"K-PAX" (2001)

(Based on the novel "K-PAX" by Gene Brewer)

Shooting Draft White October 24, 2000

New immigrant families stand in ticket lines next to body-· pierced teens. Dozens of languages fly through the air, none of them English. This is the crossroads of the world for the down and out, hard luck and New York on 5 dollars a day crowd.

Witness to it all is a grey-bearded BLACKHOMELESSVETERAN who sits with his prosthetic leg parked beside him.

A young, SWEDISHCOUPLEwith backpacks catch his eye.

) bundles passes by)

Heyyy - Jackie Chan! Shanghai Noon! I take traveler's checks. Yeah, arrigato to you, too!

He pauses for a moment, with a curious expression, as someone else catches his eye ...

A BEAMOF HAZY SUNLIGHTshines down through one of the high arched windows of the terminal building •..

onto a MllN. or an apparition.

The VET squints, closely .••

as the FIGURE seems to emerge from the sunlight. Dark, wraparound SUNGLASSESmark his placid face. He wears corduroy pants, a faded denim shirt. And though he carries no luggage, his cheap canvas shoes look like they've got some miles on them.

We will come to know this "man" as PROT. For now, he just stands there, taking everything in with the fascination of a tourist, as the crowd bustles around him.

Suddenly - in front of the rest rooms -

TWOYOUNG THUGSbump into a middle-aged RUSSIAN WOMAN. One wrenching her SUITCASE away - the other knocking her down.

As she screams for help, they run off -

shoving past PROT and into the crowd. Prot watches them for a moment ... as if unsure whether to register anger or caution. Then, he turns to the woman.

She is on the ground, dazed and sobbing, while everyone steps quickly around her.

Prot approaches her. The vet keeping a careful eye on him.

Prot stops, standing over the woman. She looks up at his dark glasses, stocky shoulders, fearfully. But as he holds his hand out, and offers a smile ... her fear is strangely allayed.

The CRACKLEof WALKIE-TALKIESinterrupt, as two TRANSIT COPS hurry over.

1ST OFFICER Hold it right there!

The OFFICERS nevertheless regard Prot with suspicion.

1ST OFFICER Step away from her.

2ND OFFICER Ma'am, what happened?

The woman struggles with limited English.

2ND OFFICER Who took your bag and hit you? This man?

The vet shakes his head at the cops, sorrily.

Rev. 11/15/00 (Goldenrod) 3 ....

1 CONTINUED: (2)

The 1st officer speaks into his radio:

1ST OFFICER Four-eight, this is Romano. Robbery and assault victim with facial wound at West Forty-Second entrance. (then, to Prot) Sir, I'd like you to just stand right there, answer a couple of questions for me. Standard procedure.

The 2nd officer carefully handcuffs Prot. Prot gives both officers a curious smile, as if discerning a foreign custom.

1ST OFFICER Are you travelling somewhere?

1ST OFFICER Where's your luggage?

1ST OFFICER * Your bags. *

PROT * I don't require luggage. *

The officer takes a good, hard look at Prot. His sunglasses, canvas low-tops, general appearance. Outside, an ambulance pulls up with a whoop. An M.T. enters the station, starts tending to the woman.

1ST OFFICER (pressing Prot) Do you have a ticket? (off Prot's look) * A train ticket. A ticket stub. *

PROT * I didn't arrive by train. *

Rev. 11/15/00 (Goldenrod) 4.

1 CONTINUED: (3) l

1ST OFFICER Then, what are you doing in the train * station, sir?

PROT * It seems a likely place to begin.

The officers glance at each other, this is beginning to sound familiar.

VET * Name! Rank! Serial number! All you * got to give 'em, my man! *

1ST OFFICER Freddy, chill. * (back to Prot) * Would you remove your sunglasses for • me, please?

A wry understanding moves across both officers' faces.

1ST OFFICER I see ... ( into his radio) West Forty-Two. We have an E.D.P.

2ND OFFICER (to Prot, politely) I'm going to ask you to come with us.

As Prot is led away, the VET straps on his leg and gets himself up. For some strange reason he feels an affinity with Prot.

A2 EXT. GRAND CENTRAL STATION - DAY A2

As Prot is led outside. His dark glasses take in the noisy chaos of New York, with amazement.

The VET hobbles out the doors, as PROT is placed in a POLICE CAR. The 1st officer comes back over to the vet.

1ST OFFICER You see this fella come out of a gate?

Rev. 11/15/00 (Goldenrod) 4A*.

A2 CONTINUED: A2

The vet leans closer, with import, to the officer:

Rev. 07/20/01 (2nd Salmon) (Replacement Scenes) 5.

A2 CONTINUED: (2) A2

The officer considers the vet a moment, smelling the alcohol on his breath.

1STOFFICER Yeah, Freddy. I know what you're saying.

B2 EXT. MANHATTAN - DAY - QUICK CUTS: B2

Steam. Metal sheet on road clatters as POLICE CAR speeds over it ... pan down through grill over bridge of POLICE CAR speeding underneath us.

POV from inside police car of metal lattice work on bridge strobing past.

The reflection of a skyscraper ... becomes a SYRINGE.

B2A EXT. MANHATTANPSYCHIATRIC INSTITUTE (MPI) - DAY B2A*

Establish hospital. Powell walks to entrance.

C2 INT. MANHATTANPSYCHIATRIC INSTITUTE (MPI) - DAY C2

LOOKING OUT THE WINDOWof DR. POWELL'S OFFICE onto the TRAFFIC on 112th and Amsterdam below. Horns honk, drivers cuss.

Superimpose: One Month Later

DR. MARK POWELL, who has been staring out his window, closes it, shutting out the noisy world.

ERNIE sits in a comfortable chair. Pale, nervous, he wears rubber gloves and speaks through a surgical mask.

Rev. 07/20/01 (2nd Salmon) (Replacement Scenes) SA*.

POWELL, late--forties, takes his seat. He rolls a gold Montblanc pen in his fingers as he listens to Ernie covering his tedium with the studied patience of a man who's been at his job a long time. Perhaps, too long.

) 2 CONTINUED: 2

Ernie shakes his head vehemently.

Powell's BEEPER goes off, much to hi.s relief. He glances at the clock on the wall, presses a buzzer by his chair.

Powell addresses the fear on Ernie's face with a rushed smile.

He barely waits for the attendant, SIMMS, to come in and escort Ernie out, before speaking into a hand held RECORDER:

Rev. 02/22/01 (2nd Goldenrod) 7.

As Powell gets his jacket from the coat rack. *

JOYCE TREXLER sits at her computer. Pictures of her husband, * a policeman, and her grown children grace her desk. As well as a knit affirmation that reads: "There is a Rest of Your Life." She keeps her eyes on her screen, · her voice pleasant:

Joyce hands him a file. *

Mrs. Trexler just raises an eyebrow to him. After fifteen years as his secretary, she's used to the sarcasm.

Powell navigates through NURSES, SOCIAL WORKERS, POLICE transferring homeless psychotics ...

Head Nurse BETTY MCALLISTER, an unflappable woman, blocks his path with a clipboard. Beside her, two ATTENDANTS hold a disheveled SCREAMING MAN.

McAllister gives him a wry eye, as he signs the admitting * paper. Just as he's about to escape, she hands him a second * clipboard. *

Rev. 07/20/01 {2nd Salmon) {Replacement Scenes) 8.

Powell looks at the clipboard. Reluctantly writes the prescription. As yet another clipboard is slipped to him.

He hands her back her clipboard, leaves her with a wink.

A5 EXT. MANHATTANPSYCHIATRIC INSTITUTE {MPI) - DAY AS*

Powell enters hospital. *

Powell releases a harried breath against the closed door -

then notices he shares the elevator with an ATTENDANT and a PATIENT. The patient, SAL, a big, puggish, middle-aged bald man gives Powell an evil eye.

As the attendant waits with Sal, Powell obliges him with a brief smile. As he exits, saying:

Rev. 11/28/00 (Salmon) 9*.

A6 INT. MANHATTANPSYCHIATRIC - HALLWAY A6

Powell moves past a ONE-WAY GLASS. Sees Protin his room for observaton, apparently looking at himself in the glass. Something about Prot -- perhaps simply his arresting appearance -- stops Powell. He stops to look at him. It is * as if Prot is looking directly at him. *

Powell stops a puzzled beat. Prot smiles.

CLOSE ON several X-RAYS and MRI SCANS of a CRANIUM as they're snapped into place by DR. CHAKRABORTY, the chief Clinical Physician. Harvard School has not dulled his affable Indian accent. He turns as Powell enters.

He looks over his bifocals. *

CHAKRABORTY * He claims to be ... not human. * {clarifying) , * A visitor from another planet. *

Powell sits on a stool, studying the new transfer's FILE. *

Rev. 11/28/00 (Salmon) 91\*.

Chakraborty looks over his bifocals, at Powell.

Powell takes in Chakraborty's look for a moment. Then, with a frown, looks back down at the FILE.

Then, baffled, Powell lifts up from the file ... a sheet of notebook paper, handwritten in pencil, of the most astounding alien-looking HIEROGLYPHICS.

Powell can't help let out a wry chuckle.

(

Rev. 02/22/01 (2nd Goldenrod) 10.

A7 HALLWAYNEAR POWELL'S OFFICE A7 *

Navarro and Simms escort Prot to Powell's office. *

Powell speaks into his RECORDER. The file in front of him.

His door BUZZES. Powell leaves the RECORDER running, gets up from his desk. He straightens his tie, puts on a professional face.

Two attendants, NAVARRO and Simms escort ... PROT ... into the room. He wears the same denim shirt, corduroy pants and canvas shoes as we saw him in before.

He smiles, from behind his dark glasses, at Powell.

Navarro, a big, bearish Puerto Rican, reassures Powell with a nod, and a bandaged thumb's up.

Powell, nevertheless, keeps a careful eye on Prot, who remains standing ... as Navarro and Simms exit, closing the door.

Powell motions to one of two CHAIRS.

As they both slowly sit, Powell probes Prot's sunglasses.

Rev. 02/22/01 (2nd Goldenrod) l0A*.

Powell regards him a moment, surprised.

Prot reaches for a bowl of FRUIT on the desk beside them.

Powell considers the request, a little wary.

Prot picks an APPLE, admiring it.

Powell watches as Prot takes a bite with a rapturous sigh.

Powell stares, as Prot devours the apple, core and all.

Rev. 11/3/00 (Blue) 12.

From behind the dark wraparound glasses comes a celestial smile.

Powell contemplates the conviction with which this was just said. When Prot suddenly laughs:

Rev. 11/3/00 {Blue) 13.

7 CONTINUED: {3) 7

Prot pauses from eating, trying to think of how to put it.

Powell watches ..• as Prot raises a hand so that his fingers touch the hazy SUNLIGHT filtering through the window blinds.

Powell tries to couch his puzzled amusement with seriousness.

Prot looks at Powell, with an astute smile.

Powell stares back at him, at a complete loss.

Prot watches Powell jot down something with his Montblanc pen.

Powell puts his pen down, even more amazed at the guttural clicks and sounds that just came out of Prot's mouth.

Powell has had just about enough of this.

(

Rev. 12/07/00 (Cherry) 15-15B.

7 CONTINUED: ( 5) 7

Prot regards Powell with a patient sigh.

STAY ON POWELL, as he feigns a look of understanding.

7A OMITTED 7A *

7AA OMITTED 7AA*

Rev. 07/20/01 (2nd Salmon) (Replacement Scenes) 15C-D.

A8 OMITTED A8

A8A EXT. POWELL HOUSE - EVENING A8A*

Powell enters house. *

As Powell comes in, carrying a bottle of wine. He leaves his briefcase in the front hallway.

The house is well-to-do, art on the walls, a grand piano facing a woodsy patio.

Powell's daughters, NATALIE, 6, and GABBY, 9, sit trancelike in front of their PlayStation on a giant TV screen.

Powell scratches their heads, in greeting ...

Gabby nods, barely looking up. While Natalie presents her father with a grin, displaying a new gap in her teeth.

Rev. 07/17/01 (2nd Buff) (Replacement Scenes) 16.

R8 CONTINUED: RB

He leaves her with that, and a .little smile, heads on toward * the kitchen. Natalie, watching him go. *

RA9 INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS RA9

Powell carries the wine into the kitchen. Where RACHEL POWELL * is busy taking the components of a reheated dinner from the * oven, and placing it on the kitchen table which she has set * for two. She is a vibrant woman, and it's clear she has taken * pains with the meal. *

RACHEL * Kids already ate. *

She stops to kiss Powell. A deep, committed kiss. *

RACHEL * How was your day? *

POWELL * Train was late. *

He turns to the counter, rolls up his sleeves, goes about * uncorking the wine. *

Rev. 07/17/01 (2nd Buff) (Replacement Scenes) 17.

RA9 CONTINUED: RA9

until almost six-thirty.

(pours two glasses,

remarking to himself,

with half amusement)

Should've caught the nearest beam of

light.

She finishes tossing the salad, regards him, curiously.

He places a glass of wine in front of her, with a smile.He's

really filled it to the top.

She watches him gulp down half his glass of Pinot Blanc and

turn his attention to the mail on the counter.

house on the Cape for the last two

weeks of August - which works out

perfectly, since Gabby gets out of

camp on the fifteenth -

Powell regards her a moment, at a loss.

that wasn't a definite. We were just

talking - I said maybe. Maybe some

time in August looked clear.

A dispirited look crosses her pretty eyes ... as he turns back

to the mail, finding the new Journal of Psychiatry in the

stack.

your time. Do you have a family rate?

in the after school program next year,

in case I go back to teaching. (

Rev. 07/17/01 (2nd Buff) (Replacement Scenes) 17A/18*.

RA9 CONTINUED: ( 2) RA9

Powell stops flipping through the journal, turns to her. *

POWELL * Dental floss? What? * (then, realizing, * apologizing) * I'm sorry, honey - I wasn't listening. *

She just takes a sip of wine. Hungry, having waited for him. *

RACHEL * I know. Come on, let's eat. *

He sits down, brings the wine with him. Tries to make things * good again with a smile and a sigh. *

POWELL * Train was late. I'm tired. And to * top it off, the city's dumping * patients on us ... *

Rev. 07/17/01 (2nd Buff) (Replacement Scenes) 18A.

Powell turns off the water, sits on the tub's edge, sleeve wet. Natalie, in the bubble bath, gives him the silent treatment.

As Powell tries to get her to look at him, he thinks a moment, laughs to himself, adopting a mock seriousness:

Natalie finally meets his eyes, with a bewildered kid's brow.

CLOSE ON HOWIE, 30 years old, unkempt hair, thick wire-rim glasses covered with grime. He reads a dog-·eared volume of the Time/Life Nature Library, eyes racing across the pages. Ernie sits with him at the same table.

About him, in the large DAY ROOM, we see the other charges of the ward. BESS, a skinny, dread-locked black woman with the saddest face, sits in front of the TV, watching a snowboarding segment. Russell is walking around with his bible. Sal sits alone coloring.

Rev. 02/06/01 {2nd Yellow) 18B.

Prot sits by himself, jotting notes into a GREEN NOTEBOOK. *

ERNIE * Howie, I think you should talk to him. * Go on -- Go on. *

Howie, who has been stealing glances at Prot, slides over to * Prot and brings him the pencil sharpener. Prot looks at it * and uses it to sharpen his pencil. *

Rev. 02/06/01 (2nd Yellow) 19.

Prot turns his dark glasses to the ceiling, but really beyond it, then back to Howie, with a discerning smile.

Howie presses him further. *

PROT * Well K-PAX is somewhat bigger than your planet.. It is ... a beautiful world, as is Earth of course, with its infinite color and variety of life * and we are circled by seven purple * moons.

Sal, nearby, overhearing, comments to himself as he walks to * art room. *

SAL * Bullshit. Bull bull bull shit. *

Ernie mutters the word "K-PAX" to himself, and again, trying * it on for size. *

Howie's thick glasses remain intent on Prot. *

HOWIE * Go on. Please go on. *

Prot regards Howie's expectant face, obliging. *

PROT * Well ... K-PAX is especially lovely * when K-MON and K-RIL are in * conjunction. Those are our two suns, * what you call AGAPE and SATORI - *

Sal, with a laugh of derision, to himself: *

SAL * Man, whatever they got you on -- I * want a dose. *

HOWIE * (repeating to himself, as * if storing the * information) * Agape. Satori. Two suns. *

Rev. 02/06/01 (2nd Yellow) 20.

Sal, still painting, makes a face at Protas Prot heads to *

SAL * Obiwan Loonobie. *

Russell, who has been "preaching" as he paces. *

Prot brings a book about astronomy to Howie. *

Russell pauses from his babbling, looks toward Prot. *

Prot gives Howie book. *

Howie, ignoring Sal, intent on Prot, points to the alien * hieroglyphics. *

HOWIE * What's that? What language is that? * K-PAX? *

PROT * K-PAXian, yes. *

SAL * Gotta know every little thing,don't * you? Stink! Stink! STINK! *

Now Ernie joins in. *

10 CONTINUED: (.3) 10

Howie suddenly bolts for a BOOKSHELF.Flinging aside a World Atlas, he grabs an old Time/Life.Bookof S~ace, and starts rifling through it. Repeating "Agape• • • a l:ori ... n

Now, Ernie, who has been sitting fearfully on the far side of his bench, slides closer to Prot.

His calm voice gets their attention.

Sal and Ernie look at Prot, then each other. Suddenly feeling strangely ashamed.

(

Rev. 02/06/01 (2nd Yellow) 21.

Prot smiles at Ernie, seeing his fear. *

Sal looks at the book. Prot gets up, walks over to put it * back in the bookshelf. But stops by Sal. *

His calm voice has made Sal's demeanor change. Suddenly, Sal * is feeling strangely ashamed. *

Prot goes to the TV room and watches Bess looking at TV. *

Prot then sits in a chair outside the room and writes in his * green book. *

Rev. 12/07/00 (Cherry) 22.

Powell wears a mild frown, judging Prot through the WINDOW. As Nurse McAllister prepares her morning MEDICATIONCART.

Powell gives her a ridiculous look.

Al3 INT. CONFERENCE ROOM- DAY A13*

DR. CLAUDIAVILLERS, Director of the Hospital, chairs a * meeting of the senior staff, including Powell, Betty * McAllister, Chakraborty and DR. WALTERFLEEN, as well as * several RESIDENTS. *

POWELL * ... It just seems glib to call him a * psychotic. That's a wastebasket * diagnosis. *

FLEEN * He thinks he comes from outer space. * W.hat do you think's wrong with him -- * jet lag? *

POWELL * How come he didn't respond to the * Haldol? *

VILLERS * Haldol can make you more psychotic. * It's rare, but it happens. *

FLEEN * I'd say try him on a newer, better * agent. *

Rev. 12/07/00 {Cherry) 23*.

A13 CONTINUED: A13

POWELL * They've already tried Risperidal. *

POWELL * We don't even have a history on him. * Look, I'm not saying that medication * can't be a useful tool to help someone * like this, but -- *

FLEEN * He might be a good subject for the * betazine protocol. The drug is in a * clinical trial here *

POWELL * You want to experiment on him before * we have a diagnosis .. *

FLEEN * You have some better idea? *

POWELL * He's not a danger to anyone. How * about getting to know him first? *

FLEEN * You know, Mark, I think on some level * it pisses you off that it's become so * easy to actually help people. *

VILLERS * The clinical trial requires consent, * which means locating the patient's * family. * (gestures to files) * How are we going to reach his family, * Mark -- the Hubble telescope? In the * meantime, we have ten new transfers to * take care of this morning. *

As everyone turns to a new file, Villers shoots Powell a look. * As she turns to her file, Powell looks at her. *

POWELL * You know, Claudia, maybe what's wrong * with him is that he is. *

VILLERS * Is what? *

POWELL * From the planet K-PAX. *

Rev. 02/22/01 (2nd Goldenrod) 24.

A13 CONTINUED: (2) A13

Villers looks at Powell. The sly look in Powell's eyes betrays him. Villers laughs. Everyone laughs. Then Powell joins in.

B13 EXT. MANHATTAN PSYCHIATRIC - PARKING LOT - EVENING B13

(PREVIOUSLY SHOT AS SCENE 7AA)

Grey, brick institution behind wrought iron gates. Powell * follows Villers to her car.

POWELL * Come on, Claudia. We don't even know * what meds to feed him. He's not * textbook amnesia, he's not textbook * delusional - he's not textbook * anything. *

VILLERS * I read the police report on him, * E.D.P., possibly violent. *

POWELL * Oh, so now the police have credentials? *

VILLERS * I'm just being an administrator. I * like it when things run smoothly, * especially my hospital. I sleep * better at night. *

She gets into her car. Then looks back up at him. Lets out * a breath. *

VILLERS * He better not be a problem. You watch * him. *

Powell smiles at her, shows his thumbs. *

POWELL * Don't worry. So far the only thing * he's bitten into is an apple. *

CUT TO: *

(

Rev. 02/22/01 (2nd Goldenrod) 25.

Cl3 INT./EXT. THE 6:15 METRO NORTH - EVENING C13

(PREVIOUSLY SHOT AS SC. AB) *

Powell, clutching his bottle of WINE in its paper bag, sits with the other COMMUTERS. Talking on CELL PHONES or absorbed with their PALM PILOTS ... Nobody acknowledging another's existence ...

Rev. 02/06/01 (2nd Yellow) A25-A*.

Cl3 CONTINUED: Cl3

Powell looks out the train window •.. Cars clogging the * Bruckner Expressway ... Boarded-up high-rises in the Bronx * Graffiti ... Giant lips on a dot-com billboard. *

Powell looks at the GIRL beside him -- a sexy girl in her * twenties, boppiing to the loud music on her WALKMANas she * gazes out the window. *

The girl can't hear him ... An elderly WOMANsitting behind * Powell leans forward to eavesdrop ... *

Then Powell says out loud: *

POWELL * But I'd do it. Let's do it! * (beat) * Just to feel ... something. *

The girl turns. Looks at Powell. Lifts off her headphones. *

GIRL * What? *

POWELL * Nothing. *

CUT TO: *

A14 OMITTED A14 AND AND

Rev. 11/12/00 (Yellow) 25B*.

A15 CONTINUED: Al5

(

A15 CONTINUED: A15

) very bad smell. The moment of climax

is like being kicked in the stomach and falling into a pool of mot shit.

Powell can't believe he's going along with this.

Prot laughs. Then, as Powell watches, incredulous, Prot pulls a pencil and a little RED NOTEBOOKfrom his shirt pocket and starts jotting a note of his own.

Rev. 01/09/01 (Ivory) 27.

Al5 CONTINUED: (2) Al5

Powell just sits there •.• puts his own pen down.

WE FOLLOWPROT, as he moves cheerfully through the ward. He greets Nurse McAllister, who is readying her medication cart.

He moves on, greeting Navarro, who is escorting a BABBLINGMAN.

Navarro gives him a cautious look.

Prat continues down the hallway, passing Maria, who wears a red dress today, her hair teased up.

Prot takes his notebook out, makes a curious note of this. Then heads into the DAY ROOMwhere Bess sits, with her blank * expression, in front of the TV. *

PROT * Good morning, Bess! *

Rev. 07/17/01 (2nd Buff) (Replacement Scenes) 27A.

Bess remains staring at the TV. Prot waits, expecting her to * reply. When she doesn't, he is not sure what to do. *

ERNIE * She never talks to anybody. Afraid * smoke'll come out of her mouth. Been * here since she was a little girl. * (eyes Bess) * Shouldn't play with matches. Very * dangerous. *

HOWIE * (admonishing Ernie) * It was an electrical fire. Don't make * up stories. *

Prot's dark glasses linger on Bess ... as she remains oblivious. * He gives her a polite smile, and continues on. *

Rev. 01/22/01 (2nd Pink) 28.

A HAND appears from the room, takes the cake, flings it at Simms.

Simms, wiping frosting from his face, sees Prot.

As Simms walk off, Prot, intrigued, moves closer to the room.

MRS. ARCHER, a once glamorous society belle, sits at a table next to her bed. She wears a bathrobe and sips tea from a plastic cup, as if it were fine china. With impatience, she rings a little silver bell.

Just as Prot peeks in her doorway.

Mrs. Archer stares at him, his dark glasses, his smile.

In a state, she checks herself in a silver compact, adding some blush to her cheeks. *

Rev. 01/22/01 (2nd Pink) 29.

PROT * You have set a place for two ... *

Mrs. Archer looks back at her table straightening it, a little * defensive. *

MRS. ARCHER * I'm expecting someone. *

Prot regards her, strangely, looks around again, curious brow. *

PROT * Have you been waiting a long time? *

Mrs. Archer remains staring at him. Then clears her throat, * politely. Hiding a vulnerable hitch in her voice. *

MRS. ARCHER * Eleven years. * (then, head high again) * Some "·- around here -- might call that * crazy. I prefer ... to call it romantic. *

PROT * Romantic ... *

MRS. ARCHER * (sees his expression of * unfamiliarity) * Like a waltz in the moonlight? A * candlelight dinner? A sunset? *

Prot smiles. *

PROT * Ah, yes. On K-PAX, we have two suns. * They rise together only once every two * hundred years. * (as if faraway a moment) * Now that is a sight ... *

An enchanted smile cracks across Mrs. Archer's makeup. She * pours him some tea in a plastic cup. *

MRS. ARCHER * Won't you ... won't you sit down? *

Chakraborty, a strange look on his face, hands Prot's EYE CHART to Powell.

Rev. 01/22/01 (2nd Pink) 29A*.

Powell takes a disagreeably stiff sip of c6ffee, puts it down, taking the chart. Trying to decipher it.

Rev. 02/22/01 (2nd Goldenrod) 30.

Powell looks at Chakraborty with some confusion. He peers at Chakraborty, hoping for some kind of explanation from him. Chakraborty hesitates:

Powell, utterly bewildered, looks at Prot's eye CHART in his hand. He tries to think. He squints up - at the lights in Chak's office. It's bright in here.

A18 HALLWAYNEAR POWELL'S OFFICE Al8*

Powell walks down hallway toward his office. Worker opening

"mushroom lights" from boxes in hall.

Powell, with an intent look, unscrews a light bulb from a lamp, replacing it with a dim NIGHT LIGHT BULB. He goes to his other lamp, does the same. Then he closes his window blinds. He looks around, satisfied. The room is dark ... like twilight.

Mrs. Trexlerwatches him, strangely, as she files in the OUTER OFFICE. Shedoes not see Navarro leave Prat off at the door, behind her. Prat walks in, unescorted.

Rev. 01/09/01 (Ivory) 31.

Mrs. Trexler whirls around, startled. After a moment, she allows herself to glance down at her frumpy sweater, skirt, Dr. Scholl's shoes.

Powell comes out of his office, puts on a friendly face.

He exchanges a glance with Trexler, leading Prot into his office, closing the door.

She stands there a moment, then fixes her sweater.

Prot stands there, surprised at first by the dark lighting i.n the room. Then ... with a wide, pleasant sigh ••.

As Powell observes him, intently

Prot reaches up and slowly removes his GLASSES.

Powell peers, for the first time ... at Prot's EYES.

They shine in the dim light, very much human - yet - very much like some nocturnal animal. He plucks a papaya from the f~uit basket and takes a bite, sitting down, comfortably.

As Powell remains staring ... Prot takes out his red notebook. *

PROT * I wonder i.f we might begin by my * asking you a question. *

POWELL * Please. *

PROT * Bess. She does not speak. Why is * that? *

Rev. 01/09/01 (Ivory) 32.

Powell takes a moment, interested by the question. Interested * that Prat would ask it. Prat tilts his head, curiously, as if * trying to understand. Powell decides to stay with this, * sensing he may be onto something •.. *

POWELL * You see, on our planet ••• sometimes * things happen to people and they just * shut down. But enough about Bess ..• *

Prat sits there a moment. He thinks about jotting something * down in his notebook. But then, just closes it, tucks it away. *

Powell moves over to his window, peeks out the blinds at the * snarl of traffic on Amsterdam Avenue, people hustling here and * there. He brings an eye back to Prat. *

PROT * What would you like to know? *

Powell gi.ves him a ridiculous look. *

POWELL * I' Not as often as I'd like. *

Rev. 01/09/01 (Ivory) 32A*.

PROT * Do you find it unpleasant? *

POWELL * (finding this even more * ridiculous) * Sometimes. *

PROT * Do you get someone to do it for you? ·*

POWELL * I would if I could. *

PROT * But you don't, and you don't think * twice about it. You just do it. And * it does have its rewards, right? *

Powell resists the temptation to laugh. *

POWELL * Okay, look, let's move on. Do you * have family on K-PAX? *

Rev. 01/09/01 (Ivory) 33.

Prot finishes the papaya, licks his fingers. Sensing Powell * is up to something. *

Prot releases a tedious breath, as if not carip.g for the direction of this conversation.

(

Rev. 11/28/00 (Salmon) 34.

Rev. 01/09/01 (Ivory) .35*.

PROT * Let me tell you something, Marko. * Most humans subscribe to the policy of * "an eye for an eye," "a life for a * life." Most of your religions are * famous for this formula, known * throughout the Universe for its * stupidity. Your Christ and your * Buddha had a different vision, but * nobody paid any attention to them, not * even the Christians and Buddhists. * So, no. On K-PAX beings do not kill * other beings, but if they did there'd * be no punishment. Apparantly this is * impossible for Earth beings to * understand, but it's the secret of * life, believe me. *

POWELL * No crime, brutality, violence on K-PAX? *

Powell remains staring at Prot •.• feeling the thread of • reality slipping away again •••

CHICKEN, HOT DOGSAND CORNSIZZLING ON AN OUTDOORGRILL.

A swing hangs from a giant spruce. Natalie and Gabby are being chased by their cousin, JOSH, 10, arO\md the big yard.

Powell, lost in thought, watches over the grill. As Rachel comes up, snaps her fingers in front of his face, playfully. Then gives him a kiss.

Powell just gives her a frustrating smile, and puts the corn on a platter, handing it to her.

Powell knocks back his glass of wine, leaves it by the grill. And follows her across the yard, with a second platter heaped with hot dogs and chicken -

almost tripping over SHASTA, a golden retriever, who is being chased under the back porch.

He sets the platter down on a PATIO TABLE - at which sit his sister ABBY, late-thirties, and her husband, STEVE, a burly, bearded fellow.

Napkins are opened, and hungry "Ooohs" evoked. The kids join them at the table. As they all sit down and start eating, Abby and Rachel eye each other, before Abby addresses her brother.

Rachel gives him a mischievous little smile back.

Steve wipes corn off his mouth, his voice a friendly Tennessee drawl.

Powell meets Abby's eyes. There is tension between brother and sister.

) him a card with a nice, big check. As

usual.

Abby exchanges a glance with Rachel, who stays out of it. Abby looks back at her brother, lets a beat pass, can't help herself:

Powell catches a look from his two young daughters.

(

Rev. 11/3/00 (Blue) 38.

Abby says no more. And Powell does not give her the satisfaction of taking this any further. They continue eating. After a moment, Powell turns to Steve, thoughtfully.

The KIDS laugh, repeating the funny name several times.

As they all laugh, Powell remains mildly serious.

Rachel, Abby, Steve, and the kids stare at him.

Powell views them, with an embarrassed laugh.

Powell just gives his sister a tired look.

Steve scratches his bushy beard.

As Powell hurries down the hallway with Nurse McAllister.

They get to the ONE-WAYMIRROR, look into the DAY ROOM, to see

HOWIE, just sitting calmly, gazing out a window.

(

Rev. 02/06/01 (2nd Yellow) 4 0.

Powell stares at the peaceful Howie, in utter amazement.

As Powell enters. Slowly approaching Howie, he notices that Howie's glasses are, for the first time, clean. And through them, Howie remains gazing, with fixed purpose,out the window.

Powell leans down to squint out the window with him.

Powell's expression changes.

Howie nods, his eyes not leaving the gardens and brick walls of the gated hospital grounds outside.

HOWIE

•

It's a task, the first of three. I don't know what the other two are, yet. He'll tell me. (smiles, proudly) If I complete all three, I'll be cured.

Powell's look tightens.

Shrubs and flowers line the high, old brick walls. A fountain bubbles. Attendants slowly walk patients along the paths.

Ernie stands under a tree, taking deep breaths. As Prot coaches him, reassuringly.

Ernie, breathing, manages a nervous smile - then spies Powell marching across the grass toward them.

Prot turns, curiously, as Powell marches up.

Ernie looks from Prot to Powell. Then, fearfully, up at the sky. He scrambles backwards across the lawn, up the veranda steps, and into the refuge of the hospital.

While Powell views Prot with an aggravated breath.

Prot regards Powell, baffled at his angry tone.

42 •

PROT (CONT'D)

•

(with a smile) For your information - every being has the capability to cure themselves. This is something we have known on K-PAX for millions of years.

As Powell stares at Prot, fishing for a reply -

Prot carefully takes out several folded NOTEBOOKPAGES, hands them to him.

Powell, left with nothing to say, just takes the pages.

Steve scratches his beard, mystified, as he looks over Prot's NOTEBOOK PAGES. Behind him, we see a giant telescope and a vast ar:cay of digital instruments and computers. He speaks on the phone:

Powell leans back in his chair, with a confident smile.

Rev. 11/3/00 {Blue) 4 3.

Steve's expression says otherwise, as he examines Prot•s neat HANDWRITING on the pages spread out before him.

Powell straightens up in his chair, skeptical, phone to ear.

He looks around the observatory, lowering his voice into the phone, with a shrewd smile:

STAY ON POWELL - as he holds the phone. He attempts a little laugh, unwilling to believe what he's hearing, then glances into the outer office at Mrs. Trexler, who looks up from her work at him, oddly.

Rev. 11/28/00 (Salmon) 44.

Steve shakes his head, laughs.

Powell scribbles on a pad, stymied, as he listens over headphones to a CASSETTE RECORDER. He ejects a tape, puts i.n another. We see that i.t is labelled Prat - Session 7.

Thick MEDICAL VOLUMES lay open around him ... Psychodenic and Retrograde Amnesia, Amnesia/Historical Case Book, an the bible of clinical psychiatry - the DSM, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Powell £lips through the DSM. Pausing a moment at the chapter on Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder. He runs his finger over the CASE HISTORIES ...

THE PIANO DRIFTS IN from the doorway. He rubs his temple, distracted by it. He gets up.

Rachel and Natalie sit at the piano. Natalie tenuously plunking out London Bridge is Falling Down, while Rachel, with a teacher's patience, guides her along.

They both glance up, seeing the study door shut. Rachel's eyes stay on it for a thoughtful moment ...

Powell sits back down. Puts his headphones back on. Finally, he just punches the tape machine off, rips his headphones off. Closes all the big books. In utter frustration. *

Then, his eye catches - the TELESCOPE standing by his picture window. He stares at it. And from the TELESCOPE

Rev. 11/3/00 (Blue) 4 5 *.

A35 INT. TAXICAB - NIGHT A35*

C.U. ON the back of the TAXI DRIVER'S HEAD ...

IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR - WE SEE PROT, flanked by Chakraborty and Navarro.

Powell is in the front seat.

As the TAXICAB drives up, dwarfed by the six-story SPHERE. A gleaming wonder of glass and metal that faces Central Park.

A37 INT. HAYDEN SPACE CENTER - CONTINUOUS A37*

As they enter. The place is empty. The visitors have long * departed. A giant mobile of the solar system hangs four * stories high. There are meteorites, and displays of space * exploration and giant, backlit PHOTOS from the Hubble ··- * GALAXIES, NEBULAS, the now-famous GAS PILLARS at the edge of * the known universe. *

Nav~rro, amazed, never having seen anything like this himself, * gives Prot a sly, little look.

NAVARRO * This your neighborhood, huh? *

Prot takes it all in ... with a laugh of both wonder and * familiarity.

Powell, a little anxious, shakes hands with the three astronomers Steve has brought. DUNCANFLYNN, distinguished, white-haired, with a pipe - and two others, DAVID PATEL and STUART HESSLER. They wear the intense eyes of men who have spent their lives looking to the heavens.

Rev. 11/3/00 (Blue) 45A*.

As Prot enters through the double doors, with Navarro and Chakraborty.

We are in a HUGE, DOMEDROOM. Empty stadium seats all around. A formidable camera/computer projector rises from the center of the floor.

Navarro, amazed, has never seen anything like this himself. * He takes a seat by the doors, with Chakraborty. *

Rev. 11/3/00 (Blue) 4 6*.

Letting Prat walk slowly ... toward a semi-circular conference table hooked up with two state-of-the-art FLAT-SCREEN MONITORS * at which sit Steve, Flynn, Patel and Hessler. *

The men stare at Prat, not really knowing what to expect.

Powell quietly takes a seat by Chakraborty and Navarro. He catches Steve's eye, gives him a little nod.

Prot looks around, takes the chair in the center of the room by the projector, facing them.

Steve laughs, looks at his colleagues. He likes this guy.

Flynn motions to Steve, who walks over to the planetarium * console and presses a button. The lights go dim. And on the * DOME above them all is projected ... an astonishing SPLASH OF STARS. It fills our senses, as if we are actually there.

Chakraborty and Navarro lean back in their chairs. Navarro's eyes now as wide as his mouth, as he utters:

Powell looks from the stars to Prot ...

As Prot takes his glasses off ... gazing up - and around - at the IMAGE ... with a wide, breathless smile ••. and a laugh, of both wonder and familiarity.

Flynn clears his throat, trying as hard as he can to treat Prat seriously.

Flynn attempts an awkward .little laugh, looks at the others.

By the doors, Navarro, amused, repeats "make sure you can swim" to Powell and Chakraborty, in case they didn't get it.

The scientists give each other dubious glances.

They respond to this with tentati.ve laughter. Steve takes over, being friendly.

Powell's expression becomes uncertain. He catches a wary sidelong glance from Chakraborty.

He sits there with a wide grin.

Rev. 11/8/00 (Pink) 48.

St.eve views him with uncertainty.

The scientists can't help let out a couple of belly laughs. Steve regards Prot, shrewdly.

More laughter.

Powell has to smile, a bit sadly, as he regards Prot, seeing what a farce this is becoming.

When Flynn attempts to be.serious again, perusing Prot's notebook PAGES in front of him.

At the planetarium console, Steve presses another button - and a huge INSERT OF A MAGNIFIED STAR SYSTEMAPPEARS projected against the dome of stars.

CONTINUED (

Rev. 11/3/00 (Blue) 4 9.

38 CONTINUED: (4)

He gets up, goes over to the lightpad, picks up the stylus

there. Unsure, he looks back at the scientists. They nod, Prot makes a mark on the lightpad over the projector. He

looks up. It appears as a scribble across the STAR SYSTEM. He shakes his head, erases it, then starts again, animated, looking up to the stars with every mark he makes.

The scientists lean back in their chairs with bafflingly amused expressions.

But as Prot's scribbles take shape up ABOVE THEM ... their expressions begin to change ..•

For there ... projected over the STARS ... emerges a cogent, detailed DIAGRAM of what looks like a 4-PLANET SOLAR SYSTEM * around the two brightest stars. Complete with a grid of

ANGLES and FORMULAS of relative distances.

Prot looks up, puts down the stylus, satisfied.

Flynn, slowly, takes the pipe out of his mouth.

Steve has the Princeton Observatory database on line. As multiple STAR CHARTS and theoretical CHARTS appear on his MONITOR, he hurriedly inputs Prot's information from the DOME. *

Powell looks from Prot's diagram to the scientists, confused.

Flynn, Patel and Hessler get up from their chairs to crowd around Steve's laptop.

The scientists watch, agog, as the monitor displays an exact * replica of Prot's solar system. *

Prot observes them, with a knowing chuckle.

For a long beat, the scientists just stare at Prat, speechless.

Flynn and his colleagues look at each other, stupidly •

Prat sits waiting i.n the TAXI with Navarro and Chakraborty.

Powell and Steve stand on the sidewalk.

Steve, with a look toward the taxi, confides to Powell:

Powell just stares, maddeningly, at his brother-in-law.

f

Rev. 11/20/00 (Buff) 51.

Powell sits in the dark. With an empty Scotch glass. Gazing up, troublingly, at the sparse Connecticut stars. Prot's planetarium DIAGRAM rests in his lap.

He turns, to gaze at his wife through the glass doors ...

She sits playing the piano very softly, as the kids are long asleep. He admires her back, her lithe beauty, the way she tucks a strand of hair back and turns the music page.

He gets up, comes into the ..-

A42 INT. HOUSE - CONTINUOUS - NIGHT A42

Rachel hears the patio door slide open, turns. They regard each other for a beat. *

RACHEL * It's okay. *

POWELL * Please. *

RACHEL * There's a key stuck. *

POWELL * We'll have to get that fixed. *

He sits beside her on the bench. She shows him ... *

POWELL * That's probably an important one, huh. *

RACHEL * My old teacher -- I've told you about * her -- *

POWELL * Hilda. *

RACHEL * Right. *

Powell smiles. *

Rev. 11/20/00 (Buff) 52*.

A42 CONTINUED: A42

POWELL * Hilda from the City Opera. With the * yellow teeth and the cat with the * stomach trouble. Who would fart in * four/four time. *

Rachel laughs. Powell laughs.

RACHEL * Yes. *

POWELL * With his tail going. Like a metronome. *

RACHEL * Shut up. She was a very good teacher. *

POWELL * As long as you like cats. *

Their laughter subsides. Rachel looks away from Powell for an * introspective beat. Then turns to him. *

RACHEL * She used to tell me, don't play the * notes. *

POWELL * Don't play the notes? *

RACHEL * Yeah. If you just play the notes, * you'll miss it. *

They look at each other. On Powell, *

CUT TO: *

Rev. 11/28/00 (Salmon) 52A.

CLOSE ON HOWIE. Seated at his post by the window. His eyes * suddenly widen. And a smile of immeasurable joy spreads * across his face. *

HOWIE * Bluebird ... *

Erhie and Sal look up from a checker game. Russell stops * muttering a Bible passage. Only Bess remains disinterested, * in front of the TV. *

As Howie jumps out of his chair *

HOWIE * Bluebird!! *

He starts running from window to window -- jumping over * tables, knocking over chairs. *

HOWIE * Bluebird! Bluebird! *

AT THE NURSE'S STATION - McAllister spots him from the one-way * glass. She hastens into the DAY ROOM. *

MCALLISTER * Howie? *

window. Where she looks out, surprised. *

MCALLISTER * Oh, my •.. *

He bounds out of the day room -- and down the CORRIDOR *

Shouting from ROOM to ROOM at the top of his lungs: .*

HOWIE * Bluebird! Bluebird! *

Patients peek out of doorways with wide eyes and medicated * smiles. *

BACK IN THE DAY ROOM - Ernie turns fearfully to Sal. *

ERNIE * Do -- do bluebirds bite? *

SAL * No, they don't bike, stinkhead! *

BACK DOWNTHE HALLWAY *

Howie, like a barefoot dervish twirls up onto a windowsill. * He puts his face to the BARS shouting out, freely, * euphoric, with all his might -- as sunlight kisses his face: *

Rev. 11/28/00 (Salmon) 52B*.

HOWIE * BLUEBIRRRRRRRD!! *

Rev. 11/20/00 (Buff) 53.

MOVING UP - from Howie's shouting face, and WIDENING - to take in the other WARDS on the floors above. As pale FACES, some with shaved heads and hollow eyes come to the WINDOWS, looking out with suspicion and wonder ...

Navarro and Simms step off the elevator - into pandemonium.

Patients running out of rooms, up and down the corridors, some half naked, shouting "Bluebird! Bluebird!"

Navarro whips the walkie-talkie out of his belt, speaks quickly into it:

• Powell barrels through two SWINGINGDOORSand runs down the CORRIDOR, Chakraborty and the overweight Fleen trying to keep up with him. They hear CHANTINGcoming from down the hall .•.

We FOLLOWTHEMinto the DAY ROOM-

where the entire ward has erupted into an ecstatic chorus of "BLUEBIRD, BLUEBIRD, BLUEBIRD!" Patients are crowded around the windows, jumping up and down, some standing on tables to get a better look.

Fleen looks shaken.

Powell eyes him, ridiculously. Nevertheless, trying to catch sight of somebody, anybody, in charge.

McAllister turns from the window. She knows it's silly, but she wipes a tear and smiles, pointing out.

Powell regards her bafflingly - when Howie suddenly grabs him by the arm.

Disinclined, Powell lets himself be led to the WINDOW-

to see, indeed - a beautiful, common BLUE JAY.

It flits, majestically, from tree to tree, chirping and pecking. Finally settling on a branch.

As Powell gazes upon it, in profound astonishment - Villers now wends her way through the commotion.

She gives him a nonsensical look.

Rev. 11/28/00 (Salmon) 55.

Powell opens his mouth to say something more. But instead, looks from the window - around, slowly - witnessing the unbounded hope and excitement on every patient's FACE.

He turns ... catching sight Of Prot, who stands observing from the day room doorway. Their eyes lock for a moment.

Prot smiles at him.

And then ... Powell, to his absolute amazement, sees Mrs. Archer come into the day room! She looks around at the commotion with wide eyes, and the smile of a little girl. Taking hold of Prot's arm .•.

Then Ernie approaches Powell. *

ERNIE * Doctor Powell, can we go outside and * look at it? *

Powell takes a beat. *

POWELL * You want to go outside, Ernie? *

ERNIE * To look at it. *

POWELL * Okay. Let's go outside. *

Powell puts his arm around Ernie. As they head outside, he * and Prot exchange a last look. On Prot, *

CUT TO: *

STAYING ON POWELL, as he stands with all the other COMMUTERS on the Metro North PLATFORM, waiting for the 6:15 to Connecticut. Across the tracks on another platform, he watches a FATHER kid around with a young SON.

They are obviously on their way to a ball game, both wearing Mets caps. The father with a food cooler, the boy with a mit.

Rev. 11/28/00 (Salmon) 55A*.

A fleeting, wistful look crosses Powell's eyes, as he watches father and son board a train. Prot's WORDS filling his head:

Powell opens his briefcase, takes his CELL PHONE from its pocket. He ponders it. Then fumbles through his wallet for a phone number.

(

Rev. 02/06/01 (2nd Yellow) 56.

With indecision, he dials the number. Gets an annoying NO SERVICE BEEP. He moves back, up the crowded stairs. Tries again. Hand over his ear.

Has the look of being just moved into. Milk crate furniture, an electric guitar and amp, bicycle hanging up on the wall. A 21-YEAR OLD with a still boyish face looks up from the TV - as the phone rings.

He puts down his McDonalds dinner. His hair is cropped short, bleached. His eyebrow is pierced. The phone rings again. He gets up, walks over to it, answers it.

Powell calls on pay phone at Grand Central Station. *

MICHAEL * Hello. *

POWELL * Michael. Happy birthday. I forgot to * call. *

MICHAEL * Dad? Hey, how you doing? *

POWELL * Good -- you? *

MICHAEL * All right. *

POWELL * That's good. How's your mother? *

Rev. 02/06/01 (2nd Yellow) 56A-C*

MICHAEL * Fine. I saw her 'bout a week ago. * She asked about you. *

POWELL * Did she? Tell her I said hi. Listen, * my train's about to leave. I * just ... wanted to say happy birthday. *

MICHAEL * Okay. Take care. Thanks for calling. *

POWELL * Okay. You too. *

MICHAEL * All right. 'Bye, Dad. *

CUT TO: *

AND AND

Rev. 11/14/00 (Green) 57.

A narrow bed and a small metal table are the only fixtures. Prot sits at the TABLE in front of his grilled WINDOW,his glasses resting beside him. He .looks up ... to a few STARS twinkling through the grill.

PROT'S POV. The stars visibly move across the cloudy heavens.

Their faraway light fills his face. He closes his eyes, concentrating ...

and starts drawing DOTS, fast and furious, on the blank SHEET OF PAPER in front if him.

IN THE HALLWAY - Bess, roaming the halls, stops. In front of Prot' s door. Through its small window ... she watches him. Her eyes silent, piercing.

IN HIS ROOM - Prot stops drawing for a moment, as if sensing her presence. Without turning around, he offers Bess a smile.

IN THE HALLWAY - Bess keeps staring at him. She doesn't smile. But there is an intent belief in her quiet voice.

As Prot walks down the hallway. Maria stands there in a white nurse's cap and gloves. He greets her with palpable good cheer.

Prot walks on, pointing a finger at Navarro, who points a finger back at him.

A furtive Sal gets his attention, with a "Pssst." Curious, Prot comes over. Sal glances up and down the hallway to make sure no one's watching, motions Prot into the ART ROOM.

A54 INT . ART ROOM- CONTINUOUS A54

Patient artwork is all over the walls. Sal draws Prot closer, keeps his voice low.

Sal picks up a brush, pretends to paint just to look busy - as he makes his voice even lower, eyes searching for any prying ears.

A54 CONTINUED: A54

Sal pulls him closer, expression changing, nose scrunching -

He looks right into Prot's dark glasses, with a sense of close camaraderie.

As Sal's lip trembles, Prot's own expression changes, as if dwelling on Sal's plight. Then, his voice soothing:

Sal views Prot's smile, hungrily.

A54 CONTINUED: (2) A54

Sal stares at him. His tough, rowid face breaking into a • thrilled, clandestine smile.

Prat looks at him, sincerely.

Prat sits, meditatively, in the garden.

As Powell approaches, something clearly on his mind. He observes Prot for a few beats, before sitting down next to him on the stone bench.

Prat knits his brow, with a problematic sigh.

Powell blinks, not sure he's heard correctly.

CONTINUED (

Rev. 07/30/01 (2nd Tan) (Replacement Scenes) 61-63A*.

Powell sits there, at a momentary loss for words. He lets out a flummoxed laugh.

Powell stares at him, stunned by the finality of these words. Trying to collect himself, he helps himself to a strawberry.

Prot just turns back to the fountain, with a smile of certainty.

THRU THRO

Rev. 07/30/01 (2nd Tan) (Replacement Scenes) 64.

A60 INT. POWELL'S BEDROOM - CONNECTICUT - NIGHT A60 *

As Powell wakes up in the dark, with a gasp, heart beating. Rachel sits up beside him.

She smooths his face, puzzled. He turns to her, still breathing hard. Then, suddenly, jumps out of bed, wrestles on some pants, and hurries out of the bedroom.

Rachel quickly puts on a robe, following after him -

ON THE LANDING - Natalie comes blearily out of her room, having been woken up, sees her father bound down the stairs.

Natalie, not convinced, watches her mother bound down the stairs after him.

B60 INT. DOWNSTAIRS STUDY - IN A MOMENT B60

As Powell turns on the desk lamp and rifles through the cassette TAPES - until he finds the one he wants. Rachel. watches him, with mounting confusion. As he pops the tape into the machine, dons headphones, rewinding - forwarding - until -

He unplugs the headphones, so she can hear. As Rachel listens, she keeps her eyes, di.sturbi.ngly, on her husband. His hai.r is wild, his eyes fixated.

(

AGO INT. POWELL'S BEDROOM- CONNECTICUT- NIGHT A60

As Powell wakes up in the dark, with a gasp, heart beating. Rachel sits up beside him.

She smooths hisface, puzzled. He turns to her, still breathing hard. Then, suddenly, jumps out of bed, wrestles on some pants, andhurries out of the bedroom.

Rachel quickly puts on a robe, following after him -

ON THE LANDING- Natalie comes blearily out of her room, having been woken up, sees her father bound down the stairs.

Natalie, not convinced, watches her mother bound down the stairs after him.

B60 INT. DOWNSTAIRSSTUDY - IN A MOMENT B60

As Powell turns on the desk lamp and ri.fles through the cassette TAPES - until he finds the one he wants. Rachel watches him, with mounting confusion. As he pops the tape into the machine, dons headphones, rewinding - forwarding - until -

He unplugs the headphones, so she can hear. As Rachel listens, she keeps her eyes, disturbingly, on her husband. Hi.s hair is wild, his eyes fixated.

Rev. 11/28/00 (Salmon) 65.

B60 CONTINUED: 360

Powell turns off the tape, looks at her.

She's more worried about her husband, than trying to understand.

Natalie and Gabby now join her in the doorway, viewing their father with uncertainty.

He looks at her, looks at his daughters, as if the answer was evident.

RACHEL * What are you afraid of? *

POWELL * That he's planning to do something * violent. To himself or someone else. * I've got to get to him before that * date. *

Powell's family just remain staring at him ...

I

Rev. 1.1/28/00 (Salmon) 65A*.

A sunny day, the trees brilliant green. A flag flies above the front portico. Abby helps Rachel spread a tablecloth across a long picnic table. Steve pops a beer, smiles at the day. Natalie runs barefoot around the yard with festive streamers.

Powell stands at the top of his drive, looking.up and down the street. As Gabby comes up to him, with a skeptic's brow.

GABBY

• Is the spaceman here yet?

A CAR comes down the tree-lined street.

As the CAR pulls into the drive, Rachel views it, cautiously, from the yard. She comes over to her husband. Keeps her eyes on it, as it rolls toward them •••

Gabby gives both her parents a pitiful look. As the car approaches the head of the drive ...

(

67 •

POWELL

• Not to worry. Mrs. Trexler' s oldest

is a high school varsity wrestler. And Betty McAllister's husband is a black belt. So, I think we're covered.

Rachel puts on her best face, as the CAR comes to a stop

A big, muscle-bound 18-YEAR-OLD OLD with a buzzcut steps out first, followed by Mrs. Trexler.

Next out of the car are Nurse McAllister and her husband, DOM, a real New York Italian.

Trexler and McAllister look into the backseat of the car, beckoning someone else out. A beat.

Slowly ••• hesitantly ••• Prot climbs out of the car. He stands there. The trees reflected in his dark glasses.

Rachel stares at him. As Natalie, Josh and Gabby run up, she grabs their hands tight, to hold them back.

Powell shushes them, furiously.

60 CONTINUED: (.3) 60

Rachel remains staring at his dark glasses. She doesn't know • whether to extend her hand. Instead, she just smiles back.

Suddenly - the DOGruns out from under the house, and barrels straight for Prot.

But to Powell's surprise, Shasta wags her tail, flattening herself against Prot's leg as if he were a trusted friend.

In the next instant, to everyone's surprise, Prat falls to the ground, rolling, playing, even barking with Shasta.

Abby eyes Steve, who comes up behind her, utterly amazed.

Before anyone can stop them, Natalie and Josh run over to join in the fray.

) RACHEL AND ABBY

(simultaneous, horrified) Kids!

Prat sits down on the grass, moves the kids onto his knees. He regards them, happily, and with gentle fascination.

Powell signals Rachel and Abby with his eyes, to relax.

Prat begins to "talk" to Shasta in remarkably accurate dog whelps. Even more remarkable, Shasta starts howling back.

The kids stare at him, in open-mouth disbelief.

Even Gabby the skeptic has to laugh in amazement.

As Prat resumes "talking" to Shasta - Powell i,s puzzlingly amused. He catches Rachel's eye - she is not so sure.

Dom, watching Prat, gives McAll,ister a look that says "this guy is the biggest wingnut I've ever seen." She cautions him with a nudge.

The grill sizzles. Everyone is seated around thePICNIC TABLE. As food ispassed around, Rachel places agiant FRUIT SALADon the tablein front of Prat.

Prat just sits there, admiring the beautiful fruit.Then looks at Rachel, with such deep appreciation he doesnot know ) what to say. His reaction gets to her for a moment,she doesn't know why.

Prat digs in, taking spoonful, after spoonful - after spoonful. Until there is a heaping mountain of i,t on his plate.

As EVERYONE stares. The kids hold their hands over their mouths to not laugh. Prat glances up, gives them all a smile.

Everyone takes this as a cue to start eating, food is passed around. Dom, putting ketchup on his burger, pauses self- consciously a moment, as he watches Prat shovel in fruit salad.

McAllister gives her husband a kick under the table.

Rev. 11/20/00 (Buff) 70.

Rachel gives Powell a poignant glance. She's never heard anything so outlandish said so convincingly.

Prot, lemonade in hand, walks across the yard, a tail-wagging Shasta at his side. WE SEE things through his DARK GLASSES now ... almost in moving snapshots ... Abby, pulling a prickler from Gabby's bare foot ... Mrs. Trexler smelling a flower ... Dom, giving McAllister a little smooch. Prot absorbs them all, smiling at -everyone as he wanders

through the open patio doors, and into the HOUSE.

McAllister shoots Powell a look. Powell considers a moment, then gives her a nod. McAllister follows Prat ...

Prat wanders into Powell's den. Finds FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHS * there. Picks one up. It is a PHOTO of Powell's son, Michael, * from a previous marriage. Rachel enters. Finds Prat there. *

PROT * There is a picture of a young man * where your other pictures are. *

RACHEL * That's Michael. Mark's son. From his * first marriage. *

PROT * How many marriages has he had? *

RACHEL * Just the two, so far. *

PROT * So far? *

RACHEL * I mean he's not out to set a world * record. *

PROT * (with photo) * He is not here today? !

Rev. 11/20/00 (Buff) 71.

PROT * Because I'm a locked-up lunatic, so * what could the harm be? *

RACHEL * (chuckling) * Maybe. Maybe that's it. *

Prot smiles. Then looks at the photo again and turns suddenly * reflective ... *

RACHEL * (ruefully) * Do you think he means it? *

PROT * You don't? *

RACHEL * Do you know what a family is? You * worry. They don't tell you that when * you decide to leave your single life * behind ... When they're throwing the * rice and dancing the tarantella ... That * there is no "biological connection" -- * not the way you say it, like it's * something concrete -- like a rope or * a ligament. There's just this * desperate effort to hold on -- to hold * onto them. And when you see someone * you love falling away -- falling * and you can't hold on anymore ... *

PROT * Then·? *

Rev. 11/20/00 (Buff) 72.

RACHEL * You don't have a family? *

PROT * We don't have families on K-PAX. *

RACHEL * Then you don't know what you're * missing. *

PROT * What? Or who? *

They exchange a look. *

RACHEL * Let me get you another lemonade. *

On Prot, as he watches Rachel,exit. Then he notices a * TELESCOPE in the study. Moves to it. Considers it a moment. * Then he bends down. Lifts his sunglasses. Squints through * the eyepiece. As he does, he lowers his scope. Focusing on * something earthbound out the window ... *

And we see that it is Powell, at the far edge of the yard, * that he has in his sights. *

CUT TO: *

As Prot walks over to Powell. They stand there together under the trees. Powell takes a sip of beer. Prot noisily slurps his lemonade.

Prot turns his dark glasses to Powell.

Just then, Natalie runs up, grabbing Prot's hand.

Rev. 11/20/00 (Buff) 72A*.

As she leads Prat off to the TREE SWING, Powell watches, circumspectly ... as Prot's fingers close so naturally and tenderly around hers.

Rachel comes out of the house, also watching ... carefully.

Prat picks Natalie up, sits her down on the swing. Making sure her hands grip the ropes.

He pushes her, gently - playfully - a little higher, now. He ducks under the swing - comes back up. Making Natalie laugh. Her buoyant laughter bringing a big smile to his face.

As Prot walks over to Powell. They stand there together under the trees. Pow

ON POWELL••. as he watches, struck.by how familiar Prat is with Natalie ••• as if he's pushed a swing many times.

Just then - Josh dashes out of the house in a bathing suit, and turns on the LAWNSPRINKLERS -

the water hissing up in jets around the swing -

The SOUNDof it suddenly makes Prat stiffen. He looks around - vi.sibly shaken - at the harmless spray of water. The hissing taking on an ominous quality.

Powell regards Prat, strangely, noticing the change in him.

Abby runs after Josh, angrily grabbi.ng his hand.

Natalie slides off the swing, gleefully.

He grabs her arm.

Natalie breaks free, runs for her mother.

Around his DARK GLASSES, Prat' s face fill.s with pain and dread watching Natalie run off.

He starts after her

At the same time Powell runs for him, Dom and Danny quickly take their cues. They rush Prat, bringing him down. But he struggles like a wild animal. His voice choked and inarticulate, as he keeps tryi.ng to reach for Natalie.

PROT

• Ddddddddd Nnnnnnnnnn!

Gabby watches, horrified, as •••

Danny, 180 pounds of varsity wrestler, is flung off. Leaving Dom, Powell - and now Steve - straining to hold Prat down.

McAllister goes for her purse, uncaps a syringe.

Mrs. Trexler helps Danny up, viewing Prat with a mixture of fear and pity - as the others try and keep him down.

In the struggle, Prot's GLASSES get knocked off. With a moan, he buries his face in his hands.

Abby finally gets the spri.nklers off. Rachel clutches Natalie.

Powell, Dom and Steve stand up, slowly, carefully, dripping wet.

Prat remains on his knees, head to the ground. His shoulders shaking. Shasta licks him, whimpering.

He gropes on the grass, finding his glasses. Puts them on. Then lifts his head, a little disoriented. He gets up, brushes himself off. Bewildered by all the unnerved FACES staring back at him. Natalie, now afraid, hi.des behind Rachel.

Prat just smiles, sniffs the air -

He walks, unsteadily, towards the picnic table. He sits, serves himself a slice of APPLE PIE. Starts devouring it.

Rachel comes up to Powell, angrily.

She throws the towel at him she has just dried Natalie off with, and walks away.

Rev. 12/11/00 (Grey) 75.

Leaving Powell standing there. He stares at Prot ••. not without excitement.

Powell paces in front of Villers, at her desk.

Rev. 12/11/00 (Grey) 76.

Powell thinks a beat.

,.

Rev. 12/11/00 (Grey) 77.

He looks at her. It takes him a moment to say this.

On Villers, as she considers a beat,

Powell stands in the doorway of PROT'S EMPTY ROOM. Navarro and Simms stand there with him.

Navarro and Simms eye each other, extremely embarrassed, but extremely stumped.

Powell shakes his head, unwilling to hear this. He marches over to a SECURITY MONITOR by the nurse's station, Navarro and Simms following on his heels.

A SECURITY GUARD is already rewinding the night's surveillance video for them. They all watch the MONITOR .•• on it, Prot appears walking down the hallway, and into his room.

Powell keeps his eyes glued to Prot's door in the time-stamped video, as it is fast-forwarded. We SEE what Navarro relays:

(

Rev. 11/28/00 (Salmon) 78.

The security guard rewinds - plays - three seconds of STATIC appear on the screen - then the picture comes back.

Powell looks at Navarro.

A67 INT. DAY ROOM A67*

He marches into the DAY ROOM, looks around.

Sal keeps his eyes on the checkers between him and Ernie.

Howie lifts his head, casually, from a book.

Mrs. Archer gives Powell an obvious smile, over her Japanese fan.

Rev. 11/28/00 (S~lmon) 78A*.

A67 CONTINUED: A67

Powell views them all, ludicrously.

(

We're in the bowels of the hospital. It's pitch dark, save for the beams of several flashlights.

Powell, wearing an obsessed expression, plays his beam over broken Xerox machines and corroding file cabinets. A young SECURITY GUARDgives him a weary look.

A 2ND BEEFIER SECURITY GUARD, down on his belly, flashes his beam into the last corner of the tunnel - illuminating a brick wall. He looks back at Powell, shaking his head.

Powell looks at them both, wipes a cobweb from his face.

McAllister, Chakraborty, Fleen, the rest of the gang, seated. As Villers stares - incredulous - at Powell, who stands.

Powell nods, there's nothing he'd like better.

Bleary-eyed, Powell sits at his desk, on the phone.

Rev. 11/3/00 (Blue) 80.

He hangs up, looks through the doorway to his outer office - where Mrs. Trexler still sits.

Curiously, he gets up, shirt rumpled, tie loose. He walks over, observing her diligent face - as she scrolls through windows of lists and information on her COMPUTER.

She laughs, as if this were a silly question, eyeing her DAY CALENDAR ... which already says JULY 17. *

She turns from his pointed gaze, back to her computer. Then, pauses, to regard the PHOTO of her HUSBAND on her desk, fondly.

Bl.

She wipes a tear from her cheek, looks up at Powell, in amazement.

Powell looks at her', not even knowing how to respond.

Powell, asleep, his head on his desk. A finger of SUNLIGHT streams in across the desk .•. kisses his face. He squints, stirring, wakes up. Realizes he's been there all night.

He sits there a moment. Then, puts his hand into the beam of sunlight .•• a funny sensation coming over him.

He gets up, quickly, follows the BEAM- out his office - into the HALLWAY. To a window. He peers out -

to the hospital grounds, below. Birds chirp in the early morning sun, dew is still on the grass. And on the bench by the fountain ••. sits a solitary FIGURE.

Powell can tell from the back - that it is Prot.

As Powell, tie loose, suit wrinkled, hair disheveled, races across the grounds to Prot, who hears him coming up, behind.

Prot regards Powell, not a little put off by his attitude.

Rev. 01/22/01 (2nd Pink) 82.

Prot shifts his glasses away, somewhat confused and disturbed. As Powell sits down next to him. Powell's eyes remain, intently, on him.

Powell walked right into that one.

Powell realizes, at this moment, just how much this "being" has gotten under his skin. It is also, at this moment, he senses his opportunity:

(

Rev. 01/22/01 (2nd Pink) 83.

Prot's glasses meet Powell's eyes, unsurely.

For a long moment, Prot is silent. He looks, disquietly, out at the birds and the trees and the high brick wall.

Powell's voice becomes gentle, earnest. *

POWELL * I want to help you, Prot. *

PROT * (smiles) * You have. You've provided me with a * place to stay while I write my report. * You've fed me. The fruit is * wonderful *

POWELL * I don't mean that kind of help. *

The resistance on Prot's brow begins to cave, as he struggles * with Powell's request. *

PORTER * Let me help you, Prot. *

A long beat. Prot brings his eyes back to Powell. *

Rev. 01/09/01 (Ivory) 83A.

Prot looks at Powell. Squeezes his knee.

Prot exits. On Powell, as he watches Prot enter the hospital.

A72 INT. MONITORINGROOM - BEHIND A ONE-WAY-MIRROR - DAY A72

Chakraborty, wearing headphones with a mouthpiece, sits at a * heart and pulse MONITOR. A pulse rate beeps on it.

WE MOVETHROUGH THE ONE-WAY MIRROR INTO -- *

Windowless, subdued lighting. Prot is reclined in a special CHAIR. His dark glasses rest on his lap. A wire monitor is patched to one wrist, and another to his chest, beneath his

shirt. Despite this, he looks comfortable.

More so than Powell, who, wearing a tiny EARPHONE, sits facing * him. Nevertheless, Powell keeps his voice calm. *

Rev. 01/22/01 (2nd Pink} 83A*.

A72 INT. MONITORING ROOM - BEHIND A ONE-WAY-MIRROR - DAY A72

Chakraborty, wearing headphones with a mouthpiece, sits at a heart and pulse MONITOR. A pulse rate beeps on it.

WE MOVE THROUGH THE ONE-WAY MIRROR INTO --

Windowless, subdued lighting. Prot is reclined in a special CHAIR. His dark glasses rest on his lap. A wire monitor is patched to one wrist, and another to his chest, beneath his shirt. Despite this, he looks comfortable.

More so than Powell, who, wearing a tiny EARPHONE, sits facing him. Nevertheless, Powell keeps his voice calm.

Rev. 01/16/01 (2nd Blue) 84.

Prot looks at the bright CIRCLE on the otherwise bare wall.

Prot's clear, dark eyes are fixed on the white circle. His voice getting more relaxed.

Prot's breathing becomes deeper, eyelids getting droopy, head beginning to tilt ...

A73 INT. MONITORINGROOM - SAME A73

Chakraborty eyes his monitors, carefully. Into his mouthpiece.

Rev. 01/16/01 (2nd Blue) 84A*.

A73 CONTINUED: A73

Powell stays fixed on Prot.

Prot's shoulders slump. Eyes closed. Expression blank. *

Rev. 01/09/01 (Ivory) 85.

Prot's pulse beeps slow and steady on the monitor. * Chakraborty rubs his chin, stares at Prot through the one-way * glass. *

Powell stares at the hypnotized Prot, waits a beat:

A moment passes. Another. Then, Prot speaks •.. lucidly, clearly, but as if through a long distance.

Prot's eyes open. They are as blank as the rest of his * expression.

POWELL * How do you feel? *

PROT * Like ..• nothing. *

POWELL * That's exactly how you should feel. * Now •.• I want you to go back in time * • • . it is no longer the present. You * are becoming younger. Younger ... and * younger *

Prot's brow knits. His eyes move, as if watching something. *

POWELL * (watching, closely) * What do you see? *

Rev. 01/16/01 (2nd Blue) 85.

Prot's pulse beeps slow and steady on the monitor. Chakraborty rubs his chin, stares at Prot through the one-way glass.

Powell stares at the hypnotized Prot, waits a beat:

A moment passes. Another. Then, Prot speak? ... lucidly, clearly, but as if through a long distance.

Prot's eyes open. They are as blank as the rest of his expression.

Prot's brow knits. His eyes move, as if watching something.

Prot makes a slight movement. *

POWELL * What was that? What do you see? *

Rev. 01/09/01 (Ivory) 86.

IN THE MONITORING ROOM- Chakraborty sits forward, with avid * interest.

Prat hesitates a moment.

POWELL * What is his name? *

Prot's voice comes out soft, sing-song, like a little boy. *

PROT * Not telling. *

Powell regards him, confused, attempting:

Chakraborty, watching, in amazement. *

CHAKRABORTY * He's regressed *

Powell, realizing he's talking to a child now, proceeds:

Rev. 01/09/01 (Ivory) 87.

Prot makes an "I don't know" face, scratches his head. His entire body language has become that of a little boy.

Prot shrugs, again, as if not knowing.

Prot nods vigorously with a wide, childlike smile.

Powell cannot hide his excitement, knows he's onto something.

Rev. 01/09/01 (Ivory) 88.

POWELL * Where is this place? *

Prat begins to fidget uneasily in his seat. *

Chakraborty checks the monitor. *

CHAKRABORTY * (heedfully) * Pulse just shot up ten bpm. *

ABO INT. EXAMININGROOM - SAME ABO*

Powell slows down, voice calm. *

POWELL * Do you know ..• where this place is? *

Prat scratches his head again, fidgets, gives another "I don't * know" shrug. *

POWELL * Okay. I'd like you to move forward in * time now •.• *

Before Powell can say another word, Prot's eyes are already * moving ..• as if his whole body is in motion. He sits up * straighter, older, demeanor changing. *

POWELL * (watching him, intently) * Where are you? *

PROT * Night time. We're in his house. *

POWELL * The other boy's house? *

PROT * Yeah. 1 want him to come outside. *

POWELL * Why? *

Prat lifts his eyes to the ceiling, with an expansive smile. *

( PROT * To look at the stars. That's where I * came from, you know. *

Rev. 01/09/01 (Ivory) BSA*.

ABO CONTINUED: ABO

A long, slow look of discouragement comes over Powell's

features. It is all he can do to hold it in. But then

his expression changes, suddenly undersanding. He takes a * stab:

POWELL * Is your name •.• Prat?

B80 INT. MONITORING ROOM - SAME B80*

Chakraborty, too, understands. Whispers into his mouthpiece.

friend - invented by this young boy!

Rev. 01/09/01 (Ivory) 89.

Powell, energized by the realization, continues:

Prat starts to fidget again, uncomfortable, squirming in his

seat. *

Rev. 01/09/01 (Ivory) 90.

Chakraborty, understanding •.. *

CHAKRABORTY * He's too young to have figured out * light travel yet. *

A84 INT. EXAMININGROOM - SAME A84*

Powell watches as Prat really starts twisting impatiently. *

PROT * Can I go outside now'? *

B84 INT. MONITORING ROOM - SAME B84*

CHAKRABORTY * (cautioning) * Read his body language, Mark. I don't * think he wants to talk any more, today. *

Powell hides his disappointment with a pleasant voice.

from five to one. As I count .•• you * will become more and more alert. * (MORE)

Rev. 01/16/01 (2nd Blue) 90A*.

(snaps his fingers) *

Prot's head bobs, like someone who's suddenly realized he's fallen asleep. His eyes blink.

Prot eyes him, slyly.

Rev. 02/22/01 {2nd Goldenrod) 91.

Powell just blows imaginary smoke from his fingers.

PROT {CONT'D) {smiles) Well, I hope it was helpful.

Powell hovers around Mrs. Trexler, who is at her computer. His thoughts are racing ahead of him.

He looks at her. And she can see that there is a desperation beginning to show in his eyes.

A86 HALLWAYON POWELL'S FLOOR A86*

Powell walks down hallway. Mushroom lights stand in hall. *

As Prot gives Howie a nod and a smile, then turns back to writing in his red notebook.

Howie, with a purposeful smile, marches down the HALLWAY. He carries a stack of BLANK PAPER and a bunch of fat pencils.

Rev. 02/22/01 (2nd Goldenrod) 91A*.

There is an unspoken tension in the air. Sal plays solitaire, distractedly. Ernie sits, sneaking glances at the others around the room.

Mrs. Archer comes in, holds up two plastic CUPS, in a quandary.

{

Howie suddenly plops the PAPER and PENCILS down on a table. He looks around, keenly, through his wi.re-rim glasses.

There is the screeching of chairs as everyone comes over to grab a sheet of paper. Everyone except Russell and Bess.

Russell stands there, wringing hisstringy beard, torn between his Bible and the stack of paper. He tentati.vely takes a sheet.

Bess turns slowly from the TV. Vi.ews the stack of paper, then her fellow inmates. For the first time, as she smiles, we see the depth of sadness and dejection in her eyes.

She turns back to the TV.

Rev. 02/12/01 (2nd Green) 93.

Everyone suddenly shuts up, looks nonchalant - as Prat enters.

He takes note of them all, warmly, like they were family.

Russell, fingering his dog-eared Bible, slowly approaches.

Prat considers him. Sees how deeply the question is etched on Russell's tormented brow. He gives Russell an assuring smile.

Russell's features quiver with elation.

ASS INT. EXAMINING ROOM - DAY ASS*

Powell positions several orb-like LAMPS around the room. He * does so carefully, with purpose, as if setting a stage. He * turns them all on. Then goes over and flicks off the sterile * room lights. *

He takes stock of the darkened room. Satisfied. *

B88 INT. MONITORING ROOM - SAME B88*

Chakraborty views the lights, and Powell, through the window. * Figuring there must be a method to his madness. *

Prat stares beyond the white circle, already in a hypnotic trance. Powell begins, calmly, but with a hint of more urgency.

Rev. 02/12/01 (2nd Green) 93A*.

Prot slouches in the chair, limbs becoming gangly, adopting a teenager's insouciance. He chews imaginary gum. Then starts acting as if he's conversing with someone

Rev. 02/06/01 (2nd Yellow) 94.

Powell hides his frustration behind his smile.

MONITORING ROOM - Chakraborty can't help a little chuckle.

Rev. 01/09/01 (Ivory) 94A*.

POWELL * Tell me about Pete. *

Prot pauses, as if conjuring Pete inside him. He puts on a * complicated frown. *

POWELL * What happened? Is there a problem? * (discerning) * Is that why he called you? *

Prot nods. *

POWELL * What's the problem? *

PROT * He has a girlfriend. *

Powell searches Prot's face. It is the pinched face of a * worried seventeen-year-old. *

POWELL * The problem is with his girlfriend? *

Prot sighs, his frown intensifies. *

PROT * She• s . . . pregnant. * (lamentably) * He can see what's coming. Get * married, have a bunch of kids, take * the same job that killed his dad. *

POWELL * Does he blame her for this? *

PROT * (taken aback) * No, no. He loves her. He just * hates the chains people shackle * themselves with. We don't have all * that crap on K-PAX. *

Powell sits back, stymied, presses on. *

POWELL * All right . .Listen carefully I'm * going to ask you to come forward in * time again ••• say two weeks ... *

Prot sheds the worried seventeen-year-old face for a wide * smile of solace. *

POWELL * What do you see? *

Rev. 02/06/01 (2nd Yellow) 94B.

Prot appears to be traveling through his head.

Rev. 01/09/01 (Ivory) 94C*.

Powell watches, in amazement, as Prat transforms his entire * persona to reflect a lumbering docility. *

PROT * He works. Same place his father and * grandfather did. *

POWELL * The slaughterhouse. *

PROT * Yessir, the old butchery. * (in disgust) * He' s a knocker. *

POWELL * A knocker? *

PROT * The guy who knocks the cows in the * head so they don'tstruggle when their * throats are slit. I know, barbaric, * isn't it'? *

Powell considers him with a deep look, :imagining this. *

POWELL * Does he still live in the same town? *

PROT * outside of town. An old place he * fixed up. It's not much, but it's got * a couple of acres ..• and trees, and * a river. * (smiles, :imagining it) * Reminds me a little of K-PAX, except * for the river. *

POWELL * Tell me . . • did he marry that pregnant * girl? *

PROT * What a memory! Yes, they're married. * But she's no longer pregnant. That * was six years ago. *

POWELL * I've forgotten her name. *

PROT * s * (stops, wary) * I never told you her name. *

Rev. 01/09/01 (Ivory) 94D-98*.

POWELL * (taking a chance) * Can you tell me now? *

Chakraborty sits forward, not knowing what to expect. He * watches Prot's PULSE RATE beep steady *

Prat sits there, shoulders rising and falling with several * thoughtful breaths. Finally, quietly, he says: *

PROT * Sarah. *

ON POWELL, barely concealing his elation. *

POWELL * Did they have a son or daughter? *

Prot's eyelids squinch, fondly. Then, in a soft, tender * breath: *

PROT * Rebecca her birthday's next week. *

STAY ON Powell a moment •.• moved by this. *

91 OMITTED 91 * THRO THRU

Rev. 01/09/01 (Ivory) 99.

Powell lies in bed, wide awake. He looks over at Rachel, asleep, curled away from him. A knit on her brow. He leans over, kisses her, softly enough that she doesn't waken ...

As Powell and Villers hurry off the elevator -· Chakraborty is * waiting for them. They head for the EMERGENCYROOM. *

VILLERS * What happened? *

CHAKRABORTY * Howie tried to kill Ernie. *

POWELL * What!? *

They enter the EMERGENCYROOM - to find Ernie sitting up in a * BED, hands behind his head. A beatific smile on his fee. *

Rev. 01/09/01 (Ivory) 100.

ERNIE .. My good friend Howie just about .. strangled me to death. ..

Villers and Powell stare at Howie, at a complete loss. As he * throws his head back with a laugh, the red abrasion on his .. neck clearly visible. *

hurry - and when I woke up -- *

Ernie grabs Powell, with a look of revelation.

Powell sees the confidence in Ernie's eyes •.• and begins to * get an uneasy feeling as to who's really behind this. *

Windowless, padded walls. As the heavy door opens, Powell and * Villers step inside .•• they wear serious, careful expressions. *

Rev. 01/09/01 (Ivory} 101*.

But Howie, sitting in the corner, calmly - cuts Powell a wide, proud smile.

Villers' expression changes. *

AlOl INT. WARD 4 - HALLWAY - IN A COUPLEOF MINUTES AlOl

As an ATTENDANT locks back the seclusion cell door and walks * away. Leaving Powell and Villers standing there. *

Powell brings his eyes to her. yillers' look is harsh, the * weight of her authority behind it. *

POWELL * The hypnosis is working, Claudia. I * know it. I'm this close. I just * need - *

VILLERS * This isn't just about Prot any more, * Mark. It's about all the patients. *

His eyes stay on her. Doesn't want to admit she's right. *

VILLERS * Ultimately, they're my patients. So, * now, I'm going to make a decision. * And here it is. You've run out of * ti.me. *

Powell stands in the ART ROOM, alone. He looks around, taking in all the paintings and the clay sculptures. Every single one of them ... depicts space travel. There are crazy planets •.• bursts of stars ..• and spaceships ..• and beams of light ...

Powell tears JOLY 23 off his desk calendar - revealing JULY 24TH. He considers the new date, soberly. Crumpling the old one up, tightly, in his hand. He stares at the diplomas on hi.s wall •.•

Then comes into his OUTEROFFICE. Above Mrs. Trexler' s desk, on the wall ·- is a MAP of the United States. RED PINS show the locations of slaughterhouses.

Rev. 01/22/01 (2nd Pink) 102.

He stares at the dozens and dozens of red pins ... a flicker of fear in his eyes. Fear of failure.

Prot sits hypnotized once more, a peaceful, blank expression on his face.

But Powell wears the weight of determination on his.

Powell takes a moment, prepares himself for what he is about to do.

Chakraborty checks the monitors, beeping steady.

There is no hint of shock or emotion on Prot's face. He only smiles.

Powell closes his eyes, ready to burst with frustration.

Rev. 01/09/01 (Ivory) 103.

Powell regards him, keener now.

Prot's face becomes blank, expressionless, almost alien-like. His voice that of an outside observer

Prot's features tremble, as if a shiver passes through him.

IN THE MONITORING ROOM, the monitors beep steady .•.

A look of revelation comes on Powell's face.

Chakraborty, stunned, sits back in his seat. *

Rev. 01/09/01 (Ivory) 104.

CHAKRABORTY * Jesus •.• * (then, into his * mouthpiece) * Jesus, Mark .•. we're not prepared for * this. I think .•. I think you should * calm him down and bring him back. *

Powell hears, but chooses to ignore, too intent on getting * through to Prat, now.

Powell stares at Prat. His whisper intended for Chakraborty. *

CHAKRABORTY * Mark, with all due respect ••• I have * to speak in an official capacity now. *

Powell remains fixed on Prat. Knowing he's about to cross the * line. *

IN THE MONITORINGROOM, Chakraborty can't believe this. He * braces himself. *

PROT * No. *

Rev. 01/09/01 (Ivory) 105.

POWELL * Then why won't he tell me? *

Prot's breathing grows heavy, fighting a visible shudder of remorse.

IN THE MONITORINGROOM - Prot's pulse monitor starts beeping * rapidly. *

Prot's voice becomes a sober whisper, as if glimpsing the * secret in the deepest place of his soul. *

PROT * Because then .•. you would know what * even he doesn't want to know ... *

POWELL * Then you have to help him, Prot! Help * him tell me what happened. *

PROT * He doesn't want to talk about it. Are * you fucking deaf!? *

POWELL * But time is running out for him! *

PROT * Time is running out for everyone. * (grimly) * He jumps in. He is floating ..• *

Prot's eyelids flutter, as if trying to keep a dispassionate * distance from what he is seeing. *

Chakraborty, with alarm, watches Prot's pulse rate keep rising. *

Rev. 01/09/01 (Ivory) 105A.

CHAKRABORTY * Pulse is up to a hundred and ten, * respiration's up to twenty-five! For * God's sake, Mark - BRING HIM BACK!! *

POWELL * Save him, Prat! You are his friend, * you can save him. *

PROT * I am his friend. That is why I won't * interfere *

POWELL * Save him! *

PROT * No! There is no chance •.• the * current is too strong .•• *

He starts coughing, as if full of water. Slowly as Powell * watches, riveted ••• Prat slips out of his chair and onto his * knees ..• putting his arms around himself. *

PROT * I ... cannot .•• *

He is shivering now. Shivering so violently that the shivers * come out his nose in snorts. *

IN THE MONITORINGROOM - Chakraborty stands, spellbound. *

POWELL * Listen to me, Prat. Listen to me •.. * you've helped a lot of patients here. * You helped Mrs. Archer, you helped * Howie, and Ernie. I'm going to ask * you to help cure Pete. Let's call it * a -· task. I want you ••. to let me * speak to him. *

Prat, kneeling there, shivering, snorting, shakes his head in * stiff resistance. *

POWELL * If he's listening, I want him to know * he can trust me. I want him to know * •.. that if it was ••• Sarah - or * Rebecca - he did something bad to - *

Suddenly, Prat opens his eyes. He shakes his head, horrified, * as if Powell doesn't understand. *

Rev. 01/09/01 (Ivory) lOSB-106

PROT * N-n-·n-n-n··n. No. He - he - he - *

As Powell watches, in alarm now - Prot's features transform * from horror into seething murderous rage -- into bottomless * anguish. *

PROT * Oh, God - Oh, God - Oh, God - Oh, * God - Ohhhhhhh GOOOOOOOOOOOOODl! *

IN THE MONITORING ROOM - Chakraborty tears his headphones off. * Presses a CODE RED BUTTON on the wall. *

Prot's SCREAM continues - tapering off into a sobbing animal- * like wail. He kneels there, pressing his fists to his head, * inconsolable. *

Powell watches •.. his alarm turning to a painful look, and * finally, to one of profound compassion. He kneels down, picks * Prot's glasses up from the floor. And Prot's notebook and * pencil. Then •.. puts his arm around Prot. *

POWELL * It's okay, it's okay. *

As McAllister rushes into the room, with a needle ready. And * Navarro and Simms, with leather restraints. Powell, keeping * hold of Prot, motions them back. *

POWELL * (to Prot) * It's okay •.. *

Prot reaches out for Powell's arm, taking hold of it, taking * his glasses *

PROT * Yes, yes. It's okay. *

Shakily, he puts the glasses on. And to everyone's surprise * ..• raises himself, ragaining his breath, looking around. *

PROT * Five .•. four ••• three •.• two .•• * one. Yes, feeling fine. Feeling * refreshed. *

Powell just stares at him *

112 OMITTED 112* AND AND

Rev. 01/09/01 (Ivory) 107.

Long gone are the Wall Street commuters. In fact, the only two souls on the deserted train car are Powell and a HOMELESS MAN.

Powell, wrung out, rides with an aimless look.

The HOMELESSMAN jabbers to himself, in a plastic Star Wars helmet and pink tights. Under a soiled trenchcoat, a faded sweatshirt reads: "Beam Me Up" .••

As Powell stares at him ••• caught in the crazy loneliness of the man's babble .•• his own full sense of failure hits him. Seized by the desire to do something, he fishes out his wallet to gives the fellow a dollar. But as he does -

PROT'S PENCIL falls out of his pocket - onto the train floor.

Powell looks down at it, surprised. A beat. His eyes narrowing ••.

The pencil is blue ... whittled down almost to nothing from use.

Powell reaches down, picks it up. Curious ••• then ..• with an inconceivable look .••

On the side of the pencil, almost worn out, is a word and a half "The Salva ... " And underneath it, what looks like an area code . • • "505." All the rest has been long sharpened away.

He scrambles to open his briefcase, goes for his cell phone - but the phone pocket is empty. He searches madly through the briefcase, checks his own jacket pockets. Must have left the damn phone at the office.

As the train squeals to a stop, Powell squints out the window with unfamiliarity. No matter. He just gets off -

Al16 EXT. RAISED TRAIN PLATFORM- CONTINUOUS All6

Graffiti covers the platform. Powell has gotten off at 125th Street. He looks around for a pay phone. None. He runs down the metal stairs to the - ··

This is Harlem. A radio booms rap from a Buick LeSabre on the corner. Several tou9h looking HOMIEShang around it. They view the white man with the briefcase, warily. Powell doesn't care. He makes a B-line for the -

PAY PHONEin front of an all-night grocery. He fishes coins out of his pocket, puts them in the phone. Holds the PENCIL up to the light to read the area code on it, and punches in a number . . . waits

The homies on the corner eye each other, not knowing what to make of Powell.

Rev. 01/16/01 (2nd Blue) 109.

Powell looks at the pencil, mouthing the letters to himself S-A-L-V-A ... then, realizing.

A wild SHOUT escapes Powell. He hangs up. Thrusts more coins into the phone. Punches in another number, eyeing his watch, which says 11:30 p.m.

Mrs. Trexler, hastily put together, sits at her computer. Powell looking over her shoulder.

She looks up to her wall, at the MAP of slaughterhouses. Powell is right with her. As she moves her finger - to one of three RED PINS in New Mexico. The one stuck in a small town named Guelph.

Trexler gets out of one web site - onto another, exploring. Her fingers flying. Powell's eyes glued to her screen.

Then . . . an amazed smile from Trexler.

MRS • TREXLER (working as fast as she can) It's a long shot.

In a moment, before them, on the screen appears The Guadalupe County Observer.

It takes her a few interminable moments, but she gets to the front page of the JULY 27TH, 1995 edition. They scan down the FRONT PAGE HEADLINESon the computer screen ••. nothing.

Mrs. Trexler punches up the 28th. The front page appears. Powell puts his finger on the screen -

Guadalupe County Observer, front page, July 28th, 1995, reads: "DEADLYATTACKLEADS TO MURDER,SUICIDE FOR GUELPHMAN".

Mrs. Trexler puts her hand to her mouth.

He lets out an incredible laugh. Plants a kiss on a startled Mrs. Trexler's cheek.

Mrs. Trexler looks back, troublingly, at the head.line on the screen . . . MURDER, SUICIDE • • • not entirely sure.

Rev. 11/3/00 (Blue) 111.

Rachel, worried, hasn't slept, buttering Natalie's waffle and pouring herself some coffee - when the phone rings. She picks it up, quickly. Greatly relieved.

As a JET comes smoothly in for a landing ...

Al20 EXT. GUELPH, NEW MEXICO - DAY A120

Powell drives from airport to Guelph in alien landscape of New * Mexico. *

The SHERIFF, who walks with the gut and gait of a man used to his small town badge, flips through an old squeaky file cabinet.

While Powell sits against the edge of a desk, briefcase and coat in hand, waiting. The slow pace here is maddening. He can't help glance at the Cattleman's Bank DAY CALENDAR on the wall ... July 26th.

He finds the file.

He looks through it, remembering, with a regrettable shake of his head. Walks over to let Powell take a look.

Rev. 11/3/00 (Blue) lllA*.

Powell is amazed by something he finds in the file.

He reaches for his hat on a hook, regards Powell.

As Powell stares up at the tall wooden STRUCTURE. It stands like a hellish, grinding furnace against the stark blue sky.

But to Powell, it is an affirmation of the truth. And as he lets out a silent laugh of awe, we WIDEN-

to take in the expanse of mooing ANGUSSTEERS. Literally acres of them. The smell practically in our nostrils.

The Sheriff comes up, stands beside him.

Powell turns to him, astounded, at .hearing that phrase.

As the Sheriff's CAR comes up a dirt road, to stop •.•

at the RUINS of what was once an idyllic small farm. Powell climbs out of the car, slowly. Lets the place seep into his senses.

The Sheriff comes around the car, viewing the ruins, solemnly.

He takes his hat off, almost respectfully, and walks up the overgrown path. Powell following him -

up stone steps - into a HOUSE that is little more than pillars in the open air.

A loveseat taken over by weeds, shards of dishes, a mirror, clumps of what were once books, toys ••. is all that is left to testify that a family once lived here.

Powell's eyes fall, a moment, on the broken hammers of what was once a piano sound board .•. as the Sheriff begins, grimly, quietly:

CLOSER ON POWELL •.• he gazes out past the hinges of what once was a back door. He hears Prot's VOICE calling .•. "Becky? Sarah?"

PROT'S FACE. But it is now ROBERTPORTER'S FACE. A happy, ti.red humanity on it as he gets out of his truck, overalls stained after a hard day's work. He waits for his daughter to run out of the house and into his arms. Waits ...

But he i.s met with an eerie silence. Perplexed, he heads up the stone path - and into the HOUSE.

FOLLOWINGPORTER - his boots trudge up the stair·s, face growing worried at the silence.

His breathing becomes quicker, panicked, as he moves down the narrow hallway . . . sees a doll on the floor . . . an overturned watering can ••• he comes to the bedroom

POWELL'S EYES, wide, shaken, listening to the Sheri.ff

POWELL FLASHES ON:

THE BEDROOM ... blood everywhere ... hands tied to bedposts

of a bed.

ON PORTER ... witnessing this, eyes frozen.He wears the look of a man whose universe has, in one instant,shattered. And left him in the airless blackness of space.From deep within him comes a choking sound •..

Porter staggers back into the hallway - to see WALKER. Who, scared, takes out a gun. Dazed, but with an animal-like reflex, Porter knocks it out of his hand. They struggle for the gun, like two grunting beasts until Porter .•. with an inhuman strength, grabs Walker's wrists, and pins him to the wall. Then raises his other fist .•• a savage look coming into his eyes. A look built up over a lifetime of meekness.

1\ND WE STAY ON PORTER'S FACE - as, with a final savagery - he sends the side of his fist into Walker's neck •.•

The Sheriff puts his hat on, walks out, down the rubble of back steps. Powell follows him -

As the Sheriff continues on, toward the trees, Powell lingers a moment. To view a withered vegetable garden. He approaches it, astonished •.• to see ...

the remains of a LAWNSPRINKLER somehow saved from fire. It sits there in the grip of weeds, attached to a blackened hose.

Along with the scorched handles of what's left of a child's jump rope. And as Powell stares at it ...

AN IMAGE FLASHESACROSSHIS EYES:

A beautiful young woman, long black hair shining in the sun ..• and a little girl, much like Natalie. They jump rope barefoot, innocently, happily, in the spray of water.

THENANOTHER IMAGE:

Dusk. Robert Porter, staggering out of the house. He kneels down, trying to wash the blood off his hands in the sprinkler, sees the jumprope ...

As Powell blinks the images from his mind •••

A FINAL ONE COMESTO HIM:

NIGHT . . . Porter stands on the bank of a rushing RIVER. He stares, as if into nothing. Overalls spattered with the dried blood of both man and slaughtered cows. With one hand ••• he rips off the straps, lets the overalls fall. off him. With the other hand, he tears the shirt off his chest. Naked now ••• devoid of any human expression • . . he drops into the water ..• letting it carry him away •..

Powell stares into the rushing white water. He and the Sheriff standing, carefully, on the bank. As the Sheriff continues, loudly, above the sound of rapids:

He looks downstream, thoughtfully, for a couple moments.

Rev. 07/30/01 (2nd Tan) (Replacement Scenes) 116.

Powell considers the Sheriff. Then the river. With a deep, poignant gaze.

The last glow of the western sun shines through a plane window ... onto Powell's scotch and peanuts.

He sits there, looking through a copy of the Sheriff's FILE bearing the label: "Porter" ...

There are grizzly photos of the crime scene ... driver's license photo of Robert Porter ... mug shots of Walker. Glimpses of words from the report: "Forced entzy 25 cm gash . . . thorax to abdomen • • . blood ••• semen . . . the deceased: Sarah Porter, Rebecca Porter ..•

Beside Powell, resting on his briefcase, is also an old high school YEARBOOK ... from Guadalupe High School. 1985.

Powell closes the file, with sober reflection, and looks out his window ... at the first stars twinkling in the darkening sky.

Al25 EXT. POWELL HOUSE ·· NIGHT Al25

As a taxi stops in front. And Powell steps out, with nothing but his briefcase. The clothes on his back stick to him. He is bone-weary. But the sight of his home fills him with emotion.

AB125 INT. GIRLS' BEDROOM- UPSTAIRS AB125

Powell stands there in the doorway. Gazing upon his

DAUGHTERS. Their angelic faces, as they sleep ...

He also notices Prot's star map ... the girls have tacked it * up on their wall. It seems to fit right in with the twinkling * moon and star wallpaper.

B125 INT. POWELL'S HOME - IN A FEW MOMENTS B125

Powell steps quietly. The house is in some disarray. *

Rachel lies on the couch in exhausted sleep, knots of worry on * her brow.

He kneels down, and just drinks her in with his eyes. Takes * phone from her hand, which has fallen, and gently lifts it * back onto the couch. Not wanting to let her hand go. He gets * up.

Rev. 07/30/01 (2nd Tan) (Replacement Scenes) 116A*.

B125 CONTINUED: B125

She awakens, surprised that she'd fallen asleep. That tired. * But when she sees him, she doesn't care. He's here now. *

He holds her tight.

She wipes tears of relief from her face, then collects herself, anxious to hear -

Powell sits up with her. *

She looks up, at her husband. Sees the conflict on his face.

Rev. 07/30/01 (2nd Tan) (Replacement Scenes) 116B.

B125 CONTINUED: (2) B125

He looks at her.

It is then, he sees a NOTE by the mobile phone. He picks it * up, curiously ... It says ... "Call Steve - Important". *

B125 (ALT) INT. POWELL'S HOME - IN A FEW MOMENTS Bl25*

Powell steps quietly. The house is in some disarray. *

Takes in Rachel. She lies on the couch in exhausted sleep, knots of worry on her brow. *

He comes over, gently takes the mobile phone out of her hand. He holds onto that hand. Doesn't want to let go of it ...

It is then, he sees a NOTE by the mobile phone. He picks it * up, curiously ... It says ... "Call Steve - Important". *

Cl25 INT. PRINCETON OBSERVATORY- CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY Cl25*

(PREVIOUSLY SHOT AS SCENE 56) *

Steve turns on a SPEAKER PHONE, around which sit Flynn, Patel * and Hessler. Behind them are an array of COMPUTER SCREENS * displaying STAR MAPS. *

STEVE * I'm puttin' you on speaker phone, * Mark. I've got the boys here. *

Flynn takes the pipe from his mouth, leans toward the phone. *

FLYNN * We've been admiring your patient's * star map, Doctor Powell.

He looks down at Prot's hand-drawn STAR MAP. It looks like * like scribbles and dots and swirls. A crude little arrow in * the middle of the map points to a position labelled "Earth". *

FLYNN * To be honest, at first it looked like * just a bunch of scribbles and dots. * (MORE)

Rev. 07/30/01 (2nd Tan) (Replacement Scenes) 116C*.

C125 CONTINUED: Cl25

But then, we noticed - two spiraling

smudges in the left quadrant - in

relation to the position he indicates

for Earth.

He turns to another COMPUTER SCREEN on which Steve brings up

a real STAR MAP.

position of a neutron star called A45,

that we estimate is several times

smaller than our sun. Are you with me

so far?

Dl25 OMITTED Dl25*

E125 EXT. POWELL'S PATIO - NIGHT E125*

Powell stands, mobile phone to his ear, unsteadily ...

F125 INT. OBSERVATORY - SAME Fl25*

(PREVIOUSLY SHOT AS SCENE 58PT)

Now Steve leans over to the phone again.

for the night sky as we see it from

Earth - only transposed one thousand

light years to where K-PAX is supposed

to be. But ... I made a mistake. You

see, from one thousand light years -

we'd have a slightly different view of

there is a very large white star that seems to coincide ·-

exactly - with Prot's TWO SMUDGES.

the coordinates to the known star

field. Where we thought there was

only a neutron star, he has drawn what

appears to be a star and an accretion

disc.

Rev. 07 /30/01 (2nd Tan) (Replacement Scenes) 116D*.

Gl25 EXT. POWELL'S PATIO - NIGHT Gl25*

Powell squints up at the night sky, then, into the phone. *

POWELL * Accretion disc? *

FLYNN * The data related to the stars in this * area suggests the existence of a body * of enourmous mass. *

AH125 INT. OBSERVATORY ·- SAME AH125

(PREVIOUSLY SHOT AS SCENE 58PT) *

STEVE * No, we're going to double-check with * the Keck in Hawaii - but I'm pretty * sure your boy just confirmed the * existence of a suspected black hole. *

Flynn moves closer to the phone, attempting: *

FLYNN * Believe me, Doctor Powell, I know how * crazy this sounds ... but, there is no * way someone could guess this, or * intuit a map like this - * (no other way to say it) * - unless he had actually been there * ... to this planet K-PAX. *

Hl25 EXT. POWELL'S PATIO - SAME - NIGHT Hl25*

Powell, dazed. He lowers the phone for a moment. Even as we * hear Steve talking through it - *

Powell raises the phone again. Doesn't know what to say into * it, except - *

POWELL • Steve, please don't do anything for a * couple of days. I really appreciate * that. Thank you for your input. *

Powell looks at the starry night. *

(

Rev. 07 /30/01 (2nd Tan) (Replacement Scenes) 116E*.

ERNIE, wearing a PARTY HAT, blows a NOISEMAKER.

There are streamers everywhere. A festive BANNER strung across the day room reads: "BON VOYAGE, PROT!" The entire WARD is in party hats.

At a table, Howie is busy collecting "Why I Want To Go To K- PAX" ESSAYS. We see the handwritten titles, some in crayon, as they are put in a pile.

Howie looks up, surprised - as Navarro slips him an essay.

Powell looks down at the dog-eared cover of an old Guadalupe HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOK, 1985. From Guadalupe County, New Mexico. It sits on his desk. He looks at it, thinking hard.

Then takes out a bottle of SCOTCH and two tumblers. Places them beside the yearbook. He pours himself a tumbler. Downs it. And just stands there, preparing himself, waiting

In a couple moments, his door opens. And Prot enters. Powell puts on a smile.

Prot eyes him, carefully, sitting.

Powell lets out a delayed "I get it" laugh. Then, pours both glasses of Scotch. Prot, watches, with uncertainty, sensing Powell has something up his sleeve.

Rev. 01/22/01 (2nd Pink) 117.

Powell picks up both glasses - leaving the yearbook there on his desk. He comes over, hands Prot a glass. Still unsure, Prot gets up, takes it from him. They stand there.

Prot watches Powell drink. Then, after a moment's hesitation, does the same. Letting out a whistle.

PROT * Mark ... I want to tell you something. * (beat) * Something you don't know yet. *

Powell waits, eyes riveted on Prot. *

As Powell's look turns unclear ... Prot peers into his empty * Scotch glass, with a solemn fatalism. *

Rev. 01/22/01 (2nd Pink) 117A*.

Powell, in surprise, swallows some more Scotch, coming around, to sit - in his patient's chair.

PROT * You know what I've learned about * Earth? How much you take it for * granted. There's enough life on earth * to fill fifty planets. Plants, * animals, people, fungi, viruses, all * jostling to find their place. * Bouncing off each other. Feeding off * each other ... * (beat) * Connected. *

POWELL * You don't have that kind of connection * on K-PAX? *

PROT * Nobody needs. Nobody wants. Nobody * on K-PAX misses me -- there would be * no reason to. But when I leave here, * I will be missed. * (beat) * A strange feeling. *

POWELL * I want to help you, Prot. *

PROT * Thank you, Mark, but I don't need your * help. I'm going home. *

Prot pauses for a moment. *

POWELL * You don't have to leave, Prot. I'm * sure there must be some way for me to * help you ... * (off Prot's look) * ... to stay. As one of us. *

Prot looks at Powell. Squeezes his knee. *

Rev. 01/22/01 (2nd Pink) 117B*.

PROT * I'll miss you, Doctor Powell. *

They sit there, looking straight into each other for a beat.

Powell, sensing the moment has come, glances over at the yearbook on his desk. Then back at Prot. *

Prot tries to read his expression ... *

Powell hesitates, just a moment too long ... *

Prot puts down the Scotch glass, stands up, burps. *

Rev. 01/22/01 (2nd Pink) 118.

Powell regards him. *

The YEARBOOK sits on the desk ... *

They stare at each other. There are two ways Powell could go * here. But ... something inside him makes him ... just ... take the* gold Montblanc pen from his own pocket ... and holds it out to * Prot. *

Prot takes it, admiring it, grateful.

Rev. 07/26/01 (2nd Cherry) (Replacement Scenes) 119.

Powell watches him walk to the door. He senses the moment has * come. It ' s now or never. *

He hastens over to his desk, grabs the manila envelope.

Prot's expression grows more unsure, as Powell opens the * envelope, and takes out ... the Guadalupe High School Yearbook * 1985. *

He shows it to Prot.

CLOSE ON PROT ... he stares at the Yearbook

Powell watches Prot, intensely, waiting for a reaction

We, too, are waiting for a reaction.

An expression of immense sadness takes hold of Prot ...

followed by immediate calm.

Earth friend. You found him. I knew

you would. Good work, Doctor Powell.

It's you, Prot. You and Robert Porter

are the same person.

That is patently absurd. I am not

even human.

At least admit the possibility.

will admit the possibility that I am

from K-PAX.

Powell has no reply to this.

beam of light to catch. * I i

Powell can only watch him walk to the door ...

Rev. 07/26/01 (2nd Cherry) (Replacement Scenes) A119- .A*.

But, just as Prot is about to walk out, he pauses, looks back * at Powell. Leaving him with a wise little smile. *

PROT * Mark ... now that you've found him. * Take care of him. *

And with that he walks out the door. *

Powell stands there. A look comes into his eyes, half * understanding. He finishes his Scotch ... *

The Bon Voyage PARTY is in full swing. Cake frosting rings every patient's mouth, as a rousing "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" is sung to Prot.

Powell stands at the WINDOW, watching the festivities.

As Villers comes up, briefcase in hand, joins him there.

She shakes her head at the spectacle.

And with that, she just walks away, to the elevator, gets on.

Rev. 02/12/01 (2nd Green) 120.

Powell regards the clock on the wall: 10:56 P.M. He draws a * reluctant breath.

He turns, tired, to the elevator.

As the SONG finishes with a loud cheer, Howie comes' up, and with an air of formality, presents Prot with the ESSAYS. As everyone remains clapping - Sal suddenly rips off his party hat. His face angry, desperate. He shouts:

The room turns instantly quiet. Ernie, Maria, Howie, the others - all put their party whistles down, to look at him.

Prot looks around. Seeing that Sal speaks for all. He smiles, as if he will miss every one of them.

There is a mad scramble, as everyone dashes for their rooms. Maria leaves Prot with a tearful embrace.

In a few moments, Howie is the only one left. He walks over, eyeing Prot through his wire-rims. He clears his throat.

Prot tucks the essays away, whispers to Howie, significantly.

Rev. 02/12/01 (2nd Green) 120A*.

Howie is crestfallen. But as Prot pats him on the shoulder * with a nod of implicit trust ... something, slowly, comes into * Howie's eyes. And he stands a little straighter, a little * more important, with a measure of self-worth. *

Rev. 07/17/01 (2nd Buff) (Replacement Scenes) 121.

R130 INT. POWELL'S OFFICE - NIGHT R130

Powell enters. Emotionally and physically exhausted. It is

then, he notices -

Rachel, sitting there on his couch. A couple of TAKE-OUT

CARTONS in front of her. His surprise is so complete, he

doesn't know what to say.

At this moment, she is the most beautiful sight he has ever

seen.

From the place on Broadway -- with the

ugly lanterns in the window.

She pats the seat next to her. He doesn't resist. She spoon * feeds him a bite, and another. *

fortunes in them.

They share a laugh. Then, Rachel gives him a deep smile,

holding up another bite.

RACHEL * We didn't need any. I knew my fortune

that night. He was sitting right

across from me.

Their eyes remain on each other. And Powell realizes how much

this woman means to him.

Rachel puts down the food. Leans forward. Kisses him.

As Powell's eyelids start to close, she gently lies him down,

puts a couch pillow under his head ...

(

Rev. 07/17/01 (2nd Buff) (Replacement Scenes) 122.

Prot sits straightand quiet, arms folded in his lap, holding his red notebook. His bed is neatly made, the room tidy. He just sits there asif waiting for a plane.

Powell, asleep, Rachel snuggled up to him. His wristwatch BEEPS.

He wakes up with a start. Waking her up. He tries to squint at his watch. Can't see it. Turns to his desk clock: .5:42 A.M.

Navarro sits in the hallway, posted outside Prot's door. An oxygen tank and respiration equipment stand with him.

He turns to Simms, posted at the fire escape door, and holds up a twenty dollar bill.

At the SECURITY STATION - the guard checks his three MONITORS: Prot, sitting in his room. Hallway, Navarro stationed. Stairwell, empty. He glances up at the CLOCK. As it turns to 5:49 A.M. Then looks over to the nurses station.

McAllister closes the book she's been reading, getting a little fidgety now. She picks up the phone.

Powell comes skidding around a corner, running as he puts his jacket on. He hits the elevator button.

As he waits, he is drawn to a window. He looks out, up - at the SKY. There is an electricness about it. A lone star twinkles in the dark purple pre-light of dawn.

Powell punches the button again, frantically. Then, just takes the STAIRS.

The security guard eyes the clock: 5:50 A.M.

On one of his MONITORS, Powell appears dashing down the stairwell.

PROT, IN HIS ROOM - stands up. Takes his dark glasses off.

NAVARRO, IN THE HALLWAY- looks through Prot's door.

MCALLISTERcomes out from behind the nurses station, alert.

PROT folds his glasses, sets them on his table. He faces his window • • . as the first light of dawn comes through it.

Just as - POWELL bursts onto the WARD, from the stairwell door. He runs, whispering under his breath -

PROT'S ROOM- the rising SUN sends its first sharp RAY through Prot's window - and into Prot's EYES.

SECURITY STATION - the security guard glances at the clock, as the numbers turn to .•• 5:51 A.M.

AND NOW, EVERYTHING HAPPENSAT ONCE

Mrs. Archer runs out of her room -·

She collides with Powell, knocking them both down.

Navarro turns away from Prot's door, to the commotion.

As Powell lifts Mrs. Archer back up, he looks past her - to see a blinding orange BEAMOF SUNLIGHTshining through the window of Prot's door.

The security guard looks to the MONITORof Prat' s room. Whi.ch has now ·gone to static •••

POWELL grabs Navarro's KEY RING. Runs for Prot's DOOR.

Blinded by the sunbeam coming through its window, he fUlllbles for the right key - gets it in the lock - opens the door -

STAY ON POWELL'S FACE - as his eyes search the room - the window - the table - walls - every corner. No trace of Prat.

For an instant, a smile of disbelief flashes across Powell's features. Then his eyes lower

He kneels down •.•to the BODYcrumpled underneath the bed i.n a fetal position. Barely conscious, eyes half open with a dead, vacant look.

Navarro and McAllister hurry into the room.

THE PATIENTS, who have now woken up, gather in the hallway, murmuring curiously - as Prat is carried out of his room, past them, on a gurney. His eyes remain vacant, body rigid.

Rev. 07/20/01 (2nd Salmon} {Replacement Scenes) 125.

Ernie notices the sun streaming through the day room windows. He smiles.

Maria looks around, as if sensing someone else is missing.

The patients look at each other, then all around.

R137 INT. BESS'S ROOM - IN A MOMENT Rl37

As the patients all converge in her open doorway, staring ..•

A pair of hospital slippers sit neatly by Bess's bed. And her HOSPITAL BRACELET, left neatly on her pillow.

Mrs. Archer's face trembles with envy.

An ebullient smile spreads across Ernie's face.

Howie nods. It's true.

Howie makes his way over to the bed. Picks up ... a piece of * paper from Bess's pillow. On it ... is a crude, simple * drawing of flames shooting out of a house. And a bluebird, * flying away from the fire. And the WORDS: "I Have No Home". *

Rev. 07/20/01 (2nd Salmon) (Replacement Scenes) 125A*.

As Navarro and Simms solemnly pull the GURNEY into the ELEVATOR. And the elevator doors close ...

AND WE DISSOLVE TO

Powell leans back in his chair, staring at the small recorder on his desk.

Rev. 07/20/01 (2nd Salmon) (Replacement Scenes) 126.

He looks down at Prot's RED NOTEBOOK, opens it to a title page, which reads, in pencil: "Preliminary Observations on B-TIK (Earth)."

Then, his eyes take him out his study window - where Rachel, Gabby and Natalie are planting a rose bush in the garden.

Rl40 EXT. CENTRAL PARK - CACTUS GARDEN - DAY R140

WIDE SHOT, MOVING IN SLOWLY ...

on ROBERT PORTER, who sits in a WHEELCHAIR, blanket wrapped

around him, hair rustling in a breeze. Powell, seated on a

bench, reads a LETTER, aloud, to him ...

Howie's handwriting)

I like my new job at the library very

much ... I like helping people find

things ... except when they get * impatient with me. *

AS WE COME IN CLOSE NOW ...

Powell looks at Porter, whose gaze remains vacant. He

continues reading the letter, anyway -- *

be a crisis counselor? * (laughs at the thought of * this)

Imagine that.

Porter remains mute.

CONTINUED !'

Rev. 07/20/01 (2nd Salmon) (Replacement Scenes) 126A*.

Rl40 CONTINUED:

Powell takes it back, tries to keep a smile. He goes back to * reading the letter -- *

them. And please let me know when

Bess comes back because I want to know

all about K -

He stops himself. Reflective a moment. Glances at Porter,

troubling. Then, just folds up the letter, puts it in his pocket. *

Rev. 07/20/01 (2nd Salmon) (Replacement Scenes) 127.

Rl40 CONTINUED: (2) Rl40

; .::: - Really worried about Bess.

We've checked shelters, halfway homes,

the police have come up empty ... it's • as if she ... just disappeared.

(looks cannily at Robert)

July twenty-seventh. You wouldn't

happen to want to tell me anything

about that, would you, Robert?

He's searching Porter's expressionless EYES.

(with an earnest smile)

Well, maybe it'll come to you.

Whenever you're ready. I'll be

waiting.

He gets up, gives Porter a paton the shoulders. And takes

the handles of the wheelchair. Pushing Porter on, along the

path, through the park.

distinction

WE TAKE IN THE DAY ROOM. As Maria gazes out a window. And Russell mumbles to himself, Bible in hand. And Sal and Mrs. Archer play a contentious game of fish.

WE MOVE ON ... into the ART ROOM. Where Navarro, setting a new patient down at some watercolors, pauses, respectfully - to look at PROT'S GLASSES, which rest on a pedestal, like a shrine, facing the window.

AND WE LOOK OUT THROUGH THOSE DARK GLASSES ... into the dancing sunlight ...

Rev. 07/26/01 (2nd Cherry) (Replacement Scenes) 127A*.

The SUNGLASS LENSES NOW FILLING THE SCREEN ... and the pinpoints of sunlight playing like a thousand twinkling stars ...

Rl41 (ALT) INT. WARD 2 - ART ROOM - DAY Rl41

Powell walks, slowly ... toward PROT'S SUNGLASSES, which rest * on a pedestal, like a shrine, with a "Do Not Disturb, Be Back * Soon" sign. They face the window. *

Powell stares at them for a long beat. *

Then, looking around, seeing no one else is there, he bends * down . . . to LOOK THROUGH THEM ... *

And as he does, WE SEE THROUGHTHEM into the dancing * sunlight ... the SUNGLASS LENSES NOW FILLING THE SCREEN * and the pinpoints of sunlight playing like a thousand * twinkling stars ... *

A142 INT. GRAND STATION A:142

AND WE ARE BACK with the OUT-OF-FOCUS CROWDS of Grand Central Station ... the FIGURES resolve into PEOPLE, rushing here and there .. .

Rev. 07/17/01 (2nd Buff) (Replacement Scenes) 128*.

A142 CONTINUED: Al42

And now CLOSE ON POWELL, standing with his briefcase, * searching for someone in the crowds ... *

We hear Prat, O.S. *

Powell moves his eyes over the nameless faces, more intently, * searching *

collapse back on itself -- then expand * again. It will repeat this process * again and again, forever. What you

don't know ... is that .•. when the * Uni.verse expands again, everything * will be as i.t was before. Whatever * mistakes you make this time around, * you will live through again. Over and * over, forever.

A smile seizes Powell, as he's found who he's searching for ... *

And WE SEE MICHAEL. Coming out of a gate, duffle bag over his * shoulder. Pierced eyebrow. He looks around, unsurely. Until * he spies his father. He smiles, tentative.

They approach each other, through the CROWDS. Stand there, * facing each other. Powell initiates a hug, halting at first, * then warm, gripping his son around the shoulders.

And as the CAMERA PULLS BACK ... they walk off together, * through a SHAFT OF SUNLIGHT streaming down from one of the * high, station windows ... and on ... to the Metro North * gates ...

142 OMITTED 142*

FADE OUT: *