics, you can get one for the price of a BMW.
GILES
I meant they'd be worth a lot of money to us. How much would we pay to get them back? To make sure they weren't used in this country?

A flurry of looks aroundthe room.

BAIRD
Hold on, hold on.
(to Creeley)
These nukes have codes or something that prevent people from using them.
CREELEY
Of course.
BAIRD
No one has these codes -- outside of the President and you guys.
CREELEY
Access to the codes requires the highest security --
BAIRD
I mean, not even the pilots have these codes, right?

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 40.

Creeley starts to stammer. Baird slumps. The chairman turns.

CHAIRMAN
(to an assistant)
Where's that NEST team now?
ASSISTANT
They just took off.
75

EXT. NEST HELICOPTER - IN FLIGHT

A sleek, very serious-looking helicopter.

76

INT. NEST HELICOPTER

SIX very serious-lookingSOLDIERS are in black radiation suits, listening to COLONEL HUNT, 45, over headsets.

HUNT
Listen up, sportsfans. Word is, this particular broken arrow has broken open. Our ETA Utah is ninety-six minutes. I want everyone to take that time to triple-check the seams and seals on their E-suits. Let's go!
77

INT. MCMURRAN CONTROL ROOM

Giles looks at Wilkins.

GILES
You think I'm nuts. You don't think NEST or the satellite will find anything weird.
WILKINS
That's right.
(beat)
But it wouldn't hurt to get some gunships fueled just in case.

Wilkins reaches for a phone. Giles smiles.

78

EXT. HELICOPTER EXPLOSION SITE

The helicopter wreck burns. Hale looks over the terrain.

HALE
How do they get out of here?
TERRY
Get out? I don't think that helicopter's going anywhere.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 41.

HALE
Deak'd have a back-up. He'd be prepared.
TERRY
If they've got trucks they could take the four-wheel-drive trail we were on.
HALE
He wouldn't want to go towards town.
TERRY
He could go to the river.

Hale looks at Terry -- that's exactly what Deakins would do.

79

EXT. 4WD TRAIL

The two Humvees roll along the narrow, twisting trail.

IN THE SECOND HUMVEE

Kelly drives, Deakins beside him, Johnson and Pritchett in back.

DEAKINS
You a fan of boxing, Mr. Pritchett?
PRITCHETT
I think it's barbaric.
DEAKINS
Me, too! I love it! Two men trying to do as much damage to the other as he can. As basic as you can get, don't you think?
PRITCHETT
I think it should be banned.
DEAKINS
So do I! God, wouldn't that make it more exciting? Having to go into dark alleys and basements to see a fight? I bet we see eye-to- eye on a lot of things, Mr. Pritchett.

Deakins grins; Mr. Pritchett steams.

80

EXT. CANYONLANDS

Hale and Terry stand on an outcropping overlooking the 4WD trail.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 42.

THEIR POV

The two Humvees make their way along the trail.

HALE
See the one in front? It just has a driver? They wanted to keep the weight down. It has the nukes.

Hale takes Terry's gun from her.

TERRY
You gonna shoot out the tires?
HALE
Humvees can reseal and inflate with the flick of a switch. That's why Deak chose 'em.

Terry looks at Hale -- then what is he going to do?

HALE
I'm gonna steal it.
(checks gun)
You get to a phone and call McMurran.
TERRY
The nearest phone is a two-hour walk.
HALE
Then you better start walking.
TERRY
Look, I know my way around here. You're gonna need me.
HALE
(very serious)
I appreciate what you've done so far. But now it gets hairy. Go to the phone.

He scrambles off over the rock.

THE HUMVEES

Come around a corner. The trail hugs the face of a ten-foot- high cliff. Suddenly, from off the cliff...

HALE AND TERRY

Jump down onto the roof of the lead Humvee. Hale looks at Terry, angry. But before he can say anything...

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 43.

IN THE HUMVEE

Baker swerves, trying tothrow them off. He pulls out a pistol, shoots up through the ceiling.

HALE AND TERRY

Bullets punch up. Hale pulls out the gun. It falls from his hand. Terry grabs it asa sharp swerve sends...

HALE

Flying. He lands hard behind the Humvee.

IN THE SECOND HUMVEE

Deakins points at Hale, getting to his feet.

DEAKINS
Run him down.

HALE

Sprints after the leading Humvee. Deakins' Humvee closes fast.

TERRY

Looks back, sees Hale's predicament.

TERRY
Here!

She slides the pistol along the truck roof.

HALE

Grabs the gun out of theair as...

BAKER

Slams on the brakes.

TERRY

Comes flying off the top, landing on the hood, barely holdingon.

HALE

Is going to be crushed between the Humvees. He jumps up, turning, as the bumpers come together. He lands on the tailgate facing backwards and fires into Deakins' windshield.

DEAKINS AND KELLY

Kelly ducks below the dash and slams on the brakes but Deakins doesn't flinch. The bullets bounce off the glass --bulletproof.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 44.

IN THE LEAD HUMVEE

Baker sticks his gun outthe window and aims at Terry and starts to pull the trigger whenhe stops, feeling a gun against the back of his head.

HALE

Is behind him. Hale gets into the passenger seat.

HALE
Gimme the gun and get out.
BAKER
(smirking)
I don't know. I think we got ourselves a little stand-off.
HALE
No, we don't.

Hale shoots Baker in thethigh. Baker howls.

TERRY

Reaches forward and grabs Baker's gun as...

HALE

Kicks Baker out of the Humvee.

BAKER

Bad timing for him. He tumbles out, right in front of...

DEAKINS' HUMVEE

And is run over.

HALE

Holds the steering wheel, yells to Terry.

HALE
You drive!

TERRY

Climbs into the Humvee, takes the wheel from Hale. She jams Baker's gun into her belt.

HALE
I'd yell at you for coming after me, but you did just save my life.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 45.

There's a look between them, then Hale climbs into the back.He finds what he is lookingfor -- a jerry can of gasoline and an emergency tool box.

IN THE SECOND HUMVEE

DEAKINS
What're you doing, Hale?

IN HALE AND TERRY'S HUMVEE

Hale keeps his back to the other Humves. He pulls gaffer's tape off a roll, tears it with his teeth, grabs...

A FLARE

Out of the tool kit.

IN THE SECOND HUMVEE

KELLY
Maybe he'll set off a nuke. That'd show us.

BETWEEN THE HUMVEES

Hale tosses the jerry can of gasoline out the back of the Humvee.

THE JERRY CAN OF GASOLINE

Flies through the air. There's a burning flare taped to the side of the plastic can.

ECU TIP OF FLARE

As the plastic of the can bubbles and melts and...

IN THE SECOND HUMVEE

DEAKINS
Stop!

But it's too late and...

THE JERRY CAN

Explodes.

THE SECOND HUMVEE

Skids to a stop, showered with burning gasoline. Deakins and his men bail out. Kelly, Johnson and Pritchett run for cover.

DEAKINS

Coolly grabs a fire extinguisher and starts spraying.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 46.

IN HALE AND TERRYS HUMVEE

Hale climbs up into the front seat. Terry looks at him, genuinely impressed.

HALE
We need somewhere to hide.
TERRY
(thinks)
I know a place.
81

EXT. 4WD TRAIL

Deakins keeps spraying the burning Humvee with foam.

82

EXT. MINE ENTRANCE

Terry and Hale have taken the Humvee to the parking area in front of an abandoned mine. The winch on the Humvee strains. The cable is attached tothe handles on the padlocked metal doors. The doors are slowly pulling out, groaning.

TERRY
It was a copper mine, barely squeaking along for years. They shut it-down a few months ago when they hit an underground river.

The hinges on the metal doors buckle and snap and the doorsrip loose. Hale shuts down the winch, unhooks it from the doors. He motions for Terry to drive it in.

83

INT. MINESHAFT ENTRANCE

Terry drives the Humvee into the mineshaft entrance. Hale uses a flashlight to look around. He finds a switch a flips it. A gas generator comes to life. Another click and lights come on. Now they can see the rest of the entry area, including a wire- mesh-enclosed elevator. As Terry looks around, Hale grabs the Humvee radio, tries to tune in other frequencies, gives up.

HALE
They hardwired in their frequency. We can't call out.
TERRY
What are we gonna do?

Hale goes to the back ofthe Humvee, pulls down the tailgate.

HALE
I'm gonna take away Deakins' reason for being here.

Hale grabs a screwdriverfrom the tool kit and pries open a panel on the side of oneof the B-83s.

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INSIDE PANEL

There's an LCD DISPLAY, a NUMERIC KEYPAD and a CLOCK showingthe current time. The keys are oversized and brightly colored.

TERRY
Fisher-Price makes nuclear weapons?
HALE
They're designed to be used by guys wearing gloves in Alaska.

He reaches in, hits a key and the LCD display lights up.

HALE
These nukes have security codes. If you enter the wrong code three times, the nuke goes dead -- all the circuitry shorts out and shuts down. Kind of like the security systems with car radios.
TERRY
And people say the public doesn't benefit from defense spending.
HALE
(grins)
Hand me the radio.

Terry goes for the radiomike. Hale sees something.

A PLASTIC NAME TAG

Sticking out from under one of the nukes.

HALE

Pulls it out, looks at it.

ECU NAMETAG

It's from "St. Judes Hospital, Radiology Department."

HALE AND TERRY

Hale turns to Terry as she pulls over the radio mike.

HALE
Where's St. Judes Hospital?
84

INT. 4WD TRAIL -- DEAKINS' HUMVEE

The fire is out. The radio crackles.

HALE (V.0.)
Deak -- you there?

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Deakins and Kelly look at each other.

HALE (V.O.)
Ding, ding, ding, Deak. We're starting a new round. You took the first couple, but I've got you on the ropes now, you son of bitch.

Deakins gets in the passenger side, grabs the radio mike.

DEAKINS
Hey, there. What was that last part? There was some static.
(clicks off mike; to Johnson)
Find them.
(to Pritchett and Kelly)
Let's go!

Johnson pulls out a radiation detector scanner like the one Rhodes used. Kelly and Pritchett get back in the vehicle.

CROSSCUT BETWEEN HALE AND DEAKINS

Kelly drives Deakins' Humvee along the trail as they talk.

HALE
I know you're stalling while you try to find the nukes with your scanner, but you're gonna be too late. Hear that?

Hale holds the radio mike up to the keypad as he enters numbers.

HALE
I'm entering the wrong code, you bastard. A couple more times and these are gonna be useless to you.
DEAKINS
You really got me there. I sure didn't think of that.

Hale slows down -- something's wrong -- Deakins doesn't cars.

DEAKINS
All that time we spent in the cockpit together and you think I'm stupid? I got some new boards and circuits from a friend at Pantex. But nice try.

Hale curses to himself. Terry looks at him. He shakes his head they're in trouble.

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DEAKINS
You know, Hale, I thought of asking you to join me on this. You wanna know why I didn't?
HALE
Because I would've said no?
DEAKINS
I would've just killed you if you said no. I was more afraid you'd say yes. Because I knew I couldn't count on you. You can pretend you've got guts, but when and if it comes down to it, you're gonna run off crying like a little girl.
HALE
You better hope that's true, Doak. Because I've got the nukes, and there's nothing to stop me from entering the right code, if you know what I mean.
DEAKINS
(flash of worry)
You wouldn't do that.
HALE
Nah. You're right. I wouldn't have the guts.

END SPLIT-SCREEN. Hale drops the mike; looks at the elevator.

HALE
How deep is this mine?
TERRY
I don't know. A couple thousand feet.
HALE
That's deep enough.

Hale opens the elevator gate.

TERRY
For what?
HALE
A nuclear explosion.

Terry's jaw drops.

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85

EXT. 4WD TRAIL/ INT. DEAKINS' HUMVEE

Kelly drives the blackened Humvee as fast as he can. Johnson looks at his scanner, grins.

JOHNSON
Got it! They're --
DEAKINS
In the mine.
(off their looks)
I could tell he was inside something. There was an echo.
86

INT. MINE ENTRANCE

Hale hurries to the backof the Humvee.

TERRY
We can still hide them!
HALE
He's got a scanner. He'd find them.
TERRY
You're talking about setting off a nuclear weapon!
HALE
They set them off underground in Nevada all through the fifties and sixties. There's no risk.
TERRY
Tell it to the two-headed cows.

Hale grabs the straps around one of the nukes, pulls. He can barely move the thing. He turns to Terry.

TERRY
No! I am not helping you set off a nuclear weapon.
HALE
We won't be down there when it goes off. This isn't a suicide mission.
TERRY
No!

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HALE
(impatient)
All right. Fine. Though I think you should know, before I ejected, I heard Deakins say the nukes were going to be used to wipe out the last few remaining handicapped gay whales.

Terry looks at him -- you asshole. Hale looks at her, very serious.

HALE
I need your help.

Terry thinks, shakes herhead, steps up and grabs the nuke.

87

EXT. 4WD TRAIL

The Humvee takes the turn-off to the mine entrance.

88

INT. MINESHAFT ELEVATOR - DESCENDING

Hale and Terry are goingdown with the nukes.

HALE
When we get to the bottom we'll have to get away from this shaft. It'll limit the amount of radiation released into-the atmosphere.
89

EXT. MINE ENTRANCE

Deakins's Humvee comes into the clearing. The Humvee stops and Deakins and Kelly jump out, followed by Pritchett and Johnson.

90

EXT. MINE - BOTTOM OF ELEVATOR SHAFT

The elevator comes down. Hale slides open the gate. He and Terry drag the nukes out.

TERRY
We'll each drag one down a tunnel?
HALE
No. I'm only going to set off one. We'll leave the other one here. It'll be buried under a billion tons of rock.

They are startled when the elevator starts going up behind them

HALE
We better hurry.
(nods down tunnel)
Let's try down there.

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They start hauling the nuke down the tunnel.

91

INT. MINE ENTRANCE

Deakins, Pritchett, Kelly and Johnson wait by the elevator.

PRITCHETT
I can't wait to see how this fits into your plan.

Deakins' charm peels away for an instant and he fixes Pritchett with a stare. Pritchett shrinks back.

92

INT. PENTAGON SITUATION ROOM

Baird, the Chairman and the others are watching large TV monitors. Creeley walks them through what they're looking at.

ON THE MONITORS

A wide-view, bird's-eye,thermal image of rocky terrain.

CREELEY
This is the KH-12 satellite's infrared view of the area. An exposed nuclear core would be relatively hot -- it'd show as a circle of bright white. As you can see, there's nothing. The only heat signatures we found were these.

The image changes. There are four blotches, glowing a dull red.

BAIRD
What's --?
CREELEY
We think it's Colonel Rhodes and his men. Their bodies.

A look between Baird andthe Chairman. The Chairman reaches for a phone.

93

INT. MCMURRAN CONTROL CENTER

Wilkins is on the phone. Giles looks at him.

WILKINS
I understand, sir.
GILES
(whispers)
Was I right?

Wilkins nods. Giles grins smugly for about half a second, then realizes what it really means.

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GILES
Oh, shit.
WILKINS
(into phone)
I've got ten ships ready to go ... We should be hearing from NEST any minute now.
94

EXT. NEST HELICOPTER IN FLIGHT

Flying over Canyonlands.

95

INT. MINESHAFT ELEVATOR - DESCENDING

Deakins, Kelly and Johnson are in the elevator. Kelly holds a small metal briefcase.

96

INT. END OF MINE TUNNEL

Hale and Terry have stopped at the end of a tunnel. Hale has opened the guts of the nuke. He's pulling out a chip.

TERRY
How do you know how to do this?
HALE
Pilots who fly with nuclear weapons have standing orders to ...
(quoting from the manual)
... "retrieve if possible, disable if necessary and destroy if we must," and destroy I must.

He stands, looks around. He sees...

EYEBOLTS

Screwed into the cross beaus on the ceiling.

HALE
I'm gonna need your belt and one of your socks.
97

INT. BOTTOM OF ELEVATOR SHAFT

The elevator descends into view. Deakins, Kelly and Johnson get out. They see the othernuke lying there.

KELLY
Send it up?
DEAKINS
(shakes head)
Let's take care of Hale first. Spread out.

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98

INT. END OF MINE TUNNEL

In one hand Hale holds Terry's sock, filled with sand. His other hand grips the eyebolt. Terry is giving Hale a log up, straining under the weight.

TERRY
Take your time. Really.

Hale has pushed the openend of the sock through the eyebolt. He tightens a belt around the open end of the sock.

HALE
Okay.

Terry lets Hale down. Hale picks up a big rock and loops the free end of the belt around it. Then he picks up a smaller rock.

CLOSE ON NUCLEAR WEAPON

One chip has been pulledout of a circuit board. Hale very gingerly lays the small rock on top of the chip.

HALE
We make a small hole in the sock, and when enough sand drains out -- and we're hopefully in New Mexico -- the sock is pulled through the eyebolt, the rock drops...
(re: smaller rock)
... hitting the rock on this chip, closing the firing circuit and that's it.

Hale finishes putting the small rock in position. He stands.

TERRY
How much time are we going to have?
HALE
I don't know precisely. This isn't a Swiss sock. Ten minutes, maybe --

Hale is cut off by...

BULLETS

Flying in, ricocheting off the rock walls, fired by...

JOHNSON

Thirty yards down the tunnel.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 55.

HALE AND TERRY

Dive to the ground. They pull pistols, start shooting.

THE SOCK

One of Johnson's bulletscuts through it.

HALE

Feels sand hitting his face, looks up.

HIS POV

Sand is draining out of the sock very fast.

HALE AND TERRY

Reaches up to grab the big rock, but Johnson sends a spray of bullets in. Terry grabs Hale.

TERRY
Come on!
HALE
The sock --

More bullets. Terry pulls Hale. They run down a side passage. Hale and Terry fire backat Johnson as they run out of sight.

JOHNSON

Shoots after them, then runs up to the weapon. He reaches for the rock, stops -- maybethat'll set it off.

THE SOCK

The last sand pours out;the sock is sucked through the eye-bolt.

THE ROCK

Drops fast toward the nuke.

A HAND

Grabs it, stopping it just in time. The hand belongs to...

DEAKINS

He looks at Johnson in disgust, exhales, and tosses the rock.He pulls out a walkie-talkie, clicks on, talks into it.

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DEAKINS
We're at the end of tunnel three.
(clicks off; to Johnson)
You two get this one set. I'll take the other one up.

HALE AND TERRY

Running along a tunnel.

TERRY
What do we do?
HALE
Beat 'em back to the elevator. Stop 'em from getting out.

Terry nods. They hurry off around a corner and are met by...

A FLURRY OF BULLETS

Fired by...

DEAKINS

With his Uzi.

HALE AND TERRY

Run back down the side tunnel, bullets winging off the rockall around them, shooting back. Hale starts shooting out the lights, plunging the tunnel into darkness.

DEAKINS

Slows down.

DEAKINS
The bit with the sock was good. I like it. Still, I'm gonna use the the Field Expedient Tactical Timer. It's a little more precise.
(beat)
See, Hale -- you aren't the only one who's thought of setting off a nuke in this mine.

BY THE NUKE

Kelly is there with Johnson. Kelly flips on a lamp on a headstrap, giving him better light as he opens up the metal briefcase he's been carrying.

INSIDE THE BRIEFCASE

An elaborate electronic timer.

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IN THE TUNNELS

Deakins pulls out a fresh clip.

DEAKINS
I need a demonstration. Otherwise, some swinging dick in Washington is going to say I don't have the balls or the ability to set off a nuclear weapon. I'm gonna show these puppies I'm ready, willing and able. Hell, I'm eager.

Deakins jams in his clip, walks into the dark part of the tunnel.

HALE AND TERRY

In the dark, waiting to ambush Deakins and then...

DEAKINS

Opens fire -- but not atHale and Terry -- at the cable along the ceiling connecting the lights. The cable snaps and electrical sparks shoot out, flooding the tunnel with light, showing...

HALE AND TERRY

Suddenly exposed to Deakins' fire. The bullets whiz in.

DEAKINS

The muzzle flashes from his Uzi give away his position and Hale and Terry's bullets scream in at him. He backs around a corner.

HALE AND TERRY

Take cover. It's a stand-off.

DEAKINS
Well, Hale, I better be going. Look at it this way, partner. If you wanted to get closer to God, you are about to get your wish.

Hale hears Deakins' footsteps start off.

HALE
You're gonna ransom Salt Lake City, aren't you?

The footsteps stop.

DEAKINS
What makes you think that?

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HALE
That's where St. Judes Hospital is. You're gonna hide the nukes near the radiology department so they won't show up an any satellite radiation scans.
DEAKINS
I'm impressed.
HALE
How much are you gonna ask for?
DEAKINS
Enough. I've got a broker in Stockholm. Monday morning he's going to buy me five percent of Volvo. For the rest of my days I'm going to live off the dividends, happy in the knowledge I'm helping to build the safest car in the world.
HALE
So that's it? You're just doing 'this for the money? I'm kind of disappointed.
DEAKINS
Why would you do it, Hale?
HALE
That's the thing -- I wouldn't.
DEAKINS
If you were me.
HALE
If I were you...?
(thinks, starts in)
Because ... because I got passed over for promotion and goddamnit I'm going to show the bastards that I'm smarter than them all.
(getting angry)
Because ... everyone's selling out and cashing in, so why not me?
(angrier)
Because ... because my ex-wife was sleeping around. Because my parents abused me. Because I ate some sugar.
(more)

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HALE (cont'd)
(furious)
Because I don't like Mondays.
(takes a breath, grins)
It's all bullshit, Deak. There are no reasons. Not really. There's no difference between you and the guy who shoots up the schoolyard with an M-16. You both think you have reasons. You both think you were wronged. The truth? You're both just fucked in the head.

DEAKINS' FACE

Grim, evil -- fades intodarkness as he turns and walks off.

HALE AND TERRY

They hear footsteps, receding. Hale bolts out of their hiding spot. Terry follows.

99

INT. BOTTOM OF ELEVATOR SHAFT

Deakins gets to the elevator, drags the other nuke in, shutsthe gate and starts up.

100

INT. END OF TUNNEL

Kelly finishes keying innumbers into the nuke timer. An amber light comes on and...

THE TIMER

Starts ticking down fromton minutes.

KELLY AND JOHNSON

Grab their guns and run.

101

INT. MINESHAFT ENTRANCE

The elevator comes up. Deakins drags out the nuke, hits the DOWN button, shuts the gate. The elevator descends.

DEAKINS
Mr. Pritchett!
102

INT. BOTTOM OF ELEVATOR SHAFT

Hale and Terry are waiting for the elevator to come down when...

KELLY AND JOHNSON

Run in. A half-second of surprise is broken when...

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THE ELEVATOR

Comes down.

HALE AND TERRY

Make a move toward the elevator, but...

KELLY AND JOHNSON

Unload with their Uzis.

HALE AND TERRY

Back around a corner, side by side, shooting their pistols.

JOHNSON

Is shot, drops.

KELLY

Grabs Johnson's Uzi and,firing both guns, backs to the elevator, kicks open thegate with his foot and gets inside. He hits the UP button with the butt of one of the guns and the elevator starts to rise.

HALE AND TERRY

Step out of the tunnel and fire on the climbing elevator.

INSERT - ECU NUKE TIMER

Seven minutes and counting.

103

INT. MINESHAFT ENTRANCE

Deakins and Pritchett get the nuke into the back of the Humvee.

104

INT. BOTTOM OF ELEVATOR SHAFT

TERRY
We can go back, try to shut it down.
HALE
We don't know the code, and Deak'd have it wired to blow if we so much as look at it funny.
TERRY
Then we're...

Hale looks at her.

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HALE
I'm sorry. I shouldn't've let you come.
TERRY
Oh, God.

Hale takes Terry in his arms, holds her.

TERRY
I ... I just hope someone remembers to feed my dog.

Hale nods, hugs Terry. Terry starts to say something else, but Hale puts a finger to his lips -- he's heard something -- a distant rushing.

HALE
Come on.

Hale pulls Terry, running, down the far tunnel.

TERRY
What're you --?
HALE
You said they shut down the mine when they hit an underground river.
105

INT. MINESHAFT ENTRANCE

Deakins slams the tailgate on the Humvee shut. From the distance, he and Pritchett hear the whump-whump-whump of a helicopter. Deakins motions Pritchett to stay.

106

EXT. MINE ENTRANCE

Deakins comes out, looksup, sees...

THE NEST HELICOPTER

Coming toward him, two miles away.

107

INT. NEST HELICOPTER

Hunt sees something, points.

HUNT
Ten o'clock! In the clearing!

HIS POV

The blackened Humvee andDeakins by the mine entrance.

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108

INT. MINE TUNNEL

Hale and Terry run up. The tunnel comes to an end at a big hole. The rushing soundcomes from the hole. They step up to the edge and look down.

THEIR POV

Dark water rushes by tenfeet below them.

HALE
Any idea where it goes?
TERRY
No.

They look at each other. They don't have any choice. They flick on their flashlights and jump. They-hit the water and are swept from view.

109

INT. MINESHAFT ENTRANCE

Deakins enters, motions for Pritchett to get into the Humvee.

DEAKINS
Get in. We're leaving.
PRITCHETT
(re: Kelly and Johnson)
Aren't you going to wait for them?
DEAKINS
No time. And if they get out, they might talk. Fortunately, there's something wrong with the elevator.

Deakins opens fire with his Uzi on the generator. Sparks fly and the thing shuts down.

110

INT. ELEVATOR

Kelly is jarred when theelevator stops and the lights dim.

111

EXT. MINE ENTRANCE

Deakins and Pritchett drive out of the mine in the Humvee. Deakins punches the tripodometer, setting it to zeroes.

112

INT. ELEVATOR

Kelly switches on his headlamp.

KELLY
Wrong person to screw with, Deak.

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He pulls open the gate and climbs down.

THE ELEVATOR SHAFT

Kelly swings under the elevator.

KELLY
I know the goddamn code, asshole.

He grabs the cable trailing off below the elevator and starts sliding down it into thedarkness.

INSERT - ECU NUKE TIMER

Two minutes and counting.

113

INT. THE UNDERGROUND RIVER

Hale and Terry are beingsucked along through the fast, turbulent water. Their flashlights show...

STALACTITES

Jutting down like knives, ready-to rip then open.

HALE AND TERRY

Dodge them, push off, duck under. And then they notice that...

THE CEILING

Is getting lower, getting closer to the surface of the water. They're running out of breathing room. Three feet, two feet, one foot. They take big breaths, maybe their last, and they're...

UNDERWATER

Tumbling along, pulled at by the eddies, flashlights showing their faces -- they are running out of air. And then, there's light above them in the water.

HALE AND TERRY

Lungs bursting, they start kicking up.

114

EXT. COLORADO RIVER

Terry and Hale come to the surface, coughing, sucking in air.

115

EXT. 4WD TRAIL/INT. HUMVEE

Deakins drives fast along the 4WD trail, glancing in his sideview mirror at...

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THE NEST HELICOPTER

Closing in on him.

PRITCHETT

Is holding on tight as Deakins drives wildly.

PRITCHETT
I think I've finally figured out your plan. Those guys in the helicopter are going to kill us, but we're going to rise from the dead and

DEAKINS

Very suddenly and very violently lashes out. The side of his hand hits Pritchett in the throat.

PRITCHETT

Gags silently, suddenly unable to get any air. He pulls at his throat, even pounds himself in the back of the neck. No go. He slowly slumps, dying, skin turning blue.

DEAKINS
Maybe now you'll shut up.
116

INT. MINE TUNNEL

Kelly is running as fastas he can, headlamp lighting the way.

INSERT - ECU NUKE TIMER

Thirty seconds and counting.

117

EXT. COLORADO RIVER

Hale and Terry are swimming toward the bank.

118

EXT. 4WD TRAIL

Deakins barrels along inthe Humvee, the NEST helicopter getting closer behind him.

IN THE HUMVEE

Deakins has a thought and looks over at Pritchett, dead, heldup by the seatbelt.

DEAKINS
I just realized I've never killed anyone before. I mean, I dropped bombs on Baghdad, but never face to face.
(more)

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DEAKINS (cont'd)
(thinks about it, shrugs)
I don't know what the big deal is.
119

INT. MINE - END OF TUNNEL

ECU NUKE TIMER

Eighteen seconds left.

KELLY

Runs up, starts enteringnumbers into the timer keypad.

120

INT./EXT. NEST HELICOPTER

The NEST helicopter closes fast on Deakins. They are a couple hundred feet above him, a quarter mile back.

HUNT
Let him know we're here!
121

EXT. 4WD TRAIL

A line of bullets kicks up dust in front of Deakins' Humvee.

122

INT. HUMVEE

Deakins looks at...

THE TRIP ODOMETER

It clicks over from 2.9 to 3.0 miles.

DEAKINS

Grins, steps on the brakes.

123

EXT. 4WD TRAIL

The Humvee stops and Deakins gets out, arms above his head.

THE NEST HELICOPTER

A hundred feet in the air, slowly coming in toward Deakins.

124

INT. MINE - END OF TUNNEL

ECU NUKE TIMER

Eleven, ten, nine...

KELLY

Punches in the last two numbers of the code then ENTER.

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ECU NUKE TIMER

It stops with seven seconds left. The amber light goes off and the red light comes on.

KELLY

Sits back on the floor, takes a breath.

125

EXT. 4WD TRAIL

Deakins is watching the helicopter. Strangely, he is grinning. Then the camera CLOSES IN fast on...

DEAKINS' HAND

He's holding a small black box. He presses a button and...

126

INT. MINE - END OF TUNNEL

Kelly hears a click. He looks over at...

THE TIMER

The red light goes out. The amber light comes on. A splitsecond later, the green light comes on.

KELLY
Oh shit.

The screen goes white.

127

EXT. 4WD TRAIL

DEAKINS

Watching the helicopter,listening to Hunt over the loudspeaker.

HUNT (V.O.)
Do not move or you will be fired --

THE GROUND

Rises up beneath Deakins.

HIGH ANGLE - WIDE SHOT

The ripples of the shockwave shoot out from the mine, shaking dust and dirt into the air with an incredible, deafening roar.

DEAKINS AMD THE HUMVEE

Fly ten feet into the air.

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128

INT. NEST HELICOPTER

There's a roar of staticover everyone's headphones and then every light, every pieceof electronic equipment shuts down.

HUNT
No...!

They plummet.

129

EXT. COLORADO RIVER RIVER BANK

Terry and Hale are pulling themselves out of the water whenthe shockwave hits, knockingthem off their feet.

130

INT. MCMURRAN CONTROL ROOM

Wilkins and Giles hear the sudden rumble and then the shockwave hits, knocking stuff offdesks, swinging lamps.

131

EXT. 4WD TRAIL

Deakins and the Humvee land. In the b.g....

THE NEST HELICOPTER

Drops out of sight behind a rock formation. There's an explosion and a ball of fire shoots up.

132

EXT. COLORADO RIVER - RIVER BANK

Terry looks over at Hale-- holy shit.

133

INT. MCMURRAN CONTROL ROOM

The lamps are still swinging.

GILES
That's all we need. A goddamn earthquake.
WILKINS
Son, I was at the Nevada Test site in the fifties. That wasn't an earthquake.
134

EXT. 4WD TRAIL

Deakins picks himself up.

DEAKINS
(to himself)
At least I know they work.
135

INT. MCMURRAN CONTROL ROOM

Wilkins grabs a phone. Giles is pacing, freaked.

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WILKINS
(into phone)
Get me the Room.
GILES
I have to get out of here.
WILKINS
You're going to be fine. It was underground.
(into phone)
Colonel Wilkins for General Creeley.
GILES
How do you know?
WILKINS
For one thing, if it was above ground, it wouldn't have caused the same kind of ground tremor. For another, if it was above ground, we'd all be blind and dying.
(into phone)
Sir, we've just had a detonation.
136

INT. PENTAGON -- SITUATION ROOM

Bedlam. People yelling. The Chairman is huddling with Baird.

BAIRD
How'd that happen?
CHAIRMAN
I don't know, but thank God it happened underground.
BAIRD
What do we do now?
CHAIRMAN
First thing we do is put a huge goddamn lid on this thing. With all due respect to your boy Giles and his belief in honesty as the best policy, from now on and until the end of time, what happened in Utah tonight was an earthquake. All right?

Baird nods.

137

EXT. 4WD TRAIL

The Humvee races along the trail.

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IN THE HUMVEE

Deakins and the dead Pritchett motor along. Deakins turns to Pritchett as if Pritchett had just asked him a question.

DEAKINS
The helicopter? It was hit by EMP. Electromagnetic pulse. It's released in a nuclear detonation. It wipes out anything electronic for miles. That"s another reason I wanted to set off a nuke. I knew it'd bring down any helicopters coming for us. It'll also shut down all radio communications for a few hours, which will severely screw up their response.
(grins)
You see, Mr. Pritchett? There really is nothing for you to worry about.

Pritchett's body seems to nod from the motion of the Humvee.

138

EXT. COLORADO RIVER - RIVER BANK

BUTTERFLIES

Hover and dance over thewater in the early morning light.

HALE

Hale has his shirt off and is wringing it out.

TERRY (O.S.)
Goddamn it!

He turns to see Terry trying to undo her buttons but unableto her fingers are too numb.

TERRY
Stupid buttons. I hate these shirts. They're ugly and stupid and --

Terry suddenly starts crying. It's not the shirt she's upset about. Hale holds her.

HALE
It's okay.
TERRY
We just ... I mean, we almost...
HALE
I know.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 70.

TERRY
A nuclear bomb went off.
HALE
That it did.
TERRY
Are we...?
HALE
Look.
(points at butterflies)
If the butterflies are okay, then we'll be okay.
TERRY
Really?
HALE
Absolutely. It says so in the manual. "If you see butterflies after a detonation, you are fine."

Terry looks at Hale. She knows he's bullshitting her, but she appreciates it. They look at each other. They could kiss ... but they both shy away from it. Terry gets her shirt off.

HALE
We better get moving. We might be able to reach Deakins when he gets to the river.

They start off along a trail by the river.

HALE
Something I've been meaning to ask.
(Terry looks at him)
How did someone like you end up with a gun?
TERRY
I hit a bankrobber with a frozen chicken.
HALE
Excuse me?
TERRY
I came out here one summer during college. It was the campaign to stop the dam in the Grand Canyon. I loved it here. I came back, worked as a river guide and eventually stayed year-round. When a Park Ranger job came open, I applied.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 71.

HALE
I'm still waiting for the chicken.
TERRY
The local Parks Department wasn't sure how I'd do with the law enforcement part of the job. Well, one night I was coming home from the store and Tommy Drewson part of the local brain trust was robbing old Bob Kearney in front of the ATM. I bear old Bob yelling and I see Tommy heading for his car, so I tossed a bag of groceries at him at thirty miles an hour. A frozen chicken in the bag hit him in the forehead and he dropped like a rock. Next thing I know, I'm a Ranger.

Hale looks at Terry witha new appreciation.

139

EXT. 4WD TRAIL

Deakins pilots the Humvee along the trail.

140

EXT. COLORADO RIVER - RIVERBANK TRAIL

Hale and Terry are crouching behind a rock, looking down.

THEIR POV

A zodiac raft has been pulled up on the river bank. A man with an Uzi -- SHEPPARD -- waits, duffel bag by his feet.

TERRY
Get me a frozen Zacky's fryer and he's a dead man.

There's the sound of an approaching engine. Sheppard stands, gun ready. The engine stops. A few seconds later...

DEAKINS

Appears, walking down a footpath toward Sheppard.

SHEPPARD
Where is everyone?
DEAKINS
I am everyone. Let's go.

Sheppard hurries to Deakins. They disappear up the footpath.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 72.

HALE AND TERRY

HALE
Shit.
TERRY
What?
HALE
We're the only ones who know what's going on, and I don't have the faintest idea how we're gonna stop them.
TERRY
You'll think of something.
HALE
Why do you say that?
TERRY
You have so far.

Hale looks at Terry -- she's right. But it almost pisses him off more than it gives him confidence. He grumbles to himself and starts off down toward the raft.

TERRY
Sink it?
HALE
Steal it.

They get down to the raft. They climb in. Hale grabs the engine throttle, slumps.

HALE
Keys.

Hale looks around, spotsSheppard's duffel bag lying on the riverbank. He hops out and starts rummaging through it when they hear grunting and feet approaching.

Hale looks around for a place to hide. There isn't any. Terry tries to get out of the raft, but she trips on a tarpaulin bunched on the bottom ofthe raft. she drops.

WITH DEAKINS AND SHEPPARD

Coming down a path, lugging the last remaining nuke.

THEIR POV

Of the raft. Hale and Terry are nowhere to be seen.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 73.

HALE

Is alone, in the water, on the far side of the raft, very silent. He hears Deakins and Sheppard load the nuke into the raft.

SHEPPARD (O.S.)
Why were you driving around with a dead guy?
DEAKINS (O.S.)
Because I like him. He doesn't ask a lot of annoying questions. All right?

A few seconds later the engine starts up. Hale ducks down under water as the raft takes off over him. He surfaces to watch the raft zooming off into the distance. He is very worried.

ON THE RAFT - MOVING

The nuke is on a pallet in the middle of the raft. Sheppard pilots the raft. Deakins looks around, sees what he wants.

A TARP

Is lying on the deck of the raft along one side, all bunchedup. It'd be the kind of thing you'd hide under.

DEAKINS

Grabs the tarp and pulls.

UNDER THE TARP

There's no one there.

DEAKINS

Throws the tarp over thenuke. As he does, we PAN OVER to...

A LONG CRATE MARKED "LIFE JACKETS"

Strapped to one of the side pontoons. A small triangle of cloth is sticking out from inside the crate -- like the corner ofa shirt. It's quickly pulled out of sight from within.

BACK ON THE RIVERBANK

Hale climbs out of the water and looks around, not knowing quite what to do.

141

EXT. LAKE POWELL - TRANSFER POINT

The zodiac boat is on the shore. Sheppard and four man -- call them the GUNMEN -- are hauling the nuke to the truck. Deakins walks with another man -- MAX, 50s. Max checks his watch.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 74.

MAX
Your friends in Washington should be getting the package about now.
DEAKINS
I wish I could see their faces.
142

INT. PENTAGON - SITUATION ROOM

Baird, the Chairman, Creeley and the others are all staring slack-jawed at a TV screen.

ON THE TV

Camcorder shot of Deakins against a black backdrop.

DEAKINS
... two-hundred-and-fifty million dollars, by nine a.m. Utah time. The depositing instructions are in the envelope that came with this tape. This deadline is not negotiable, and there is no grace period. The device is on a timer. Shortly after you receive this, the timer will be activated. At nine a.m., I will make a call. If I find out you've done as you've been told, I will stop the timer. If you have not complied --

The screen suddenly cutsto a flurry of images of nuclear destruction -- buildingsbeing knocked sideways, mushroom clouds, shockwaves, fires.

CHAIRMAN
Turn that off!
143

EXT. LAKE POWELL

Hale runs along the shoreline, headed for...

A MARINA

Where houseboats are rented out. Hale's eyes focus on a sign with a picture of a phone on it.

144

EXT. LAKE POWELL - TRANSFER POINT

The back gate of the truck is shut from the inside. The truck starts up and rumbles off, slowly at first.

TERRY

Jumps up from the raft and runs after the truck, staying right behind. She grabs a handhold and pulls herself up. She holds on tight as the truck bounces off down the dirt road.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 75.

145

INT. PENTAGON SITUATION ROOM

Loud voices and crosstalk. Baird is on the phone, nodding.

BAIRD
Yes, sir.

Creeley's phone rings. He answers it.

CREELEY
Creeley.
BAIRD
(covers phone; to Chairman)
The President wants to know if we know where the device is headed.
CHAIRMAN
If Deakins had a plane waiting, it could be anywhere. We just don't know.
CREELEY
I do.
(all eyes on him)
Major Hale is alive. According to him, Colonel Deakins is headed for Salt Lake City.
146

EXT. LAKE POWELL - MARINA

Army helicopters are landing near the marina. Two are already down. One has TROOPS standing outside of it.

HALE, WILKINS AND GILES

Are walking toward the second helicopter.

WILKINS
We found the raft on the other side of the lake. Tracks from a heavy truck ran out when they hit the paved road.
HALE
If we get a rad scanner we can track them.

A brief look between Wilkins and Giles.

WILKINS
Actually, Major, we're going back to McMurran.
HALE
What?

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 76.

GILES
We'd just like to ask you a few questions.
HALE
I'm not wasting time answering questions. We've got --
WILKINS
No debate, Major. I was given orders. Now, you can come with us, or you can go with them.

Wilkins nods over at theother helicopter. The troops standing in front of it are MPs. Hale looks at Wilkins, astounded.

147

EXT./INT. WILKINS' HELICOPTER - IN FLIGHT

Wilkins is up front withthe pilot. Hale and Giles are in back. All wear headsets. Hale is yelling at Wilkins.

HALE
Deakins thinks I'm dead. He thinks it's over. You've got to let me go after him. I can help. I know how his mind works.
WILKINS
Major, I know this is personal for you, but I think we can handle it. We're putting a wall of men and machines around Salt Lake City as we speak. That truck is not getting through.
148

INT. TRUCK

CLOSE ON THE NUCLEAR WEAPON

Dusty slices of light come through the truck's slatted walls. The nuclear weapon is lashed to a hammock, straps running offto D-rings on the sides. Max is hooking up an electronic timer.

149

INT. WILKINS' HELICOPTER

HALE
What about the Ranger?
GILES
What about her?
HALE
When you find that truck, you'll hit it hard. Chances are she'll be killed in the crossfire. "Regrettable but unavoidable."

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 77.

Giles and Wilkins share a look -- Hale is right.

HALE
Look, she's not supposed to be there. She should be checking camping permits, finding lost kids. She...
(beat)
She saved my life.

Giles wants to help. So does Wilkins, but...

WILKINS
We were ordered to take you back to McMurran. You understand what orders are, don't you, Major?

Wilkins turns away. Hale sits back, mind racing, not knowing what to do. He quickly grabs a pistol from the helicopter's weapons rack and puts itto Wilkin's neck.

WILKINS
Major, put that away or say goodbye to your career and hello to twenty years in Leavenworth.
HALE
If that's what it takes.
WILKINS
You'll have to shoot me.

Hale thinks, but there'sno way he can do that. He lowers the gun, sits back.

Giles gets Hale's attention, then points to his own head. Hale doesn't understand, so Giles grabs Hale's gunhand and puts the gun up to his head.

GILES
Colonel! How about this?

Wilkins looks back, seesHale holding the gun to Giles' head.

HALE
(bad acting)
I swear to God I'll shoot.

Wilkins grins.

150

INT. TRUCK

Max finishes hooking up the timer. He looks at Deakins.

MAX
Ready when you are.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 78.

DEAKINS
Wait until I get back. I'm going to check on Sheppard.

Deakins goes to a ladderthat leads up to the ceiling.

151

INT. WILKIN'S HELICOPTER

Hale is looking back andforth between what he sees out the window and the map on his lap.

WILKINS
I don't know what you're looking for, Major. Every road between here and salt Lake has already been sealed.
HALE
Deak would know that. Maybe he's not on the road.

Wilkins doesn't understand.

HALE
They were using maps like these to set up the roadblocks?
WILKINS
Yes...?
HALE
Then that's the answer.

Wilkins doesn't understand. Hale points outside, down at...

TRAIN TRACKS

On the ground. Old ones, half-covered by weeds.

HALE
It's an old spur. Probably hasn't been used in twenty years. Nobody bothered to put it on the new maps.
WILKINS
What are you --?
HALE
The nuke isn't in a truck, Colonel. It's on a train.
152

EXT. TRAIN

A freight train -- engine, a car carrier (carrying a load of Toyotas), several boxcars and a caboose. A hatch opens up an the roof of one of the boxcars near the tail of the train and...

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 79.

DEAKINS

Climbs out and we discover that indeed they are not in a truck, they're in a train. The "nuke boxcar" has a small satellite dish mounted on the roof.

THE FOUR GUNMEN

Are in position at points along the train, ready with Uzis.

153

INT. WILKINS' HELICOPTER

Wilkins hangs up the radio mike.

WILKINS
Radio's still down. We'll head north, look for a phone, then look for a train.

Giles nods. Hale is thinking. Wilkins starts to tell the pilot.

HALE
No. Go south.
GILES
Salt Lake is north.
HALE
He's not going to Salt Lake.
GILES
But you said it would be Salt Lake. You found that hospital tag.
HALE
He planted that. He wanted whoever found it to think that's where he was going.
(Shakes head)
He's been doing a rope-a-dope.

Giles and Wilkins look at him like he's nuts.

HALE
It's a boxing term. When Ali -- Look, I know this guy. If everything has been saying he's heading north, then he's heading south.

They look at him, then Wilkins grabs the map.

WILKINS
What's south of here?

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 80.

ECU MAP

Wilkins' finger follows the train line on the map. It goes right into Las Vegas.

HALE
No. Not Vegas. What the hell is there to blow up in Vegas?

Wilkins' finger keeps moving on the map.

GILES
The President.

Wilkins' finger stops.

154

EXT. TRAIN

Deakins jumps the gap between two boxcars and walks on. We ANGLE DOWN to reveal...

TERRY

Crouching down between the two cars.

155

INT. TRAIN ENGINE - DRIVER'S COMPARTMENT

Sheppard is working witha torch, welding the brake and accelerator controls. Deakins enters. Sheppard turns the torch down. Deakins lights a cigarette off it.

DEAKINS
How much longer?
SHEPPARD
Almost done.
156

INT. TRAIN ENGINE ENGINEAREA

Behind the driver's compartment is the engine itself, with walkways along either side.

TERRY

Creeps-up to one of the doors that lead into the driver's compartment. She hears...

SHEPPARD (O.S.)
How long until the helicopter gets here?
157

INT. DRIVER'S COMPARTMENT

DEAKINS
Five minutes. We'll leave from the boxcar roof.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 81.

Deakins turns to go.

158

INT. TRAIN ENGINE - ENGINE AREA

Deakins opens the door and strides along beside the engine.

TERRY

Is hiding on the other side of the engine, very quiet and still. As Deakins goes out the back door of the engine, Terry follows.

159

EXT. TRAIN - BETWEEN ENGINE AND BOXCAR

Terry comes out the doorand is about to step across to the ladder on the boxcar when we PULL BACK to reveal...

DEAKINS

As he puts a gun to the back of Terry's head.

160

EXT. GAS STATION AND MINI-MART

A RANCHER comes out of the mini-mart with a cup of coffee and heads for his old pickuptruck. He starts to open his door when he hears, incongruously,whump-whump-whump. He looks up as...

WILKINS' HELICOPTER

Comes in, gets about three feet off the ground and Giles jumps out. As Giles runs to apayphone, the helicopter pulls up and flies away, leaving the Rancher agog.

161

INT. NUKE BOXCAR

Terry comes down the ladder from the hatch, followed by Deakins with a gun.

DEAKINS
Terry, Max. Max, Terry.
MAX
(to Terry)
A pleasure.
(to Deakins)
What the hell is a "Terry" and why is it still live?
DEAKINS
She asked me how I thought I was going to get away with this and I thought I'd tell her.
(to Terry)
We're going to a cabin in the mountains, not far from here. When we get there I'm gonna make two phone calls.
(more)

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 82.

DEAKINS (cont'd)
The first is to the Pentagon. I'm gonna tell them where the train is.
(grins)
See, all their forces are up at Salt Lake by now. By the time they could get a F-15 down here the train will be on the outskirts of Vegas. And I'll remind them about the impact trigger -- if they hit this train hard, the nuke'll blow.
(shakes head)
They won't have any choice. They'll have to let the train get into the city and because of that, they'll have to pay.
TERRY
You said two phone calls.
DEAKINS
The second will be to my bank in Geneva. If the money's in my account, I use this...
(pulls out what looks like amodified cell- phone)
... and shut down the timer. If not, we sit back, put on some shades and get a quick tan.
TERRY
But -- radio isn't working.
DEAKINS
You saw the dish on the roof? Microwave. It's not affected by EMP. See? I really have thought of everything.
MAX
You kept her alive just so you can impress her with how smart you are?
DEAKINS
(to Max)
No, I kept her alive because I want her to do me a favor. See, if something goes wrong and this thing goes off, a half a million people are going to be vaporized. I don't want that on my conscience. So I'm not going to arm the nuke.
(more)

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 83.

DEAKINS (cont'd)
(puts gun to Terry's head)
She is.
162

INT. PENTAGON SITUATION ROOM

The room is silent. Everyone is looking at video monitors showing a map of Las Vegas. They are listening to a nervous ASSISTANT as he uses a telestrator to diagram the blast effects.

AIR FORCE ASSISTANT
Starting at ground zero and moving out, we have, in terms of immediate effect, one hundred percent fatalities to thirty miles. Ninety percent from thirty to forty miles, dropping roughly ten percent for every-ten miles after that. The long term --
CHAIRMAN
(cut to the chase)
Son?
AIR FORCE ASSISTANT
(looks up, seared)
Two hundred and fifty thousand in the first few seconds. The same again within a year.
BAIRD
(it sinks in)
Good God.
163

INT. NUKE BOXCAR

Terry is shaking, tears in her eyes, as she slowly-enters the numbers Deakins tells her to in the nuke timer keypad.

DEAKINS
Nine ... Then pound ... Good. Now six ...

ECU TERRY'S EYES

Filled with tears. She blinks and...

QUICK CUTS

Terry has visions of RETIREES in Vegas, watering potted plants outside their motor home, of TEENAGERS ragging on each otheras they walk to school, of CHILDREN in a playground.

DEAKINS
Seven ... Star ... One...

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 84.

And Terry shakingly pushing each button and then...

The images of the retirees, the teenagers and the children each bleach out to white, fast, as if hit by a nuclear blast.

DEAKINS
Then ENTER and it's done.

TERRY

Her finger hovers over the ENTER button, almost pushes it, then shifts to CANCEL and pushes that.

ECU NUKE TIMER

The display goes blank.

DEAKINS

Stunned. He shakes his head.

DEAKINS
Ooh. You really shouldn't have done that. I said I would kill you, and I will.
TERRY
I'm gonna be dead either way. I don't want any part of this.

Deakins shrugs -- he sees her logic. He puts his gun to Terry's head. Terry shuts her eyes.

DEAKINS
Night-night.

Deakins is about to pullthe trigger when Max stops him. Max gestures -- listen. They hear a helicopter approaching. Max checks his watch.

DEAKINS
They're early.

Just then, they hear gunfire. Max gives Deakins a look.

DEAKINS
It's not a problem. Set the timer, then kill her. Have fun with it.

Deakins starts climbing up the ladder to the hatch.

164

EXT. TRAIN

The GUNMAN at the caboose is firing on Wilkins's helicopter, hanging a hundred yards off the back of the train.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 85.

165

INT. NUKE BOXCAR

Max holds a pistol on Terry with one hand while he quickly sets the timer with the other.

TERRY'S HAND

Rests on Max's tool tray. Her fingers creep over to a vrench.

MAX

Presses ENTER and finishes setting the timer.

MAX
There.

TERRY AND MAX

Terry swings hard and fast with the wrench, knocking the gunout of Max's hand. Max spins, and when Terry swings at him again. Max kicks the wrench outof her hand, then steps up fast and hits Terry under the chin with the heel of his hand. She drops straight back.

MAX
Thought I was just friendly old Max, huh? Lady, I was a Navy SEAL. You should see what I can do with just my thumb.

Max goes for his gun.

TERRY'S HAND

Grabs onto something. It's the wrench.

TERRY AND MAX

As Max turns back with the gun, Terry heaves the wrench. It hits Max square in the forehead. He drops like a rock.

TERRY
Yeah? Well, you should see what I can do with just a chicken.
166

EXT. TRAIN - CABOOSE

Deakins joins his man ontop of the caboose, firing on Wilkins, helicopter.

167

INT. HELICOPTER

Wilkins and Hale are returning fire. Hale points at Deakins.

HALE
That's him!

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 86.

WILKINS
(to pilot)
Get him!
PILOT
They've got guns!
WILKINS
You've got a helicopter. Use it!
168

EXT. TRAIN

Deakins and the gunman keep firing on the helicopter as...

THE HELICOPTER

Comes swooping in.

DEAKINS

Sees what's going to happen and turns and runs as...

THE HELICOPTER

Drops down beside the train. The rotor blades whip about three feet over the train roofand the pilot starts forward.

DEAKINS AND THE GUNMAN

Run from the blades as fast as they can.

THE HELICOPTER

Closes fast.

DEAKINS AND THE GUNMAN

Jump from car to car. The gunman passes Deakins. Just when the helicopter blades are about to catch up to Deakins...

DEAKINS

Jumps down between two boxcars and the rotor blades go right over his head. Deakins hears an awful sound and a scream cut short.

HELICOPTER POV

Swooping fast over the train when suddenly...

TERRY

Pops up out of the hatch, her back to the helicopter.

HALE (O.S.)
Pull up!

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 87.

THE HELICOPTER

Pulls up fast.

TERRY

Watches the helicopter bank away. Bullets-start whizzing by her.

DEAKINS

Has climbed up and is shooting at her.

TERRY

Runs away from Deakins, shooting Max's pistol behind her blindly.

TWO GUNMEN

Appear two cars ahead ofTerry and start toward her, shooting.

TERRY

Is caught between Deakins and the gunmen with no way out when...

THE HELICOPTER

Comes along the length of the train, flying low. It rises up and there's...

HALE

Hanging from the helicopter on a cable hooked to a harness and he's firing a pistol, shooting right over Terry at...

THE FIRST GUNMAN

He's hit, falls off the train.

THE SECOND GUNMAN

Aims at Terry and startsfiring.

TERRY

The bullets rip up the boxcar roof around her. She jumps up and grabs onto...

HALE

As he swings in on the cable, shooting his pistol.

HALE AND TERRY

Are lifted up and over...

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 88.

THE SECOND GUNMAN

Who turns, firing a shotgun. Hale's bullets find him. He falls.

SHEPPARD

Appears, firing an Uzi at Hale, Terry and the helicopter.

IN THE HELICOPTER

Bullets rip through. Wilkins is hit, knocked back.

THE CABLE HOLDING HALE AND TERRY

Is severed by one of Sheppard's bullets.

HALE AND TERRY

Drop ten feet to the roof of a boxcar. Hale shoots as they fall.

SHEPPARD

Is hit and drops.

THE HELICOPTER

Banks away fast, making ugly sounds, smoke billowing out. The engine cuts out and the helicopter drops to a hard landing beside the tracks.

HALE AND TERRY

Watch the helicopter land as the train rolls on. They look at each other.

TERRY
You stop the nuke. I'll stop the train.

Hale nods. Terry starts forward, then turns.

TERRY
I'd yell at you for coming after me, but you did just save my life.

Hale grins. They hear a helicopter in the distance. They look over to see...

A RED CROSS HELICOPTER

Coming in fast.

HALE AND TERRY

Any excitement turns to confusion when they see...

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 89.

A MAN

Standing in the doorway of the Red Cross helicopter, holdinga gun.

TERRY
That's Deakins' escape route.
HALE
Not any more.

Terry nods. They share a last look, then Terry heads off. Male coils up the winch cable, slings it over his shoulder and heads for the nuke boxcar and his old friend Deakins. He picks up...

THE SHOTGUN

Left by deceased Gunman #2.

169

EXT. CAR CARRIER

Makes her way past the Toyotas.

170

EXT. WILKINS' HELICOPTER- BESIDE TRAIN TRACKS

Wilkins and the pilot stand outside their disabled helicopter. The train is way off in the distance. They hear honking and turn to see...

A PICKUP TRUCK

Tearing toward then along a dirt road, horn honking.

CLOSE ON PICKUP

The RANCHER from the mini-mart is driving; Giles beside him.

171

INT. TRAIN ENGINE - DRIVER'S COMPARTMENT

Terry comes into the driver's compartment. She tugs at the brake and accelerator levers. It's useless. She looks around, spots a cigarette lighter.

172

INT. BOXCAR

Deakins and the one remaining GUNMAN hear the helicopter. They start toward the ladder to the roof hatch when they hear footsteps on the roof ofthe car. Deakins gestures to the gunman. He raises his gun, trying to figure out where to shoot. Then they hear someone tugging at the hatch handle. The gunman opens fire on the hatch.

173

EXT. ON TOP OF BOXCAR

Bullets stream up through the hatch cover, but Hale is nowhere in sight. One end of Hale's helicopter winch cable is tied to the hatch cover.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 90.

We follow the cable fast, over to the side of the boxcar to find...

HALE

Standing, tugging on thecable, still attached to the harness. Hale racks a load in theshotgun and jumps back off the side of the train.

174

INT. BOXCAR

The gunman hears a sound, starts to turn, just as...

HALE

Swings into the boxcar on the cable, firing the shotgun.

THE GUNMAN

Is picked up by the blast and smashed back through the woodslat wall of the boxcar and out of the train.

DEAKINS

Climbs up fast through the hatch to the roof.

HALE

Shoots at Deakins, misses. The shotgun clicks empty. Hale tosses the gun then unhooks the cable from the harness. He drops to the floor-of the boxcar and runs to the ladder.

175

EXT. CAR CARRIER

Terry has a three-foot length of gasoline-soaked cloth stuffed into the gas tank opening of a Toyota on the lower level ofthe car carrier. She lights it and hurries off.

176

EXT. ROOF OF TRAIN

Deakins steadies himselfas...

THE RED CROSS HELICOPTER

Hovers in sideways toward the train. The MAN in the doorway holds out a hand to Deakins.

DEAKINS

Is reaching for the man's hand and grabs it when...

HALE

Reaches out of the hatchand grabs onto Deakins' foot.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 91.

HALE AND DEAKINS

Deakins kicks free of Hale, holds onto the man in the helicopter and is pulled onboard.

THE HELICOPTER

Moves sideways over the train.

IN THE HELICOPTER

Deakins turns, pulling his gun and shoots down at the trainas...

THE HELICOPTER

Moves back sideways overthe train.

DEAKINS' POV

No sign of Hale on the train roof.

DEAKINS
Get us out of here!

THE PILOT

Nods and starts to lift and bank. Then he gets an odd expression. The helicopter isn't doing what he wants.

THE HELICOPTER

Is hovering over the train, but it can't fly away because...

HALE

Is hanging onto the skids and he's hooked the cable to the skid. The other end of the cable is still attached to the hatch.

THE HELICOPTER

Strains against the cable, but it doesn't snap.

IN THE HELICOPTER

DEAKINS
Hurry!

POWER LINES

Cross the track, a quarter-mile ahead.

DEAKINS

Leans out of the helicopter with his Uzi, shooting down at...

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 92.

HALE

Who grabs onto the cableand slides down it to the roof of the train, bullets plugging in all around his. He jumps down through the hatch as...

DEAKINS

Sees what's coming and jumps.

THE HELICOPTER

Hits...

THE POWER LIKES

Which snap, shoot sparksand wrap around the helicopter's rotor.

THE HELICOPTER

Breaks up and flies apart as the train rolls on.

177

EXT. CAR CARRIER

The flame burning up thegas-soaked cloth goes into the Toyota gas tank and...

THE TOYOTA

Explodes.

178

INT. NUKE BOXCAR

Hale gets to his feet, goes to look at the nuke.

ECU NUKE TIMER

Five minutes and counting.

HALE

Looks at it, trying to figure out how to disarm it. He hears the whoosh-thump of someone jumping down into the boxcar. He turns.

DEAKINS

Stands there, trying to smile, trying to be cool, but...

DEAKINS
They would've paid and I would've stopped it. You've made a very, very big mistake.
HALE
It's over, Deak. I beat you. Disarm it.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 93.

DEAKINS
If it's over and you beat me, you disarm it.
HALE
Deak...
DEAKINS
Course you are going to need this.
(holds cell-phone remote)
All you have to do is get it.
(puts remote in pocket)
And if you do, as a special added bonus, you get this.

Deakins pulls out...

THE TWENTY DOLLAR BILL

Then pockets it.

HALE AND DEAKINS

Share a look. Deakins puts up his fists.

DEAKINS
Ready?

Hale puts up his fists.

179

EXT. CAR CARRIER

It's a chain reaction, with one flaming Toyota setting off the one above it or next to it.

BETWEEN BOXCAR AND CAR CARRIER

Terry is looking under the car carrier.

TERRY'S POV

The train car axle is smoking, grinding, glowing red in theheat from the flaming Toyotas.

180

INT. BOXCAR

Hale and Deakins circle each other.

DEAKINS
Modern boxing is a pussy sport. They want to make it about scoring points. It's not about scoring points! It's about this!

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 94.

Deakins fakes a right, jabs with his left, catching Hale onthe chin. Hale is jarred. Blood runs from his mouth.

DEAKINS
Okay. You're bleeding. Good. In the old fights, there'd be so much blood, guys would slip and fall. Let's see if we can't get a little more of that red goo out of you. Ready?

Again Deakins fakes right, jabs left. Hale half blocks it, but is sent back.

181

EXT. TRAIN

CU TRAIN AXLE

The axle is bending, grinding, groaning.

TERRY

Is between the car carrier and a boxcar, looking down at the axle, not knowing what the hell she's going to do when she hears a horn honking. She turns.

182

INT. BOXCAR

DEAKINS
Used to be, every fight was to a knockout. You know what happens when you get knocked out? It's your brain slapping against the inside of your skull. Here. I'll let you see what it's like. Ready?

Deakins steps toward Hale, about to finish him off. Deakins swings. Hale ducks, comes up hard with all he's got, gets Deakins under the chin and Deakins sails up and back, landing prone, seeing stars.

HALE

Stands over Deakins, in silhouette, the light of the hatch above him. And then...

183

EXT. THE TRAIN AXLE

Snaps and...

THE TRAIN

Jumps the tracks.

184

INT. BOXCAR

Hale is thrown off his feet.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 95.

THE NUCLEAR WEAPON

Swings wildly in the hammock webbing.

THE STRAPS

Securing the webbing to the walls of the car start to snap.

185

EXT. TRAIN

The front cars accordionsideways off the tracks, down a short, steep, embankment. It's all grinding, twisting, groaning metal.

FLAMING TOYOTAS

Fly, tumble, explode.

186

INT. BOXCAR

Hale tries to get to hisfeet, but then the floor starts dropping below him as...

187

EXT. THE TRAIN

THE NUKE BOXCAR

Goes down the steep slope of the embankment and stops.

THE TRAIN

The sounds of the crash cease. Dust and smoke. Burning Toyotas.

188

INT. BOXCAR

Flickering light from a burning Toyota comes in through the slatted walls. In this weird light, Hale sees...

THE NUCLEAR WEAPON

It's above him, at the end (top) of the car. It's hanging in mid-air, tangled up in the webbing. Two straps are the only things keeping the nuclear weapon from dropping twenty feetto the bottom of the car.

DEAKINS

Is lying at the bottom (end) of the car, directly under the nuke, not moving.

HALE

Looks around for something. He sees it --

DEAKINS' REMOTE CONTROL DEVICE

On the floor.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 96.

DEAKINS' EYES

Flicker open. He sees...

A PISTOL

Lying a few feet away.

HALE

DEAKINS (O.S.)
You have to push amber, then red. You might have time to push amber. You won't get to red.

Hale turns to see...

DEAKINS

Pointing a gun at him.

HALE
The nuke is armed, Deak. If it falls, the impact trigger will set it off.
DEAKINS
I know.
HALE
Half a million people will die.
DEAKINS
(thinks, shrugs)
Fuck 'em if they can't take a joke.

ONE OF THE STRAPS

Holding the nuke tears through. One strap left.

HALE

His finger hovers over the amber button.

DEAKINS
Do it and I shoot.

Hale looks at Deakins.

HALE
I guess you really don't know me that well after all.

Hale presses the amber button.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 97.

DEAKINS

Shoots.

HALE

Spins back, blood spraying from his shoulder.

THE REMOTE

Falls from his hand.

DEAKINS

Is about to shoot again,then hears a tearing and looks up as...

THE LAST STRAP

Rips through and...

THE NUKE

Drops toward him, point first.

HALE'S BLOODY HAND

Grabs the remote and hisfinger presses the RED button.

ECU NUKE TIMER

Mid-air, dropping, the clock and display go blank as...

DEAKINS

His eyes fill with true terror as...

THE NUCLEAR WEAPON

Punches into Deakins, point first, crushing him.

HALE

Gets to his feet and stands over Deakins. He reaches down, opens Deakins' pocket and pulls out the twenty-dollar bill.

HALE
Ready.

He heads out of the boxcar.

189

EXT. TRAIN TRACKS

Hale climbs out of the boxcar and starts running through the train wreckage and burning cars, looking for Terry.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 98.

A TV NEWSVAN

Pulls up and a REPORTER and CAMERAMAN jump out.

HALE

Keeps running through the wreckage. He stops, unable to breathe when he sees...

A FOOT

In a boot, sticking out from under a burning Toyota.

HALE

Runs to the car, pulls at the foot, tries to push the car off the body underneath. O.S. another vehicle drives up.

HALE
Come on! Oh, God. Oh, no.

Hale is pulling hard on the foot when...

TERRY (O.S.)
The Air Force pays you so little you have to steal shoes off dead people?

Hale turns to see...

TERRY

Walkins over from the Rancher's pickup truck.

WILKINS AND GILES

Are behind her, grinning.

HALE AND TERRY

Run to each other. They embrace, start smoothing each other's hair, start wiping bloodoff each other's faces, start kissing, only to be interrupted by...

THE TV REPORTER AND CAMERMAN

REPORTER
What happened here?

Hale and Wilkins and Giles share a look.

HALE
Uh...
(looks at flaming Toyotas)
... somebody was trying to steal some Toyotas.

Converted to PDF by ScreenTalk Online 99.

The reporter asks more questions. Hale and Terry walk off, arms around each other. As they go, Hale sticks out his hand to Terry.

HALE
Rawley Hale.
TERRY
Terry Carmichael.

They shake hands and walk on as we...

FADE TO BLACK
THE END