"CON AIR" (1997)

by

Scott Rosenberg

5/9/96 White 5/16/96 Blue 6/'].5/96Pink

Property of:JerryBruckheimerFilms 500 S. Buena Vista St., Animation l·B Burbank,CA91521

"The degree of civilization ina society can be judged by observing its prisoners ••.n

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

" ••• and this bird you will not chain ••."

-- Lynyrd Skynyrd

FADE IN:

On the outskirts oftown ...A scattering of pick-up trucks and Harleys and half-dead dogs licking their balls in the mud ...

A ragged, jagged nasty joint. Where bikers go to die. The ~uke-boxoffe~s sixty select~ons - and 54 8f tr-emare ~erle Haggarj tu::2s.:'3.i:-ly..:rcw=ed...Wesecc.:.20:1c:-.LeWAIT?..:SSS,

TRICIA POE, 25.

She ~s pretty,despite all the after-hours behind those eyes.

She deliversa round of shots and beers to THREE oversized WHISKEY ROCK-N-ROLLERS, all tattsand denim and leather and hair: BILLYJOE, RONNIE, and SMOKE ...

~ BILLY JOE

Whyn't you join us for one,

I darlin'?

I TRICIA POE

No, thanks

I She makes tomove away, but a big paw is on her hand ...

Beat ...She smiles ...She's been dealing with bottom-feeders like this since forever ...And she's got itdown ...

The fellas chortle,as their kind will ...

ANGLE - THE FRONTDOOR. A MAN has entered. He's 26. Lean and laconic. Long hair,beard, grease-smeared, Pontiac GTO baseball cap. His workshirt reads "Art's Garage." This is

CAMERON POE

5/22/96 - REV. BLUEl 2 .

and he scans the room for his wife ...Sees her with the three hard shells ... Tricia extricates her handfrom Ronnie's mitt ...Goes to Poe.

She takes his hand, leads him to one corner of the joint ... She can barely contain herself ...

Poe eveba:..lsthehard she:'..ls,who utter:.~w:c::s:-.:.:,,:-,--::::::o-:::k back tI'-eiYs~o~s...

Tricia leans Poe up against the wall ...

Poe is overwhelmed...A flood of emotion... Tears instantly well up ...He can barely catch his breath .. .

He wraps himself around her. Closes his eyes. All is good.

Poe leads her to a booth, calling to theBARTENDER on the fly:

S/22/96 - REV. BLUEl 3.

Tricia laughs ...They sit ...Look into each other'seyes .. . Poe touches her face ...His filthy hand leavesa smear .. .

He !-:.eads..:,......,.t:le::ead.. .':'u~:isback.. .:;_:.::.iy...

She smiles ...

Dale brings over the bubbly and the orange juice ...

A hairy hand on Dale's shoulder...He is wrenched out of the ~ way ...

BY RONNIE

I who stands before Tricia, glowering...

I RONNIE

Champagne. I love champagne ...

Poe towels off ...Into the mirror:

A fat TRUCKER emerges from one stall ... Stares atPoe ...

The trucker leaves ...Poe grins sheepishly...And walks out of the john...

...into the bar ...Where he sees Tricia...The hard shells have her sandwiched in the booth...

5/22/96 -REV. BLUEl 4 .

Poe walks over tothem ...

TRICIA POE: He's my husband

Ronnie tosses some balled-up bills at Poe ...They hithim in the face and fall to the table ...The joint has gone quiet ...

Poe remains stony, ice, in the zone ...

Poe takes in their hands:on her legs ...On her hands ... Brushing up against her belly...

That's it. Game over. Poe grabs Ronnie. LIFTS him out of the booth andHURLS HIM ACROSS THE ROOM... .

Ronnie lands on a table ...Collapsing it .. .

Smoke CHARGES Poe ...Connects to Poe's face ...Blood flows ...Poe whirlson Smoke ...A flurry of punches ...Smoke is reduced to ash ...

Tricia screams forhim to stop through this entire exchange ...

But Ronnie'sback ...With a table leg... He SWINGS IT at Poe ...Poe dodges out of theway... He's fast. Artful ...

6/25/96 - ~~V. PINKl

?oe goes in for the kill ...A combination of punches tiat cru;;-l:,leRonnie ...Poe issavage.Rabid .. .

Suddenly, Poe's face screws-up in agony ...He whips around 3i:i.:.y-Joe,JET-BLADEgleaming:has slashed Poe across the back

Bleed trickles from Poe's face ...Everything SLOWS DOWN ... ~e icesc'= lock timse:~... :=~ksalc8st ~~~~~~n...

Somewhere, far-off, Tricia Poeis crying for him to scop...

and,as Billy Joe doubles-over, Poe SENDS A FIST into Billy

NOSE-BONE PIKE HIS BRAIN likea prized butterfly ...

Bil:.1Joe goes down ... Everything is quiet ...Poe snaps out of ~~s fury ...Catches his breath ...

Tricia goes to Poe ...Crying. She hits him. Not stopping. Hitting him, hitting him, hitting him ...Because she knows all ~snow lost .. .

Poestands there ...He takes it .. .

Ron~ie crawls over to Billy Joe ... Billy Joe's eyes arewide open, staring into the next world .. .

Poe stands there ...AsRonnie screams and Tricia sobs and SIRENS wail in the distance ...

And he catches a glimpse of himself in the MIRROR over the bar

Allowing us to ...

CAMERON POE, now 34, shaving before a mirror. SUPER:

BABY-O, Poe's cellmate, 33, black, small, is packing his

belongings in a banker's box.

5/25/96 - REV. ?INKl 6.

POE * Number 3, sipping a cold one on the * pier in Mobile, Alabama. Number 2, * getting a new bike and racin' in * it. *

Poe ccsses the shaver into his BANKER'S BOX and removes * PHOTOS of classic cars ('59 Dodge, '70 Chevelle SS 396, * etc.I from the mirror. Then a PHOTO of a LITTLE GIRL, about * 7, with blonde spit curls. *

POE *

top. *

BABY-0 * What about you and your wife * hittin' it proper?

Poe ~ooks at a PHOTO of his wife Tricia. *

POE * That, also, is on the list.

Poe lifts a sorry-looking STUFFED RABBIT from a bag. *

BABY-0 * What's that for? *

POE * So I shouldn't see my little girl, * first time out, empty-handed. *

BABY-0 * It's a fuckin' bunny! *

POE * It's all they had. rt· was either * this or a tube of toothpaste and * two packs of Pall Malls. *

BABY-0 * Maybe rethink goin' empty-handed. *

Poe picksup A LETTER from the table. Baby-0 sits. Feels * his arms. *

BABY-0 * Oh, Igot that clammy feel ... * (re: Poe's letter) * Can Isee it one lasttime 'fore * you pack it? *

POE * You've seen it three hundred times. * (Baby-0 is insistent) * Okay. But no erections. *

;;25/95 -REV. ?INKl 7.

Poe hands thepaper toBaby-O, who reads:

BABY-O * ''KnowallMen by these ?resents:

I~having been made to appear to

theUnited States Parole Commission * :hatCameron Poe is eligible cobe

paroled ... " Oh God when Iget my

date. You're goin' home, brother! *

Poe grabs the letter. Packs it and the bunny in his box and * slams down the lid. Baby-O slaps a HAPPY FACESTICKER on * ~he side c~ Pc21 sbox. t

Poe and Baoy-O scandbefore the cell door,banker's boxes in * hand. It CLANGS open. A PRISON GUARD appears to escort * them off. Poe steps out. Looks back. *

POE * Sight fuckin' years. Good oye,

good night. *

6 6* THRU OMITTED THRU* 7 7*

CUT TO: *

A MAXIMUM SECURITY BUS cased in chain-link and plexiglass is * escorted by helicopters, motorcycles and police cars. *

Dark and moody ...CLOSE UP details of the outside of an * AIRPLANE ...A C-123K, to be exact ... *

Details of the interior of the plane: cage doors, locks, * levers, shackles on seats ... *

bad ...~hesemen are lifers, some * on deach row. Consecutive * sentences all,not a concurrent in * the bur.ch.

We follow the maximum security convoy through the town and

visually juxtapose i~ with -- *

-~ INT. AIRPORT HANGAR - C-123K 7D*

acors open ... *

The Marshal's Service LOGO splits as the doors are opened... * And the C-123K is dragged out onto the tarmac... *

A MINIMUM SECURITY SCHOOL BUS, containing Poe and Baby- * 0, escorted by a SINGLE SQUAD CAR. *

CHIEF DEVERS * Not since the 1933 opening of * Alcatraz Prison, when such * high-profile convicts as Machine * Gun Kelly, Al Capone and Alvin * Karpis, took a famous train ride to * Oakland in trains and shackles, has * such a collection of notorious * criminals been assembled for a * single journey ... *

Poe, Baby-O, and 10 OTHER SHORT-TERM PRISONERS sit in prison * denims. They wear HANDCUFFS, WAIST-CHAINS, LEG IRONS. *

The bus passes a PARK. Poe watches CHILDREN play. *

A guard, BISHOP, late 30's, walks the aisle. Bishop is * feminine, but not to be fucked with. *

BABY-O * Hey, lady *

BISHOP * Lady was a dog in a Walt Disney * movie. My name is Bishop. Guard * Bishop to you. *

6/25/36 - ?EV. ?INKl 9.

BABY-O

I gotta get '.1'.Yshot'foreIget on

that fuckin' plane, Guard Bishop.

Excuse my language ...I missed it

last night and I'm a two-shot man.

BISHOP * Your insulin's on board. We'll

give it to you in-flight. I'll see

to it personally. *

:-:-.e:~_2\XIMUMSECURITYCONVOYrc,ovesthrough gates intoa

secured area on the outermost TARMAC.

:::2pa:c::::ientof PrisonGDARDS.vaitwith shotguns.

A MARSHAL walks out with SHACKLES over his shoulder ...

ac ::-n. ,1ARSHAL' sSERVICEOFFICES - CORRIDOR SC*

CLOSE ON a pair of Birkenstocks ...Squeak, squeak, squeak

down the corridor ...WE TILT UP - to reveal Marshal VINCE

LARKIN ... *

... as he hurried down the corridor ...

CHIEF DEVERS * We've never - in the ten years * we've been operative - had even a

momentary breach of security ...We * are the tightest operation in the

Marshal Service ...You men are * why ... It'sa point of pride ... * Let's see that it stays that way ... * Let's exemplify our three operative * words:

9 OMITTED 9*

10 :c!T. OAKLAND AIRPORT - U.S. MARSHAL'S HANGAR - DAY 10*

Two dozen GUARDS, MARSHALS, CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS, sip * coffee and listen to CHIEF SKIP DEVERS, S0's. *

Larkin arrives into the hangar, just in time to mouth * Devers' following words *

The meeting, over, breaks in the b.g. *

5/25/96 - REV. ~::IKl

LARKIN * We're down to six short-timers

we'll off-load in Carson City. All

the rest are sheeted to Feltham.

CHIEF DEVERS

Good. Now let's deal with the

D.E.A. boys.

Devers ·,va1Ks.Larkin trails. Another Marshal -a girl,

GINNY, ~arly 20s, cute as a button - meets Larkin, handing

him a stack of FILES. A few drop in their haste. They pick ':.:"'..e:n *

-

GINNY

That's all of 'em. You ready?

LARKIN

Ready ...

GINNY

Vince

GINNY (CONT.)

Now you're ready

Devers =alls back from the tarmac.

CHIEF DEVERS

Let's go, Vince -- ! ·•

Lark::.n::c:stlesafter Devers.Ginny watches him go ...

GINNY

(to herself)

You're welcome ...No problem .. .

Tonight? Dinner ...? Sure ...How

'bout Chinese?

11 CMIT':'ED 11*

Larkin and Devers walk to the front steps. A fully-restored

'64 CORVETTE CONVERTIBLE pulls up, its vanity plate reads,

"AZZ KIKR."

CHIEF DEVERS * You know this guy?

LARKIN * No ...

5/25/96 - ~EV. ?INKl

CHIEF DEVERS * He's a piece of work ...?~ece * O'work... *

DUNCAN MALLOY, 42, U.S. Drug Enforcement ~dministration, at * the wheel in racing gloves and wrap-aroun~ shades. *

MALLOY * Well -- ?

She sure is beautiful --

MALLOY

Beautiful? Sunsets are beautiful. * This, this is fucking insane -- *

CHIEF DEVERS

Duncan, this is Vince Larkin. He's

overseeing the transpo. 'lince,

Duncan Malloy, DEA.

LARKIN * Good to meet you, sir *

,1alloyignores him. . .Peeling rubber intothe hangar. He * tosses his CAR KEYS to the TRANSPORTATION OFFICER, takes out * a tarpaulin, and begins covering the car. Larkin and Devers

exchange a look .. *

Poe's bus pulls into Oakland Airport. Guard Bishop walks- * the aisle. Consults her clipboard. *

BISHOP * Cameron Poe? *

POE * That's right. *

BISHOP * You know you're still under federal * auspices 'till Louisiana. It's * full restraints 'till then, * understood? *

POE * Yes, ma'am... As long as I make it * home on time it makes no * nevermind... *

BISHOP * Congratulations *

?6 - ?_EV.?:::NKl 12.

POE

And t::2nsome. It's my daughter's

birthday

And he takes the PHOTJof Casey out of his pocket ...Shows

~t to Bishop ... Bishcpstudies it ... Hands itback .. .

BISHOP

What yougot there Cameron Poe is a

walkir.g,talking reason to * rehabi.:.itate. *

~ !:~c-11-:::3.t,:-:ia'am.~2u-idt.~e·..·:_=~ ain't ~ad neither ...

He smiles ... She winks ...And walks the line ...

And we hear the ROAR tf JET ENGINES and CUT TO -- *

The C-23K transport AIRCRAFT ...Fired up ...It taxis over to * the high security area on the outermost tarmac.

Guards unload the Prisoners' BANKER'S BOXES from a VAN and

stow them in the C-123K's TAIL. Other Guards load a RACK OF

12-GAUGE SHOTGUNS into the C-123K's BELLY.

14A*

OMITTED THRU* :.6 16*

.._7INT. C-123K - COCKPIT 17*

The PILOT calls back to the CO-PILOT. *

PILOT * Open 'er upl *

The Co-pilot hits a switch. *

:7A EXT. C-123K 17A*

THE REAR HATCH slowly lowers. *

:7B INT. US MARSHAL SERVICES - LOBBY - DAY 17B*

Larkin enters with Devers, Malloy, and a fourth man, D.E.A. * AGENT WILLIAM SIMS. *

CHIEF DEVERS * Everybody know each other? *

6/25/96 - ~EV. ?INKl

LARKIN

(extends hand to Sims) Vince Larkin. *

SIMS

(shakes with Larkin)

Special Agent Sims, D.E.A. Good to

meetcha, Larkin.

~arkin hands Sims a photo of a handsome LATIN MAN, 26.

LARKIN

This is your man. Francisco

C:indir.o.Sen of Eduardo C_'_:1-:li:10,

of The Cindino Cartel. The Big

Enchilada. The prime mover of

narcotics in the world. Sworn

enemy of drug agents everywhere *

MALLOY

Hey! We're drug agents, remember?

LARKIN

I *

Of course. Sorry ...We're

I unloading 6 prisoners in Carson

City and picking up 10, including

I your Mr. Cindino.

I l7C =--rr•USMARSHAL SERVICES - SURVEILLANCE VAN 17C*

MALLOY

► We held that maggot 180 hours in an

interrogation pen. He gave up

nothing about the old man's

operation ... And now - those

Bureau silks are sending him

away ...They don't give a fuck that

this kid is a fountain of

information ...

Larkin, Devers, Malloy and Sims enter surveillance van.

1 7D I:IT.SURVEILLANCE VAN 17D*

LARKIN

You've got two hours to get him to

talk. We got you a seat right next

to him. And he's known to be

somewhat garrulous around his own

kind.

:1alloytapes a small MICRORECORDER to Sims' stomach and

pulls his shirt over it.

MALLOY

Garrulous? What the fuck is

"garrulous?"

6/25/96 - ~EV. ?:NKl 14.

LARKIN

That would be loquacious. Verbose.

Effusive.

(Malloy stares, blank)

How about ''chatty.''

MALLOY * (to Devers) * What's with fuckin' Dictionary-boy, * here? *

LARKIN * - -1.-.~-\r - --·-··••t

CHIEF DEVERS * Vince ...

~arK~~ sh~ts up. He and Malloy share an icy glare. *

MALLOY * Anyway ...Willie ...The idea is to * see what you can get from him ... * See if we can't bring the bastard * to his knees ...

(to Larkin)

Knees ...The joints between the * femur and the tibia ... *

LARKIN

Actually, the joints between the * femur, the tibia and the * patella ... *

~ark~~ of:ers a sheepish grin ...Malloy turns to Sims ... *

MALLOY * You got your gun? *

Sims pulls up his RIGHT pantleg, revealing A HANDGUN in an * ankle holster. *

CHIEF DEVERS * Whoah, whoah, hold on. *

LARKIN * We've got rules, gentlemen. One of * them is that no one carries on * these flights. I got a small * arsenal in the belly and a pistol * in the cockpit lockbox. Other than * that, we keep the plane like a * prison. No weapons allowed in the * main cabin, period. *

MALLOY * My man is not getting on that plane * without his gun. *

5/25/36 - REV. ?!~Kl :s.

LARKicl

Then your man is not gecc~::gon * that plane -- *

:~alloystares at them ...Enraged ...Then: *

MALLOY * Okay ...Give it to them, Willie

And Sims hands Larkin the gun ...Perhaps a bit too

willingly ....:'uldmaybe Larkin'shipto chis... But he * doesn't say anything ..

L:..andgun·.vas~•..;.scadecoy ..

LARKIN * :.kay,:.:.oys,;;ieet~;;.genes.:.:ns1:ravel

mates.. Z\nda charming group they * are. *

Larkin points and everyone looks up -- *

THE VIDEO MONITOR - PRISONERS are disembarking from the * maximum security bus. Each is thoroughly FRISKED by a

guard. The shake-down is intense. Mouths are checked. *

A PRISONER disembarks, 35, long hair, a smiler. His name is * CYRUS GRISSOM, a.k.a. "Cyrus the Virus." *

Guard FALZON, huge, granite-jawed, frisks Cyrus. *

We see CYRUS THE VIRUS on a video monitor. Larkin reads * from his files. *

LARKIN * Cyrus Grissom, a.k.a. Cyrus The * Virus. Enjoyed a prolonged stay on * the FBI's Most Wanted list. Number * three with a bullet. Kidnapping, * Robbery, Murder, Extortion. He * even had a Bestiality beef in * Arkansas. *

MALLOY * Bestiality? *

LARKIN * Raped a goat. He claims it was * consensual. *

Sims and Malloy stare at him.

CHIEF DEVERS

Vince. He's kidding.

LARKIN

Right. 0h... Bettered himsel:

inside. Been down for 11 years and

managed to earn five degrees

including his juris doctor.. :'.\n

over-achiever ... He also killed 7

fellow inmates and incited three

riots. He's got a serious follcwing in =ta syscem. CwLs :~~ vine.

Cyrus, like all the cons, has a HOSPITAL-BRACELET around his

wrist ...The bracelet is marked with a BAR C8DE... Another

GUARD runs an electronic GUN over the bar cede ...It blips

and Cyrus is allowed to pass --

-- and lead, Cyrus duck-walking in leg irons, to the C-123K's open hatch. *

A black convict, DIAMOND DOG, late 30s, disembarks. Shaved

head; African continent TATTOOED on throat; hands duct-taped

over tennis balls, inhibiting grabbing.

Guard Falzon frisks Diamond Dog.

FALZON * Diamond Dog Jones. Whoo-hoo! This

is like the scumbag all-star team.

DIAMOND DOG

You don't miss your water till your

well runs dry,my friend.

ON THE VIDEO MONITOR -Diamond Dog smiles, revealinga

diamond STAR in his left incisor.

LARKIN (0. S.)

Nathan Jones a.k.a. "Diamond Dog."

Former general of The Black

Guerrillas. Blew up a meeting of

the National Rifle Association.

Said they represented the "basest

negativity of the white race."

(MORE)

6/25/96 -~EV. ?INKl 17.

LARKIN (O.S.) (cont'd)

:guards frisk Diamond * Dog)

Wrote a book in prison. * ''ReflectionsIn A Diamond Eye.'' * THE NEW YORK TIMES called it a * ''wake-up call for the black

community ..."

(off Malloy's look) * They're talking to Denzel for the * movie. *

Convict BILLY BEDLAM disembarks. A GUARD frisks him. *

23 cNT. SURVEILLANCE VAN - DAY 23

I 7he men watch the monitors. * I

MALLOY * They should just fly the fuckin' * plane into the side of the * mountain. Do mankind a favor. *

LARKIN * Don't think that hasn't been * discussed. *

6/25/36 - REV. ?INKl

CHIEF DEVERS

These are bad men, :ellas... They'd

kill your whole family for a gold

watch or a vial of rock ...

Personally, I think this op is a

bad idea ... But if you wanna put

an agent on my plane, :ine.

Anything happens, it's on your head. *

24*

THRU OMI':"':'ED

THRU*

25*

?ce _~inimum securicy bus pulls in~o thesecured area. Poe

and ~aby-0 get off. Poe looks at theC-123K.

3uari Bishop and the other Guards escort Poe, Baby-0, etc., * to ~~e frisk point. Guard Falzon pats Poe down. *

Falz~n pulls Poe's PHOTO OF HIS DAUGHTER from Poe's pocket. * I

FALZON *

I No personal items.

i' I,

POE

i *

It's my daughter.

~

FALZON

(pockets thephoto)

I don't care if it's the weeping

momma of Christ, you know the

rules. *

Poe gets in Falzon's face, nose-to-nose. Bishop walks by,

cheC:-:ingoffnumbers on her clipboard.· *

BISHOP

Easy, boys. There's enough root

beer for everyone.

ON THE MONITOR - POE AND FALZON argue heatedly. *

MALLOY * (re:Poe)

Who's that?

Larkin flips pages, coming to Poe's PHOTO.

LARKIN * Cameron Poe. He's a parolee. He's

going home. *

~/25/96 -?EV. ?INKl 19.

27 :::NT.C-123K 27*

A complex latticework of bars and wires, mesh and plexi.

Four STEEL SINGLE-MAN CAGES spread throughout.

Guard Falzon hits a BUTTON at the FROo!TGALLEY. A LIGHT on

che :agesgoes from RED to GREEN. OTHER GUARDS throw * levers; the cage doors slide open mechanically. *

Poe steps aboard. He walks to the rear and sits across the * aisle from aweasely, snipe-faced MAN, early 30s. *

PINBA~~ * ?inball Pa~ker. ~~med r~~ber. * Arsonist. Cope fiend. Hell of a * nice guy.

The ·randoors open. *

CHIEF DEVERS * No one knows your classification,

Agent Sims, not even my guards. So

keep your wheels on the ground...

SIMS

Let's do it. *

CHIEF DEVERS * Thanks for the briefing, _Vince. * You can go back to the office. *

Larkin nods and walks off with his files. *

MALLOY * Tell me, Skip: Is the U.S. Marshal * Services in the habit of employing * annoying wise-ass bookworm creeps? *

CHIEF DEVERS * Larkin's one of the best we've got, * Duncan -- *

MALLOY * Yeah, well I'd still like to crush * his larynx with my boot. *

CHIEF DEVERS * Charming. *

THREE CAGES hold Cyrus The Virus, Diamond Dog, and Billy * Bedlam. The fourth cage is empty. Falzon hits the button * and the cage-lights GO.BACK TO RED. *

;,25/36 - ?EV. PINKl 20.

Falzon, moving down the aisle, finishes his inventory. He * absently sticks his pen in his breast pocket. Bishop grabs * it. *

BISHOP

Unh unh. Everything's a weapon.

FALZON * Shit. Right.

Falzon takes the oen back and clips it to a SPECIAL CHAIN

AROUND HIS NECK and slides it under his shirt.

Malloy leads Sims to the plane ...His bar-code bracelet is * read ...Another GUARD moves to frisk him ... *

MALLOY * Igot l:'.im-- *

And Malloy frisks Sims ...And when he getsdown to Sims' * LEFT ankle, there's a lump ...And Malloy looks up ...And * winks ... *

Pinball Parker sits next to a sinewy NATIVE AMERICAN ... *

PINBALL * What's up, Cochise -- ? *

The Indian merely staresahead, stone-faced ... *

A Guard leads Agent Sims onto the plane. He takesa seat. *

POE *

looks at Billy Bedlam in his cage ...Billy snarls: *

BILLY BEDLAM * You eyeballin' me, punk -- ? *

POE * I was just admiring your cage. * Fits you real good -- *

Baby-0 calls to the medic, CHAMBERS. *

BABY-0 * I need my shot. I missed it last * night and I'm a two-shot man. *

6/25/36 -?EV. ?INKl

CHAMBERS

You'll get itwhen we're airborne.

(mumbles)

These fuckerswon't be happy till I

go into a coma.

Guard Falzon walks the aisle.

FALZON

Well, well! We got out and out

celebrities in here. We got a

combir:2d1.1~.ARDCOPY appe2.Ya.:-!ces,

two CURRENTAFFAIRS. And one

genuine GERALDO interviewee.

(DiamondDog bows)

Now lee's get this scraight,

gentlemen. One, keep your hands in

your laps; 2)keep the decibel

level down; 3)if you need to use

the head,ask for an escort. These

rules willbe enforced and it will

hurt. Understand?

CYRUS THE VIRUS looks ata Mexican convict seated in front

of his cage: JOHNNY 23,covered in pachuco tattoos. The

following is Spanish with sub-titles:

CYRUS THE VIRUS

Are you a notorious criminal,

friend?

JOHNNY 23

Fuck, yeah. You don't know of me?

I'm called "Johnny 23."

CYRUS THE VIRUS

You're Johnny 23? Of course I know

you. You're clubbed-in with the

Mex Mafia. Serving seven life

sentences for rape. 23 counts of

rape.

JOHNNY 23

Twenty-three they caught me for.

He leers at Guard Bishop as she walks by.

JOHNNY 23 (Cont'd)

(grins,in English)

If theyknew the truth, I'd be

called "Johnny 600."

5/25/96 - 2EV. ?:NKl 22.

CYRUS THE VIRUS

Doesn't have ~Jite the same ring.

(to Falzon, who walks by,

imperious)

What's the in-flight movie today,

Falzon?

FALZON

It's a good one, Cyrus. It's

called, "I'll Never Make Love To A

Woman On The Beach Again.• And * it's preceded by the award-winning * short: "No More Steak For Me * Ever.11

CYRUS THE VIRUS * Funny fucker, aren't you?

30 '::XT.:::-123K 30*

The hatch slowly raises. The plane taxis to the runway. *

Larki~, through a window, watches the plane take off. Ginny * joins him ...She looks very uneasy ...Crosses herself ... *

LARKIN * Please, Ginny. This is a * well-oiled machine. Only thing to * worry about are stale peanuts and a

little turbulence.

32 32* THRU OMITTED THRU* 32A 32A*

Poe and Baby-0 settle in for the flight. *

IN HIS CAGE - CYRUS THE VIRUS has begun to PICK AT A CALLUS * ON HIS LEFT HAND. *

Falzon walks by. Cyrus stops his callus picking. Falzon * moves on to Diamond Dog, getting in his face. *

FALZON * What's the word these days, O.G.? * (DiamondDog fixes him * with that icy glare) * Don't tell me: you found Allah in * the joint, right? *

DIAMOND DOG * We're all yoked to the same * chariot, my friend. *

5/25/96 - REV. PINKl

DOWN THE AISLE - Bishop walks by Poe.

POE

Fine. You got a first name, Guard * Bishop?

BISHOP * No, it's just Bishop. Like Prince. * Or Cher. You know: Madonna -- *

BISHOP

It's Sally ...

POE * Sally Bishop. Sounds like an * astronaut. Or a schoolteacher. *

BISHOP * There's a little of both in this * gig, Poe, lemme tell ya. *

IN HIS CAGE - CYRUS THE VIRUS continues picking at his

callus. He stops whenever a Guard walks by.

IN HIS CAGE - DIAMOND DOG is also PICKING AT A CALLUS at the * palm of his hand. *

CYRUS nods to Pinball.

The plane lifts-off ...We can see the SKYSCRAPERS of a city * in the b.g.

The plane ascends ... *

Pinball checks the vicinity for guards ...None nearby... He

sticks his hands in his mouth. Fishes for a PIECE OF DENTAL

FLOSS tied to his back molar. He tugs on the floss, pulling * it from his mouth. Six inches, then a foot.

Poe watches, puzzled ...Johnny 23 has also caught this ... * The Indian stares straight ahead ... *

Pinball pulls up from his stomach a BLOB OF WAX and ejects

it into his hand. He breaks it apart ...breaking the wax, * revealing a pinky-sized SQUIRT TUBE and a wooden blue-tipped

MATCH. *

6/25/96 - REV. PINKl 24.

IN HIS CAGE - CYRUS THE VIRUS has completed his callus- * picking. There, embedded in the skin beneath his ring * finger, is the TIP of a PIN. *

A few more picks. The HAFT of the pin is out. Cyrus plucks * the PIN from his palm. He begins to SHIM his handcuff

locks.

IN HIS CAGE - DIAMOND DOG has picked his callus open,

revealing, likewise, A PIN. He also begins to shim...

In moments, both men are free of their cuffs.

PINBALL

turns to Poe ...Makes the 11 Sssh 11gesture ...Grins ...He * turns to the Indian ...And SQUIRTS HIS SEAT with LIQUID from * the t~be... The Indian doesn't notice... *

BABY-O

watches as, the medic, CHAMBERS, walks over, carrying a

syringe and a kit containing several AMPULES of INSULIN.

CHAMBERS

Okay, left arm. *

BABY-O * (smiles with relief) * About fucking time.

PINBALL

strikes the blue-tipped match on his thigh ...And tosses it * onto the Indian's seat ... *

FOOM!

The Indian is on fire ... Pinball screams ...The guards run * down here ...Pinball gets to his feet ...The guards spray * the Indian witha fire extinguisher ...Pinball screams

hysterically through this whole sequence -- *

PINBALL * YO, HE DID SOME SPONTANEOUS * COMBUSTION SHIT, MAN! THIS MAN IS * CRAZY! HE'S A WITCH DOCTOR! HE'S * A CRAZY WITCH DOCTOR! IAIN'T * SITTIN' NEXT TO NO CRAZYWITCH * DOCTOR - ! ! ! ! *

-- all the while making hisway to the CAGE LEVERS ...He * throws the firstone ... *

We see the cage-lock-light go from REDTO GREEN. *

A KLAXONSOUNDS; the cabin lights shut off;emergency lights * on the side of the cabin illuminate. *

6/25/96 - ?EV. PINKl 25.

Bishop whirls, slams ?inball against the wall with her

nightstick, but it's too late

-- Diamond Dog's cage opens. Diamond Dog charges out, * facing CHAMBERS. He BURIES the HASP of one cuff into * Chambers' throat. Chambers SCREAMS and flails. Diamond Dog * lif~s Chambers bodily; Chamber's legs whip across the aisle. * Chambers' boot hits A GUARD in the face and slams against * the wall, hitting the BACK HATCH RELEASE BUTTON. *

THE BACK HATCH begins to lower. Wind whips through the * cabin. Chamber's INSULIN AMPULES fall, some shattering. *

Guards converge on Diamond Dog, div:..r..gat0p::.i:n.~~-='.::>..:.c!<s* like a bronco. Diamond Dog and the struggling Guaras STOMP * the unbroken insulin ampules. *

Poe is up in his seat, slightly amazed at this turn of * events. *

Baby-O looks at the crushed ampules in horror. *

BABY-O

Get the fuck off my insulin!

Falzon grabs a TASER from the galley and fires several JOLTS

into Diamond Dog, who goes down writhing. *

IN HIS CAGE - CYRUS, screams; pounds on the cage door. *

Pinball, fending off Bishop, lunges for the second lever and * yanks it. *

Cyrus' cage door SLIDES OPEN. A GUARD turns. Cyrus bolts * out and coldcocks the guard. *

Cyrus bolts for the cockpit. A single GUARD remains between * Cyrus and the cockpit. Cyrus, using the cuffs as brass * knucks, hits the guard. The guard drops. *

THE GUARDS at the rear see the trouble up front. Bishop and

Falzon bolt for the front of the plane. But cons drop into * the aisle, blocking their way. *

Cyrus rips open the cockpit door. *

34 34* THRU OMITTED THRU* 37 37*

Cyrus hauls the Co-pilot from his seat, RIPSOPEN the * lockbox underneath, and pulls out the only GUN on board. * The PILOT'S HAND moves under ~he dash, hitting theEMERGENCY * BUTTON. Cyrus turns: *

6/25/96 - REV. ?INKl 26.

CYRUS THE VIRUS

Say there was a disturbance but

everything's under control. Do it

or I will kill you.

PILOT * The hell you will. Without me

there's no one to fly the plane. *

CYRUS THE VIRUS

I never think that far ahead.

c:,rc:<.Cyrus pulls back the hammer. -i:e'.''.~::::-;ra.~st!'.!e

radio.

PILOT * Uhh, Carson City .... ? *

:~ THE BACK OF THE PLANE - Bishop continues to struggle with * ?inball, Falzon with Diamond Dog. *

CYRUS exits the cockpit with the gun. He aims down the

fuselage and FIRES. *

The BULLET strikes the BLARING KLAXON. Bishop, Pinball,

Falzon, Diamond Dog, etc. freeze.

All eyes focus on Cyrus.

CYRUS THE VIRUS

This is your captain speaking. * Welcome to Con Air ... * (points toFalzon) * The keys, Falzon. * (holdsup unlocked cuffs) * The keys for these. *

The cons ROAR with approval ...Poe looks at Baby-O ... It's * all bad ... *

POE * Christ in a cartoon -- *

37B CMITTED 37B*

A crowded room. Consoles and meteorological indicators. * Crackling radio communications between tower and planes. *

Ginny's on the radio. A RED SILENT ALARM ISFLASHING. * Larkin enters hurriedly,alarmed. *

LARKIN * What the hell happened? *

Ginny's on the radio to Carson City. *

6/25/96 - REV. ?!NKl 38.

~~e G~~~c ...Wallace ~\::s~n...~ cig, tad brother ...And ~hissKinny ding put 'emdown on the tiles ... Bare-handed, so they say...

Poeposes formaximum effect ...

A pause. Cyrus looks Poe up and down. He smiles. And starts laughing. The others join in. *

CYRUS THEVIRUS * You like pudding. I like you. * Stick around. Join the·op. You * and your friend grab a guard and * put that dead cop's prison-issues on him. You like pudding...Haw, haw!

Cyrus walks off. Poe hustles down the aisle, grabbing Baby-0.

They arrive at Sims' body. Bishop is chained six feet away.

;/25/96 - REV. PINKl 39.

POE

Because I'm not leaving you.

(toBishop)

And I'm not leaving her.

BISHOP

Poe ...

POE * You have any idea what'll happen to

you?

::::-::c-? * :~~~c~ ~--s~:~... •

POE

Maybe. Maybe not. But I'ma

southerner. And my daddy taught

that a southern man should take of

ladies who say they can take of

themselves ...

BISHOP

Think about your family. Your

little girl. ..

POE

Now what good would I be to my

little daughter if I left you to

get dishonored and die on this * airplane ...? *

He smiles at her ...Bishop shakes her head ... *

BABY-O * You got a plan? *

Poe unbuttons Sims' shirt, revealing Sims' CASSETTE * RECORDER, set to RECORD, its capstans spinning. Poe smiles * at Baby-O and Bishop ... *

POE * Maybe. Maybe not ... *

Poe looks left and right. No one's watching him. He yanks * the recorder from Sims'chest, hits "REWIND,"and slips it * in hisown pocket. *

Larkin is buzzed in. A GUARD escorts him to the prisonFILE * ROOM, a wired-meshed administrative window. The clerk is * MARGE, 50's, half-glasses,no-nonsense. *

MARGE * Hiya Vincent. Here's your crew * tomorra. *

6/25/96 - ~EV. PINKl 40.

She durnosa TWO FOOT STACK OF INMATE FILES on the counter. * Larkin begins signing out one file after another, creating a * 11signed11stack. *

A FUEL TRUCK with an elevated BOOM for overwing refueling * drives up to the C-123K.

The FUEL JOCKEY connects the hose to the C-123K's fueling * socket. The re-fueling begins. *

~1:-=~=a.::.:::;-::a_~_---::·.::-,:-:-~-=:~.::r:enC.s..:..::·__:,_."\.:=-.=.:.~----=~...:,c--:·.-,T.___··.:::.:-J~.

c-:2Ji<~nco tn.eSA1-l2S:'O?.M. *

It is Cyrus The Virus, U.S.M.S. baseball cap over his long * ~ai~. 2lue jumpsuit ~nd black jack boots, his face ~bscured * cy a candanna and shades. *

He is followed by Billy Bedlam and Johnny 23, also dressed * like guards ..

B.O.P. OFFICIAL * Heard you had a problem up there.

CYRUS THE VIRUS * Yeah, had to bag 'em and gag 'em. * Rough crew. Shitters and spitters. *

The PRISONERS (including Falzon and thebagged and gagged * guards and flight crew) file down the rear ramp stairs. *

The B.O.P. GUARDS begin to off-load their bus. First off is * a convict named SWAMP THING. He gives a knowing nod to * Cyrus The Virus, who shakes him down. *

Pinball and the other cons,watching from the plane, hold * their collective breaths. *

Falzon is the next to deplane. Poe grabs him roughly, * shoveshim up against the wall. *

POE * My daughter's picture! Where's my * daughter's picture, you shit-eatin' * peckerhead? *

Falzon,bound and gagged, can't say dick; Poe SHOVES THE * CASSETTERECORDER INTO FALZON'S SHIRT and hits "PLAY." *

Falzon's eyes go wide. Poe shoves him out of the C-123K. *

6/25/96 - REV.?=NKl 41.

?alzcn comesdown the air-stairs. ~he tape recorder is

PLAY:c!G,obscured by the C-123K' sC:NGINESand the HOWLING

WIND andSAND.

?OE ·,.;atc!"'.esfrom the plane.

?ALZCN is held with the other "prisoners," as -- *

JOHNNY 23, by the bus, awaits the next Carson City prisoner. * A six-foot-six, mohawked ex-footballer named CONRAD, 31. * Conrad holds un his cuff~d hands. +

cot:::uill * My favorite fantasy? -Killing every * guard in the system, then fucking * 'em. Or do I have ~~aL ~ackwards?

JOHNNY 23 * I'm not a guard, chava. *

Johnny winks at Conrad and shoves him forward.

Conrad boards the C-123K, seeing Pinball, at first confused. * He looks around the plane and finally comprehends. He * howls. *

Pinball stifles him. *

CONRAD * Out of the fire and into the * freebird. *

Stepping from the B.O.P. bus is a skinny LATIN BOY, in * 'I hairnet and eye-liner, high cheekbones and full lips, * between genders, his hormone shots just starting to take * hold. They call her SALLY CAN'T DANCE. *

Johnny 23 isn't too crazy about shaking her down. *

SALLY CAN'T DANCE * Hello, baby - you can be the rose * of my Spanish Harlem -- *

JOHNNY 23 * Get the fuck on the plane, jato -- *

SALLY CAN'T DANCE * Classy.:· Very, very classy -- *

~/2S/96 -REV. PINKl 42.

~4 INT. C-123K -COCKPIT -DAY 54*

Swamp Thing gets behind the controls, climbs into the * shoulder harness. Pinball finishes changing into a GUARD'S * UNIFORM. He puts on goggles, a bandana, and slides the * PEN-CLIP around his neck. *

Swamp Thing unscrews a small RADIO-LIKE DEVICE from the * control panel. He attaches this device to an ordinary volt * battery. He hands the device/battery to Pinball. *

Finball exics :~ecockpit.

55 SXT. CARSON CITY AIRPORT - T.l',RMAC-DAY 55*

The last new cons are loaded onto the C-123K. FALZON, * trussed up, is losing his shit. Pinball deplanes, dressed * like a guard, bandana over face. He walks to the OTHER SIDE * OF THE AIRPORT. *

Off the bus steps FRANCISCO CINDINO, 26. He gives Cyrus a * barely-discernible wink as he is frisked. Cyrus turns to

the B.O.P. OFFICIAL.

CYRUS THE VIRUS * Is that it? *

The B.O.P. official studies his manifesto. *

STARKEY * One more. *

CYRUS THE VIRUS * Who? *

STARKEY * (points) * Late addition. *

A HIGH SECURITY PRISON VAN enters the tarmac from an access * road. It pulls up next to the plane. Two heavily-armed * DEPUTIES step from the van. *

The side door opens. Two more DEPUTIES step out. *

A sole PRISONER van steps off. He is early 30s, thin, pale, * frail-looking. His name is GARLAND GREENE. *

He wears full restraints. Two guards administer to him: * He's got the tennis ball/tape/pantyhose treatment. *

STARKEY * Garland Greene. *

6/25/96 - REV. PINKl 43.

CYRUS THE VIRUS

This will be interesting. *

Garland Greene is led onto the C-123K. *

A sign on the hangar reads: UNCLE BOB'S GRAND CANYON TOURS. * Outside the hangar is a six-seat TURBO-PROP with Uncle Bob's

picture painted on the side. *

UNCLE BOB, in Hawaiian shirt and pith helmet, helps a FAMILY * OF THREE fill cut forms, as Uncle Bob's .'I.S'.":rS':'!',';'::"'-:,c:13and+ straps c~eir lhggage onto th~ pla~e's wings. *

The Assistant walks off. Pinball walks out of the * sandstorm, drops the radio-like device in the luggage hold, * and walks off, unseen. *

57 3ACK AT THE C-123K 57*

The "prisoners" (short-timersand Con Air Guards) are now * being led onto their bus. Cyrus watches, edgier now. He * walks up to the fuel truck. *

CYRUS THE VIRUS * How much longer, boss? *

FUEL JOCKEY * 'Nether ten minutes or so. *

Larkin is still signing out the inmate files. The "signed" * stack is now two feet high. As he signs the second to last * file, a COMMOTION is heard in the cell tier above. Larkin * signs the last file and -- *

TWO GUARDS, RENFRO and GARNER, rush past. *

LARKIN * What's up, fellas? *

GUARD RENFRO * Heya Vince. Found a stash of * contraband. One of the scumbags * sent to Feltham this morning. *

LARKIN * Yeah? Who? *

GUARD GARNER * The Virus. *

Garner and Renfro rush off. Larkin thinks a moment. * Follows them. *

6/25/96 - ~EV. PINKl 44.

Garland Greene takes a seat at the rear of the plane.Poe,

Baby-O, and the other cons watch in awe.

BABY-O

Jesus, Mary, George and Ringo.

That's Garland Greene, man. *

POE * Garland Greene? The Marietta * Mangler? *

S~:u3Y-D Yup ...':'Latskin:-:ylittleman * butchered 30 people up and down the * eastern seaboard. They say the way * he killed made the Manson Family * look likeThe Partridge Family ... *

POE

Well, he's on the right flight *

I Pinball sees a FEMALE BAGGAGEHANDLER loading her truck. He I· * walks up to her in full-flirt mode. *

PINBALL * Hi, there.

Falzon and the other C-123K guards,duct-taped, immobilized, * sit there. They begin to THRASHABOUT. *

The B.O.P.Guards, taking this for insubordination, begin * BEATINGTHE GUARDS with their billy clubs. *

The guards persist, garbling YELLS under the duct tape. The * B.O.P.boys pummel them harder. Falzon takes a billy to the * brain. He slumps. The disturbance stops. *

All is quiet. Except for A VOICE. *

CYRUS THE VIRUS * (v.o. tape recorder) * You'll sh.... shootme dead? You * sw .... swear? *

BISHOP * (v.o. tape recorder) * Take the shot, do it, don't fucking * hesitate .... *

The B.O.P. Guards whirl around, confused. *

6/25/96 - REV. P:NKl 45.

CYRUS THE VIRUS

(v.o. tape recorder) * Quiet, sweetheart.

A GUARD moves to the bus' rear, looking for the voice. It's * coming from Falzon. But his mouth is taped up. And he's * out cold! *

SIMS * (v.o. tape recorder) * One more step ... Iswear to Jesus * Christ if you take one more * step.... *

Ti1e-::-·card,:c,arsopen Falzon' sshir':,c:EVEALINGS:i:c-!S''.:'.'>PE* RECORDER. *

Larkin follows Renfro and Garner down the tier to -- *

CYRUS GRISSOM'S CELL. A kind of dark lair. (Prop Master * should envision Manson-like atmosphere.) Above the sink, * the stainless steal cabinet has been removed, revealing a * hiding place gouged in the wall. *

GUARD RYAN points at a clutter on the bed: two books, a pile * of letters, a tin box, etc. *

GUARD RYAN * Take a gander, Vince. *

Guard Ryan hands A BOOK to Larkin. It is entitled: * "VOLATILE CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS" (or whatever). Hands over a * second book (ring binder manual) entitled: "C-123K SERVICE * MANUAL." *

Larkin, expression darkening, flips through the C-123K * manual. We see the C-123K's PLANS and SPECIFICATIONS. *

LARKIN * You've gotta be shitting me .... *

DIAMOND DOG * Cyrus. *

Cyrus turns; looks in the direction Diamond Dog points. *

ACROSS THE TARMAC - THE B.O.P. BUS HAS STOPPED. *

Cyrus and Diamond Dog exchange a worried look. *

5/25/96 - 2EV. ?INKl 27.

GINNY * Roger that, Carson City. * (clicks off radio) * Calm down, Vince. Just a little * ruckus and the pilot hit the alarm. * He just checked in; everthing's * fine. * (theSILENT ALARM stops * flashing) * See? *

Ginny points to a BLIP on the RADAR SCREEN, brighter and * larger than OTHER AIRCRAFT: Flight 377. *

GEmY * There's your baby. Carson City * tower's confirmed their transponder * identification. Triple 7s in * service and approaching. All is * well. *

LARKIN

That's why I love this job.

All is not well. Poe watches as the back hatch is closed. * Half the convicts are released. Pinball and Diamond Dog,

each with a MASTER KEY, move through the aisles, unlocking * the rest.

Baby-O, released, squats in the aisle picking through the

broken insulin ampules. *

Cyrus walks up to Billy Bedlam's cage ...

CYRUS THE VIRUS

I let you out, you gonna play nice,

Billy? *

BILLY BEDLAM

You kiddin'? You boys are my

heroes --

Cyrus considers ...Then nods to Pinball, who throws the

lever. Billy steps out ...Extremely pleased ...

AT THE BACK OF THE PLANE - the released convicts, using

their now-empty cuffs, lock Bishop, Falzon, and the other

guards to the cages' exterior chain-link.

Sims blinks the perspiration out of his eyes ...To Poe:

SIMS

This is crazy --

6/25/96 - REV. PINKl 28.

Johnny 23 has been unchained ...He rubs his wrists ...He looks at Bishop ... *

JOHNNY 23

These are my chops ...This is me

licking my chops ...You are the

reason why ...

She stares at him ...Disgusted, yet oddly unafraid ...

BISHOP

Well that's good news ...

And J,:;!"lnnvmovesforher.. .Touchesh~r. . .On2..?~.-:Jt=

violently.twisted around and S~!ASHED :NTOTEE WALL of the

plane. By Poe.

POE

I can't allow that --

And Johnny moves for him ... *

JOHNNY 23

You know what I am, man ?

POE

Ugly all day ...

And SLAM! Poe puts him down. Hard. Johnny groans on the

ground. And Billy and some of the others are there ...

POE (CONT.)

This ain't happening. Not here.

Not now.

But it's a mob. And they're all around him. It looks

bleak. But then Cyrus breaks through ...

CYRUS THE VIRUS

Okay, everyone relax ...What's your * name, fella?

POE

Poe.

CYRUS THE VIRUS

Poe's right ...Not here ...Not

now ...

Pinball approaches Cyrus ...

PINBALL * The pilot wants to know what's

next.

CYRUS THE VIRUS * He is to land at Carson City

airport as scheduled. *

6/25/96 - ~EV. 2INK1 29.

BILLY BEDLAM

Carson City? The law is down

there. You lost your mind?

CYRUS THE VIRUS

According to my last psych

evaluation, yes. Sit down, I'll

explain.

The convicts exchange glances. Some sit. Cyrus faces them. *

AGENT SIMS eyes Pinball as he moves t~rough the aisle,

unl::o::::kingeach convict'sANKLERESTRAINTS.Pinball unlocks

Poe, then moves down the row ...

Poe watches as Sims, with a hidden key, UNLOCKS HIMSELF ...

Sims then reaches for his own ankle, momentarily revealing

the SEACAMP PISTOL secreted there ...Poe sees it ...

CYRUS THE VIRUS

Twenty U.S. Marshals armed with

shotguns are waiting for us at the * next stop. If you do exactly what * I tell you, the rest of our lives * will be a vacation in a * non-extradition country. A paid

vacation.

Pinball has now crossed the aisle and is freeing men in * Sims' side ...And moving backwards ... *

BILLY BEDLAM * Paid vacation? Who's doing the * paying? *

Cyrus gestures to Pinball, Diamond Dog and himself ... *

CYRUS THE VIRUS * Our employer. * (smiles) * Francisco Cindino. *

Poe moves to Sims ... *

POE * You don't wanna do anything just * yet ... *

SIMS * What are you talking about ? *

6/25/96 - ~EV. P!NKl

POE

You the law ...That's arright with

me. . .Ican help ...

SIMS

Fuck you, man --

POE

I'll move down there ...I can take

out Cyrus ...Classic

pincer-attack ...You follow?

SI:V!S 1 * Why s'.":.:::c.ldIi:r•.1st'/01...:?·:.:•:>u~-=a

scur:1bag~1-:.st:like thesescurnnags..

POE

I could scream right now ...Blow

your deal ...I choose not to ...

Sims is a mess ...

POE (CONT.)

Be cool ... I'll go down there ...

Take Cyrus. . .We'11 win ...

Okay ... ?

Sims considers ...Nods ...

POE (CONT.)

Arright ...Good man ... *

And Poe begins towalk down toward Cyrus... *

Sims cranes his neck ...Watching for Poe ...Watching if Poe * is rattinghim out... *

PINBALL is unlocking the convict next to Sims. He unlocks

his wrists, then his ankles ... .

Poe makes his way for Cyrus ...Sims is freaking ...Pinball is there ... *

Pinball unlocks Sims' wrists. Sims knows he has to make a

move. Pinball now kneels, pulling up Sims' pantleg to

unlock his ankles ....

Poe has almost made it to Cyrus, when:

SIMS

EVERYONE FREEZE! DROP THE WEAPON!

SIMS has drawn the seacamp ....

Everyone whirls toward Sims, startled.

PINBALL * Who the fuck are you?

6/25/96 - REV. PINKl

Sims shoves Pinball to the floor with his shoe.

SIMS

(eyes darting)

The D.E.A. is who the fuck I am.

(to Cyrus)

I said: drop that weapon.

CYRUS THE VIRUS

(calm, to Sims)

I'll be with you in a moment.

Cy::-'...!sgrabsGUARDBISHOPandjamsthe gun ':.ohertemple.

3egi~s walking her up the aisle. 7oward Sims. Sims watches * Cyrus' approach nervously. *

CYRUS THE VIRUS * Well. Mr. D.E.A. Good afternoon.

SIMS

(sweating; stuttering)

Stop. Get the fuck back.

CYRUS THE VIRUS

No.

On Cyrus comes. One step at a time. Bishop flinches in

Cyrus' grasp. Utterly terrified. Sims backs up now.

SIMS

Lower that fucking weapon or .... I

s ... swear I'll sh .... shootyou

dead.

CYRUS THE VIRUS * (mocks Sims' stutter)

You'll sh.... shootme dead? You

sw.... swear?

Bishop stares at Sims with fierce, unblinking eyes.

BISHOP

Take the shot, do it, don't * hesitate ....

CYRUS THE VIRUS

Quiet, sweetheart.

Sims continues backing up. He's trying to hide a terrible

secret: He's pissing his pants.

SIMS

One more step ... Iswear to Jesus

Christ if you take one more * step ....

6/25/96 -REV. PINKl 32.

CYRUS THE VIRUS

You'll what? What will you do?

Poe watches, helpless ...He scans the plane ...Searching for * a plan... *

BISHOP * Pull the fucking trigger, Sims... *

Cyrus begins to take another step ....Sims is backed up * against the chain-link ...Cornered... *

SI!'!S

CYRUS THE VIRUS * That was never my intention. *

Cyrus raises his gun and fires. BLAMl Sims falls, dead, a * hole in his forehead. *

It's over. Cyrus tosses Bishop away. The rest of the * convicts crowd forward. Poe goes to Sims ...He's Dead ...

GUARD FALZON * You filthy piece of shit.

Cyrus steps toward Falzon and savagely pistol whips him. * Falzon crumples, his face cracked open. *

CYRUS THE VIRUS

I am going to make love to a woman * on a beach and I am going to eat * steak. * (leans down; puts the gun * to Bishop's head) * What are the numbers in Carson * City? How many on, how many off? *

BISHOP * Six off, ten on. *

CYRUS THE VIRUS * How many white, how many black? *

BISHOP * Uhmm ...four white, two black. *

CYRUS THE.VIRUS

(faces the convicts) * You heard the lady, gentlemen. * Four white men and two black men * are getting off this plane. * (beat) * Do I have volunteers? *

The convicts exchange glances. *

S/25/96 - ~EV. PINKl 3 3.

THE 3LOOD from Agent Sims' and Chambers' corpses swirl down * the drainage grate and CUT TO: *

Over Carson City, the plane banks low and begins its descent * toward the municipal airport. *

Seven stories above the field, an AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER * transmits to the C-123K. *

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER * 377 cleared to runway 26 left,taxi * via the inner circular taxiway. * (stabsphone button) * You hear that, Vince? *

43 OMIT':'ED 43*

Larkin's on the phone with Carson City,_playing with a nylon * cuff device. *

LARKIN * Right on time. Thanks guys. *

Larkin tossesdown the cord-cuff restraint, grabs his coat, * heads for the door, passing Ginny. · *

LARKIN * Goin'over to San Quentin to * arrange for tomorrow. Wanna come? *

GINNY * Nah. Paperwork. Any weekend * plans? *

LARKIN * The usual. A frozen pizza, a * 12-pack of Rolling Rock, and * Channel 7s showing all five PLANET * OF THE APES movies. I don't know * if I've ever told you this, Ginny, * but I'm kookie for Roddy McDowell. *

6/25/96 - REV. PINKl 34.

GINNY

(studies Larkin) * I've got news for you, Vince:

there's more to life than the * smooth and efficient transfer of

Federal prisoners. *

LARKIN * Yes, there is, Ginny ...But nothing * quite as dependable .. . *

Larkin walks off, whistling. Ginny picks up Larkin's * cord-c~~~ ~2s~~ai~t. S~gh3.

A S2RIES OF SHOTS: *

IN THE REAR - Convicts drag Chamber's and Sims' corpses to * the back of the plane. *

AT THE CAGES - Falzon and the other two biggest guards, in * their underwear, are changing into PRISON DENIMS. Bishop * and the other guards remain shackled to the cage's mesh

wire. *

Johnny 23 walks back to Poe and Bishop ... *

JOHNNY 23 * I will fuck her. And then I will * fuck you. And then I will fuck * your family. And then I will fuck * your friends. *

POE * Okay. But for now just fuck * yourself -- *

AT THE FRONT - Cyrus, now in FALZON'S UNIFORM, walks amongst * the rest of the convicts. Several have their hands raised. * Cyrus stops, pointing his finger at DONALD, a kid with * pimples with his hand raised. *

DONALD * Iwanna get off if that's all right * with you. Ionly got three months * left. *

CYRUSTHE VIRUS * What are you in for? *

DONALD * Movin' drugs. Mushrooms mostly. *

CYRUSTHE VIRUS * Send us some when you get out. Go. *

6/25/96 - REV. PINKl 35.

DONALD

(relieved)

You got it, man.

Donald hustles to the front of the plane. He is met by * Pinball, who duct-tapes his mouth and pulls panty-hose over * his ~ead. He then begins duct-taping and tennis balling his * hands. *

BABY-O and WATTS, another black con, have their hands raised

high. POE does not. He is watching BISHOP in her cell.

Johnny 23 is ogling her. *

• (whispers) * Raise your hand. Let's get the

fuck outta here, Cameron.

Poe begins to raise his hand. Cyrus points at LONDELL, * 20's, black. *

LONDELL * Grand theft auto. I gotta lady and * three babies waitin' for me. *

CYRUS THE VIRUS * Go. *

Londell hustles to the front ...Bishop turns to Poe ... *

BISHOP * Raise your hand *

Poe considers ...Looks at her ... *

Now he's pissed ...He half-raises it ... *

CYRUS THE VIRUS * Two more, and one of 'ems gotta * have a tan. Your decision. Anyone * who stays, stays for good. *

BABY-O * Over here, man. Me. I got a year * left and my insulin went down that * fuckin' drain. *

WATTS * My parole's comin' up next month * and I got a good feelin' about it. *

CYRUS THE VIRUS * Only one of you goes. *

6/25/95 - REV. PINKl 36.

Cyrus fishes in his (Falzon's) pants pocket and pulls out a * quarter. Turns to Baby-O. *

CYRUS THE VIRUS * Heads or tails. *

BABY-O * Heads. No, tails!

Cyrus flips the coin. Examines it. It is HEADS.

CYRUS THE VIRUS

ilat:::s,relie•,ed,goestothe front. Baby-0 slurr,ps.

CYRUS THE VIRUS (CONT.)

You better hope there's insulin

where we're going ...

Cyrus sees Poe's hand is half-raised ... *

CYRUS THE VIRUS * Is that hand up or down? *

Poe looks at Cyrus ... Baby-O yanks Poe's hand up.

BABY-O

It's up.

Poe rises.

The C-123K descends through cloud cover.

The C-123K TOUCHES DOWN. Hydraulic brakes clench. Landing * tires grip asphalt. * I l

Falzon, the two other guards, and the three short-term * convicts have been prepared for off-loading (dressed as * convicts, duct-taped, panty-hosed and tennis-balled). It is * visually obvious they cannot be recognized and cannot speak * or communicate. *

Poe, last in line, is waiting for the treatment. Cyrus * addresses those departing: *

CYRUS THE VIRUS * In two hours you'll reach the * Nevada Pen. Have a nice trip. *

6/25/96 - ?EV. ?INKl 37.

He ~nees Falzon in the groin. Falzon groans. Diamond Dog • and 3illy Bedlam come aside Cyrus. They speak sotto, but * Poe can hear them: *

DIAMOND DOG

:1hendo we kill the rest of the

'.eUards? *

CYRUS THE VIRUS * You'll be the first to know. *

Diamond Dog smiles.

Pee, t'.avinoheaY-d'::iis,::..:r::.sc.nd::..:::c~:sc::.~==.;~:::::?.~-=--~~3..:__: appears before Poe with DUCT-TAPE and PA.~TY-H0SE. Poe * continues looking at Bishop. *

?INBALL

Yo. Buddy boy.

(Poe turns to him}

·tourturn.

Pinball begins stretching the tape over Poe's mouth. *

Poe, IN TIGHT CLOSE-UP, continues looking at Bishop, wracked

with indecision. He cannot leave. Not now. He rips the

tape from his mouth.

POE * I changed my mind.

PINBALL

(stares at Poe}

Cyrus.

(Cyrus approaches} * We got us a mind-changer. *

Cyrus regards Poe, who shifts uncomfortably. *

CYRUS THE VIRUS

It's a little late, friend. What's *

I

your name? *

• POE

Cameron Poe. *

PINBALL * I know that name *

DIAMOND DOG * You're Cameron Poe? *

POE * That's right -- *

Clock the change in Poe ...His voice, manner, inflection... * He's playing the bad-ass .. . *

6/25!96 - REV. ?INKl 38.

PINBALL

I know that name

DIAMOND DOG

You killed The Giant

POE

That's right

BILLY BEDLAM

The who?

~~e G~~~t... W~~lace ·\::sJn...~ cig, tad brother ...And Lhis sKinny

ding put 'em down on the tiles ...

Bare-handed, so they say ... *

POE

They say right

PINBALL * I knew I knew that name -- *

CYRUS THE VIRUS

Now why'd you go and do that -- ? *

Poe poses for maximum effect ... *

POE * He took my pudding. And I like * pudding. *

A pause. Cyrus looks Poe up and down. He smiles. And

starts laughing. The others join in. *

CYRUS THE VIRUS * You like pudding. Ilike you. * Stick around. Join the op. You * and your friend grab a guard and * put that dead cop's prison-issues * on him. You like pudding ...Haw, * haw! *

Cyrus walks off. Poe hustles down the aisle, grabbing * Baby-O. *

BABY-O * What the fuck you doing? *

POE * Staying. *

BABY-O * Iknow you're fucking·staying, I * mean why? *

They arrive atSims' body. Bishop is chainedsix feet away. *

6/25/96 - ~EV. PINKl 39.

POE

Because I'm not leaving you.

(to Bishop)

And I'm not leaving her.

BISHOP

Poe ...

POE

You have any idea what'll happen to

you?

::;:~~--:"='? * ,:;;;-.-~-·-:::o.r-<::c:1.,.·s-=-.:":... *

POE

Maybe. Maybe not. But I'm a

southerner. And my daddy taught

that a southern man should take of

ladies who say they can take of

themselves ...

BISHOP * Think about your family. Your

little girl ... *

POE * Now what good would I be to my * little daughter if I left you to * get dishonored and die on this * airplane ...?

He smiles at her ...Bishop shakes her head ... *

BABY-O * You got a plan? *

Poe unbuttons Sims' shirt, revealing Sims' CASSETTE

RECORDER, set to RECORD, its capstans spinning. Poe smiles

at Baby-O and Bishop ... *

POE * Maybe. Maybe not ... *

Poe looks left and right. No one's watching him. He yanks * the recorder from Sims' chest, hits "REWIND,"and slips it * in hisown pocket. *

Larkin is buzzed in. A GUARD escorts him to the prison FILE * ROOM,a wired-meshed administrative window. The clerk is * MARGE, S0's, half-glasses,no-nonsense. *

MARGE * Hiya Vincent. Here's your crew * tomorra. *

6/25/96 - ~EV. PINKl 40.

She dumos a TWO FOOT STACK OF INMATE FILES on the counter. * Larkin begins signing out one file after another, creating a * 11signed11stack. *

A FUEL ~RUCK with an elevated BOOM for overwing refueling

drives up to the C-123K.

The FUEL JOCKEY connects the hose to the C-123K's fueling

socket. The re-fueling begins.

~ ~-··__.·~........--·-~~:,:2:_-:.,3C.-:'_·.T.

It is Cyrus The Virus, U.S.M.S. baseball cap over his long * ~3~=- ~lue jumpsuit 3nd black jack boots, his face ~bscured * oy a oandanna and shades. *

He is followed by Billy Bedlam and Johnny 23, also dressed * like guards.. *

B.O.P. OFFICIAL * Heard you had a problem up there. *

CYRUS THE VIRUS * Yeah, had to bag •em and gag 'em.

Rough crew. Shitters and spitters. *

The PRISONERS (including Falzon and the bagged and gagged

guards and flight crew) file down the rear ramp stairs. *

The B.O.P. GUARDS begin to off-load their bus. First off is a convict named SWAMP THING. He gives a knowing nod to Cyrus The Virus, who shakes him down.

I Pinball and the other cons, watching from the plane, hold * their collective breaths. * t Falzon is the next to deplane. Poe grabs him roughly, * shoves him up against the wall. *

POE * My daughter's picture! Where's my * daughter's picture, you shit-eatin' * peckerhead? *

Falzon,bound and gagged, can't say dick; PoeSHOVES THE * CASSETTERECORDER INTO FALZON'SSHIRT and hits "PLAY." *

Falzon's eyesgo wide. Poe shoves him out of the C-123K. *

6/25/96 -REV. ?:NKl 41.

?alzcn comes down the air-stairs. The tape recorder is

PLAY:c!G,obscured by the C-123K's ENGINESand the HOWLING

WIND and SAND.

?OE ~acches from the plane.

?ALZCN is held with the other "prisoners," as -- *

JOHNNY 23, by the bus, awaits the nextCarson City prisoner. * A six-foot-six, mohawked ex-footballer named CONRAD, 31. * Conrad holds up his cuff~d hands.

CC't,:<.lill * My favorite fantasy? Killing every * guard in the system, then fucking * 'em. Or do I have ~~at backwards? *

JOHNNY 23 * I'm not a guard, chava. *

Johnny winks at Conrad and shoves him forward.

Conrad boards the C-123K, seeing Pinball, at first confused. * He looks around the plane and finally comprehends. He * howls. *

Pinball stifles him. *

CONRAD * Out of the fire and into the * freebird. *

I Stepping from the B.O.P. bus is a skinny LATIN BOY, in * hairnet and eye-liner, high cheekbones and full lips, * I between genders, his hormone shots just starting to take

hold. They call her SALLY CAN'T DANCE. *

Johnny 23 isn't too crazy about shaking her down. *

SALLY CAN'T DANCE * Hello, baby - you can be the rose * of my Spanish Harlem -- *

JOHNNY 23 * Get the fuck on the plane, joto -- *

SALLY CAN'T DANCE * Classy ...Very, very classy -- *

S/25/96 - REV. PINKl 42.

Swamp Thing gets behind the controls, climbs into the * shoulder harness. Pinball finishes changing into a GUARD'S * UNIFORM. He puts on goggles, a bandana, and slides the * PEN-CLIP around his neck. *

Swamp Thing unscrews a small RADIO-LIKE DEVICE from the * control panel. He attaches this device to an ordinary volt * battery. He hands the device/battery to Pinball. *

~inball exic3 ~~e ccckpic. *

The last new cons are loaded onto the C-123K. FALZON, * trussed up, is losing his shit. Pinball deplanes,dressed * like a guard, bandana over face. He walks to the OTHER SIDE * OF THE AIRPORT. *

Off the bus steps FRANCISCO CINDINO, 26. He gives Cyrus a * barely-discernible wink as he is frisked. Cyrus turns to

the B.O.P. OFFICIAL. *

CYRUSTHE VIRUS * Is that it? *

The B.O.P. official studies his manifesto. *

STARKEY * One more. *

CYRUS THEVIRUS * Who? *

STARKEY * (points) * Late addition. *

A HIGH SECURITY PRISON VAN enters the tarmac from an access * road. It pullsup next to the plane. Two heavily-armed * DEPUTIES step from the van. *

The side door opens. Two more DEPUTIES step out. *

A sole PRISONER van steps off. He is early 30s, thin,pale, * frail-looking. His name is GARLAND GREENE. *

He wears full restraints. Two guards administer to him: * He's got the tennis ball/tape/pantyhose treatment. *

STARKEY * Garland Greene. *

6/25/96 - REV. PINKl 43.

CYRUS THE VIRUS * This will be interesting.

3arland Greene is led onto the C-123K. *

A sign on the hangar reads: UNCLE BOB'S GRAND CANYON TOURS. * Outside the hangar is a six-seat TURBO-PROP with Uncle Bob's * picture painted on the side. *

UNCLE BOB, in Hawaiian shirt and pith helmet, helps a FAMILY OF THREE fill cut forms, as Uncle Bob's .Z,,.S:"IS":'!',''.'::''-::c_'.:'.c:and straps c~eir lLggage onto th~ pla~e's wings. *

The Assistant walks off. Pinball walks out of the * sandstorm, drops the radio-like device in the luggage hold, * ~nd walks off, unseen. *

57 3ACK AT THE C-123K 57*

The "prisoners" (short-timers andCon Air Guards) are now * oeing led onto their bus. Cyrus watches, edgier now. He * walks up to the fuel truck. *

CYRUS THE VIRUS

How much longer, boss? *

FUEL JOCKEY * 'Nother ten minutes or so. *

Larkin is still signing out the inmate files. The "signed" * stack is now two feet high. As he signs the second to last * file, a COMMOTION is heard in the cell tier above. Larkin * signs the last file and -- *

TWO GUARDS, RENFRO andGARNER, rush past. *

LARKIN * What's up, fellas? *

GUARD RENFRO * Heya Vince. Found a stash of * contraband. One of the scumbags * sent to Feltham this morning. *

LARKIN * Yeah? Who? *

GUARD GARNER * The Virus. *

Garner and Renfro rush off. Larkin thinks a moment. * Follows them. *

6/25/96 - ~EV. PINKl 44.

Garland Greene takes a seat at the rear of the plane. Poe,

Baby-0, and the other cons watch in awe.

BABY-0 * Jesus, Mary, George and Ringo.

That's Garland Greene, man. *

POE

Garland Greene? The Marietta * Mangler? *

3~".1..EY-0 * Yup ...~hat skin~y little man * butchered 30 people up and down the

eastern seaboard. They say the way

he killed made t~e Manson Family * look like The Partridge Family ... *

POE * Well, he's on the right flight *

Pinball sees a FEMALE BAGGAGE HANDLER loading her truck. He

walks up to her in full-flirt mode.

PINBALL *

I Hi, there.

I

Falzon and the other C-123K guards, duct-taped, immobilized, * sit there. They begin to THRASH ABOUT. *

The B.O.P. Guards, taking this for insubordination, begin * I BEATING THE GUARDS with their billy clubs. *

The guards persist, garbling YELLS under the duct tape. The * B.O.P. boys pummel them harder. Falzon takes a billy to the * brain. He slumps. The disturbance stops. *

All is quiet. Except for A VOICE. *

CYRUS THE VIRUS * (v.o. tape recorder) * You'll sh .... shootme dead? You * sw .... swear? *

BISHOP * (v.o. tape recorder) * Take the shot, do it,don't fucking * hesitate .... *

The B.O.P.Guards whirl.around, confused. *

6/25/96 - REV. ?:NKl 45.

CYRUS THE VIRUS

(v.o. tape recorder)

Quiet, sweetheart.

A GUARD moves to the bus' rear, looking for the voice. It's

coming from Falzon. But his mouth is taped up. And he's * out cold!

SIMS * (v.o. tape recorder) * One more step ... Iswear to Jesus * Christ if you take one more * ,ctep .... *

l\1e,::r•..:a~Q:.~arsopenFalzon'sshi~i:.,EEVEALINGS:i!-1S'':APE * RECORDER. *

Larkin follows Renfro and Garner down the tier to -- *

CYRUS GRISSOM'S CELL. A kind of dark lair. (Prop Master * should envision Manson-like atmosphere.) Above the sink, * the stainless steal cabinet has been removed, revealing a * hiding place gouged in the wall. *

GUARD RYAN points at a clutter on the bed: two books, a pile * of letters, a tin box, etc. * I

GUARD RYAN * Take a gander, Vince. *

' Guard Ryan hands A BOOK to Larkin. It is entitled: * "VOLATILE CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS" (or whatever). Hands over a * second book (ring binder manual) entitled: "C-123K SERVICE * MANUAL.'' *

Larkin, expression darkening, flips through the C-123K * manual. We see the C-123K's PLANS and SPECIFICATIONS. * I

LARKIN *

I You've gotta be shitting me ....

DIAMOND DOG * Cyrus. *

Cyrus turns; looks in the direction Diamond Dog points. *

ACROSS THE TARMAC - THE B.O.P. BUS HAS STOPPED. *

Cyrus and Diamond Dog exchange a worried look. *

6/25/96 - REV. PINKl 46.

POE, watching from the window, sees the B.O.P. bus stop. He * smiles, encouraged. The bus drives off again. *

POE * No ... stop ..... *

Diamond Dog breathes a sigh of relief. Cyrus, not so * satisfied, continues watching the bus. *

The duct tape gags have been removed from t~eCon Air guards * and they all YAMMER INCESSANTLY. *

The B.O.P. GUARD is on the c.b. radio. *

B.O.P. BUSGUARD * (into radio) * We got a situation here, sir -- *

The B.O.P. Bus Guard voice rings over the airport security * intercom: *

B.O.P. BUSGUARD * (v.o.over intercom) * The plane has been taken over! * Repeat, THE PLANE HAS BEEN TAKEN * OVER!!! *

The Airport SECURITYMEN grab flak jackets and shotguns and * race out to two waiting AIRPORT SECURITY VANS. *

The vans PEEL OFF for the tarmac. *

A U.S. Marshal police car is still next to the C-123K. A * U.S. Marshal, STARKEY, receives the news. *

B.O.P. CHIEF * (v.o., over radio) * Those guards ain't guards - they're * cons ... Stall'em ... *

STARKEY * Christ. How? *

S/25/96 - REV. PINKl 47.

B.O.P. CHIEF

(v.o., over radio) * That's up to you, just do it.

Starkey, rattled, thinks.

Larkin is flipping through the LETTERS. Amongst the letter * is a FOLDED UP PIECE OF PAPER. Larkin unfolds it. A * strange sight: it is entirely blank, with several rows of * SMALL RECTANGULAR PUNCH-HOLES. *

GUARD GARNER * This one was outta the envelope. *

Guard Garner hands Larkin a LETTER PRINTED ON FORMAL * LETTERHEADED STATIONERY. *

LARKIN

Bogota .... Columbia?Looks like * from a law firm. Anybody here read * Spanish? *

Guards Garner and Renfro stare back blankly.

Cyrus is watching the refueling truck, willing it to pump * faster. Starkey walks up to him.

CYRUS THE VIRUS * Hi, there. *

STARKEY * Almost ready? *

CYRUS THE VIRUS * Won't be long now. *

Starkey is terrified and trying to hide it. He dry * swallows. Blinks. His eyes tick to the right. *

Cyrus follows Starkey's eyes. *

THE TWO AIRPORT SECURITY VANS are approaching. *

Starkey goes for his gun. Cyrus draws first. He shoots * Starkey in the head... *

The Fuel Jockey, ear protectors on, view obstructed by the wing, doesn't even notice ...

6/25/96 -~EV. PINKl 48.

66*

Poe and cons react to the gunfire.

Fir.ball,still flirting with the Female Baggage handler,

hears the shots.

PINBALL * Shit! *

P~~Dall scri~ts for tI'-eC-123K.

Larkin stares at the Bogota Colombia law firm letter, then

looks at the sheet of paper with rectangular punch-holes.

Itiawns on him.

He puts two and two together,literally, laying the sheet

with punch holes over the Spanish letter. Single, DISTINCT

LETTERS appear in the rectangular punch-holes.

Larkin unpockets a PENAND NOTEPAD; uncaps the pen with his * teeth; starts recording letters on the pad.

Cyrus, Diamond Dog, and Billy gallop for the rear stair

ramp. They scramble up and onto the plane. The hatch

closes.

The Airport Security Vans bear down on the C-123K. Pinball * sprints for his life after the C-123K.

PINBALL * Hey, c'mon,wait, wait, c'mon! ! *

Cyrus screamsdown the aisle. *

CYRUS THE VIRUS * LET'S GO! *

Swamp Thing fires up the engines.

6/25/96 - REV. ?!NKl

70*

The plane lurches forward, knocking the FUEL JOCKEY from the * FUEL HOSE BOOM. The fuel hose pulls taut in its socket, * then SNAPS. The C-123K taxis off. *

Larkin's hand flashes across the page, copying each letter * revealed through the punch-holes. It looks like this: KA B *

GUARD GARNER

Cabo? Like Cabo San Lucas ...Maybe

they're going to Mexico --

Larkin stares at the letters, confused ...

LARKIN

Mexico ...Yes ...Stay here.

(bolts from the cell)

And don't touch anything... !

r

'

The TRAFFIC CONTROL CREW is going about its normal business.

I, One notices the C-123K beginning to taxi. ' *

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL

Roger, 1322, continue on your

downward leg ...

A.T.C. #1 * What's this asshole, doing?

A.T.C. #2

He's moving onto the runways. We

got PLANES COMIN' IN ON THAT * RUNWAY!

The flight control crew goes nuts. Everyone jumps to their * radio at once, warning incoming flights.

Swamp Thing at the controls. The Air Traffic Control * Supervisor comes over the radio frantically:

IN - !

6 / 2 5 / 96-REV.PINKl

SWAMP THING

(into radio)

No one on this aircraft gives a

flying fuck! Haw, haw! Get it?

Flying fuck. Thank you, thank you,

here all week ...

The Traffic Controllers stare at their monitors aghast.

l\.'1:"''-:. 1 * Get--~ ~t.e~-~- I4ars2al sGf~ice.

Larkin storms out of Cyrus' cell with the decoded message * and the C-123K plans, down the tier. He begins to jog and *

CUT TO: *

-- PINBALL, running after the C-123K full-speed. It move&"'

onto the runway, ENGINES WINDING UP.

The Airport Security Vans stop. AIRPORT SECURITY OFFICERS * get out, into their firing stances. *

PINBALL, still chases the plane ...He's close to reaching

it ...But before we see if he does we

CUT TO: *

Larkin on the phone ...

LARKIN * Cabo San Lucas ... It's ...

He looks at the message ...Notices a few more punch-holes

that weren't cleanly perforated so he hadn't seen them ...

He decodes those ...Adding on to "Kabo" And it appears like

this:

K A B O O M *

Larkin stares in horror... Drops the phone ...

LARKIN * Nooo --

6125/96 - REV. PINKl 51.

Runs from the office --

-53 :NT. SAN QUENTIN -"OAY 75B*

Guard GARNER picks uo :he tin box. It hasan old- fashioned * picture of an airpla;e on the lid. *

GARNER * I'm curious. You curious? *

RENFRO * You heardhim, Garner. Don'':f·..1ck * ·,;1.::n:.::3.t..

Garner opens the tin box. We see, for one splitsecond, a * CHEMICAL INCENDIARY DEVICE,and --

-sc cNT. SAN QUENTIN - 'JAY 75C*

Larkin is running for back to THE CELL, when itblows out * across the tier, flames licking the ceiling. Larkin * recoils. Looks on in horror, and CUT TO: *

The C-123K lifts off. *

:NT. C-123K - COCKPIT - DAY 76*

Swamp Thing turns to Cyrus. *

SWAMP THING * Shine sweet freedom .... *

The plane lifts into the air. *

Cons hold their collective breath as the plane accelerates. * Poe silently curses. *

The Airport Security Guards stand, mouths agape, as the * C-123K disappears into the sky. *

79 OMITTED 79*

Larkin, Devers storm down the corridor, Ginny following, * trying to keep up. *

6/25/96 -~sv. ?INKl 52.

CHIEF DEVERS

My God, Vince, ·Hegot the ' 2 7

Yankees of murderers and

psychopaths on that plane.

-:'r:e·:roundacorner, running intoMALLOY.

MALLOY * Tell me this is not happening. *

CHIEF DEVERS * It's happening. *

MALLOY * Oh my fucking Christ.

(recovers) * Tell me the olan. You have a * back-up plan~ don't you? *

LARKIN * Contingency plans don't exist,

Agent Malloy. This situation has * never been contemplated. *

MALLOY * (no response} * Well you'd better start * contemplating because this is a * situation that needs to get * unfucked, right now. *

LARKIN * You do your job, we'll do ours ... *

80 80* THRU '.JMI':'':'ED THRU* 81 81*

?oe ~s with Bishop ... *

BISHOP * You really kill a man for his * pudding? *

POE * No ...He came after me in the * yard ...With a shiv... It was * self-defense ...Didn't even get any * more time added ...But they moved * me to Quentin ...Far, far from * home ... *

6;25/96 -

BIS2OP

That why you've never seen your daughter? *

POE

Part of it ...Tricia could've made

the trip ...But we decided ...First * impressions are lasting ones ...No

way was she gonna meet her daddy in

a prison visiting room surrounded

by homemade cookiesand secret

hand-jobs ... No way.

Cyrus and Diamond Dog are with Garland Greene.

DIAMONDDOG

What are we supposed todo with

him?

CYRUSTHE VIRUS

Well, I'll tell you one thing:

this is no way to treat a national

treasure.

(removes Garland'shead

restraint)

Love your work, old boy. *

Cyrus winks and walks up front. Billy stares at Garland,

genuinely spooked. Garland offers him a bloodless smile.

Billy walks up to Poe.

POE

What?

BILLY BEDLAM

Hey, peace, bro. Bygones and shit.

You were in San Quentin, right?

POE

Yeah --

BILLY BEDLAM

And you're a lifer, I hear you say?

POE

That's right --

BILLY BEDLAM

Me, too.

Diamond Dog walks past them.

6/25/96 - 2EV. ?:NKl 54.

DIAMOND GOG

?inball? Where the fuck you at,

coy?

BILLY BEDLAM

~ifers are all on D-Block, aren't

~hey? I was on D-Block. I don't

,::-iowyou. *

POE * And I don't know you. There were * :60 men on D-Block and I didn't * wanna know 159 of 'em. *

BILLY 3E:DI.i.A.t'-1 • You remember that big bull name of * Victor Lomas? Warden fired him on * account he was gettin' regular head * :com a nigger fuckboy called Lulu? *

POE * :an't recall him. *

BILLY BEDLAM * It was a big deal on D-Block. * Maybe you ain't really from D-Block *

BABY-O * :1aybeyou should shut the fuck up, * you * steroid-swallowin'-swastika-wearin'- * ~EE- HAW-watchin' motherfucker. * Cos you startin' to get on my * nerves, man. *

Poe walks up the aisle. Billy watches him narrowly. *

Cyrus The Virus, Francisco Cindino, and Swamp Thing, confer. * Diamond Dog enters cockpit. *

DIAMOND DOG * Pinball didn't make it. *

CYRUS THE VIRUS * Too bad. Iliked Pinball. *

CINDINO * We've lost the element of surprise! *

CYRUSTHE VIRUS * Calm down, Francisco. I've got * contingencies upon contingencies. * That's why your father chose me. *

;,25,96 - REV. PINKl

Poe enters the cockpi:.

DIAMOND DOG

What :he fuck do you want? *

POE

If I'~ part of this I want to know

the p~an.

Cyrus stares at Poe. The RADIO interrupts them:

LARKIN (0. S . )

Cyrus. Cyrus Grissom. You copy?

Cyrus scares at c~~ ~3dio, think~ng. Clicks i= en.

CYRUS THE VIRUS

Identify yourself.

:4 INT. OAKLAND AIRPORT - CONTROL CENTER - DAY 84*

Larkin and Malloy.

LARKIN

United States Marshal Vince Larkin

and Duncan Malloy of the D.E.A.

I I LARKIN/CYRUS - INTERCUT AS NECESSARY

CYRUS THE VIRUS

Hello, Agent Malloy. Sorry about * your associate. Perhaps he'll have

better luck battling crime in the ·* afterlife.

MALLOY * Listen to me, Grissom --

CYRUS THE VIRUS

What can I do you for?

LARKIN

First off: any chance of you guys

giving up?

CYRUS THE VIRUS

You know the one about the snowball * in Hell?

LARKIN * Right. Any demands? What would a

good old hijacking be without some

demands?

6/25/96 - ~;V. PINKl 56.

CYRUS THE VIRUS

No demands, :1arshal. Igot a

question for you:

(stares atPoe)

At Carson City your bulls were on

to us. How? Hmm?

?oe waits with bated breath: is Larkin going to tell :yrus

abcuc Poe's hidden tape recorder?

LARKIN

Call it intuition. Let me ask you

<c·:xcethi:-:a:Yemclanon landing

CYRUS THE VIRUS

We shall see

LARKIN

So let's fiaure it out ... Iknow

you got a plan... What are you

going to do? Fly around till you

run out of gas? Crash-land in some

field and, if you live, make a

break for it? Or maybe land

undetected in a busy airport and

vanish into the crowd ...? Or

maybe cross international waters

and arrive at some non-extradition

country and hope that they welcome,

I with open arms, a planeload of I *

hard-core criminals? And if they

do welcome you, you can spend the

rest of your lives together - one

big, happy nasty family.

Thanksgiving'll sure be swell:

"Billy Bedlam, pass the yarns ... * Garland Greene, please don't * carve-up the milkman. . ."

Cyrus' cohorts look a little troubled when it's put this

way ...

CYRUS THE VIRUS * Good play, Larkin. Say goodbye to * Hollywood. Say goodbye my baby. *

Click. Larkin turns to Ginny.

LARKIN * Brief the F.A.A. Get 'em to issue

an order directing all air traffic * from the entire Southwest. * (MORE) *

S7.

MARSHALGINNY • You got it, Vince. •

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL • They're heading southeast toward • Arizona. •

Malloy grabs a phone. Punches numbers. •

MALLOY * I want a chopper in the air. Make * that a few of 'em. And I want 'em * armed. Something that cartkeep up * with that plane. I don't care if * it's Air Force, National Guard, * whatever. I can be at the base in

30 minutes.

LARKIN * Why do you want a chopper in the * air? *

MALLOY * Why do you think, chucklehead? I'm * going after the bitch. *

POE moves down the aisle. Diamond Dog is in his face. *

DIAMOND DOG * Ain't this a thing, Giant-Killer? *

POE * It's ridiculous *

DIAMOND DOG * People lose something, they gain it * someplace else. These white boys * were pieces of shit on the outside. * Locked-down they're kings. *

POE * What about you? Why'd you throw in * with 'em? *

DIAMOND :JOG

Means to an end, mv friend. It's a

means to an end .._.You get to the

point -when you're carrying a life * sentence. And at that coint, * anything is possible. ;,nything is

preferable.

POE

Meaning?

DIAMOND DOG

Meaning, you're not a rednecken a * ;ower ~rip ~nd I'm ~c~ asangscer. 3ut you gotta walk co slide. Ycur

skin is pink, I'd kill you sooner * than spit on you. Saliva's

precious. Knives are plentiful.

~e walks off, grinning. Poe goes to Bishop ...

BISHOP

What was that about?

POE

Oh, nothing. Except theysomehow * managed to get every freak and

ghoul in the universe on this

plane. And then somehow managed to

let them take it over . .'\ndthen

somehow managed to stick us right

in the middle.

Malloy and Larkin walk.

LARKIN * The guard, Falzon, said a convict

named Cameron Poe planted the * recorder on him.

MALLOY * So? *

LARKIN * So you got a planeful of thieves, * . rapists, killers and drug dealers, * and then this guy Poe. In on an

involuntary manslaughter beef, * non-gang affiliated, a parolee * hitching a ride home. *

MALLOY * What's your point? *

LARKIN * What's Cameron Poe trying todo? *

- 25/96 - REV. ?INKl 59.

MALLOY

I don't know and I don't care.

Malloy stalks off.

,a ;::-JT.=-123K- >1AIN=ABIN - DAY 88*

Poe takes a seat by 3aby-O, who doesn't look too hot. *

BABY-O * Got tie chucks, Poe. The * chuck-horrors comin' on hard. *

POE * Hold tight. *

Billy Bedlam stomps oack to them ... *

BILLY BEDLAM * We will tango, Poe. *

POE

Now what's the problem, Billy? *

BILLY BEDLAM * I don't trust you. I don't like * your face. We will tango. *

Billy walks off. *

Poe turns and looks at Garland Greene. *

POE * Excuse me? *

Greene blinks. There's something shy, nerdy about him. *

GARLAND GREENE * Name vour cliche. Mother held him * too much. Or not enough. Last * picked at kickball. * Late-night-sneaky-uncle. Whatever. * Now he's so angry, moments of * levity actually cause him pain. * Give him headaches. Happiness, for * that gentleman, hurts ... *

Greene shrugs, smiles crookedly. Poe and Baby-O gulp. *

89 OMITTED 89*

6/25/96 - ~Ev. PINKl 60.

39A =::T. OAKLAND AIRPORT -BRIEFING ROOM -DAY 89A*

~ br~efing. Present are LarKin, Devers, Malloy, Ginny,and

~~ring this scene ...

CHIEF DEVERS * That plane was carrying a thousand * years to Feltham. *

MALLOY * Be nice if they could just stay up * there forever,wouldn't it? *

LARKiN • I have no ideahow they took over * the plane; thatCyrus is slick ... *

MALLOY * They're scumbags, Larkin. You * sound like you admire 'em. *

LARKIN * I don't admire them, but let's be * honest, Agent Malloy: those who * are in prison have been convicted. * The rest of us are still on trial. *

MALLOY * The next sound you'll hear is me * puking my guts out ... *

LARKIN * ''The degree of civilization ina * society can be judged by observing * its prisoners ...'' Fyodor * Dostoyevsky said that after * visiting a Russian jail ... *

MALLOY * "Fuck you ..." My father, Alec * Malloy said that, after kicking the * shit outta me -- *

LARKIN * (to Devers) * Oh, that's great ...Agent Anger * here's got a father thing *

MALLOY * We're gonna blow 'em out of the * sky, that's that *

LARKIN * You've got guards up there. *

:A.ALLOY Everyone * of whom leassigned a "no

hostage" clause. -:'r:eyknowthe

risk.

"The risk?" '.•/ho arevou to decide

the value of a man's life... ?

,A.ALLOY

I'm the nasty little prick with his

finger on the trigger, that's

who --

• What are you reading, Vince?

:1ARSHAL

The jacket on Cameron Poe.

:A.ALLOY

Explain to me whv it matters?

What's the big deal about this Poe?

LARKIN

The big deal, Agent Malloy, is that

if we have an ally on board (and

Poe placing your colleague's

tape-recorder on the guard, would

seem to indicate he is an ally).

Why then we've got a single leg up

on old Cyrus Grissom and his band

of merry men.

MALLOY

That is the single greatest slice

of speculative horseshit I've ever

heard.

LARKIN

Ahh, Agent Malloy, and there-in

lies its beauty. The groovy thing

about speculation is that, well, * it's purely speculative!

90 90* THRU OMITTED THRU* 91 91*

Devers, Larkin and Malloy walk ...

LARKIN * He stayed on. Don't you see? He * had the chance to get off, yet he

stayed on. *

S125/9~- ?F:'J·PINKl 62.

MA.LLv"L • ".-ia.·makr.o;;·,;hy.l:;::-~gh:guy?.:e • t:c::kt:-:-2bait.C1nj:.:-.::·s-:ic-_:;h. •

L..?....t"<.K::-i • Tl:isg1J.i'C:oesnotca!:'eal:oc!::i:.oney. •

MALLOY • ·.:h,:ledoes:1 1tcare:3tou::r::;n;:y, • r.cw"?He·s shapingu;:::cbeqt::.tea • ~«:1. Tell usmore al:o';J.t:.him.!)oes * Le work with orphar,,,:ds??.e;;::air:t • 1.::L.ech~.1rct:?Readto~~~eb::..icC?

•

7HREEHELICOPTERSsit on the ta:t1llac,:,c,gines1;hirri.ng.A fot.:.7-::".:iz,.1:fuEYa.r.d.twot~•ro-ma:1COBRA~..3lack,s::..ee~,:et!l~l,• ::ep..:.e':~N1~.:.hgur.:::.u!:'r9::.andnigh.i:.v:....3..L0:1::,ensor.:..rmed'>Jkth• ;'j:mnc,m:iona1:dAIM9:JSidewinde:ci:J-s.:.-see!-:ir:gniss:.les.* ~';al:.~ya.!"ldDe~/er~wa.:.Y~t•::iwarct':..henc.ey

LARK::N • What'sgoing on? •

LARKI~I * Weare not at thatpc.:.::t. •

MALLOY • Says you. •

Deversar:dMallo,·cliir.bin.

MALLOY • Sorry Marshal Larkin,thisone's * full. *

CHIEFDEVERS • Go backto the office,Vince. • We'lltake it from heo::-~. •

LARKI!, Sir, thisman is not tobe trusted, sir. He's upset, hisagent was * killed,he wants revenge-- *

5/25/96 - ~EV. PINKl 63.

LARKIN * Sir -- *

The choppers, en masse, take to the air. Larkin watches * them go. He looks down at his file ...Read something ... *

LARKIN * Hey -- ! * 1 shouts)

HE DOES WORK WITH ORPHAN KIDS! *

:-s:/russhowsPsea S~·2TIONAL..~ERGt:AClI'.:~cr...l•...?,,_:::::-rc.:-..2 California/Nevada border.

CYRUS THE VIRUS * Lerner Airport, Poe, in The Middle * Of Nowhere, California. Our * rendezvous spot. Forty-nine * minutes as the crow tlies from * anything resembling authority. * (gets on the p.a) * Gentlemen: we will, in some 5 * hours time, be tippling our toes in * the gently lapping shores off * Mexico. But first we will change * aircraft. Thank-you and have a * nice day. *

Poe walks from the cockpit ...Very troubled indeed ...Swamp * Thing sees a LIGHT on his panel glowing AMBER. *

CYRUS THE VIRUS * What's our e.t.a. Swamp Thing? *

SWAMP THING * At 228 miles per hour, 'bout .... 71 * minutes. * (hits the switch under * the AMBER LIGHT) * Problem is we're not doin' 228 * miles per hour. We're doin' 205. *

I

We' re draggin' . * (looks at Cyrus) * The landing gear ain't up. We're * gonna be late. *

CINDINO * That is unacceptable ... *

CYRUS THE VIRUS * (toDiamond Dog) * Check it out -- *

DIAMOND DOG * What do I know about landing gear? *

6/25/36 - ~EV. PINKl 64.

CYRUS THE VIRUS

Learn --

94*

94A C-123K 94A*

:'oewalks by Bishop's cage ...

POE * How you doin' in there, Sally * Bishop?

Livi~g cue a~- ffiYtancasies,?oe... •

POE

You got a family? *

BISHOP * I got a cat. I had a husband. But * he didn't like the cat. Something * had to give. *

POE * Must have been a tough choice ... *

BISHOP * Not really ...In five years, the

cat never once got drunk and * embarrassed me in front of my * friends ...And in six years, the * husband never once purred when I * touched him ...So it wasn't a tough * choice at all .. . *

95 cNT. C-123K - FRONT OF CABIN - DAY 95*

Jiamond Dog opens the hatch to the front floor hatch. He * hears the THUNDEROUS NOISE AND THE BLAST OF WIND and: *

DIAMOND DOG * Poe -- *

POE * Yeah -- ? *

DIAMOND DOG * You gotta check out the landing * gear -- *

POE * What? *

DIAMOND DOG * No shit, man ...Cyrus said for you * to check·out the landing gear -- *

Poe ~ooks into the churning abyss cf the underfloor ...

POE

Well, that's a good piece of

luck ...

?oe, ~ith Diamond Dog behind him, moves through the narrow * compartment leading underfloor. They walk through the aft * FRE:~rtTCOMPARTMENT, passing the stacks of BANKER'S BOXES. *

D:.:C..:·'.ONDDOG + What d:::you'.-:!1.ow,~::eygocallcu:::- * shit down here.

Poe ~ooks at the box. His box, with Baby-o's yellow happy * :acs 3Cickers, smiles at him. *

Thev =ome to a hatch at the end of the freight compartment. * ?oe =::,ensitto *

The :mEEL BAY. The landing gear doors are PARTIALLY OPEN. * The 'iIBRATIONof the increased drag SHAKES the compartment. * The wIND whips about. *

DIAMOND DOG * Go see what the problem is! *

POE * What? *

Poe~ets on hands and knees and crawls to the center wheel * bay. He slides open the hatch. He recoils. Crushed * between the leg strut and the brake assembly -- *

-- ~sPINBALL, squashed, his face frozen in death, hisbody * preventing the landing gear from fully retracting. *

POE * Judas Priest... *

DIAMOND DOG * God-damnl So that's what happened * to Pinball... That ain't no good * life... Cut him loose ... *

POE * What? *

DIAMOND DOG * Cut him loose... He's slowin' us * downl *

~/25/96 - REV. ?INKl 66.

Diamond Dog turns back the way they came.

POE * Where you going? *

DIAMOND DOG * Pinball haw, haw! *

Diamond Dog exits. Poe looks at the ooor, contorted face of * Pinball. He nocices something. Hanging around Pinball's * neck ~nits special clip-chain A SHARPIE MAGIC MARKER. *

97 97*

Larkin walks down the corridor dejected. Ginny approaches. *

GINNY * You okay? * (Vince keeps walking) * I'm sorry. *

LARKIN *

1, Any word on our visitors? * ii GINNY I *

They're on their way. *

Ii

LARKIN *

ii Let me know when they get here ... *

He slouches out of the office. *

Poe, :-:neeling,reachingdown to Pinball, finishes writing * the following on Pinball's T-SHIRT: TO VINCE LARKIN. U.S. * MARSHAL SERVICE. GOING LERNER AIRFIELD. CALIF. * RENDEZVOUS. *

Poe grabs Pinball's arm and leg, which are pretzeled around * the strut. He tries to unpretzel them, but rigor mortis * prevents. The appendages have hardened. *

Poe looks aft. Diamond Dog is returning. *

POE * Shit ..... *

Poe switches tositting position, his legs dangling out of * the wheel bay. He kicks at Pinball's corpse. Again and * again. Pinballwon't budge. *

6/25/96 - REV. PINKl 67.

With one final kick, Pinball suddenly detaches and falls

away. Poe's momentum carries him out of thewheel bay, his * feet lodging in the landing gear apparatus. *

FX SHOT - starting onC.U. of Poe, CAMERA seemingly falls * with Pinball 200 feetbelow the aircraft, ending with aWIDE * SHOT of the plane passing overhead above us. *

Poe hangs upside down outside the C-123K, hisbody buffeted * by wind, slamming against the aircraft's belly. Poe tries * to pull himself up. He can't. *

Diamond Dog appears above Poe. He reaches down and grasps * foe aankle and l~~C3 h~~ o~cK ~n~~ t~e p~ane.

An intersection. A VOLVO STATION WAGON pulls out of a * CARWASH into traffic behind a farmer's LIVESTOCK TRAILER. *

A mid-S0s COUPLE inside. A GRANNY in the back. A glot of * BIRDSHIT spatters the windshield. *

MAN * See that? See? Every time I get * her waxed, I'm not ten feet from * the carwash, then pow - birdshit. *

WOMAN * It's supposed to be good luck. *

i WUMP! PINBALL'S CORPSE CRASHES onto the car's hood. The * Volvo runs into the rear of the LIVESTOCK TRAILER. * I I I 100 INT. OAKLAND U.S.M.S. OFFICES 100*

Larkin. enters. Ginny is there. *

GINNY * They're here. In your office. *

LARKIN * How are they? *

GINNY * As well as can be expected, I * guess. *

Larkin enters. Sitting there is TRICIA POE, 8 years older, * with CASEY, 7, Poe's daughter. *

6/25/36 - ~EV. ?INKl 68.

LARKIN

Vince Larkin.

TRICIA POE

Tricia Poe.

LARKIN

And this must be Casey. Hello,

Casey.

CASEY * Hello, Vince Larkin.

102*

Diamond Dog enters from the lower deck bulkhead wearing

WRAPAROUND SHADES.

BILLY BEDLAM * Where'd you get the rims, man? *

DIAMOND DOG * Our p-prop's in the tail. *

h

BILLY BEDLAM * (looks atPoe) *

SALLY CAN'T DANCE *

Ir Hey, those are my shades. *

DIAMOND DOG * Not any more, sister. *

I

SALLY CAN'T DANCE *

I

Men. *

I Billy Bedlam walks to the rear bulkhead. Descends. Poe * ► watches Billy narrowly. *

:03 INT. OAKLAND U.S.M.S. OFFICES - LARKIN'S OFFICE 103

Larkin and Tricia and two cups of coffee. Casey is coloring at Larkin's desk.

~arkin nods. Tricia inhales. Casey colors.

But~~ yo~ ~~ally wan= to know why he got back on that plane - and I don't think he himself .evenknows it - I'd say it was out of fear.

I this girl for the first time and

being her father, cos maybe he can't measure up. Fear of living on the outside again.

3eat. Larkin walks over to see what Casey has colored.

~arkin looks at her. Nods. Ginny sticks her head in:

GINNY * Vince? Line 1. *

LARKIN * (picksup phone) * Hello? *

A SHERIFF on a cell phone. In the b.g.we can see a CROWD * surrounding Pinball's corpse atop the Volvo's hood. COWS * from the livestock trailer millabout the intersection. *

SHERIFF * Vince Larkin? Marshal Service? *

~/25/36 - REV. ?INKl 70.

LARKIN

This is me.

SHERIFF

This is Ned Grasso, I'm a Sheriff

here in Fresno. We got a problem

with a corpse that fell out of the

sky and I don't think he's an

astronaut.

LARKIN * What's this got to do with me? *

-~'."',3=?"' * ~~e thing aDout this coYpse? :t'3 * got your name written all over it.

A cow MOOS. Larkin stares at the phone receiver and CUT TO: *

wARKicl:::-acesin,Ginny following. Going to a MAP.

LARKIN * The last transponder I.D. was here.

Northern Arizona. But the body

lands here, in Fresno. And Lerner

Airfield's in Death Valley. * (realizes) * They turned around. They're corning * back this way. They're corning back * this way! * (Ginny hands him a "* headset) * Get me Chief Devers. *

Devers rides with Malloy. The c.b. beeps. *

CHIEF DEVERS * Vince? *

MALLOY * Death Valley? Horseshit. We're * tailing their transponder tag into * Arizona. *

6/25/96 - REV. PINKl 71.

LARKIN * Listen to me: a body fell from the

sky. It had a note on it.

CHIEF DEVERS * Vince. Please, son.

LARKIN * Just listen! It was to me! The * note on the body was to me!

Devers and Malloy share a look. Malloy is loving it ... *

106A*

Larkin races out the door. *

GINNY * Vince? *

Larkin hurries up to the TRANSPORTATION OFFICER. *

LARKIN * I need a plane or a chopper. *

TRANSPORT OFFICER * You and me both. I'm all out. *

LARKIN * I need to get to Lerner airfield in * forty minutes. *

TRANSPORT OFFICER * Sorry, Marshal, can't help you. *

Larkin hears a RIPPLING SOUND. He turns. *

The tarpaulin covering MALLOY'S PRIZE CORVETTE is rustling * in the wind. Larkin smiles. · *

LARKIN * Sure you can. *

CUT TO: *

The vanity plate "AZZKIKR" peeling out of the motor pool. * Ginny runs from the building. *

GINNY * Oh, boy. *

5/25/96 - ~EV. ?INKl

:07B EXT. ROAD BETWEEN OAKLAND AND LERNER AIRFIELD - DAY 107B*

'..,arkin's(Malloy's)corvette roarsdown a two-lane road at

100 m.p.h., passing sporadic cars like they're standing sti:.l. *

:07C :NT. LARKIN'S (MALLOY'S) CORVETTE - DAY 107C*

Larkin's on the cell-phone, wearing Malloy's leather driving

gloves and shades.

you people have. But no contact

should be made. A secured

perimeter should be set-up two

miles from the airfield and you

should await my ...

He switches the phone from left to right ear. He drops it.

He iooks down, fishing for the phone. When he looks up

He's in the wrong lane and A RECREATION VEHICLE is

heading straight for him. Larkin throws the wheel --

The Corvette swerves into the correct lane, missing the

recreation vehicle by three inches.

The Corvette spins out of control. It slides into a 360

turn, then again and again. Three complete revolutions.

Finally it lurches to a stop. Larkin speeds off again ...

Billy Bedlam forages through the con's banker's boxes. Not

far from his foraging hands is THE YELLOW HAPPY FACE STICKER

affixed to Poe's box.

Poe sits with Baby-O and Garland Greene. Baby-o is

trembling. Poe wraps him in a storm jacket. Garland Greene * watches. Poe keeps one eye on the lower deck bulkhead.

BABY-0 • My tightsalways toldne .-when you • meet yourcellie yourfirst day • in - ifhe's get p!ccuresof either • Jesus, ~lvisor hot r:ds,hangin' • .. on his side ofthe hcuse- t~en y::m•reir:deep shit. • (beat) * You hadpict·..1resofallthree. •

Baby-C laughs,dissolving intoa h:rriblecough. •

1lC ::IT. C-123K- COCKPIT -DAY 110•

Cit.1)INC • Don't the;vhavea way of tracking • these planes?

SWAN!'THING * It's c.:illedatrar:spc:1der.Every • plane's got cne. •

Cindi:10looks at the gaping hole:!.ntheinstrument panel •

..

whe?:"e:::c.etransponderw«s.Cyrussnileswide,and CUT TO:

llc :~:T. MALLOY/DEVERS'HUEY - IN-FL::;,17-DAY 111*

~he PILOT turnsback to Malloy and Davers. *

P!LOT • We got'em vectoredat 12-0-clcck * .. and thi:c-tymiles.'ile•re seconds

I •

away fromestablishingvisual

I contact. • f

CUT TO: *

112 OMI1TED 112*

~HEC-:23K TRA.~SPONDERblinks intherear luggage hold of • Uncle'sBob's prop plane,where Pi:iliallstowed it. *

..

UncleBob is flying over the Grand canyon'srrorthRimand talking over the p.a.to hiscustorrers,the family of three. *

6/25/36 - REV. PINKl 74.

,JNCLEBOB

Below to the left ?ou'll See the

vertical redwall ciiffs, where the

water has dissolved intense caverns

and caves out of pure limestone and

dolomite formations. *

Suddenly THE FLEET OF HUEY AND COBRA CHOPPERS appear in

front of them, storming the skies, gunning for them.

Uncle Bob and the family SCREAMS.

:1.13A 113A* -::'ERUOMIT'.'.'SD ':''.-:RU* llJB 113B*

:1alloyand Devers look at each other.

MALLOY * What the fuck is that? *

Devers, in horrible realization, gets on his radio.

CHIEF DEVERS

Get me Vince Larkin.

CUT TO: *

Billy Bedlam has found Poe's banker's box. He's reading the * parole letter. Billy looks up. Poe is there. Billy * grins. Poe sees his pink bunny on the floor. *

Nose to the grime. *

I POE * I Put thebunny back in the box ... *

I BILLY BEDLAM *

Iknew you weren't no lifer. And * lo and behold, you a fuckin' * parolee ... You been turning turtle * on us this whole time, haven't you? *

POE * I said: put the bunny back in the * box. *

Billy swings. Poe takes it on the shoulder. He sends a * fist into Billy's face. The brawl is on. *

5/25/96 - REV. PINKl 75.

~16 INT. C-123K -MAIN CABIN -DAY 116*

Garland Greene, in the rear tail bulkhead, can hear the

sounds of scuffle from down below. He reaches over and

closes the hatch.

116A*

Poe and Billy pummel each other. Poe connectswith a * roundhouse. Silly spits cut a tooth. Smiles.

BILLY BECLA.'VJ * Now I'm annoyed. *

Billy charges, swinging. Poe grabs Billy's shirt and uses * his momentum to propel him UPAND OVER POE. Billy flies * toward the tail -- *

FLUNCH! He is IMPALED on the dagger-like STRUT. *

Billy Bedlam hangs there. Dies. Poe regards him ... *

POE * Why couldn't you put the bunny back * in the box? *

Poe picks up his parole letter, folds it and sticks it in

his pocket. He stuffs the bunny in the banker's box. *

118 118* THRU OMITTED THRU* 119 119*

The C-123K descends through 18,000 feet. *

Baby-O dozes. Poe comes down the aisle. Sits next to * Garland Greene. *

GARLAND GREENE * Two went down. One came up. * (Poe says nothing) * You don't have to tell me. I'm * sure you had your reasons. Most * murders are crimes of necessity * rather than desire. But the Great * Ones: Dahmer, Gacy, Bundy, did it * because ... it excited them. *

POE * They were insane. *

5/25/96 -~EV. PINKl 76/77.

GARLAND GREENE

What if I toldyou ''insane''was

working 50 hours a week in some

office for 50 years, ending up in a * retirement village, hoping to die * before suffering the indignity of

no longer being able to make it to * the toilet on time. What if I told * you that was "insane." * (beat) * One girl I drove through three * states wearing her head as a hat. *

•

POE * Feel free not to share everything * with me. *

THRU OMITTED THRU

A tiny landing strip for weekend aviators and the very rare commercial prop ...The airfield is clenched in a broad belt of rugged land .. .

A few hangars. A diminutive control tower. A scattering of tied-down planes that look like they last flew with the Luftwaffe ...

I I ► t

5/22/96 - REV. BLUEl 77.

Baby-O dozes ...Poe sits with Garland White ...They watch Billy andDiamond Dog jaw ateach other ...

Poe stares athim. Blinks. Beat.

THRU OMITTED THRU

A tiny landing strip for weekend aviators and the very rare commercial prop ...The airfield is clenched ina broad belt ofrugged land .. .

A few hangars. A diminutive control tower. A scattering of tied-down planesthat look like they last flew with the Luftwaffe ...

5/22/96- REV. BLUEl 78.

A lone CESSNA is taxiing out to therunway ...

They clear the ceiling, revealing the minisculeLANDING STRI?. Swamp Thing speaks into theP.A.

The c-~nsbuckle in ...Hail:,1ar:✓ sarer.-iu::J::;2.eci....?::~:.3.:-~esa sea~ by Baby-0 ...

Billy Bedlam is buckled inup front ...He notices something on the floor by his feet ...He picks itup ... It isan AMPULE ... Billy looksdown the plane ...To the shivering Baby-0 .. .

And he pockets the insulin...

A one man operation. And theCONTROLLER eats a sandwich and·· talks into the mic to theCessna pilot ...

The controller hears the ROAR. He turns and looks out the window and sees the C-l23k -COMING IN FOR A LANDING...

Larkin stops the 'Vette ...He can see the C-l23K sheara layer of cumulus and come into view --

Cyrus watches as Swamp Thing completes his "In Range" check... The C-123k shoots its approach...Landing GEAR lowered... .

its pilot - TED - looks up in awe as the theC-l23k is dropping right behind him!

5/22/96 -REV. BLUEl 79.

He is in the middle of the runway -- nowhere to go --he is going to be crushed -- Ted throws the throttle and the little Cessna picks up speed, racing down the runway ...

wide-eyed, wide-mouthed. Waiting for the crash --

The C-123K roars RIGHT OVER the Cessna ...

~he cons hold on tight ...Poe white-knuckl23 t~ea~~~es~s...

Swamp Thing reduces power, forcing a shallow dive ...

The C-123K's props create a huge BACK WIND and theCessna is * FLIPPED OVER, end over end...

The little Cessna comes down hard on its top.

}~.tko."3'*

The C-123K is coming in too hard. Too hot ...Swamp Thing * struggles to control her. . .The end of therunwayis RAPIDLY * APPROACHING *

The engines WHINE as they decelerate -

The huge plane veers OFF THE RUNWAY ...Bouncing along the * rough ground ... *

And racing towards A GAS TANK behind a chain-linkFENCE at. * the end of the runway... Gasoline drips from the tank ... *

The plane GROANS in protest at this assault on itsframe, * wheels DIGGING INTO THE DIRT -- *

Ina cloud of dust, the plane SKIDS TOWARDSTHE FENCE ... *

Coming to shuddering halt ...The nose of the plane hitting * the fence ...The fence stretching taut to breaking point ... * The plane slowly coming to a stop INCHES FROMTHE GAS * TANK ... *

The fence bracket BURSTS ...And the fence falls harmlessly * onto the tank... *

And the nose-gear SINKS INTO THE MUCK.... *

Silence. Cooling engines tick.

5/22/96 - REV. BLUEl 80.

THE CESSNA - TED

remains belted in and upsidedown ...Watching as ---

The rear hatch OPENS ...

Conrad is the first one out ...Helooks around the airport. The big blue sky. The broad,empty tarmac. The alpine space ... Arms outstretched,he HOWLS ...

Conrad takes off his shoes. His shirt. He runs for the grass-covered BROW skirting therunway ...

He dives into it ...Barefootand barechested. ~e ~~=~~st~ roll around :.n:::-:egrass ...Laughing,crying,s:::..-2~:r._.~"...

Poe watches from the plane .. .

Other cons poke their heads out of the hatch. Rabbits from the warren. They dropdown onto the runway ...

All around the stunned Ted ...

Cyrus walks over to where Garland White is stowed...

White looks at him. Beat. He nods ...

Cyrus climbs off the plane ...He walks over to Ted ... Reaches into the Cessna...Grabs Ted's wrist ...Plucks off his watch ...Studies it .. .

He scans the sky... Empty... Billy walksup behind Cyrus ... *

BLAM! Ted becomes another example of the hazards of small-craft aviation...

5/22/96 - REV. BLUEl 81.

reacts to Billy's gunshot ...He'sraging ...

The controller JUMPS at the gun'sREPORT ... *

He groans, trembles,sweats. And EXITS FRAME... *

looks up at the tower ...As if sensing something...To * :::.3.~ond=-:-g:

' CYRUS THE VIRUS * Check out thetower, wouldja, * Nathan - ?

And Diamond Dog heads for thetower ...

GARLAND WHITE *

drops down from the hatch... It's astonishinghow * unthreatening he looks outside ...Rail-thin,fish-white. *

White shields his eyesto the bright, bright sun... *

And begins to walk...cyrus and Billy watch him go. *

The cons are runningamok. Conrad has come across a small *

FILLING STATION/SALOON *

and they hurl a luggage carriage through its glassfront ... *

The mother lode: cartons of cigarettes, bottles of booze, * bags of chips, pretzels, dirty magazines ... *

There's a BOOM BOX is here. Conrad grabs it ...Plus a stack * of CDs ... *

Other cons enter the shop. Pillaging... *

has entered ... Sniffs about ...No sign of the controller ... * The transistor RADIO plays George Jones .. . *

Diamond Dog RIPS OUTTHE PHONES and RADIO ...And picks up a * half-eaten sanwich...He takes a bite ... *

Pena emerges from the plane ...Scanning the airfield ...He seems to find what he's looking for ...

5/22/96 - REV. BLUEl

Swamp Thing goes to where the nose of the plane is stuck in the muck ...

Sally Can't Dance passes behind him ...

Swamp Thing glares at her but Sally sashaysaway ...

Poe is with the trembling Baby-O ...

E;GY-0 You go, man ...

Tears stand in Baby-O's glazed eyes ...Theybang fists ...

Poe walks off. Baby-O watches after him,controlling the sobs

is parked here ...High-powered RIFLE in the gun-rack ...

The TOWER CONTROLLER appears ... Terrified...He grabs his

rifle and runs off ...

Poe emerges from the plane andwalks up to Cyrus, who is scanning the skies ...

5/22/96 - REV. BLUEl 83.

Poe sees that theGUARDS are lined-up on the tarmac. On their knees, their hands taped behind their backs. Execution-style.

Bishop is here as well. Billy Bedlam walks behind them, jamming a fresh clip into hisgun ...

Poe :.-:::;ksatthec11ards...Thei~tcua!'°'~"1.essr.1elted3.way... All but Bishop, she remains steely despitethe impending doom.

►

CYRUS THE VIRUS

• Billy! Let Poe heredo the

guards ...

II

I: I

CYRUSTHE VIRUS

I

What?

~ POE

Killing your hostages. At this point.

5/22/96 - ?.S'/.BLUEl 84.

Cyr~s glances over to Pena, who is moving acrossthe airf::.eld.

Cyrus considers ...Then:

And we can see the relief wash over Poe's face ...

A rendezvous point for the local law...

Tumult. Dozens of parked cars ...A few NATIONALGUARDSMEN in full-dress. But most of these kids are justWEEKEND WARRIORS - low-rent state militia hayseeds readying for battle ...

Cyrus and Billy move to the BELLY of the C-123k. Cyrus * opens it with a key...

ANGLE - BELLY OF THE PLANE *

and we see the nifty little ARSENAL stowed here. SHOTGUNS, PISTOLS,RIFLES. Boxes of shells ...

5/22/96- REV. BLUEl 85.

As they remove the weapons they can see,stowed down here:

Poe appears behind them ...Cold as shit:

r:-.~::-~...:s3.:1:1g.:._=._::_~,l:,oka::eacho::b.'3!:'.F_tFae.. .-~~,.~::-us snrugs...

Cyrus sees Pena walking away from the plane ...

Pena walks reluctantly back to the plane ...

Poe goes to find the fuel truck...

Waves of wild grass sway in the breeze.

Garland White treks through the sod.

A PHEASANT flies overhead. White watches its graceful soar.

He walks on.

5/22/96 - REV. BLUEl 86.

Poe checks it out ...No fueltruck ...He moves on ...

Garland White continues through the field,coming out onto

A TRAILER PARK

On the other side of the field. A shambling collection of double-wide trailersand tin carports spread out acrossa muddy delta. No one about. No one except ~ .,.--...,.,--,...,...-.- - ......-...--"':_-._..

perhaps 6-years-old. She plays in the mud by one trailer, putting her DOLLS througha rigorous work-out ...

She looks up ...Sees Garland White ...She is unafraid.

White nods shyly,eyes at half-lid, slow smile spread across his face ...

White nods again. And goes to the girl.

Empty. Except for the shivering Baby-O. There's someone behind him. He turns ...

It's Billy Bedlam.

5/22/96- REV. BLUEl 87.

And he holds up the AMPULE. The ampule of insulin...Baby-0 cannot believe it ...

3;..BY-O ~hi~gs? What things?

:so EXT. BALLPARK 150

A line of SQUAD CARS PULL UP HERE ...

The MILITIA MEN get into their pick-ups,jeeps, motorcycles ...

Slotting in behind the troopers ...

Bubbles flash. Sirens wail ...

The cars spray gravel ...Screaming for thehighway.

Poe walks into yet another dark hangar ...In one corner,is * parked, A FUEL TRUCK... *

But instead of driving it out, he unspoolsthe hose and * begins PUMPING the precious fuel onto the floor --! *

Garland White sits with the little girl ...He holds the boy * doll, she the girl doll... *

Garland doesn't say anything ...

S/22/95 - ~:"'V.BLUEl 88.

She ~akes the Bob-doll from White ...Demonstrates ascene with the two dolls ...

White nods. Takes Bob back ...

Poe continues dumping fuel. He watches as theGASOLINE * GURGLES OUT ...Spreading along the floor ...Soaking the * BOOTS and PANT-LEGS OF *

A PAIR of COOL LATIN TYPES *

packing Skorpion machine pistols ... *

And behind them - a sparkling G-4 JET PLANE is hidden here * in the shadows ... *

Poe raises his arms ...He quickly surmises the situation ... *

POE * Fellas, hello! You're already * here ...Good, good... Francisco sent * me to see you ... He'll be here ina * moment. *

He sees they haven't a clue ... *

5/22/95 - REV. BLUEl

POE

Uh ...SenorPena ...Un momento ...

They stare at him ...They speak inlow, rapid-fire * Spanish ...Then lower their guns ...Poelowers his hands... *

Pena, again,begins to walk away from the plane ...

Cyrus moves toSwamp Thing:

cyrus clocks Pena's retreatingform...

Poeand Pena's players ...Doing the waitinggame ...

Beat ...They stare athim ...Poe smiles ...Walksover to one side of the hangar ...And,fast as light

--he picks up a nearby 2 X 4 and SMACKSTHE SHIT OUT OF THEM!

The Poe we know ...He's going to town on the bastards when --

A THIRD GUNMEN

whom we hadn't seen... Presses his piece to the back of Poe's neck --

Poe chills ...The first two men get to their feet,spitting teeth and blood...

And they begin working over Poe ...

Sally Can't Dance has found a CLOSET- several STEWARDESS SUITS hanging inside ...She begins to disrobe ...

Garland White and the little girl continue their play...

5/22/96 - REV. BLUEl 90.

Beat. Garland White looks like he's corninga bit unglued. The little girlmay sense a change in his weather...

And, aftersome hesitation, Garland White joins in:

5/22/96 - REV. BLUEl 91.

WHITE/ LITTLE GIRL (singing) "From the Redwood forest/Tothe Gulf Stream wa-a-ters/Thisland was made for you andme ..."

:57 INT. HANGAR 157

Poe is thrown to the floor ...One of the operatives sticks the Skorpion in his face ...As if he's aboutto shoot --

-- his comrade stops him ...Speaks in Spanish...The gunboy nods ...Puts aside his Skorpion ...And takes outa long-barrelled .22 with an attached silencer ...

~e aims it ac Poe ... Until:

All four men turn. To seea sweat-streaked, slightly panicked

VINCE LARKIN

gun raised ...

And Poe uses this distraction,to hit the gunmen ... i I Maximum Violence Immediately...

Pena's players are quickly dispatched ...

Poe comes up with a machine-pistol ...

Aims it dead at Larkin...Who's aiming his gun dead at Poe.

Swamp Thing has jerry-rigged rope around the plane's wing-span and fixed them to the hitches oftwo pick-ups in an attempt to extricate the planefrom its skewered landing...

Conrad emerge from the main building,pushing a SHOPPING CART laden with LOOT: booze, junk food, the boom box, the CDs, the dirty mags,etc ...

He hauls several bottles of scotchfrom the cart ...

c/22/35- "'-EV.BLUEl 92.

He begins loading the purloined goodies onto the plane ...

of State Troopers, NationalGuardsmen, County Sheriffs and local police, trundles itsway down the road ...

Towards the airport.

l60 :~IT. ?_1\.NGAR

~oe and Larkin still in theirstand-off ...Bathed in sweat ...Pena's players groaningbene~th them ...

They keep 'em raised ...Larkin gestures to theG-4 ...

5/22/96 - REV. 3LUE1 93.

3eat ...Larkin blinks thesweat from his eyes ...

They ~eep 'em raised ...One ofPena's men tries to get slowly to his feet ...Larkin kickshim back to the ground ...

And now he's got Poe's attention --

5/22/96 - REV. BLUEl 94.

Larkin nods ...Poe stares athim... And he must ask the one question he doesn'twant to ask of a stranger. But he can't help himself:

She's .3.:-:I.~z:..:::.g...-::'::1.:lya:::a:::.:--.g.. . And she can't wait to see you .. .

Poe looks likehe wants to take a knee ...

and the little girl arenow engaged in a strenuous game of cat's cradle. White continues to sing softly:

White looks at the girl,as they pass the string- configuration,as if he's battling the demons in his mind.

The ones that are saying tear her up and scatter her across the mud ...

Cyrus stands witha pair of CONS - DUCKY and PAPO - he looks * concerned...He studies the watch... *

CYRUS THE VIRUS * Our comfort zone becomes more * narrow with every passing minute *

KA-RACK! *

A shot rings out ...And Ducky goesdown, hit in the chest ... *

KA-RACK! *

A second shot. Papo. Down... *

Cyrus looks to where the shotcame from ... *

hears the shots and looks up ... *

5/22/96- REV. BLUEl 95.

also react ...And now everyone can see --

162C THE TOWER CONTROLLER 162C*

standing across the tarmac ...Rifle raised ...

Cyrus clocks his two fallen comrades ...Cries out: *

CYRUS THEVIRUS * Get that man -- *

Bue, on the TOWER ~OOKOUT - Diamond DogSHOUTS

DIAMONDDOG

WE GOT COMPANY -- !

And Cyrus can see - coming down the long tongue of road *

offensive ... *

CYRUS THEVIRUS * Shit ... *

Cyrus runs to Swamp Thing in the cockpit ... *

Cyrus, again, scans the sky ...

Cyrus goes to the belly of the plane ...Opensit ...Begins to haul out the artillery... Tosses it to the cons .. .

And he begins tossing guns to his cons ...

Conrad and Billy Bedlam begin tossing smallPROPANE TANKS * along the road -- *

5/22/96 -REV. BLUEl 96.

:63 INT. HANGAR 163*

?oe and Larkin can see the cons taking ambush posicionson * either side of the road leading up to C-123K... *

LARKIN * They'll kill 'em all -- *

THE TOWER CONTROLLER *

scrambles backwards to his truck. He gets in. Slams the * door. Only, sitting next to him, with that smile,is * GARLAND WHITE. The Controller SCREAMS... *

State Trooper cars come screaming onto the air-field .. .

Followed by pick-ups, Sheriff's cars, a transportvan .. .

LAWMEN climb out of their vehicles. Everyone isarmed. There's enough firepower here to liberate Bosnia ...

They have no idea they're in the crosshairs ...

SWAMP THING

has got the C-123K back on the runway ...

?ENA

is making his way to the hangar ...

GARLAND WHITE *

by the pick-up truck, takes the boots off the just-killed * tower controller and laces them to his own feet ... *

THE MILITIA MEN *

march toward the air-strip, stepping over the propane * tanks ...While above and around them, Cyrus'men take aim at * the very same tanks ... *

Cyrus racks the slide of the sawed-off. Chambering a * round ... *

He gives the signal -- *

16 5 INT .HANGAR 165

Poe picks up the SILENCER ...He begins PUMPINGBULLETS INTO * THE G-4 ...Backing up all the while, taking Larkin with * him ... *

LARKIN * What are you-- *

3/22/95 -R~V. BLUEl 97.

POE

JUMP -- !

AND ':'HEG-4EXPLODES ...

And ?OE AND LARKIN FLY THROUGH THE AIR ...

Thehangar is oblitered. A FIREBALL of oily flame rises * three stories ...DEBRIS rainseverywhere ...

And the militia men take cover ...

I ~hec2~s have lost the~= a~bush...

I And, as the debris settles, the skeleton of the G-4comes

I lurching out of the hangar ...

And Pena is shocked ...

And Cyrus and Billy are behind him ...Faces furious ...

Larkin gets to his feet, covered in soot ...

Only Poe's gone ...

I Before the smoke can clear, the militia men areFIRING --

And the cons fire back ... t A volley of rifled 12-gauge slugs blaze --

The propane tanks are hit ...They BLOW .. .

It'sa firefight of massive proportions .. .

Everything louder than everything else .. .

Cops are hit. Bullets snapping into their tires,their bubble-flashers, their bones ...

The exchange is devastating.

Thismakes Waco look like Club Med.

AN EARTH-MOVER *

begins to barreldown the air-field, through the raining * debris ...Larkin is at the wheel ... *

5/22/96 - REV. BLUEl 98.

He skids the truck intoa group of SOLDIERS ...The cons * continue to fire,back-pedaling to the C-123K -- *

Larkin raises thePLOW on the truck, using it as a shield. *

Soldiers pour in theback of the truck ...Larkin helps them * in... *

Conrad leans out of the hatch of theC-123K, assisting the * cons who climb upand in, under the cover of their comrades' * firepower. *

THE C-123K

The plane begins itstaxi ...

Cyrus The Virus back-pedals with the plane ...Firinghis

hollow-points ...the bullets hitting massand tripling in * size ...Messing upa half-dozen Guardsmen ... *

Wounded, terrified cons buckle in and wait ...

runs for the plane ...Bullets stitching the ground behind him.

170 OMITTED 170*

TROOPERS fire at the plane. Bullets plunking into its * skin... The two-wheeledFRONT NOSE GEAR takes a bullet and * the tires SHRED ...Poe hasmade it on... *

And, from out of the sky,comes the FLUTTER OF APPROACHING * AIRCRAFT ... It is Malloy and Devers'HUEY -- *

CHIEF DEVERS * Good Lord *

The HUEY setsdown ... *

Swamp Thing is undaunted... Billy is strapped-in beside him...

5/22/96 - REV. BLUEl 99.

The plane taxis on ...Accelerating ...A SINGLEFIGURE runs after it ...

FRANCISCO PENA

Cyrus leans out of the hatch...Offering Pena a hand But when Pena is close enough, Cyrus pointsa gun at him

ELAM!

Pena's brains halo as he's thrown back to the air-strip ...

Cyrus slips through the hatch...The hatch is closed... The plane speeds down the runway .. .

continues its listless roll ...Lurching along the runway... * Heading for a POOL OF GASOLINE. . . *

opens the throttles to fullpower and eases off the brakes ...He wrenches back on the controlcolumn ...He ROARS. Billy Bedlam ROARS ...

The C-123k JERKS UP and INTOTHE AIR ... *

The G-4 staggers toward the pool of gasoline ... *

Swamp Thing pulls back on the yoke ...

177 THE C-123K 177

is aloft. Beginning its climb ...

Billy Bedlam hoots ...High-fivesSwamp Thing... Poe watches the ground disappear and turn into nothing but sky. Back in the shit.

Larkin runs for the Huey -- *

S/22/96- REV. BLUEl

LARKIN

Come on ! We've got tofollow

them ...We've got to--

Larkin clamors aboard ...AndThe Huey lifts off ...

The G-4 collapses into the fuel ...TheFUEL IGNITES! FLAMES * EXPLODE into the air.. . *

The C-123K flies through theflames, roaring over *

THE HUEY *

whic:lspins out cf ccr_t:!:"cl...T~rcwingLark:.:i::~o~r:.:..sseat.* ":::e:...2T<:·ssr:=•=•rJT:.:t:.-2c;;e:1~.:co~.Ueve:r.sj-...:..3".:g~~i:ii:::..::s::-~.:..i~tas* he £lies past... *

The Huey spins and wobblesas Larkin hangs on by one hand... * Larkin watches as -- *

The airfield BURSTS INTOFLAMES ...He sees the flames RACE * ACROSS THE RUNWAY. . .TOTHEGAS TANKS ! ! ! *

LARKIN * Uh-oh...

KA-FUCKING-BOOM!!!!

The Huey is rocked by the explosion...Larkin slips out of * •I Devers' grasp ...

CHIEF DEVERS

I'm losing you ...I'MLOSING YOU

Devers lunges for Larkin,but the chopper sways and his hand

clasps THIN AIR.

LARKIN FALLS - some twenty-five feet ...

Landing with a crash ontoa state trooper car ...People run

for him... He sits up. Shaken but okay...

LARKIN

Nice wonderful lifeI have ...

The HUEY lands witha corkscrew THUD ...

ANGLE: THE SKY. The C-123K is gone, gone, gone ...

LARKIN watches itgo ...

The DENIZENS of the trailer park are all outand about ... One youngWOMAN looks particularly agitated...

5/22/96 -?.::.v.BLUEl 101.

The ·,oungWoman races around the camp, hysterical now ...

She stops short. Frowns. REVERSE ANGLE REVEALS:

The :ittle girl Garland White was playing with ... Sitting in the '.'.'.Ud...Her girl doll iswaving goodbye to the plane ...

Goodbye, Garland... Come again soon...

back in his spot on the plane. The boy doll,BOB, clenched ~n c::ehand ...

soars again into the freedom of the skies ...

Cheers from the survivors ...As the plane settles comfortably into the jet stream... A few men are wounded. Most are okay.

Poe checks on Bishop ...

The two escort COBRAS land... TheHuey is a mess ...A lot

of men are hurt. Some dead. It's afiasco.

A CAR has pulled up ... little Debbie's hysterical mother jumps out, Debbie behind her, still with her Jan-doll ...

A TROOPER walks up to Larkin --

5/22/96 - REV. 3LUE1 102.

Larkin goes wide-eyed ...

Devers and Malloy are horrified by the devastation ...

But Malloy is even more horrified by--

Oh-my-fucking-God-- !

Larkin and Devers follow hislook --

ANGLE - MALLOY'S CORVETTE

shot to complete shit ...

Malloy turns a furious look to Larkin...

Larkin shrugs ...

Poe goes to Baby-O's side ...

And Poe looks at him ...And he is okay...In fact, he's perfect. No sweats, no chills,nothing .. .

And Baby-O cannot look him in the eye ... Uttersa soft:

And Poe knows he's been dirned.. .

Poe gets up ...Walks to the rear ...Takesa seat next to Garland White .. .

S/22/96 -REV. BLUEl

30 pieces of silver ...

Saby-0 remains seated ...Couched in hisown private shame ...

Swamp Thing looks grim...

' CYRUST!-!EVIRUS I ' ~2c's not ~ose a~othe~--

187A

Sally Can't Dance and Conrad are breaking out the goodies .. .

Sally dispenses the bottles of booze,the bags of chips .. .

Cartons of cigarettes are passed around. Everyone lights up. Conrad plugs theboom box into an auxiliary outlet ...

Diamond Dog and a few other consapproach Cyrus ...

A BLACK CON gets to his feet,florid

I Several other black cons bellow in agreement. Until: t

He offersCyrus a giant brown hand... Cyrus. shakes it .. . Solidarity...Howls of approval from those assembled .. .

Conrad has poppeda disc into the boom box... And the "turn it up"and opening CHORDS of Lynyrd's Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama"crank high and hard --

S/22/96 - REV. 3LUE1 104.

Sally Can't Dance, Conrad, and a few others BOOGIE DOWN. . .("SweetHome Alabama/Where the skies areso blue/SweetHome Alabama/Lord I'm coming home to you ... )

Booze is passed ...Butts aresmoked... Pretzels are eaten ...

It's a party --

BillyBedlam is talking to Cyrus The Virus. Informinghim of something. Cyrus' eyes glow with the fires ofthe pit. He looks back --

TO THEREAR OF THE PLANE

~-T:1<=Y~?oesitsalonewi~:lGar~a..nci.:-·itit3.~·la~::_-::..:-.s-;::_e ocners parcy and jam to the Skynyrd tune ...

:38 EXT. LERNER AIRPORT 188

Vince Larkin races for one of the Cobras ...

But Larkin hasjumped into the 'copter... To thePILOT, whom we'll callGATOR:

And the Cobra lifts off ...Malloy makes for the second Cobra ... Itfollows ...Leaving Devers to watch after them.

The MUSIC is suddenly stopped...Groans from the cons ...

Cyrus is by theboom box, having shut it off ...He holds the Sig Sauer ...He walks the aisle ...

5/22/95 -R2V. BLUEl 105,

che cons are staring at him as if he were speaking Hungarian ..

?oe prepares for the worst ...

in its ear ...

He giggles ...And hooks the bunny to his belt ...

And Cyrus aims the Sig at Poe ...Bishop watches, horrified .. .

Hammer back ...Poe's out of moves ...Until,without warning --

-- Cyrus pivots to Baby-0 ...AndFIRES ...Knee-capping

him ...

Poe leaps for Cyrus ...Only to be restrained by Conrad and

Billy... Baby-0 howls in pain ...Cyrus keeps thegun on him. *

POE * Don't, Cyrus ...Don't youdo

it -- ! *

CYRUS THE VIRUS * Bad for the team,Poe ... It'sbad * for the team... *

POE * NO -- ! *

BLAM! Baby-0 takes one in the gut ...He goesdown ... *

Poe bucks and thrashes againstConrad and Billy... And Cyrus * points the gun at him. . .Hammer back. . .Butthen-- *

THROUGH THE REAR HATCH, HE/WECAN SEE THE COBRA RISE UP * BEHIND THE C-123K... *

5/22/96 - KEV. BLUEl 106.

And MarshalVince Larkin waves at all of them ... *

CYRUS THE VIRUS * Shit -- *

And Cyrus walks to the hatch ...And he'sfacing Larkin and * Gator ...And Cyrus raises hisgun ...And FIRES AT THEM ... * Bullets plunking into the Cobra's windshield .. . *

Gator sends a burst ofGUNFIRE into the C-123K... Cons dive * out of theway ...Seats explode ... *

:,;;_-,_K=:J * WHAT ARE YOU DOING -- ? *

GATOR * He was shootin' at us -- *

LARKIN * Followmy orders, okay, man? *

GATOR * Roger -- *

And the Cobra drops out of position ... *

And Cyrusmoves for the cockpit ... *

Swamp Thing wrenches the wheel--

191 THE C-123K 191

banks righttoward the Cobra ...The Cobra dodges it ...

The suddenBANK sends all the prisoners into a frenzy ... Mucho screaming and howling ...

Gator levels off ...

Malloy's Cobra,passes about 100 feet above the C-123k. *

The PILOT slams the throttle to fullpower and dives down after them until they are rightabove the C-123k ...Malloy is in Larkin's ear.

5/22/96 - REV. BLUEl 107.

And, at last, Larkin loses it ...HeBELLOWS:

Gator drops slightly to silhouette the big plane ...

Over the RADIO comes:

They stare at the speaker... It's Larkin...

Cyrus grabs the radiomike ...

The C-123k's coordinates are tracked by the Cobra's digital COMPUTER and displayed_on twinCATHODE-RAY TUBES ...

S/22/96 - REV. BLUEl 108.

ANGLE - The cockpit canopy. Heads Up Display. A

cross-hair shows the point of aim for the Cobra's30mm cannon chain gun.

Larkin looks mostly miserable ...What todo -- *

LARKIN

CYRUS -- ! I WILLSHOOT YOU DOWN! * I WILL SHOOT YOU DOWN --

Beat ...And then, comes a soft,eerie --

And a giggle ...Cyrus clicks off ...Larkin takes off his * headset ...

LARKIN * C'mon, Poe ...C'mon,baby ... *

Malloy's PILOT achieves "lock-on" in hisCENTRAL AIMING

DOT ... *

PILOT * I have target locked-on, sir

MALLOY * Go for it *

And Malloy's Cobra FIRES into the side of theC-123K...

The interior is STRAFED ...Everyone dives for cover... *

Larkin cannot believe it ... *

LARKIN * MALLOY, YOU SONUVABITCH,CEASE * FIRE ...CEASE-GODDAMN-FIRE * RIGHT-GODDAMN-NOW!!! *

But Malloy's Cobra is going in for a second attack...

S/22/96 - REV. BLUEl 109.

LARKIN

Get in his way

GATOR

What -- ?

LARKIN

Get in his way ...He won't shoot at * us.

GATOR * I can'tdo that, man --

LARKIN

~

Gator looks at Larkin's half-mad face ...

GATOR

Damn... I get all the shaggy dog

cases.

l96D EXT. GATOR'SCOBRA 196D*

slots in between theC-123K and Malloy's Cobra ... *

PILOT * What the hell's he doing ? *

MALLOY * That stupid bastard -- *

...actually escorting the plane ...Malloy's chopper tries * to maneuver around Gator...But Gator doesn't give him an * alley ... *

PILOT * I got no move *

dropsbelow 8,000 feet ...

198 THE C-123K 198

is descending lower and lower. One thousand feet off the ground now ...The Cobra still in escort ... *

Poe has the dying Baby-·o in hisarms ...

5/22/96 - 2EV. BLUEl 110.

BABY-0

Tell me it's all right,Poe --

POE

It's all right, Odell

BABY-0 * I never did nothin'my whole life * like what I did to you. I stole, I

cheated, I crimed. But I never did * nothin' like that ...They made

me . . .They mademe .. .

POE * I :<:new- -

And Baby-0 dies blinking tears out of hiseyes ...And Poe * holds him... Catching his breath...He looks to Bishop, in * her cage ...To Garland White, in his grin... *

AND POE RISES *

And starts to move down the plane ...

BILLYBEDLAM * Where you goin', bitch-boy-- ? *

SMASH! Billy sucks floor ...

And Poe MAKES HIS WAY DOWN THE CENTER-AISLEOF THE PLANE... * PUMMELING ANYTHING IN HIS WAY ...Conrad,Diamond Dog, the * other CONS, fall by the wayside .. . *

Poe hits the electronic cage buzzer...Freeing Bishop and * the guards - who immediately go to seats and strap in .. . *

Poe storms for the cockpit ...Cyrus meetshim head-on .. .

Cyrus sticks the gun into Poe's throatand pulls back the * hammer ...

CYRUSTHE VIRUS * Say good night, Giant-Killer-- *

ELAM! BLAM! BLAM! *

-- bullets tattoo the area around CyrusThe Virus. He takes * cover -- *

NEW ANGLE - BISHOP *

hass recovered the Airweight ... Its barrelsmokes ...Cons * dive out of the way ... *

Beat. Poe looks at Bishop. Bishop nods. *

Poe heads for the cockpit. Indomitable.

5/22/96- REV. BLUEl :.11.

Poe rips open the cockpit door, to findSwamp Thing riding the stick ...

And Cyrus bum-rushes the cockpit ...And dragsPoe out ...The two go at it ...Swamp Thing attempting to steer her .. .

(OMITTED201) *

Poe and Cyrus brawl in the cramped confines of the cabin ... The plane rocks and lists ...Swamp Thing fighting tokeep it right ...

Larkin and Gator watch the crippled craft ... *

Gator gestures ...Ahead of them... For they have cleared the low ceiling of cloud cover... Nothing but black before and below, until, there, in the distance --

CITYLIGHTS BLAZE

Not just any city lights ...Because this ain't justany city. . .This is

LAS VEGAS

andThe Strip glows eternal ...A neon constellation...An explosion of radiance ...

c/22/96 - REV. BLUEl 112.

Cyrus has thrust Poe'shead out of one of the side avulsions ...Poecan see the glow of Sin City ...

The C-123k soars along ... Under500 feet ...The planeBUZZES

along, narrowly passing a WATER TOWER... A CONDO COMPLEX ...

A RADIO ANTENNAE ...PEOPLE come out of their homes ...To see

the giant aircraft,flying this low, nearly blotting out the * moon.

Not since Rodan terrorized Tokyo, has a winged creature

flown so close to somany ... *

POLICECARS, FIRE ENGINES, EMERGENCY SERVICES VEHICLES scream in EvacuationMode ...ARMY TRUCKS, carrying LONG-RANGEARTILLERY, pull up and park.

Poe and CyrusThe Virus still in the clinches ...

TRACK theCONS ... Terrified...Stricken...

Bishop,bruised and bloodied, crosses herself, and looks across the plane ...To where

5/22/96 - REV. BLUEl 113.

-- from his seat in the back,Garland White SINGS:

207C THE C-123K 207C

flies over VEGAS WORLD and TheSAHARA with its waterpark, WET & WILD

Over THE RIVIERA ...

THE FUSELAGE OSCILLATESWITH VIOLENT VIBRATIONS --

THE PLANE PLOWS THROUGH A SERIESOF HIGH-TENSION TELEPHONE WIRES --

IT BOUNCES ONCE, TWICE,THREE TIMES ON LAS VEGAS BOULEVARD --

IT DECIMATES DOZENS OFABANDONED CARS --

RIPPING DOWN THE STRIP

PAST THE STARDUST, THEDESERT INN, TREASURE ISLAND --

ITS WINGS ARE TORN OFF

IT BREAKS UP INTO SECTIONS

BEFORE COMING TOA CONCUSSIVE STOP --

INTO THE SPARKLINGPORTE COCHERE OF THE MIRAGE HOTEL --

DEBRIS SHOWERED EVERYWHERE --

SQUAD CARS & ARMY TRUCKS setup yet one more secured perimeter

CROWDS assemble ...Barricades are erected...TV CREWS arrive, AMBULANCES, PRISON OFFICIALS,NATIONAL GUARD ...

FIRE TRUCKS PUMP gallons offoamy FLAME RETARDANT at the plane, which has broken up intoHUGE SECTIONS upon impact ...

From one hole in the fuselage,Sally Can't Dance is the first to appear...She sees the South Seas-styled waterfalls, lagoons,grottoes and giant palm trees of the Mirage facade and,natch, assumes --

5/22/96 -REV. BLUEl

CONS remain strapped to seats. The seats scattered about the crumpled fuselage --

The inside of the C-123k has become amurky tunnel --

Sur,ivors, dazed and bloodied, extricate themselvesfrom their seat belts ...

land ...Larkin and Malloy explode fromthem ...

Cameron Poe gets shakily to his feet. He is bleeding * pro::uselyfrom the head. . .He walksthrough the

smoke-shrouded fuselage, coming upon Bishop hanging upside

down, still strapped to her seat ...Poe unbuckles her ...

BISHOP

Owww... I thinkmy leg is broken --

He carries her out of the plane -and they get their first * look at the chaos ... *

The ~raffic is snarled and boiling. POLICE, FIREFIGHTERS, * EMT 2REWS, ON-LOOKERS, PRESS,NATIONAL GUARDSMEN, DAZED * GAMBLERS ... *

Vince Larkin searches the dark andsmoky interior of the plane

Larkin searches the confines of the cabin buthe cannot

find Cyrus ...

Poe carries Bishop over to anEMT GUY... They strap her to a * gurney -- *

BISHOP * You done good, Poe -- *

POE * You take care now -- *

5/22/96 - REV. BLUEl 115.

BISHOP

And Poe?

POE

Yeah -- ?

BISHOP

Next time, we take the train ...

Bishop is placed ontoan ambulance ...When, suddenly,Poe

notices that one

FIRETRUCK

And isn't that odd?

LARKIN

fights the crowd...

Just as The Mirage's man-made VOLCANO ERUPTS,as it does every half-hour ...Right between Poe and Larkin...Both men ·gazing at the same shocking sight - that of thewayward firetruck ...

Flames,steam, lava, obscure Larkin's vision --He dances through thewreckage, the masses, the flamesand light --

In time to seea FIREFIGHTER THROWN FROMTHE VEHICLE ...

By Conrad.

THE FIRETRUCK

is the new-fangled,state-of-the-art combinationPUMP AND LADDER produced by Simon-LTI and known as

THE QUINT

The Cadillac of firetrucks ...75-foot pumper aerial witha telescoping waterway...Pre-connected hoses fixed toa 2500 gallon reservoir ...Turntable ladder tower lift cylinder ...

You get the picture ...This bitch rocks ...

And now she's rocking away from The Mirage ....

With swamp Thing behind the wheel ...And Conrad swinging off the high hand rail ...

And Cyrus The Virus, donning a fireman'shelmet ...

Larkin is aghast ...

5/22/96 - REV. BLUEl 116.

He runs for the Quint ...Leaping onto its rear rails ...

Swamp Thing presses the pedal for the Federal Siren System, which WAILS ...

... as the truck thundersdown Las Vegas Boulevard ... Sxccriating anything in its path...

215 tXT. FIRE TRUCK -.w.ASVEGASSTREETS 215

Larkin scales the truck's rear rails ...Only tocome face to face with

CYRUS THE VIRUS

standing over him ...Sick sadistics~ile...

And Cyrus KICKSLARKIN IN THE FACE ...Sending him off the rear of the Quint ...

Into the street ...Larkin drags himself to his feet ... When ...

A ROAR FROMBEHIND

And Cameron Poe pulls up. Astride a State Trooper ELECTRA GLIDE MOTORCYCLE.

And Larkin climbson behind Poe, who flicks the wick and they are off ...

A CHASE ENSUES

Poe's Glide trailing The Quint ...Through thecrowded streets of The Emerald City...

Billy Bedlam finally stops running,here in this dark stretch of concrete ...VOICESup ahead... THREE KIDS, no more than fifteen,appear out of the shadows ...They guzzle 40s and bring it tohim straight up ...

S/22/95- REV. BLUEl 117.

Billy turns to them ...He almost has to laugh ...

KID #2 No, c'mon, whaddya gut ?

KID #2 No --

KID #2 Who is it?

KID #2 Oh, right ...Hey, Elvis ...

And the kid, fast as lightning, darts outand STABS Billy Bedlam in the gut ...

The look on Billy's face is pure incredulity...He falls to the ground...

KID #2 Dude, you killed him

And they rifle through Billy's pockets ...Which areempty...

Billy, with his last bit of psychotic rage,gropes for the kids' throats ...But he doesn't have the strength...

KID #2 Let's bail, man... C'mon!

5/22/96 - REV. BLUEl 118.

And the kids run off ...Leaving Billy to die in the dirt ...

We have left The Strip ...Deep into Vegas proper ...

Poe and Larkin,on the bike, are joined by three STATE TROOPERS riding Electra Glides,aiding in the pursuit ...

CYRUS THE VIRUS

sees The Glides close behindthem... He nods to Conrad, who climbs down to the Quint'sPUMP CONTROL PANEL and throws some switches --

Cyrus hops down to the truck'sREAR HOSEBED, a large metal fender-like abutment atthe back of the Quint ...

Cyrus hoists a thick length ofPRE-CONNECTED HOSE and hits the combination nozzle--

-- and a straight stream ofWATER, jetting at 1250 gallons- per-minute, 150 pounds-per-square-inch, is launched ...

The force of the waterSMASHES one State Trooper off his motorcycle ...

Cyrus turns hishose on the second Trooper .. .

Cops fly ...Bikes topple into speeding skids .. .

Cyrus aims hishose for the third cop ...

The third COP isknocked off his bike and soars toward Poe and Larkin...

Poe maneuvers out of hisway, the Statey nearly taking off their heads before crashing to the asphalt behind them ...

Conrad howls ...AsCyrus trains the hose on Larkin and Poe ...

Poe swerves to avoid the punishing pulse ...They have to shout into the wind to speak:

5/22/96 -REV. BLUEl 119.

Larkin takes out his piece

?OE Shoot that fuck -- !

Talk about difficult ...Larkin aims ...Dead on atCyrus ...

And fires... The shots ring out around Cyrus ...Missing wildly... But enough to make Cyrus kill thehose and retreat back onto The Quint ...

... and Poe hits the nitro and he's pulled alongside the Quint ...and there's

And Conrad is stabbing at them with it ...Leaningway out on the side of the Quint ...His FEET secured into steelFLANGES on the truck's side .. .

He jabs Poe ...The pipe pull taking a huge scoop of meat * out of Poe's right arm ...

Conrad goes in for another jab ...and Poe grabs theend of the pipe pull and hooks it onto the Glide's seat--

-- and he turns the bike just enough -- toYANK CONRAD from the truck... His feet still in the flanges,his arms hanging onto the pipe pull which is hooked onto the Glide ...

And Conrad is stretched out over the highway racingsome five feet below him!!

5/22/96 - REV. BLUEl 120.

Larkin does ...Steering the bike ...AndPoe is up on his feet ...

And he usesConrad as a human GANG-PLANK, to climb onto the Quint -- !

And,yes, this is the coolest fucking thing we've ever seen ...

Once on the Quint,Poe kicks Conrad's feet out from the flangesand Conrad flies through the air and becomesso much r:)adkill...

And Poe'son The Quint ...Except here comes Cyrus ...And he's packing anAXE ...The pink bunny still hooked to his belt ...

He swings the axe hard ...Poe dodges it ...

Poe comesup with a HALAGHAN TOOL, which is like acrowbar on steroids ...

And the two go at it ...Axe against halaghan...And this is t likesome old-school Robin Hood-Little John shit ...Except instead ofon a foot-bridge, we're on a firetruck going70 I miles per hour ...

Larkin rides alongside the truck ...Cyrus manages to overpowerPoe ...The axe whacking away the halaghan .. .

And now they face each other... Only Poeis unarmed ...He leapsaway ...Vanishing below the aerial ladder ...

(OMITTED220-221) *

Pitch-black here ...A figurewalks along the side of the road...Diamond Dog...

Headlights coming up the road ...DiamondDog keeps to the side. The car stops ... It'sa station wagon ...FOURMEN inside ...

5/22/96 -REV. BLUEl 121.

Diamond Dog considers ...

He gets in the backseat ...The car starts off...

Cyrus, axe at the ready, still hunts for Poe ...When ...

THWWRRRRSSCCCHHH!!!!

Cyrus is covered in a belch of freezing carbon dioxide,as Poe rises up on the aerial ladder, FIRE EXTINGUISHER in hand .. t Cyrus capers backwards ...Shocked and frigid ...He dives for the pedestal, on the revolving turntable, and worksthe levers

And with a high-pierced SQUEAL OF HYDRAULICS, theAERIAL LADDER, Poe upon it, begins to move ...

POE

clamors down the ladder ...Toward Cyrus ...Who works the controls ...The telescoping booms are extended...So the faster Poe climbs the further away he gets ...

...Until the ladder is extended some 30 feet in front of the cab of the Quint ...The chassis listing under the staggering imbalance .. .

CYRUS THE VIRUS

rocks the turntable and the aerial swings around ina dizzying 360 ...

SWAMP THING

is working his balls off to keep the rig on the road ...

POE

dangles like Harold Lloyd... Feet inches from ground ...

5/22/96 - REV. BLUEl 122.

But then the aerial is retracting ...Thebooms coming in on themselves ...Poe returning to the Quint ...

And we see why ...For Cyrus is there ...Gunaimed ...Waiting for Poe to come within striking distance ...

But Poe drops from the ladder ...Vanishing again ...

Diamond Dog rides with the fourmen ...

They drive on in silence ...Andnow Diamond Dog starts to observe things ... Little things:Like the swastikaTATT on the back of the neck of the guy up front ...And the fact that all these boys have short,very short hair ...And the plastic FIGURE hanging from therear-view - a black man hanging by his neck ...

And the man up front turns around...He's got a GUN stuck in Diamond Dog's face ...

Off of Diamond Dog's slightly resigned lookwe go

And hear the GUN'S REPORT ...

The car slows ...Something is tossed out of it ... It drives off ...

looks for Poe ...Cyrus climbs onto the ladder ...

And there's Poe ...Strong to thehoop ...

And the two go at it ...Fighting for the gun...And if we thought it was brutal before ...

5/22/96- REV. BLUEl 123.

NEW ANGLE - LARKIN'S GLIDE

Goes skipping off the highway ...Riderless .. .

And HANDS grasp for the side PUMP PANELS .. .

POE AND CYRUS continue their grapple .. .

And now THE LADDER IS MOVING AGAIN.. .

This time, going VERTICAL .. .

Poe and Cyrus cling to it ...In the clinches ...

Vince Larkin is on the pedestal ...Working the controls ...

Poe and Cyrus grasp at the gun ...Clawing ateach other's faces with their free hands ...

And Poe comes up with a pair of HANDCUFFSfrom Cyrus' guard uniform ...

And he slaps one cuff around Cyrus'free hand ...

t And the other around a RUNG OF THELADDER ...

And Cyrus has control of the gun .. .

And he sticks it into Poe's face .. .

And it could be over...

Except the ladder begins to RISE ...

Rise high ...

Poe and Cyrus rising with it ...

Larkin raising it in its three telescoping sections ...

And Poe looks to Larkin... And looks ahead...

And starts down the ladder .. .

And Cyrus starts after him.. .

Only to finally see that he's been CUFFEDTO THE RUNG ...

And then he sees what this all about ...

For, up ahead, rapidly approaching

224 - IS A HIGHWAY OVERPASS -- 224

5/22/96 - REV. BLUEl 124.

Looming dark and concrete,a drawbridge primeval ...

And while the Quint will clear it,the aerial ladder, extended oh,so high, certainly will not ...

As Swamp Thing,unaware, speeds on...

And Cyrus The VirusSCREAMS ...

AND POE LEAPSFROM THE LADDER DOWN TO LARKIN ON THE PEDESTAL

As the Quint sails under the overpass ...

':..::-::

And CYRUS ISA SMEAR

AND THE COLLISION ISENORMOUS -- ! !!

The force on the aerialRIPS OPEN THE QUINT --

A THOUSANDGALLONS OF WATER ERUPT

Poe and Larkin hang on for dear life ...

t Swamp Thing hits the windshield...Lock, step and gone ...

As firetruckand overpass and aerial ladder·and watertank merge into a single salient being...

An ocean of destruction ...An ecosystem of ruin...

An end...

Considerable aftermath support ...Rescue vehicles ... Police ...Weknow the drill ...

Malloy goesup to where Larkin is having his head bandaged...

Malloy frowns ...

5/22/96 - REV.BLUEl

They smile ...Malloy giveshim the peace sign and walks on ...

Larkincomes up to Poe.

Larkin nods ...Smiles ...

..,.....,...,.-r-........- _J..,-;.."'(r~--• Here you go, man

He points ...For A POLICE VAN has pulled up ...And out steps Ginny, and with her is Tricia Poe and Casey .. .

Poe sees his family ...He swallows ...

And he turns the other way ...And walks back to the overpass.

Larkin walks over to Tricia and Casey... Tricia giveshim a tight "I told you so• look, as they watch Poe walkaway ...

Larkin is truly baffled...

They watch... Poe has stopped in the middle of the Quint rubble ...He bends down ...Picks something up .. .

It is the pink bunny... Filthy, bloody and torn .. .

And Poe walks back to his family ...

And Larkin smiles at Tricia...

t And they go ...

And Poe walks to his wife and daughter ... l COPS. are in his face ...Gunsaimed...

But Malloy is there .. .

The cops retreat ...Cowed...

5/22/96 - REV. BLUEl 126.

Poe goes to Tricia and Casey ...

Malloy watches their embrace.

Larkin, getting into a cruiser,watches their embrace.

An embrace for the ages ...

Larkin and Ginny walk past the debris ...

They walk ...He looks at her ...

They smile at each other...

As they pass the plane, just as--

-- A COP has found the littleBOB-DOLL in the back of the craft ..

Larkin clocks the doll. Considers. Then:

Larkin begins to search, to scan the swelling crowds ... Panicked now...

5/22/96 - REV. BLUEl 127.

And, quietly, amidst the tumult, the fire enginesand squad cars, the ambulances and emergency crews, the searching cops, the dead, the wounded, the guns, smoke and twisted metal, we

227 A PAIR OF DICE 227

bounce off a rail lined with ribbed rubber ...

~ackej... The tables t~ree deen... The one-a:?:'t!ledba~d~~s

A CRAP TABLE

Crowded with GAMBLERS. A STICKMAN, a BOXMANand two DEALERS work it ...

Chips of all colors are thrown, shifted,placed, removed, all over the LAYOUT, with alarming speed ...Numbers are placed... Odds layed...

The STICKMAN uses his wooden stick to gather the dice and PUSH them down the length of the layout ...

We follow the DICE ...As they are picked up ...By asmall shy man in a bad suit ...With a sheepish smile ...

And, as Woody Guthrie's desultory rendition of"This Land Is My Land" FADES UP on the track ...

Garland White gives us an ironic:

And Garland White throws the dice, which travel the distance of the table and bounce off the padded end wall ...

And as the crowd CHEERS off his roll, we know we are at