MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE
ROGUE NATION
By
Chri s t opher McQuarrie
Re v i s i onsby
Christopher McQuarrie
WillStapl es
Drew Pearc e
For Your Screenwriting Education More Titles at ScriptFly.com
W HITESHOOTING SCRI PT 24SEPT.'1 4 4T H GOLDENRODREVISI ONS23MARCH'1 5
An expanse of grass bordered by some distant trees.Hold on it for as l ong as you like- but eventually, there's the distinct buzzing of a cell phone ,followedby an exasperated SIGH.
BENJI, in a ghillie suit, laptop besideh im ,raises his camouf l aged painted face and answers his phone .
Analyst WILLIAM BRANDT, at his computer screen .
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 2.
Where Luther is on a laptop at the base ofa massive antenna dish in a veritable field of them .
Brandt, rubbing his templ es,eyes closed.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH ' 15 3.
Intercutting the following conversation,but never revealing Ethan until his sprint along the wing.
Benji hears engines whine, looks through his binoculars to see the plane ' sprope l lers turning .
The plane's systems appear on Benji's screen.
The engines roar, the plane moves.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH ' 15 4.
Benji looks to the plane through his binoculars.Sees no sign of Ethan.
ETHAN HUNT, wearing a dark suit, sprints across the wing of this 4 - engine turboprop towards the fuselage as the plane turns, headed for the runway.
He slides down the wing flap, landing on thel anding gear cowling, hauling himself up to the paratroop door bya windscreen as the plane accelerates.
The plane taxis past Benji, who sees Ethan clinging to the para door, shouting at Benji ashe passes -
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 5 .
6 CONTINUED : 6
On Benji's screen :
SYSTEM OVERRIDE :FAILED
Ethan looks down, the tarmac flyingby at 80 mph .
Brandt rockets to his feet, bring i ng hisf i stsdown on his desk shouting -
Benji watches in horror as SCREAMING TURBOPROPS roar past-
The plane LIFTS OFF, Ethan's clothes and skin ripp l ing in the gale forcewind as the world falls away at 180 MPH. He ' s certainly committed .
On BENJI, his fingers a blur .
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 6.
12 CONTINUED : 12
He hits 'return '.On his screen :
SYSTEM OVERRIDE- ENGAGED
Benji presses a key and -
The rear lift gate opens - far out of Ethan ' sreach.
Ethan l ooks back- 'you've got to be kiddingme . '
Benji's face deflates .
A warning flashes. The PILOT sees the lift-gate is opening by itself .Confused ,he hits the button. Gets nothing.
Benji, typing furiously -
The pil ot hits the control again .Finall y ,he shouts something to theNAVIGATION OFFICER,who unharnesses and walks out .
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 7.
The nav officer comes down the stairsfrom the flight deck and looks into the cargo hold.
Strapped to the floor isa pallet filled with clearl y- marked chemical warheads. Beyond that,the open lift gate. The officer steps over to the manual controls for the l ift gate in the navigation suite .
On Ethan, his grip threatening to give out.
On Benji, emphatical ly hitting' return' .
Behind the nav officer, the paratroop door fliesopen, and Ethan comes hurtling through it.The officer spins , sees-
Now both the lift gate and the para door areopen .But no Ethan.
The officer walk down to check out the para door .Behind him, Ethan stands, having slid around the corner of the pallet. The officer turns ,Ethan ducks.
The officer walks around, looks at the open para door, looksdown the l ength of the pal leta l ong the other side. Stillno Ethan .
Reveal Ethan, now crouched against the cargo on the side facing the cockpit .He flips throughacouple of latches on the floor, grabs the resulting loosenyl on straps.
The officer walks back to the manual controls for the l ift gate-but before he tries again,he senses something,and turns.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH ' 15 8 .
21 CONTINUED : 21
There 's Ethan,hurriedly strapping himself to the pallet . He looks up .
Their eyes lock for a moment before Ethan reachesup and pulls a ripcord ,causing a cargo parachute to jettison out the lift gate.
The officer pulls out a handgun ,but can 't squeeze offa single round before Ethan,in an i nsanel y rapid exit, rides the pallets out the lift gate ,pulled by the parachute unfurling behind them .Whooooooosh.
The nav officer walk in slack-jawed .
The pilot and co-pilot turn to him.
The pilot blinks .
The parachute holding the pal let deploys.
Ethan holds on as the pal let descends rapidly towards the city .He passes a cell tower on top ofa building, floats over a government building quadrant where an official car pulls up .
Ethan jumps off the pallet ontoa roof .
Squads of sol diers in ceremonialdress stand to attention and salute as a dignitary steps out of the car to greet the wai ting party when the pallet smashesi nto the dign i tary'sSUV,crushing it. The soldiers dive for cover .
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH ' 15 10.
The woman's demeanor changes very so slightly .She reaches under the counter and producesa b l ank,white record sleeve.
Ethan approaches, takes the record .She nods toa listening booth at the back of the store .As Ethan turns to walk away .
He stops, looks back .After a beat,he nods.
He considers the question, decides it's one betterl eft unanswered, and continues towards the booth .
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH ' 15 12.
27 CONTINUED : 27
VOICE (CONT'D) Normal ly,you and your team would be tasked with infiltrating and disrupting this terrorists network .But we have taken steps to insure that this wi l lnot happen.
Ethan cocks his head - something is very wrong .
VOICE (CONT'D) Because we are The Syndicate, Mr. Hunt. And now we know who you are.
Ethan abruptly turns, reaches for the doorknob,finds it LOCKED. Through the glass he sees:
The shopgirl. A MAN stands behind her, pistol to the back of her head, staring at Ethan not so much with malice, but confidence .
This is SOLOMON LANE.
VOICE (CONT'D) Your mission, should you choose to accept i t, is to face your fate. Pursue us,and you wil lbe caught . Resist us, and you will be killed.
Ethan pounds on the door with c l osed fists,the Shopgirl terrified,eyes pleading.
VOICE (CONT'D) And your precious Secretary will disavow any knowledge of your actions.
Solomon'sf inger caresses the trigger-PULLS IT .He turns and casual ly walks out .
VOICE (CONT'D) Good luck, Mr .Hunt .This message will self-destruct in 5 seconds ••• 5,4,
The beam simultaneously projects the countdown 3,2 -
Ethan stands back and kicks the door,over and over, as the spinning record begins smoking behind him,a toxic cloud filling the booth, overtaking him .
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 13.
Pulling back slowly from thesmoke filled booth .Allwe can see are Ethan's hands pounding theg l ass.
Lane emerges onto the street and walksaway. He p l acesa cigaril lo in his teeth and runsamatch along the wall, IGNITINGIT ,taking us to the:
CREDITS
CREDITS. The fuse, the theme, f l ash-forwards that tease the action to come, all of it ending at-
The Capitol Dome. The mall. The sound ofa ringing phone o. s.
VOICE (HUNLEY) (PRELAP) This is not an isolated incident. The IMF's misadventures date back to my earliest days in the CIA - when the IMF broke into the CIA to steala list of covert operatives
Cl osed session .Readingl amps illuminate the faces of SIXMEN on the dais .
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In the center isTHE CHAIRMAN (60s),a silver lion of a statesman wi thacommanding presence.They face TWO FIGURES in the gallery .
One is CIA DIRECTOR ALAN HUNLEY (50s) sitting next to Brandt in the hot seat, facing the panel .
The six man panel shifts it's gaze to Brandt .
Hunley stands and walks away to theTV screen, remote inhand.
He c l icks the remote.Animage of theKreml in appears.
He clicks and a second image of the Kremlin appears- a pile of smoking rubble.
The panel looks to Brandt again .
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 15.
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The Woman carries a small tray in one hand.She p l aces it on a table, removes her jacket and putsdown the tray revealing two needles and several vials of liquid .
The door opens and FIVE MORE FIGURES enter.Faces we've never seen before .They stare at Ethan as ifwe were in a zoo- a thing to be studied.
The fifth man is a SCARY BLOND we ' ll callJANIK(40s) . This guy is trouble .
The Woman confronts Janik, speaking inSwedish .Ethan studiesthem as:
JANIK closes and bolts the door .
He walks directly up to Ethan, looming overhim .He takes off his jacket , roll sup hiss l eeves.Something about Janik stri kes Ethan as curious .
Janik punches Ethan.
Janik walks over to the table, pul lsabox out from underneath .
Janik smiles, opens the box, revealing surgicaltool s -a saw, a hammer, etc.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 18.
32 CONTINUED :(2) 32
Janik and the Woman look at Janik ' s feet.
The Woman l ooks at herown shoes ,then Ethan.She can't believe this guy .She walks up to Janik .
He walks away from her back to Ethan.
Janik punches Ethan in the gut, twice .Ethan takes it as well as can be expected.
He punches Ethan again, twice .
Janik looks at her. She's struck a nerve.He walks to her, looming. Janik punches Ethan in the ribs,twice.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 19.
Janik punches Ethan again,in the face thistime.
TheWoman quietly palms the rabbit-foot key-ring in her hand.
Vinter crosses the table. The Woman counters to the other side of theroom, staring at Ethan.
Vinter picks up any tool you like. Ethan noticesan object in theWoman's hands. A rabbit's foot witha cuff keyon it. From this vantage, only Ethan can see it. Vinter and the other goon are none the wiser.She gives Ethana look that says "do something".He's not sure what she means.She does it again.
Vinter approaches with the tool. Ethan braces.
Vinter turns his head to address her and:
WHACK - Ethan kicks up both feet, catching Vinter in the chestand sending him flying.
All eyes in the room follow the flying Swede.In an instant,the Woman throws the rabbit's foot.Ethan catches it.
[FIGHTENSUES]
Staring at the steel doorfrom the outside.Five gunshots ring out.Then silence.
The Sentriesexchange a confused look.
WIDE SHOT of all five men on the floor. Incredulous pause.Then:
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 20.
A knock on the door. One of the sentries calls out. When he hears no reply, he bangs, shouts louder.
Ethan followsher out of the chamber as Vinter slowly comes to.
She walks towarda cage door at the end of the hall, opens it.Ethan steps through to make sure theway is clear.To his surprise, she slams it behindhim. Ethan grabs the gate,yanks it. Locked.
Ethan hesitates.The sentries are slamming against the door,trying to break it down. He hesitates.
TheWoman turns and runs out. Ethan hears shouting.
He backsup and races down the long corridor as Vinter and the other Sentry runround the corridorand fire at him through thelocked gate.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 21.
36 (OMITTED) 36
A hand connects a modern version of an analoguephone terminal.THE OPERATOR connects a cableand answers.
VOICE (ON PHONE) Western Europe unsecured.
VOICE (ON PHONE) Bravo,echo, one, one.
A cell phone rings. A hand picks it up.REVEAL WILLIAM BRANDT (30s).
He taps the screenon his phone. We hear three beeps.
Ethan closes his eyes:sees Lane walkingaway from him in the record store.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 22.
Ethan thinks.Remembers the record player.Realizes:
39 (OMITTED) 39
Brandt is lookingdown the corridor at the panel members filing out of the conference room,Hunley's look to Brandt is unsettling.Brandt keepson eye on him throughout:
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 23.
Ethanlooks down to reveal he's holdinga compress to his side.He's been shot.
Brandt looksup and sees Hunley approaching.He speaks quickly.
Brandthangs up, leaving Ethan alone in the world.He erases hisphone. Looks up to see-
41 (OMITTED) 41
Hunley walking out of theChamber towardshim.
Hunley turnsback to face Brandt.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 24.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 25.
As he leaves:
BLACK.SILENCE.
TITLES:SIX MONTHS LATER
TITLES:HAVANA, CUBA
ZOOMIN SLOWLY on a coastal shanty town.
The sound of intense breathing o.s.
Thehome of a laborer. A bed, a basin for washing,a hotplate,few pots and pans. The breathing continues.
REVEAL Ethan,his face covered in a bearsand moustache, his hair slicked back,his skin tinged by the sun.He has a recently healed scaron his side. He'sdoing pull-ups, breathing steadily.
On the table in the center of theroomwe see cut up newspapers,a ball of red twine, pencils,scissors, the remnants ofsome project.
The dark heart of the CIA's technology-centric universe. Low lightsemphasize large monitors watched byYOUNG TECHNICIANS.TWO DRONE PILOTS prowl the skies halfa world away.
Hunley strides out his office pasta Technician in front ofa bank of screens.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 26.
Hunley goesdown the stairs as we find Brandt watching him from the balcony.He strides through the main war room.
He stops next toLAUREN (20s), his righthand and the epitome of thenew CIA and leans down toa Technician sitting in frontof a large monitor.
On the center screen,we see that aerial shot of the shanty town.Our establisher was a CIA drone.
A TECHNICIAN presses a button.
On the center screen,two local vehicles,both junkers meant to avoid attention, screech to a halt in frontof the building.
Ona second screen, we see video from inside the cars. Each is occupied withSOLDIERS (based on their haircuts). All wear civilian clothes, trying badly tolook local. Half ofthem wear head-mounted cameras,transmitting what they see back toHunley.
They bail out and:
THEDRONE P.O.V. watches the soldiers from above as they rush the frontdoor of the grungy building.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 27.
Ethan calmly continues his pull-ups.
The Militarymen approach a door at theend of a hallway, weapons drawn.
Hunley can hear Ethan's breathing just inside theroom. With a look his men in Havana count 3, 2,1-
And crash through the door. Hunley watches as themen rush in,fan out, search the small apartment.No Ethan, no pull-up bar,no table covered with trash.
Justa cell phone on a chair, propped upand facing the door.The screen is blank, but we hear thesound of Ethan's breathingon the speaker.
Aerial establisher of the city of light.Push in slowly ona small apartment window. Inside it,we find:
EthanHunt, half a world away, watching via cell phone as theCIA searches an apartment in Cuba.
He drops to the floor,shuts off the phone.
Brandt joinsHunley.
Something catches Brandt's eye.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 28.
Hundreds of milesaway, a soldier faces the wall of the grungy apartment revealing:
A map of the world. On one side of themap are newspaper clippings:bank collapses, assassinations,acts of sabotagesuch as plane crashes.
On the other side of themap is a perfect grid of photographs.Dozens of them. Each is a simple dossier- styleimage. Each is marked with one word,be it English,French, German, Russian ...
PRESUMEDDEAD, DECEASED, TERMINATED.
Some of the photoshave been taken from the grid and pinned to themap along with a gloomy article.
Brandt hitsa button. The giant center screen freezeson the collage.
Hunley shakes hishead and walks back to his office.
He passes theTech.
On the next screen,a soldier picks upa lone sketch from a rickety table:a drawing of the Woman,less like a composite sketch and more likea portrait.
Brandt takes notes.
The sound of epic opera music takesus to:
Thenewly minted off-shoot of the CIA's LangleyHQ.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 29.
Clean lines,cleaner surfaces. A place for sifting through trillions of bits of data,overlookinga massive array of data servers.Welcome to the age of big data. Herewe find:
He's playingHalo on a three screen array.He glances up ata rear view mirror strategically placedon the screen, seessomeone coming, he pulls off his headphonesand the opera music instantly stops.
He hitsa button and the game vanishes,replaced by:
Three screens:1) email 2) streaming raw code (whichhe typesnonstop) and 3) a browser in Chinese as:
A CLERK drops the day's mail on his deskand moves on. Benji picksup the mail and sifts through it,finding one piece in particular that catches his attention.Heopens andremoves a BROCHURE and a letter. The brochure reads:
YOU'VEWON! VIENNA OPERA
He smiles bitterly,almost disappointed.The phone rings, startling him.He answers:
Benji's face darkens.
56 (OMITTED) 56
Lauren is strapping Benji toa polygraph.The process is rather intimate- blood pressure cuffs,chest straps,etc.
A legal-size box sits on the center of the table.
After a long silence.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 30.
Lauren doesn't answer.
Lauren doesn't answer.
She fastensone last strap, bringing them face to face. She stares athim expressionless.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 31.
There issome flicker in her eyes - a hint of her guard comingdown.
Lauren takesa seat at her laptop.
His vitals fluctuate.
His vitals don't fluctuate.
The dooropens and Hunley enters Brandt follows.
Benji is instantly nervous.
Hunley walksup, staring at Benji, makinghim even more tense.
Benji's vitalsjump. Hunley makes note.
Hunley opens thebox, throws down a pile ofnewspaper clippings,hand-drawn images of Lane and thewoman, along with photos of how it had been arranged inHavana.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 32.
We see stories of plane crashes, fires,a seemingly random mish-mash of disasters.
He tries to smile,but withers under Hunley's gaze.
Benji shrugs.
Brandt and Benji exchangea look.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 35.
Benji emergesfrom a train in a tuxedo, feeling pretty good about himself.He takes only a few stepswhen a hooded musician pressesa manila envelope into his chest and walksaway without saying a word.
Benji opens the envelope,pulling out aprogram for the Vienna opera, and a pair of dark-rimmed eyeglasses.He notices metal diskson the inside of the earpiece. Realizing what they are,he puts the glasseson and his head is filled witha voice saying:
Benji tries to contain his reaction.He sort of manages.
Benji doesas he's told.
Benji walks as:
Benji cursesunder his breath.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 36.
Benji mounts the escalator,looks around,growing paranoid.
Benji'sphone chimes in his pocket. He pulls it outand a face appearson the screen - a photo of Solomon Lane, blurry,grainy, taken at some distance.
Benji steps off the escalator onto another platform.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 37.
Benji sighs ashe rides up to the street.
And Benji emerges from the metro TO REVEAL:
Scene ofa fabulous gala: A command performance of Puccini's Turandot- an Italian Opera set in Ancient China.Red carpet, limos, paparazzi and flashbulbs.
68 (OMITTED) 68
CLOSEON: Hands open an instrument case containing pieces of flute.A POLICEWOMAN inspects it.
CLOSEON: the owner - A MALE FLAUTIST (30s).We are not allowed to see his face,making us instantly suspicious ofhim. The Policewoman waves him on. The Flautist shuts the caseand enters the stage door with otherORCHESTRA MEMBERS, all of whom are subject to search tonight.We stay outside,watching him through theopen door. We notice themembers of the orchestra turn right as they enter.
But not the Flautist.He goes straight,vanishing into the shadows ...Up tono good.
CONTINUOUSTRACKING SHOT:
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 39.
Benji spinson his heels, expecting to find Ethan. But Ethan isgone.
Benji arrives ata service door marked with electronic symbols.He quickly works the lock and slips into-
A cramped space, humming with electrical conduits.He's very out of place ina tux. He finds a junction box he's looking for,opens it, studying the dense mass of wires inside.He attaches a device, opens the program to reveal a paper-thin computer screenand keyboard inside.
The nerve center of the opera.From here,THE STAGE MANAGER (FEMALE,30s) can see anythingon, above or behind the stage via several monitors.Two static wide anglecameras show her the audience and thelobby. She whispers in German into a small headset.
From here,TWO TECHNICIANS control the sophisticated lighting for the entire opera.Talking quietly into their headsets,they manipulate a few controlsand:
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 40.
A trestle high above the stage - the bottom encrusted with lights - descends into place.
CASTMEMBERS rush to take their places.We see-
-thesame image on one of the stage manager's monitors. All the screens flicker simultaneously.Before she can even react,they are back on.
Benji has wired the laptop to thejunction box.The screen lightsup with a glowing checkerboard.Each square is thePOV of a camera. He's hacked into the stage manager's station. He can touch any square tozoom in. Three words appear:
RUN FACIALRECOGNITION
Fine lines rapidly scanany face with amazing speed.In theupper right hand corner of his screen,he has the constant,grainy image of Solomon Lane.
Benji sighs,looks at his dank surroundings.
The lobby isempty apart from a loneWOMAN, ELEGANT AND LEANIN A FETCHING YELLOW DRESS. We can't see her face.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 41.
The lobby lightsdim. The show is about to begin ... The sound ofa tuning orchestra takes us to:
ANGLE ON: The magnificent chandelier in the center of the opera house ceiling as itdims ...
A rapid tapping o.s. The tuning orchestra falls silent.A CONDUCTOR'SHAND, holding a baton, rises into frame, snapsdown and the opera begins - the music as turns triumphantand foreboding. The orchestra renders the ominous"Tre enigmi m'hai proposto." Subtitlesabove the stage translate:
<Three riddleshave I proposed.>
CONTINUOUSTRACKING SHOT: Ethan emerges througha set of glass doors.He crosses a long, brightly lit hallway where STRAGGLING LADIES AND GENTS check their coats.He slips througha side door and into-
-an upper box witha view of the whole opera house.He can see the audience,the orchestra, the stage.
REVERSEON ETHAN TO REVEAL: In the box just below him, the Chancellor and his wife are sittingdown.TWO BODYGUARDSscan the audience.
85 (OMITTED) 85
VARIOUS ANGLES FROM AROUND THE HOUSE - from the lights high above,the box across the auditorium- each a perfect vantage ofThe Chancellor.
Benji bouncesfrom camera to camera on his laptop.He stopson the cast area. The CAST AND CHORUS wear either heavy make-up or masks.His facial recognition software becomes confused,flickering:
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 42.
READERROR
An image ofa backstage camera catches his eye.A Man walk away from camera with a case under hisarm. THE FLAUTIST.But Benji cannot see his face.His movements are suspicious,however. He ducks out of sight to letTWO CHORUSMEMBERS pass. Then he proceeds offcamera.
Ethan standsand rushes out of the box.
The shadowy Officer steps out ofa doorand walks down a corridor.
A hallway filled with props. The Woman walksthrough and climbsa metal ladder to platform.
CLOSEON: the Woman's hand inspects the scaffold,taps a struts,removes it. It quickly transforms intoa rifle. TheWoman in yellow turns, walks away from us.
Benji tracks the Flautiston one monitor,Ethan on another,approaching a door:
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 43.
Ethan throws thedoor open, turns right,finding an empty corridor.
Hearing footstepsbehind him, Ethan turns, just in time to see theWoman in the yellow dress crossing the opposite backstage area.
Ethanlooks down, sees the Flautist climb the stairs backstage.
Extremeshadows, shafts of light streaming through the semi-transparent backdropand the stage beyond.
Hidden in theshadow, rifle in hand, theWoman moves towarda Chinese-style tower with a parapet.She slips inside just beforeTWO STAGE HANDS walk past.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 44.
A beat later, a stage door opens and Ethan enters.No sign of theWoman. He looks left, right,up into the fly tower high above- light trestles and back-drops suspended from cables ina cavernous space risingone hundred-plus feetabove the stage.
Thenhe see him: the Flautist on the far side of the stage,moving in silhouette, his case underone arm.
Ethan takesa step when the set besideshim moves unexpectedly.Ethan jumps back, nearly crushed by the Chinese tower moving to the stage.We recognize it immediately.He has no idea the Woman ishidden inside. By the timehe makes his way around the set,the Flautist isgone.
He looksup at a catwalk above him, seesa ladder.
TheWoman peers through the louvers of thetower as it slides into place,ending in a perfect vantage of the Chancellor and his wife.She assembles her weapon.
The lavish production continues,the lightdimming dramatically,the music assuming an air of chilling suspense,the stage largely empty. Misthangs in the air.We hear A CHORUS, but their voices are faraway. They singfrom back stage, creating an eerie effect.
The imageon Benji's computer flickers.He bangs on the electrical box.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 45.
The lighting technicians control the lights.One of the controlsmoves on it's own.
The trestle holdingup the backstage lightsmoves in sections- some up, some down ...
Ethan tracksalong a catwalk high up in the fly tower, lookingdown at the back-stage far below.He can see the chorus,hear them clearly from here.
Numerous backdropshang like louvers -perpendicular to Ethan.He stops, steps back, spies a lighting trestle between the backdrops.He sees the Flautist kneeling, justa few yards away, opening his case,his back to Ethan.Ethan climbs over the catwalk railing,about to put his weighton the trestle when:
It dropsfrom under him. Part of the show.Ethan grabs the catwalks railing,narrowly avoidinga sixty foot fall.
The Flautist isunaware that Ethan is there.But now there isa ten foot gap between Ethan and the trestle. Ethanlooks around, looks up.
ANGLE ON: A second catwalk some twenty feetup. Ethan grabsa hanging silk and hauls himselfup toward it.
The Flautist takes out hisinstrument,patiently reveals its real purpose:a rifle complete with silencer andFIVE BULLETS.More than he'll need.
Heopens a libretto, his fingers scanning the notes, tellingus where we are in the opera. He flipsahead, findinga spot circled in red. His cue.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 46.
One thing puzzles us:From here, we cannot see the audience, let alone the Chancellor.
EXTREMELOW ANGLE looking up at the Flautist ashe loads a single round.We sense movement abovehim. So does he. The Assassinmoves like a cat, turningand firing upwards with his silenced rifle:
POP.WHAM. Ethan lands hard. A direct hit would have crushed the Flautist.But the blow is aglancing one.
Bullets scatter.The flute case falls-
-landing in thejagged horns of an uprightdragon set- piece.
Benji's earpiece squeals.
Ethanand the Flautist grapple for thegun - the Flautist endsup on top of Ethan, pressing theweapon against Ethan's throat.
Ethan (andwe) see the Flautist's face clearly for the firsttime. It's not Solomon Lane.
CLOSEON: The Flautist's face ...His eye.
ECUON: He wears a contact lens in one eye,crossed with delicate lines of circuitry.A camera.
CLOSEON a small screen held in a man'shand. On the screen is Ethan's face,looking directly into the Flautist's eye.
REVEAL:The face of the man holding the phone. It isa calm,peaceful face. Making it all the more frightening.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 47.
It isSolomon Lane. He pockets the phoneand exits the auditorium.
ANGLE ON: A GRAY-HAIRED MAN (ATTLEE) inone of the boxes, glancing over to watchSolomon leave.Remember him...
Ethanand the Flautist trade blows, silhouetted through the translucent backdrop behind them.
A flash of steel. The Flautist has a knife.The fight intensifies with the music.
EXTREMELOW ANGLE: looking up at the stage manager.She is too involved in conducting her business to notice the struggleon the trestle high above her.
THETENOR sings "Nessun Donna" <No One Sleeps>,the opera's passionate signature piece.
THECONDUCTOR turns the pages of his libretto,keeping perfect time.
The Chancellor takes his wife'shand. She smiles.
TheTwo Technicians are too busy to notice thedoor opening slowly behind them, let alone thatshadowy Police Officer slipping in- tazer in one hand ...
Ethan's in trouble,struggling to dodgea knife on a narrow trestle in the dark sixty feetup.
The upstage backdroplowers as the downstage backdrop rises with the music,revealing a second backdrop- this one translucent.A bright light descends.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 48.
For the audience,the effect is breathtaking.The light createsa sunset in the misty sky. And it completely obscures the action goingon behind it.
But from Ethan'sP.O.V. the entire house is visible- including the Chancellor and his wife.The Flautist lunges with his knife.Ethan parries.
The Flautist falls to his death,landingon the dragon's horns.Ethan turns to the house, the Chancellor.His eyes lock in horroron the lighting control booth at the back of the auditorium.
Noone sees the Officer but Ethan.
TheTwo Technicians are unconscious and bound.The Officer assembles hisown weapon: A barrel extension disguised asa baton, a laser sight disguised asa flashlight.He draws the rifle's action from his holster, of course.
Ethan putsa hand to his ear, says somethingwe cannot hear over music.
Benji putsa hand to his ear, taps the monitorand brings up the lighting booth.
He sees the Officer there with hisweapon.Benji rushes from theroom.
Ethan grabs the Flautist's rifle at his feet.He searches frantically fora bullet, sees one restingon the edge of the unsteady trestle,threatening to fall.He has to move fast,but can't move too fast.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 49.
The Officer sets his sightson the Chancellor.He activates the laser scope,but we see nothing.The officer putson green sunglasses.
OFFICER'SP.O.V. a green beam, invisible to thenaked eye,sweeps across the room.
The Officer glances at the libretto- anote circled in red.He raises his weapon chest-high. Hiseyes sweep from the Chancellor'sbox to the Chinese towerand back. He waits.
TheWoman shoulders her rifle, glancingdown at the orchestra,the audience beyond.
Ethansnags the bullet. He quickly loads the rifle,turns toaim and, to his renewed horror, he sees:
TheWoman and her rifle in the Chinese tower.Worse still,from this position, we see her face for the first time. It'sthe woman. That woman.
Ethan is momentarily stunned.Reluctantly,he aims at the Woman, then the Officer, then back.With only one bullet - andan unthinkable emotional conflict -what can he do? The choice is impossible.
As the music reaches its highest high,Ethan turns on his heels,aims at the Chancellor, and fires as:
TheWoman fires.
Ethan's silences bullet grazes the Chancellor's shoulder. He lurches toone side as the Woman's bullet hits the back of his chair.Shocked, his wife and bodyguards react and rush to his aid,obscuring him.
The aria finisheson stage and the audience erupts into thunderous applause.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 50.
TheWoman tries to see. Is he alive? Ishe dead?
Ethan too.
The Chancellor gets to his feet,perfectly fine.He is rushedfrom the box by his security.
The Officer sees this.He quickly aims hisweapon.
Not at the Chancellor.But at the Woman.
He firesjust as the door bursts open and Benji attacks. The Officer reacts.Shooting wide-
-his bullet strikes thewood just inchesfrom the Woman's head.She reacts, searches for where the shotcame from. Her eyes find Benji grappling with the Officer in the lighting control booth.She aims as:
The Officer gets the better of Benji.They spin suddenly and:
THUNK.A bullet hits the Officer square in the back.
THEWOMAN'S SCOPE P.O.V: The Office drops,revealing Benji'sstunned expression in her cross-hairs.
A single stage light flashes past the Chinese tower.For one instant,Benji sees the Woman and her rifle.He wisely hits the deck and backs out.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 51.
The applaude subsides,the music resumes,frantic, matching the drama backstage.
One Bodyguard tearsopen the Chancellor's sleeve, revealinga flesh-wound. The other getson the radio.
131 (OMITTED) 131
TheWoman turns to leave when she sees Ethan'svague silhouette moving behind the backdrop.She aims,the bright light making the shot difficult.
A bullet pierces in the backdrop, just missing Ethan's head.Then a second shot. He's trappedon the trestle. He sees the Flautist's knife at his feet.He grabs itand leaps into space,stabbing into a black upstage backdrop, gripping the knife with both handsand sliding to the floora la Errol Flynn.
Ethan seesThe Woman's shadow slipping from the base of thetower into the winds. He goes after her.
Policeand Secret Service enter from every exit.
For the firsttime, the audience is aware ofa problem. THEDIRECTOR crosses the orchestra pitand signals the Conductor.Confusion. The music stops.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 52.
TheWoman is making her way down the stepswhen she halts.She hears voices and footsteps comingup. She turns,runs directly into Ethan.
She considers the alternative.
They run.
The Chancellor and his wife are rushed toa waiting armoredSUV by their security detail.
Sirens approaching in the distance.Ethanand the Woman burst througha doorway and onto the roof.
Ethanlooks around, sees three flagpoles jutting over the side of the building.They look down ata fountain on the side of the opera house,surrounded by grassand a low wall. He quickly wraps his necktie around hishand.
She runs after Ethan along the roof.Ethan vaultsdown to the next level.The Woman sits on the ledge,and looks down expectantly at Ethan.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 53.
Ethanlooks down at her high heeled shoes, at theuneven roof.He takes them off and helps her down.
They run,jump and slide down to the edge of the roof. TheWoman grabs the back of Ethan's jacket to stophim from shooting over the edge.
Ethanloops the rope around the center flagpole,slides it outa few feet and tugs. The knot clings to the pole. Ethan jerks the rope harder.The joint holding the pole in place snaps.The pole sags.
Thedoorway opens and THREE POLICE OFFICERSemerge onto the roof.From their vantage, they don'timmediately see Ethanand the Woman. She leaps up, wraps herarms and legsaround Ethan.
And he launches them both over the railing.
They fall likea stone. Thanks to the street performers, noone even notices.
An instant later, two black SUVs roar up the nearbyramp to the parking garage,streaking right past theBMW. FOUR POLICEMOTORCYCLES join as escort. Ethanand the Woman watch the Chancellor go. Safe.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 54.
ANGLE ON: The LEAD SECURITY MAN looks down ata silver briefcase on the floor.He realizes.
An explosion. Not a large one - just a muffled blast with enough force to buckle the doors of theSUV from the inside out.The windows turn opaque.
Ethanand the Woman watch the car slow,veer to one side. A larger secondary explosion, lifts the SUV off the ground,blasting the motorcycle in four different directions.The sidewalk are screaming,running.
TheWoman is as shocked as Ethan. Benji pullsup in a BMW.
He grabs herand pushes her into the back seat of the car.Benji hits the gas and they driveaway, with Ethan and theWoman looking out the back window ata pillar of fire.
Benji sees theWoman, does a double take.
She puts herhands on her head. Ethan frisksher. She stares athim, making him a little uncomfortable.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 55.
He findsa knife on her thigh:
Ethan findsa lipstick, pockets it.
Ethan findsa carbon fiber spike in her hair.Jesus.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 5 6.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 57.
Ethanlooks back, sees a vehicle looming in the rearview mirror. Ethan produces his phone - the photo ofSolomon.
She looks back at the car behind them.
Ethan produces the photo ofSolomon.
Her expression darkens.But before she can answer:
BOOM.Bullets hit the back window - the bulletproof glass holds- men firing from the car behind them.
More bullets. Everyone ducks. Benji brakes,turns as:
Ilsa opens the car doorand jumps out.
Ilsa spills out onto the street ina heap.The BMW speeds away into the night.A BLACK SUV screeches toa halt. TWO GUNMEN jumpfrom the back, shooting at theBMW.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 5 8.
Benji hasno choice but to drive. The shooting stopsand Ethanlooks back as the scene behind him fades.
Lost her again.Dammit.
Ilsa,a complete mess, is pulled to her feetby one of thegunmen.
Coverage of the Chancellor's assassinationonCNN. Hunley staring out thewindow, his back to Brandt.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 5 9.
Ethanand Benji ditch the bullet riddledBMW in the shadowsand walk away.
Ethanand Benji board a small barge ina canal.
Ethan manually bypassesa hidden lock and opensa hatch in the floor-
- and dropsdown into a hidden safe-room in thebow. Vintage IMF - bunks, medical kit, spare equipmentand weapons. Ethan opens a drawer, producesa bag containing:
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 60.
Beat.Benji nods, yes. He's not proud of it.
Ethan clickson the TV with a remote control.Photos of faceswe have seen before in Havana and again with Brandt and Hunley.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 61.
Benji findsa face we know. The Cop from the opera.Benji points at the photo.
Ethan producesa photo of the flautist.
Benji looks at theimage that started the night.Solomon Lane.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 62.
Benji looks at the photos withnew eyes.
(ALT) Out to destroy the system that created them,regardless of who's in theway. And since Hunley shut usdown, they've been escalating unchecked.
Ethan points to the photo ofLane.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 63.
Ethan ismoved. He nods.
Ethan reaches into his pocketand produces the lipstick. Benji picks itup. Fiddles with it fora moment. He turns it upsidedown, twists it and:
A USB connector pops out. The game is afoot.
SolomonLane sits at a table making notes ina small book - a glass of wineand a meal are untouched.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 64.
The door opens.Ilsa is escorted in by one of thegunmen from the car.As soon as Ilsa sees Solomon:
She turnson the gunmen, punches his throat,disables and disarmshim. With a pistol in her hand, she stands over Solomon.He never flinches.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 65.
She tossesa gun on the table, scattering his dinner.
Solomon stares at thegun for a beat. He picks itup, aimsand fires. Ilsa reacts. For an instant,we think she'sbeen shot. Until the gunman she disarmed falls dead.Lane places the gun down on the table as if nothing happened.
Ilsa looks at thedead man on the floor,collects herself.
Solomon's cooldemeanor darkens.
Solomon thinks fora moment. Then:
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 66.
Brandt stands witha panoramic view of the city behind him.Wind roars as a helicopter touchesdown. A MAN climbs out,carrying a duffle bag. REVEAL:
LUTHERSTICKELL, his rough exterior concealinga genuinely gentle disposition.They shout over thesound of the engine.
The helicopter takes off,drowning out their voices as Luther is caughtup.
As the helicopter fades away, Luther's expression hardens.
Luther just stares.Brandt backs off.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 67.
That gives Luther pause.
Lutherchews on this. Finally:
Brandt considers this,nods.
Luther ponders this,then:
Brandt pullstwo folded sheets of paper from his breast pocket.Luther unfolds them to reveal:
Ethan'shand-drawn sketches of Solomonand Ilsa.
TIMECUT:
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 68.
Benji has the lipstickUSB drive plugged intoa computer. As Benji decrypts, images appear on the screen:a schematic ofa strange looking structure- something out of science fiction.
A city by the sea, a tangle of white-washed buildingsand a toweringMosque - the tallest in Africa.
Ethan drives,directed by the GPS.
Ethan brings the car toa stop and they climb out.They find themselveson a sunbaked dirt road,mud-brick walls on the other side,perhaps centuries old.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 69.
It's quiet except fora GOATHERD and his goats meandering by.Ethan and Benji walk, wondering where the hell they are.They come to a door in the old walland something catches Ethan's eye.
A piece of paper tacked to the door.A woman has used it to blot her lipstick,leaving a mark likea kiss.
Ethanknocks. No answer. He reaches for the bolt.The door opens.With an uncertain look from Benji,they enter and walkup a flight of narrow stairs.
They find themselves inan unexpected oasis- a completely modernhome inside, made to match the surrounding village.We notice surf boardsand the associated gear along the wall.
Out back,through the wide open sliding glass,is a long infinity pool,the desert and the mountainsbeyond. Someone isswimming.
Ilsa emergesfrom the cool water, steps out.Dripping wet, she reaches for a towel.
She extendsa hand. Ethan pulls somethingfrom his pocket - holdsup her lipstick.
The lipstick ison a table next to Ethan'sphone, showing the image ofSolomon Lane.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 70.
She holdsup the drive.
Ethanand Benji share a look. The game is afoot.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 71.
Theroom is dark. A projector connected toa laptop beams imageson the far wall. It shows picturesand a blueprint of the massivepower plant.
Benji controls the display viaa tablet, zooming through photographs of the large,modernized facility.Buried deep underneath the plant's saucer-like controlroom is the Skiff (Securecomputer facility).
FLASH- What we see next is a live version of what Benji proposes.These images rush by us as he speaks:
Images of soldiersand military vehiclesaround the compound.
The image of the central computerroom where information is accessed.
Themask machine makes a perfect copy ofTHE AGENT'S face froma photograph. Being Benji's fantasy,he wears the mask, with Ethan helping him put it on.
Benji,disguised as the agent, uses an ID to pass through security,to the main building and:
Into the main reception area.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 72.
The firstlock is a simple key cars to enter thelobby.
The second lock isa thumb print scanner to enter the elevator.
TWO SECURITYGUARDS man the corridor at the farend.
The corridor is curved with three glass partitions.Each partition hasa different lock.
Ina series of jump cuts, Benji in hismask passes through three doors,each one them relyingon a specific combination lock.
Masked Benji enters a secure computer lab.He sits at a terminaland inserts a thumb drive.
ECUon the screen: FILES COPIED
166 (OMITTED) 166
Ethanand Ilsa are waiting. The agent walks in,holds up the drive and peels off his face revealing Benji, triumphant.
Back to Benji in front of theTV. Ilsa points at the images of several security cameras.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 73.
REVEAL:A second corridor at a right anglefrom the security corridor.
Thisone is long and straight, occupied bya large body scanneron a track. It follows disguised Benji ashe walks down the hall towards the computerroom.
The Security Guardsman a computer screen.The screen analyzes Benji'smovements to determinehe is really who he claims to be.
Ona screen somewhere, software analyzes hismove, flashing red.
The gate analysis array fires tasers at disguised Benji, electrocutinghim instantly.
Disguised Benji is grabbed by thetwo guardswho rip off his meltingmask off.
Ethan stares at the info beforehim, thinking.He turns to Ilsa.She enjoys watching someone else wrestle with the problem.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 74.
Ethanand Benji look at each other.
ETHAN/BENJI Electrical conduit.
Long silence.
Benji walks across theroom to the projector.
Ethan turns to Ilsa.She smiles: "now you've got it." Ethan turns to Benji:
Ilsa studies the pair as they work.Benji searches,calls up the blue print of the torus- a water-filled tank shaped like the inside ofa donut, twenty feethigh. The walls are lines with hundreds and hundreds of data drives.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 75.
Benji taps the screen,zooms in.
ILSA/BENJI Yes.
Ethan takesa beat.
Ethan'seye catches something on the torus wall.He motions to it.
Ethan walks behind Ilsa,thinking. Takesa beat.
He points to large pool witha giant, gaping,steel and concrete mouth in the center- a circular waterfall.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 76.
Not to be deterred ...
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 78.
Beat.
Ethan says nothing.
A glass enclosed office overlooking the fully functioning war room.
One screen is tracing flight routes in real timefrom all over the world.Luther sits in the center of theframe, typing furiously.Brandt stands behind him.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 79.
He shakes hishead as if to say: what havewe become?
Screens display security camera footagefrom all over the world, blazing past in the blink of an eye.
Luther motions to the sketches of Ilsa andSolomon.
The sketch of Ilsa isundeniably more forgiving.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 80.
He typesa few keys and a dossier opens.Luther hits a buttonand an image file opens.
As Luther reads:
On the screen,we see Ilsa's face and her file.She's British Intelligence, all right.At least she was.Her image isstamped in bright red letters:
WANTED:TARGET OF OPPORTUNITY
Establishing the fortress-like perimeter around the facility.
Looking straightdown at the power plantfrom high above, two skydivers free-fall pastcamera ...
175 (OMITTED) 175
ECUon a small security camera. A dart hits it.A red lighton the camera dies. Two pairs of feet sail into framefrom above as:
Ethanand Ilsa touchdown, skid on the gravel surfaceand haul in their chutes.
Establishing as Benji pullsup to the security gate ina BMWM3.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15
A wall with 12 monitors, each split into four windows, displaying the feedfrom security cameras all over the plant.
TheDUTY GUARD in military garb, armed witha machine gun,stands, pausing when he notices a single windowon the monitorgo dark.
He makesa note, heads out to greet Benji.
Ethan approachesone of the windows and producesa small, palm sized device. It emitsa high-pitched noisewhen activated.Ilsa covers her ears.
Ethan holds the device in hispalm, placing iton the glass.The device fires a shockwave of energy and:
Thewindow is pulverized into sand, revealinga gantry just ten feetbelow. This is suspended 100 feet off the floorof the power plant.
Benjihands the officer an ID with his pictureon it. The guard swipes it aswe:
Focuson the BMW's GPS display. Benji pressesan icon on the screen.A readout displays the car's ability to hijack the card reader.
A moment later, Benji is cleared and waved through as:
Ilsa slips through the shattered window and onto the gantry below.
Ethan turnsback, aims a small remote at the security camera.Click.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 82.
The guard comesback in, about to address that glitchy monitor when it comes back on, showing the rooftop, empty.
183 (OMITTED) 183
Arc welders, angle grinders, sparks and atmosphere,the deafeninghum of generators.
Ethanand Ilsa scale down to a lower portion of the gantry where they are hiddenfrom the floorbelow.
Ilsa patches in the laptop asEthan strips off hisjump suit to reveala wet-suit underneath. He slipson a pair of fingerlessgloves - the right one bearinga timer and 02 meter.
When he inhales deeply, the 02 meter rises swiftly,then slowly falls.
The same informationshows up on Ilsa's laptop.
Ethan sets his timer for three minutes.Ilsa synchronizes a timeron her laptop.
Ethanremoves a hard drive from his overalls.He stuffs it ina pocket on one leg of his wet-suit.In the opposite pockethe checks for a special folding toolmade ofcarbon fiber.
Ilsa opensa laptop and goes to work patching intoan electrical main.The laptop screen comes alive:
INTAKEVALVE CONTROL - 80%
A graphic demonstrates animated water pouring intoa circular intake as well asa graphic showing the torus- it's mechanicalarms periodically moving.
Another display indicates:
<SERVICE HATCH:SECURE>
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 83.
Lutherand Brandt drive. Luther has a computeron his lap.He is checking the security cameras of every hotel in Morocco.So far, nothing ...
186 (OMITTED) 186
The gantry slowly moves as:
188 (OMITTED) 188
Benji enters thelobby via a revolving doorand moves to the first layer of security.
Henods to a SECURITY GUARD behind the reception deskand walks to a small gate. He flashes his IDand waves it overa sensor on the gate.
ECUon the ID itself. We notice a wire attached to the card,running up Benji's sleeve.
A green light flashes and Benji is allowed to enter.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 84.
He makes hisway to the elevator at theend of the lobby and presses histhumb on the sensor there.
ECUon Benji's thumb and a small wire protrudingfrom under the false flash there,also runningup his sleeve.
Ethan ignores this,swallowing air as hedoes so, his blood02 rising. He looks down at the intake,inhaling tens ofthousands of gallons of water every second. Merciless.
The elevator opens.Benji enters.
I.E.Shut the fuck up, Benji.
Ethan is still inhaling,trying to shut out the noise.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 85.
Ethannods, keeps breathing. Ilsa tapsa few more keys and:
The gantry stops.A section of the flooropens, revealing the intake,one hundred feet below - a giant,gaping, steel and concrete mouth,inhaling thousands of gallons of seawater every second.
The gantry is passing over it as thehuge floor sections slideaway. Ethan breathes deeply, in and out, oxygenating his blood.
He presses the buttonon his watch and sets it to three minutes.
A clock on Ilsa's tablet reads three minutes as well.She can also see Ethan's heart rateand his blood's02 levels.
Ethannods, turns to leave. Ilsa grabs hisarm, stops him.She cannot hide her anxiety anymore.Ethan nods to her reassuringly and goes.
Ethan climbsup onto the railing and jumps.He plummets awayfrom the camera, entering the roaring intake feet firstand:
The sound of the roaring intake facility is replaced bya constant,muffled thunder. We're lookingup at a curtain of violently churning white.A blue lightand a crystallin particles sterilize the water.
Ethan plunges through it,sinking rapidly.
PANWITH HIM as he streaks past, sucked intoa large steel mesh tunneland the blue light beyond.The clock on hishand counts down:
2:51
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 86.
Ilsa's clock corresponds.Ethan's heart rate returns to normal.
Quieternow. Ethan descends feet first,pinching his nose to clear his ears.He looks down at his clock.
2:45
Other than this,he remains perfectly still to conserve oxygen.
Ilsa checks Ethan's vitals,the clock ...
2:30
Ethan arrives at:
The current whips Ethan around likea sock ina washing machine. He finally manages to grab a hold of the side. The current pinshim. Meanwhile:
Ilsa looksdown at her watch, taps controlson her laptop.After a few seconds, the display is in her control.
<REBOOT>appears on screen. She presses it.
The display shutsdown and reboots, as expected.
Not unlike the controlroom in a nuclearpower plant: A large, brightly lit room with a circular console in the middle manned by SIX TECHNICIANS in white overalls.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 87.
The walls are covered floor-to-ceiling with analogueand digital gauges,colored lights and monitor screens.Every functionof the facility is monitored here.
A single red light comes on. This causesa chain reaction.Several more red lights flash.All six technicianslook up from their work.While they are not immediately alarmed,they are not dismissive.
Technician2 shrugs.
Theygo back to their work.
Benji emergesfrom the elevator into the security corridor.
Hemoves to the first combination dial lock.
Using hisbody to block the dial from view,Benji fixes a small device in the center of the dial.
The device transmitsan X-ray image of the lock itself. Benji can see the tumblers in the lockon his without even looking at thenumbers.
Complete silence,eerie blue light. Particles in the water betray the gentle, circular current while giving the impression of being insidea giant snow globe.
Hard drives line the walls,containing hundreds of numbered drives.Ethan drifts with the slowing current, conserving 02,looking for 108. He has tobe careful to avoid:
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 88.
Thetwo robotic arms - one high and one low- moving elegantly through thespace in their never-ending process of maintenance.
Ethan notes the service hatch.His way out.His eyes track the driveson the wall, 98, 99 ...
Up aheadhe sees 108. He grabs hold and takes the tool from his pocket.
Movement out of the corner of his eyes.He ducks as the higharm whips past, just missing his head.
2:01and counting down. At 2 minutes thenumbers on his watch turn from green to yellow.
Ilsa notes Ethan's heart-rate increasing.
Benji arrives at thesecond combination lock.He attaches the deviceand goes to work as the first.
ETHAN'SWATCH: 1:31 and dropping. Heart rate increasing.
Ethanremoves the cover. He pulls out the drive,puts it between his teeth and pulls out the replacement drive.He holds itup as:
The low armcomes up behind him and knocks intohim on itsway past, taking him with it. The tool sinks to the bottom.Shit.
Benji approaches the finalcombination lock.His moves are familiar tous now as he gets to work.
205 (OMITTED) 205
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 89.
Ilsa notes Ethan's heart-rate spiking sharply.The noise of rushing water below confirm what the screen is telling her:
INTAKEREBOOTING
1:00
The display reads:
<SERVICE HATCH:SECURE>
The mouth of the intakesubmerges completely.Water rushes in.
ONECONTINUOUS TAKE:
Thenumbers on Ethan's watch are red.Ethan swims down, noticing thespeed of the particles in the water around him is increasing ...
He notices he's drifting along the bottom,gaining speed.
He grips the bottom of the torusand crawls to thetwo drives,grabs one, but as he reaches for thesecond it is caught by the currentand swept away.
Ethan is carried with the current,chasing the drive.He struggles to reach the drive as it floatsjust out of reach.Finally he grabs it.
He floats past the hatch and,once again,arrives at Slot 108,overshoots it.
He grabshold and slams into the side of the torus.He uses the other slots like rungson a latter to pull himselftowards 108. It takes tremendous effort.
Ethan arrives at108, looks at the two identical drives in hishand. He looks at his watch.
0:10
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 90.
- then over at the service hatch,hisway out for the drives in his teeth.
He looksback at the two identical drives in hishand.
His air is out.He puts one drive in, notknowing whether it is the right one.
0:00
The hatch light turnsfrom red to blue.
Ethan starts to pass out ashe is sweptaway toward the service hatch,coming up fast. He reaches for the lever, misses. He manages to grab hold of one of the spikeson the wall.
Benji arrives at the last security barrier:gate analysis.Here, the corridor turns right toa long, straight corridor- the computer lab at the farend.
He pressesa button and glass doors open.At the same time,the gate analysis array slides towardhim on a track.Benji's eyes lock on the tazersmounted on both sides of the array- ready to shock him.
He steps inside to an uncertain fate.
On Ilsa's display:
SERVICEHATCH: SECURE
Thecomputer reboots. The display restored.The humming of the generators decreases.
The clock reads9 ... 8 ... 7 ... 6 ...
Heart rate pounding.
A technician notices on a security camera:
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 91.
Technician3 hits a button.
212 :INT.TORUS 212
Ethan manages to grab the service hatch lever.Hisface shows the strain.He is completely out of air.
He heaves the lever into position but beforehecan give it the final twists ...He blacks out.Hishands slip from the lever andhe is carried away ...
213 (OMITTED) 213
The intake remainssubmerged, sucking in water.
But the giant floor begins to close.TILTUP TO REVEAL:
Ilsa,directly over the hole sees the floor is closing. No time to consider her nextmove.
She jumps,falling toward an ever narrowinggap of steel and concrete.She drops into the gap with inches to spare.The floor slams shut.
That curtain of violently churning white.The blue light. Ilsa plunges through it,sinking rapidly.
She rockets pastand is-
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 92.
218 :INT.TORUS 218
- shot into the torus likea bullet. She sees Ethan's body orbiting around the center pedestal.Sheswims with the current,trying to catch him.
Her faceshows the strain already, this exertion consuming oxygen rapidly.
She grabs Ethan's motionless,heavy form and wraps her legsaround his waist, keeping her hands free.
With no mask, she has to feel blindly for the service hatch.She has to hope.
CLOSEON: The extended service hatch handle.Ethan and Ilsa whip past,her hand missing by several feet.
CLOSEON: Ilsa's hand, camera following it,the handle comingup fast in the background. Her fingers find it, but her grip misses.
CLOSEON: Ilsa's face, frustration turning to panic.
CLOSEON: Ilsa's hand, camera leading it,fingertips skimming along the outer wall of the torus past drive after drive.Milk it. Then:
Herhand finds the lever. She grabs it.Her eyes roll ... She's blacking out.
Herbody and Ethan's are slammed against the wall of the torus.Her legs strain to hold on to Ethan.With both handsshe pulls them both in front of the hatch and turns.
Herbody goes limp and her legs release Ethan as:
The hatch blows.An instantaneous implosion of air engulfsthem before the pressure of the water blowsthem both out.
A long, interminable silence, giving way toa high pitch whine, like a ringing in your ears, growing louder ... And then:
ZZZZ-THUNK
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 93.
Ethan'seyes spring open. He gasps, coughs,gags.
The first thinghe sees is Ilsa, wet, shivering,slightly blue.Her trembling hands told a defibrillator- charging in caseshe has to hit him again.
When Ethan inhales a second time, she sits back, relieved.She puts down the defibrillatorand looks down at Ethan.He puts his hand to her face.
Benji runsdown the stairs.
He suddenly sees Ethanand stops.
Benji takes in the scene- the defibrillator, Ilsa soaking wetand shivering. He realizes,pulls her clothes from the bag.As she takes them:
Ilsa nods,turns her back to change.Benji steps in and takes her place beside Ethan.
Benji holdsup the drive.
As she pullson her dress, Ilsa looks over her shoulder and eyes the disc.Ethan tries to speak:
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 94.
Benji tries to laugh.Ethan tries to say something but can't. Benji's smile givesway to sincerity.
Ethan'seyes widen as:
ZZZZ-THUNK- Ilsa shocks Benji with the defibrillator, stunninghim. She grabs the drive. Ethan tries to grab it,but he can't get up.
She exits.
TIMECUT:
Ethan staggers to his feet.Benji is coming to-
Ilsa emerges througha doorway. Runs to Ethan'sBMW, and tries toopen the door - it's locked and she can'topen it.The hand recognition system does not allow her access.
She issuddenly aware of a man in biker leather approaching her.
She looks around.Another biker steps up,closing off her access.
She follows theLEAD MAN out.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 95.
Ethanemerges from a doorway, having pulledon a change of clothes.She's gone. Benji emerges behindhim. Ethan rushes toa waiting BMW, opens it.
Ethanmoves to get in the car. Benji stopshim.
Ethan gets in behind the wheel.Benji sighsand gets into the passenger seat.
TIMECUT: as the BMW speeds way, bumping the parked car behind as they go.
BEATLATER: Ilsa, now changed into biker leathers,zips up her boots asshe glances at the bikerssurrounding her.
The riders watch her asshe gets on her bike,putting on her helmetand gloves.
The bikers start revving their bikes. Ilsa makes her decision.She guns the throttle and speedstowards the bikers,turning 180 degrees taking out the bikes,and takes off.
The walls arebone white, the streets are cobblestone. There is nota soul in sight.
Ethanand Benji in the BMW drive up a narrow street,they see Ilsa riding straight towardsthem.
Ilsa spins the bike one-eighty degreesand headsback the way she came, chased by the BMW.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 96.
The streets arenarrow, but not narrow enough.Ilsa isn't going toshake Ethan in this environment.
Ilsa turnsa sharp left corner. The BMW driftsround the corner,chasing towards ...
Ilsa emergesfrom the medina and turnsdown a long set of stairs.Ethan rounds the same corner, driftingdown the stairs almostsideways.
The stairs slopedown gradually toward the busy inner city of Casablanca's marker:Jewish Quarter.
Lutherand Brandt are driving through Casablanca,looking forEthan - a needle in a haystack.
Lutherand Brandt bicker.
Suddenly Brandtslams on his brakes as Ilsa streaks past him out ofan alley, followed by Ethanand Benji in the BMW.
Ethanmakes eyes contact with Brandt before gunning the engineand chasing after Ilsa.
Brandt tries give chase,as another six bikes streak round the Land Rover,slowing them down.
The difficulty in turning around is hopeless.They are out of the fight before they even start.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 97.
226 (OMITTED) 226
Ilsaon a straightaway, the BMW chasing Ilsa. All six bikers chasing behind theBMW.
Ilsa looks back,flips down her visor andguns it.
One biker overtakes theBMW, slipping in between theBMW and Ilsa and rises hisgun - has a beadon her.
Ethan acceleratesand clips the back wheel of the biker chasing Ilsa,wiping him out. Now there are five Bikers chasing theBMW. Ethan closes the distance rapidly.
228 (OMITTED) 228
TheFIVE BIKERS chasing Ethan draw theirguns and immediately open fire.
KAKAKAKA.The back window explodes from small-arms fire. Ethanlooks at his wing mirror in time to see it explode. Heducks as the bullets fly past, hitting his headrest. The main rear-view mirror explodes.Benji covers his head.
Ethan hasno choice. He evades, turns downa side street. Two bikes carryon forward chasing Ilsa.Three bikes turn the corner,chasing Ethan and Benji in theBMW.
The speed picksup and the turns are more aggressive.
Ethan hitsa button on the dash and theGPS switches to REAR-VIEWCAMERA.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 98.
The three bikers chasinghim try to geta bead, but Ethan is too slippery.As long as he keeps movingand turning, his pursuershave to keep both hands busy while driving.
A tight space - just enough room for incoming cars to move past. Ethan is going like hell - no more mirrors to seehow close his attackers may be.
Up ahead,Ethan sees a garbage truck coming,taking up most of they alley, laying on the horn.
PROXIMITYWARNING on the display. The bikes are approachingon either side of the car -two on his left, oneon his right. Ethan gauges the proximity warningon his screenand the oncoming truck.
He slamson the breaks and cranks the wheel.
TheBMW spins count clockwise. The fronttwo bikes are instantly crushed against the alley wallsby Ethan's bumpers.One rider ends up on Ethan's hood.He aims to shoot at Ethanand Benji as:
The truck hits the spinningBMW's right fenderand
The carsnaps into full reverse. The Rideron Ethan's hood isthrown off and into the alley wall.
One Bike remains,accelerating, leveling hisweapon. Ethan is driving in reverse.He tries to hit the breaks, but they'regone. With no other choice,he keeps the BMW in reverseand punches it.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 99.
The rider opens fire.Benji hits the deck.Ethan's windshield spiderwebs and turns opaque.He ducks behind the dash.
TheBMW is going full-bore, in reverse,bashing through a guard-railand over a steep embankment.We're airborne foran agonizing long time before:
IMPACT.The BMW slams down to earth squarelyon its rear bumper.
With Ethan and Benji as the BMW flips end over end.
Benji is out cold.Already not in the peakform before the chance,Ethan struggles to pull himselffrom the overturned and utterly wrecked car.The sound ofan approaching motorcyclerenews his focus.He tries to move faster,but he's trapped. As he struggles:
Ethan'sP.O.V. A low angle, upside down.Ethan sees the motorcycle come to a stop. He sees the rider's boots as he dismounts,walking this way. The riderdraws his weapon. The sound of Ethan's doom.
Thena screeching of tires.
The rider turnsand is hit by a car - his boots flying out offrame. The sound of two car doorsopening. The sight oftwo pairs of feet approaching.
Brandt kneelsdown, sticking his head in thewindow.
Ethan unclips his seatbelt and climbs out of the back. Brandt helpshim out. Ethan emerges from the car,shaken, dazed.
Brandt and Luther rush round the car to help Benji,who can'tundo his belt.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 100.
Ethanlooks up to see Ilsa race down the streetfrom the Jewish Quarter,chased by two Bikers.
He grabs his sunglasses, still intact after crash and heads for the bike.
Meanwhile, Brandt pulls out a knife, and tries to cut Benji's seatbelt.
New tension.The sound of police sirens approaching.
The sound ofa motorcycle revving. Brandt and Luther turn in time to see Ethan racingaway on thedead man's bike.
Brandt drops the knifeand they turn for the car.
Benji seesthem take off.
240 (OMITTED) 240
Ilsa merges onto theopen highway, medium traffic.She is still being followedby the two bikes.
She throttles fasternow, speeds exceeding100 mph.
Ilsa and hertwo pursuers whiz past as:
Enter Ethan,gunning the bike up the highway in fast pursuit.
Ilsa looks in her rearview mirror to see Ethan behind the two riders.She shakes her head. Theseguys just don't stop.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 101.
One rider notices Ethan in his mirror.He signals to his partner."We have company."
The second Ridernods, grabs his pistoland slows down to allow Ethan to catch up.
Ethan atmax speed, catching up, threading the needle through slower cars,trucks.
NEWHIGHWAY ACTION - Ilsa causes accident,one biker crashesand Ethan avoids.
Two 18 wheelersapproach, side-by-side.Ethan passes betweenthem with inches to spare.
He fallsin just behind the last bike just as Ilsa banks hard, just makingan off-ramp - the last biker makes the turn with ease.
Ethan cuts offa speeding car and makes it bya hair.
Down to justtwo lanes. The road here is windy, treacherous,a steep drop down one side.
The countryside is red and rocky,punctuated by ancient mud-brick villages.
Only the occasional car passes,but on these roads, that'smore than enough. Cars tend to straddle the line on thenarrow turns, appearing without warningfrom arounda sudden turn.
Ethan catchesup to the rear bike. They are side-by-side as they lean intoa turn. Ethan's on the inside,just inchesfrom the rider beside him.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 102.
Ethan brings his bike upright,nudging the biker beside him.At this speed, it's all you need.
The last biker wobbles,struggles to regain control.He hitsa guardrail at 80 MPH. The biker slams intoa stone wall.
His bike explodeson impact.
Now it's just Ethanand Ilsa. But she's gained separation
The road opensup. She pours on the speed.On his own turns,Ethan follows.
CLOSEON: Ethan, his face rippling in the wind high.
Just Ethannow. He pushes the bike as hard ashe dares, going as fast ashe can.
ETHAN'SP.O.V. the rocks and trees blurring intoswaths of red and green.The road seems to vibrate.We expect to see Ilsa any second.What he doesn't expect ...
He leans intoa curve to find:
An oncoming truck, straddling the line in the road.Ethan reacts.Breaks, turns, too hard. He dumps the bikeand winds up sliding on his back, feet first- a human bullet.The bike hits debris in the road and suddenly flipsup in the air, cart-wheeling violently, disintegrating as it spins,kicking up dust.Ethan slides into the cloud of debrisa beat later and vanishesfrom view.We go after him, into the cloud, flying blind.
Silence.
The smoke clearsslowly, painfully. Ethan emerges, battered and staggering.He wipes the dustfrom his eyes in time to see Ilsa driving past,heading back theway shecame. She flips up her visor andwe see the relief in her eyes.He is alive. And he's finished.
She flipsback her visor and accelerates.Gone. Ethan flopsback in the dirt, wasted.
After a moment, a car drives past, stops,backs up. The back door opensand Solomon Lane climbs out,followed by TWOMEN. Lane approaches Ethan, crouchesdown to come closer.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 103.
Ethan tries to sit up.Lane pushes him backdown gently.
Lanekeeps his hand on Ethan's chest.
Lane walksaway, looks down the road in the direction Ilsa left.Ethan sits up painfully.
Lane crouches at Ethan's feet.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 104.
As Ethan processes.
He turnsand walks away. His men follow.
A beat-up truck pulls up and stops. Ethan painfully and slowly climbsfrom the passenger seat.A small wave to say thanks.
A place with some character, local color,a little live music.
Ethan sits ata table and stares into space.A half drunk beer in hishand.
THROUGHTHE DOOR BEHIND HIM: A familiar vehicle pullsup outside.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 105.
Lutherand Brandt walk in, see Ethan and sit at the table.Ethan looks at Luther. The two old friendsshare a bittersweet smile.
Luther looksaround, leans in to Ethan.
Establishing America's local patch of turf.
A large reception area has been converted intoa CIA field office.Large monitors show real-time satellite surveillance.There are even TWO DRONEPILOTS at work.
In the center of thishive is Hunley,papers in one hand, aphone in the other. He hands up as Brandtand Luther escorta handcuffed Ethan into the room.
CLOSEUP on hand-cuffs, Ethan drops down intoa chair and we see that it is Ethan who is in cuffs.Luther and Brandt'shands guide Ethan into his chair.They move off to the side,clearly embarrassed at theawkwardness of the situation.
Hunley saunters all theway down the very long corridor.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 106.
Ethanmoves to speak, but Hunley is quicker:
Heopens a manila file and holds up a piece of paper. Ilsa'simage, along with the words:
WANTED:TARGET OF OPPORTUNITY
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 107.
Hunley holdsup another piece of paper.A photograph of Ethan'spyramid of evidence appears.Evidence collected in placesHunley is listing ...
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 108.
Hunley turnsaway and addresses the two Agents.
As Hunley walks away:
Hunley pauses fora step, then keeps walking.
As Ethan is taken away, he sees Brandt and Luther standing off to the side.All threeman make eye contact. Ethan's expression is stone.Then he'sgone.
As Brandt and Luther walk away:
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 110.
Ethan,Brandt, Hunley, Luther. An awkward silence.
The Agents ride in bored silence.The driver periodically glances in the mirror at Hunley'sSUV behind them.
Hunley exits the buildingand comes down the front steps. Confused?So is he. He turns to a MARINE.
The Marine looks atHunley, perplexed.
Looking through theheads of the four Agentsand the window behind them: We can see Hunley's SUV makea sharp turnand vanishes down a side street.
A beat later, the Driver looks back, doesa double take. He hits the brakes.
Luther turns toHunley and nods. Hunley grabsa hold of his chinand pulls, tearing off his face.REVEAL:
Benji.
Benji pulls off voice control patchon his throat.
They drive in silence fora few moments.
Benji pulls the cord to deflate his suit.He starts to laugh.Brandt looks across at him and starts to laugh. Luther joins in,breaking the mood. Ethan smiles.
The laugh subsides.Luther tips his hat at Ethan.Ethan looks to Benji.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 111.
Benji holdsup the drive.
He nods.Brandt hands the handcuff key through the glass to Ethan.
Ethandeep in thought. We go to:
Ilsa walks past BigBen and along the embankment.A man sitson a bench looking at the Houses of Parliament, waiting. He's well dressed, a newspaperby his side. He nods politely.We recognize his face. He's theGREY- HAIREDMAN from the opera.
Hisname is ATTLEE. To you, anyway. Ilsa sits besidehim. She places the hard drive containing the ledgeron the newspaper and holds it over.
Attlee is silent.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 112.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 113.
Grim pause.
Ilsa stands,turns to walk away. His voice stops her:
Ilsa turnsback, glares at him.
He looksdown at the drive on the newspaper.She walks back,picks it up, thrusts it in her pocket.
Ilsa turnsand walks away. Attlee waitsa beat before unfolding the paper yet again,revealinga cell-phone there.The screen shows the outline of the drive Ilsa laidon the paper. The screen reads:
COPYCOMPLETE
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 114.
Attlee collects the phone and the paper,a satisfied look on his face.
264 (OMITTED) 264
Long forgotten,grass overgrown, any potential mourners have since passed. Ilsa walksdown the center drive,the main road far behind her, hands in her pocket.Up ahead, a car is parked,waiting ...
The dooropens and one of Lane's goons climbs out.A beat later,Lane emerges, then Vinter. Anxious pause.
Lane extendsa hand. She pulls a hands from her left coat pocketand produces the drive. Lane takes it.
Hehands it to his goon. The goon placesa laptop on the hood of the car,plugs in the drive and entersa few keys.Meanwhile, Lane motions for her to walk.
Lane doesn't answer.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 115.
She glances at Vinter.
Lane smiles.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 116.
Vinter approaches, whispers something in Lane's ear, handinghim the disc. Lane turns to Ilsa,his expression darkening.He sighs.
Laneand Vinter exchange a grim look. Then they look back at Ilsa.
She pullsa pistol a pistol from her right coat pocket, but Vinter is faster.He grabs her wristand disarms her, holding her fast.
A dimly-lit room in a third floor walk-up,heavy curtains over windows.
Luther's tablet layson the table, actively searching for Ilsa.Luther and Benji are huddled overa laptop puzzling over the drive stolenfrom the torus.Brandt and Ethan are sorting throughIMF-issue gear.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 117.
Ethan sitsdown, deep in thought. As he calculates:
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 118.
The realization hits theteam. After a beat.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 119.
Luther's tabletchimes. He glances at it.
A crowd of COMMUTERS file in and out ofa door leading to the platform.Focus on one in particular:
Ilsa ison the move, walking through thecrowd. Just as she passesa small cafe, she stops when she sees:
Ethan'sface in the crowd about twenty feetaway - the only facelooking directly at her. She looks behind her and sees Benji's face.
Twonew faces are staring at her. To the left is Brandt ata news stand, to her right, Luther ata pay phone.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 120.
Ilsa issurrounded, she sidesteps to the cafe and sits at a table withtwo chairs. Ethan approaches, sits opposite to her.
At a distance, the team watches them stare at one another fora moment. (Note: Ethan can hear them,Ilsa cannot.)
Luther studies theway Ethan looks at her.
ON ILSAAND ETHAN
They sharea slight smile, then:
Only Ethan can hear:
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 121.
FLASH- In her mind, Ilsa sees Attlee on the bench by the river,the disk on his newspaper. She picks itup and leaves. Attlee unfolds the paperand reveals hisphone underneath.The screen reads:
FILESDELETED
BACKON ILSA, containing her rage, humiliation.
Beat.Ethan realizes.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 122.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 123.
Ethan glances at theTRAVELERS walking past,on their way to ordinary lives.The look on Ethan's facesays he's almost tempted.But then:
What hope she had for him slips away.
Ilsa placesa phone on the table, slides it across.
A crackling noise and a piercing electronic squeal in Ethan's ear.
ANGLE ON the pay phone. Luther hears it,too.
ANGLE ON the newsstand. Brandt hears it,too.
ANGLE ON Benji. Where is Benji?
Ethan ison his feet in a flash. The phone rings.Ethan grabs it,running to the spot where Benji was justa moment ago. He answers the phone.
Thephone beeps. Ethan looks at it. To his horrorhe sees someone's directPOV, much like the contact lens in Vienna. He sees Benji, unconscious, abag being thrown over hishead as he is dragged away.
Ethanand Brandt run for the escalator.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 124.
Luthermoves through the crowd towards Ilsa.She sits still,looking right at him. He loses sight of her for only an instant.But in that instant, she vanishes.
Meanwhile, as Ethan runs, he watches on thephone as Benji isdragged toward a van, thrown inside.
THEPOV moves to the passenger-side door,calmly climbs inand adjusts the mirror TO REVEAL:
Vinter, winking directly at himself and thus Ethan.He puts the van in drive.Ethan runs faster.
Ethanand Brandt emerge just as the van Ethansaw on the phone roars past,down a long tunnel and out of sight. Benji isgone. A moment later, Luther rushesup from behind.
Thephone rings again. Ethan answers.
Laneon the other end of the phone. He facesa televisionon mute, watching a press conference in frontof 10 Downing street - our firstglimpse of thePRIME MINISTER OF GREAT BRITAIN.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 125.
Ethan is thinking ...
Lane clicks off the phone.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 126.
Ethan walksaway. Luther and Brandt sharean uncertain look before Luther follows,leaving Brandt to contemplate the horrible direction this isheaded.
A private jet streaks westward.
TWOCIA AGENTS sit at the back of the plane.Hunley is seated near the gallery,looking out thewindow, contemplating hisnext move. He thumbsa tablet, swiping images collected by Ethan- the map, the photos ofdead agents,a sketch of Ilsa.
The satellite phone rings.The 1st agent answersand brings thephone to Hunley.
1ST AGENT William Brandt, sit. He says it's urgent.
Hunley sets aside the tablet,snatches the phone.He thinks fora beat as to how he wants to play it.
Hunley covers the phone,turns to the agent-
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 127.
CLICK.
Luther checks out theequipment as Ethan pores over the plans ofBlenheim on the computer. Lutherlooks up as Brandt walks across theroom to his packed bags.
He grabs hisbags and turns to leave.
Brandt starts to walk out.Ethan stopshim.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 128.
Brandt walks out.Luther watches him, concerned.
Benji hasa hood ripped from his head to find himself seated ina chair, in a hotel room witha sweeping view ofdowntown London.
Beforehim stands LANE, to his side,Vinter. As Benji glares:
Lane smiles,leans in to Benji:
Vinter picks up an explosive vest and walksover to Benji.
Establishing the grand residence,open thisevening for a charity auction.Cars deposit ATTENDEES at the base of the grand stairway leading to the entrance.
PHOTOGRAPHERS areon hand to take pictures.Shades of Vienna.
One of these deliversHunley, emerging from the vehicle with TWO CIA MEN. Hunley nods to hismen. They step forwardand pat Brandt down, going so faras to check his eyes,ears, pulling his face.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 129.
Brandtnods to an arriving motorcade, complete with police escortand armored SUVs. A HANDSOMECOUPLE emerges andPHOTOGRAPHERS press forward to take pictures.As they headup the palace stairs:
Just then,over Brandt's shoulder, Hunley spiesa familiarface emerging from a limo and walkingup the steps:ATTLEE.
Attlee is almost at the door when:
Attlee turns, surprised to find Hunley.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 130.
Off Attlee'salarmed expression:
Brandt watches helplessly asHunley spills the beans to Attlee - both of them glancing thisway.
An auction is underway. The Prime Minister is in the audience, sitting with his wife.A BODYGUARD approaches, whispers in his ear.
ThePM looks at the bodyguard, confused,then concerned. He whisperssomething to his wife and excuses himself.
ThePM, escorted by two bodyguards, finds Attlee waiting at thedoor to a stateroom.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 131.
Heopens the door to a stateroom, revealingHunley and Brandt inside.As the PM steps in:
Attlee steps in and slams the door:
ThePrime Minister sits while Brandt, Hunley and Attlee stand.
ThePM looks to Attlee who clears his throat.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 132.
ThePM's expression changes when he hears the words"red box."His gaze shifts to Attlee and remains there as:
The word "Syndicate" strikesa cord with thePM. His eyes shift back to Brandt. Attlee is visibly nervous.
Hunley senses the shift in theroom immediately.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 133.
Hunley is confused.
Attlee struggles for a response.
Hunley can't believe his ears.He looks at Brandt as:
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 134.
ThePrime Minister moves to the door. Hunley stopshim.
CLACK.The PM recoils, slumps in his seat.Hunley turns to find Attlee witha pistol in his hand,swinging it from thePM to Hunley and Brandt before they can react.
Then Attlee reachesunder his collar of his shirtand rips off hisface to reveal:
Ethan.As he peels the voice synthesizerfrom his neck, Hunley grasps for words,managing finally to find:
Ethan pulls off the voice patch and motions toHunley with the pistol.
Ethannods at Brandt. He moves for thePM and checks his pulse.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 135.
Brandt stands asEthan pulls out a hand scanner.Brandt looks into thePrime Minister's right eye.
Ethan pulls outa cell phone and dials.
A cell phone rings and Luther answers.
Luther plugs the disc stolenfrom the torus intoa laptop.On screen, a graphic appears:
1)RETINAL SCAN
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 136.
A limo pulls up and a familiar face emerges. Attlee. The real Attlee.He addresses A BODYGUARD posted by the stairs.
Brandtremoves small dart from the Prime Minister'sneck, checks his pulse.
Brandt holdsopen the PM's eye-lid and holdsa hand-held scanner to it.The PM's eye rolls, dazed.
The scanner in Brandt'shand flashes across thePM's eye and transmits:
The real-timeimage of the PM's eye to Luther computer screen which reads:
1)RETINAL SCAN: CONFIRMED
Attlee heads toward the stateroom corridor.
Luther's screen reads:
2)BIOMETRIC SCAN:
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 137.
Brandt places thePM's hand on a second scanner.
Luthercomputer screen reads a series of points, including fingerprints,body temperature,electrical impulseand stress levels. The screen reads:
1)RETINAL SCAN: CONFIRMED
2)BIOMETRIC SCAN: CONFIRMED
3)PASS-PHRASE:
KIPLING
Ethan tosses thephone to Brandt who holds thephone up to thePrime Minister's face.
1)RETINAL SCAN: CONFIRMED
2)BIOMETRIC SCAN: CONFIRMED
3)PASS-PHRASE: CONFIRMED
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 138.
The screen flashes,Attlee appears on the screen.He talks tocamera.
294 (OMITTED) 294
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 139.
Attlee arrives at the stateroom door,much to the confusion of thetwo bodyguards who've already seenhim go in.They share a look.
Attlee and the Bodyguards burst in through the double doorsand, only to find Hunley standing overa semi- consciousPrime Minister.
Both bodyguardsfrom the hall rush in past Attleeand towardHunley and the PM. Ethan and Brandt stepfrom behind theopen doors.
CLACK,CLACK. Both bodyguards go down without ever seeing Ethan. Attlee turns to face Ethan.
CLACK. Attlee goesdown, too.
ATTLEE'S P.O.V. looking up at Ethan,Brandt and Hunley.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 140.
Ethan stands,faces Hunley as:
Ethan offers thegun to Hunley.
Hunley looks to thePM.
Hunley turnsback and takes the gun.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 141.
A cell phone rings. Solomon Lane checks his watch and answers.
Ethanand Brandt hurry down the front steps.
A car carrying Ethan and Brandt screeches toa halt by:
Luther,standing by a white van. On theopen tailgate is a laptop computer.We glimpse the materials in the back of the truck,but can't be entirely sure what they are. Ethanmoves to open the laptop. Luther placesa hand on it.
Lutherand Brandt share a concerned look.
4TH GOLDENROD 23 MARCH '15 142.
Luther steps back,taking his hand off the computer. Ethanopens the laptop. On the screen:bank accounts, each containing tensand even hundreds of millions.
PUSHIN ON ETHAN, intently staring at the screen- the bluesand whites of raw streaming data transmorphing-
ETHAN pulls out the diskand drills a hole in it, destroying the data.
Sweeping overhead shot of the city,past the iconic landmark,finding:
A restaurant on the waterfront alongside theTower of London.Tower Bridge looms in the background. PEDESTRIANS are everywhere. It's not the placewe expected to meet.
Ethan stops,noting the few FACES IN THECROWD looking at him -some we recognize.
They areLANE'S GOONS - Vinter, Saif and three others- all keepinga distance. Off. Then he sees:
Benji,motionless, eyes front, a closed laptopon the table in frontof him, along with two glasses of wine. Next tohim sits Ilsa: also perfectly still.
Ethan approachesslowly, and as comes closerhe can see the beads ofsweat on Benji's forehead,the neutral look on Ilsa's face.Eerie. Benji looks up:
Ethan seesan earpiece in Benji's ear.
ECUon Benji's eye - a contact lens like theone the assassin wore at the opera.
Then Ethan sees it- a small light flashingunder Benji's coat.Ethan reaches over.
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Ethan gently pulls it open.REVEAL: Benji is wearingan explosive vest.A lighted keypad sits smack in the middle of Benji's chest.The timer is tickingdown.
Lane sits beforea monitor, watching Ethan.
Ethanlooks down at Ilsa's hands in her lap,sees the pistol there.
Ethan looks at thePEDESTRIANS and DINERS all around them.Innocent victims ...
Ethan sitsdown opposite Benji.
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Closeon Lane, Ethan's words hitting home.The timer continues countingdown ...
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Ethan producesa pen, starts writing ona napkin.
With an assuring glance to Ilsa, he finishes writingand holdsup the napkin to Benji's confused face.
But not Lane.He sees a series of lettersand numbers on the napkin,along with the name of abank.
Lane typeson the laptop. A beat later,a familiar interface appearson the screen. ECU on thenumber:
50,000,000.00GBP
Ethan puts thenapkin down. The time continues ...
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Through the screen,Ethan stares at Lane.Waiting. Lane boils.The timer counts down.
He stands,paces. Finally, he presses a button and:
The timer stops at:03. Benji and Ilsa exhale.Ethan glances about.
Vinter hears this in his ear. He nods to hisgoons. They all step closer.
Ilsa smiles,admiring the play. She slides her seat next to Ethan,plans her gun in his ribs.
Lane is furious.Trapped.
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Vinter and his goons halt ...
Ethan leans closer to the lens ...
Lane ponders,paces. Finally:
Benji listens,looks down at the keypadon his chest. He nervously punches ina series of numbers.The light on the timer diesand the five-point harness springsopen. Benji sheds the vest as discreetly ashe can.Wrapping it in his overcoat.
Ethan slidesa phone across the table.
With a final look to them both, Benji walksaway. He dials the phone ashe goes.
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The loadingdock of an office building.Brandt is crouched bya glass door, rigging a hinge.His phone rings.
Brandt turns to Luther seated nearby.
As he walks past Vinter:
Tense pause.Vinter and Ethan make eye contact.Then:
Vinter and his goons all reach for theirguns as:
Ethanand Ilsa stand in a single motion.Ethan spins, covering Ilsa with hisbody as she aimsand fires with her silenced pistol.Two goons drop. Thecommotion draws the attention ofNEARBY BYSTANDERS.As the panic starts:
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The othertwo goons rush through the crowd behind Ilsa. Ethan spins,grabbing Ilsa's gun, takes out the othertwo guys.Pedestrians and patrons scramble,realizing now thatsomething bad is going down. Ethan grabsa phone off a deadman and he and Ilsa take off into thecrowd.
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Ethanand Ilsa round the corner, and Ethan pushes her back just as gunfire explodes across the wall above.
Ethan pulls hisweapon, fires, a goon taking cover.
ONA GOON, reloading, getting an angle, sees Ilsa flankinghim, thinks he has a bead on herwhen -
He'sblown back, Ethan taking him out.
Ethanand Ilsa, ducking, running throughsome archways. A goon followsthem around a corner - too close.Ethan RAMS him througha nearby window.
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Ilsa round the corner,ducks below a pillar,as the goon in pursuit is close behind.
Sheelbows his midsection, drives a knee into his solar plexus,finishing him off. She turns tohead back towards Ethan,when, from behind another pillar steps-
Vinter. Puffed up and looking like he's like nothingmore than to strangle her with his bare hands.
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Shedraws a knife. He draws a bigger one.Oh shit.
Ethan runsfrom gunmen, grabbing cover,turning and killingone, before running down a narrow passageway.2nd goon follows,looks down there. Sees nothing.He starts checking each doorway along the way.Ethan dropdown from ABOVE him, crushing him to the pavement,Ethan's leg crumpling beneathhim.
Vinter and Ilsa circle each other. She sliceshim, but he's unaffected,countering with his backhanded hilt to the side of her head.She recoils, looking athim.
He's the physically superior,but she's themore lithe and cunning,allowing her to parry every attack- quick and violent,no holds barred.
Grimacing,Ethan checks his gun. Empty.He tosses it. Hangs hishead, breathing hard. The sound ofa car approaching.A car is coming from his left.He looks right,confronted by a long box alley.
Nowhere to run.He looks to a glass foyer across the alley and runs for it as:
The car arrivesfrom around the corner to his left.The vehicle stopsand Lane emerges, along withTWO GOONS. Ethan runstoward the glass doors as they fire.The glass shattersand Ethan throws his body through.
Convinced he'sgoing in for the kill,Vinter gets careless,allows Ilsa to swing up behindhim and DRIVE her blade into his chest.He sinks to theground, her ridinghim all the way to the ground.
The sound of the alarm makes herlook up,and she sprints away.
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Ethan,stumbling, falling forward througha pane of glass,past construction materials. He trips, falls througha square hole cut in the floor.Lane walks to the edge,looks down. He sees:
Ethan's legs,dragging out of frame 10 feetbelow.
Lane jumpsdown into a -
He sees Ethan,immobilized, 10 feet away.He walks forward.Bump. He hits something. Holds hishand out.
A pane of glass. He turns right, hits another pane.Turns left,hits another. He's in a box.
THUNK.Something above. He looks up and sees:
Benji,smiling. He fires. The bullet appears to explode in mid-air.
Lane turns to find Ethan standing in front ofhim- inchesaway. Lane fires. The bullet hits thetempered glass,useless. He looks to his left to see Brandt emergingfrom the darkness. Luther appearsfrom the right.He looks up again and sees:
Ilsa,standing beside Benji, looking down athim with contempt,and more than a little pleasure .
He fires • And . Nothing. He's trapped ina bulletproof glassbox.
Ethannods to his friends. Benji smilesand holds up a trigger inone hand. He presses the button.
The glass portico fills with gas.Lane glares at Ethan, pounding his fistson the glass, screaming noiselessly, flailing likea poisoned spider, untilhe is still, and disappears in thefog.
Ethan steps backand shoves the case.
The light flickeron to reveal the box containing Lane restson the edge of a large loading dock.
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Energy,movement, a sense of urgency.
JUMPCUT as the box is slammed to the flooron it's side.
JUMPCUT as a large van marked POLICE backsup to the dock.
JUMPCUT as the rear doors are opened and the box is slid inside the back of the van.
Luther,Brandt and Benji slip on bright police jackets and hats before climbing into the van.
Ethan turns to Ilsa- both of them battered and exhausted from the night's ordeal- approach a waiting car.
Beat.
Ethan gives hera look. He doesn't need to say it.She shakes herhead, no.
Ethannods, understanding.
Police cars pullup outside the building.POLICE rush in through thesmashed window.
The sound of sirensabove. Pressure mounting.
And in that moment, they embrace - not as lovers but as comrades.They kiss, not with passion,but with understanding- a moment that says "I'll miss you."
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She climbs in the carand starts the engine.
And she drives away. Ethan watches hergo down a long tunnel into theunknown before turning to the waiting vehicle.As Benji starts the engine:
Police fill the desolate space- flashlightbeams cutting the semi-darkness.
ONECOP approaches a hole in the floor.He kneels down, shines his light inside.
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A POLICE VAN screams past, sirens wailing,lights flashing.POLICE CARS scream past in the opposite direction.
That police van kills the sirensand the lights.
Benji,Brandt and Luther dressed in a police uniforms. Benji drives.
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Closed session.SEVEN MEN on the dais. In the center is theChairman. They face two figures in the gallery.
One isHunley. The other is Brandt.
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Hunley snaps out of his thoughts.
TheChairman sits back, ponders.
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Long,tense pause. The Chairman turns to Brandt.
As Brandt and Hunley walk briskly a
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