| Excess
Baggage (1997) by Max D. Adams. EXT. PORTLAND, OREGON (ESTABLISHING) - DAY Portland, home of rivers, bridges, and more parks than youcan shake a stick at. The Columbia River, spanned by the Highway 5 and 205bridges, glistens a muddy brown in the sunlight; the Willamette glittersoff to the South. INT. PARKING GARAGE/UPPER LEVEL - DAY EMILY ROSE T. HOPE cut her teeth on a million dollar teethingring, and it was bitter -- too bitter. It left her an old woman's attitudein a young woman's body. She idly taps a cellular phone's keypad with one perfectlymanicured nail as she stares through the parking level's open struts ata distant bridge -- and an approaching river barge. The barge draws closer to the bridge. Closer. Closer still.She takes a drag off a cigarette, stubs it out, and dials a number on thephone's keypad. EXT. BRIDGE - DAY AMADEUS T. HOPE, an older man who most assuredly broke histeeth on a Rolls Royce, stands in a phone booth just off the bridge, waitingfor the phone to ring and caressing a briefcase like it contained a milliondollars -- which it does. Nearby, idle joggers in the park are more thanobviously undercover cops. The phone rings and Amadeus lifts it. AMADEUS I'm here. EMILY (V.O./FILTERED) Amadeus T. Hope? AMADEUS Yes. EMILY (V.O./FILTERED) Did you bring the money. AMADEUS Yes. EMILY (V.O./FILTERED) Listen carefully. AMADEUS I wish to speak to my daughter. EMILY (V.O./FILTERED) I'm not interested in what you wish, Mr. Hope. Justfollow directions and stick to the plan. Am I clear? AMADEUS Very. INT. PARKING GARAGE/UPPER LEVEL - DAY Emily watches the barge move towards the bridge and readjustsher speaking apparatus -- it's a voice filter and it's a real bitch talkingthrough this rig. EMILY Do you see the barge approaching the bridge? INT. PHONE BOOTH - DAY Amadeus squints through glass booth walls, notes the approachingbarge, nods. AMADEUS I see it. EMILY (V.O./FILTERED) Walk to the bridge, throw the briefcase onto thebarge, and come back to the phone booth for further directions. AMADEUS How do I know you'll release her? EMILY (V.O./FILTERED) You don't. INT. DETECTIVE VAN - DAY DETECTIVE DAN SIMS is the kind of guy who does his job well,but everything always goes to hell anyway. This gives him a grim take onlife, but he keeps trying. He watches a fellow COP fiddle with telephonetracing equipment. Sims' less than garrulous partner, BARNABY, listens inon an extra set of headphones. COP Shit. Cellular phone. SIMS What did you expect? A silver platter? COP Would'a been nice. Sims stares out the van's polarized window at Amadeus, who'swalking steadily out along the bridge. SIMS It's probably hers -- where's he going? BARNABY To throw the money over the side. SIMS What? BARNABY That's what they just told him to do. Sims, glaring, grabs for a walkie talkie. SIMS Were you going to tell me before or after he tossedit? Barnaby shrugs. SIMS (CONT'D) (into walkie talkie) He's throwing the money onto the barge. I want fullsurveillance -- don't lose that barge -- INT. PARKING GARAGE/UPPER LEVEL - DAY Emily's got the phone balanced precariously on one shoulderas she flips open the trunk of a gray Mercedes Benz and extracts some heavyduty tape. She stands again to stare out at the distant bridge. Amadeus, stick figure tiny with distance, heaves his briefcaseover the side and starts back to his phone booth at a steady pace. EMILY Nice throw, Dad. Joggers (i.e. under cover cops), looking like ants fromhere, scramble to keep pace with the barge. Emily laughs softly as she tapesher ankles together. The phone crackles to life. AMADEUS (V.O.) You've got the money. Where's my daughter?
Ankles taped, Emily hops to the edge of the trunk to rummagefor more bondage paraphernalia and holds the voice filter carefully in placewhile she speaks: EMILY You'll find her in the trunk of her car, which isin fifth level parking at -- She pulls a wrinkled slip of paper from her jeans pocketand squints at it -- EMILY (CONT'D) 352 East Tenth Street. She hangs up and, working fast now, because time is runningout, gags herself -- a real gag: stuffing, knots, the works. Lifting hand cuffs -- the final touch -- she crawls intothe car's trunk and, still clutching the handcuffs -- presumably for lateruse -- slams the lid closed from the inside. The ECHO of the slamming trunk reverberates through thedim garage, and dies. EXT. BRIDGE - DAY Judging from the number of plain cars screaming out of parkingspaces, it's a good bet they got that address. INT. DETECTIVE VAN - DAY Sims comes out of the van at a dead run, talking into awalkie talkie, as undercover cars peel out, SIRENS wailing on as they go. SIMS Odds are someone's still inside monitoring -- He glances at the distant parking structure. SIMS (CONT'D) They can still see us from there, turn off the goddamn sirens! INT. PARKING GARAGE/UPPER LEVEL - DAY The Mercedes sits innocently in its parking slot. Silence-- except for the slap slap slap of approaching footsteps, and a light,airy tune being whistled by the person approaching. WILL POGUE ambles nonchalantly between cars, well dressedyuppie at large, just picking up his car and heading home -- or that's whatyou'd think, until he saunters to the Mercedes, casually glances both ways,and a slim jim flashes in the gloom. He's inside the car, yanking the ignition and starting themotor, between whistles. EXT. RIVER BARGE - DAY B.g., a helicopter drones. The barge MATE steps out of thewheelhouse, notices the briefcase on the aft deck, frowns, walks to it,picks it up, shakes it, opens it -- and ogles a million bucks, cash. MATE Holy shit! He spins back to the wheelhouse -- a plea for help.
MATE (CONT'D) Larry! Larry! You gotta come see this! The PILOT (let's take a wild guess and assume this is Larry)sticks his head out the wheelhouse cabin's door -- just as a helicopterzooms down and a SHARP SHOOTER aims a high powered rifle straight at themate. A HELICOPTER COP leans out with a megaphone. HELICOPTER COP (MEGAPHONED) This is the Portland Police Department. You withthe briefcase, set it down and put your hands on your head. MATE What the -- ? HELICOPTER COP (MEGAPHONED) You in the cockpit, pull over immediately. The mate drops the briefcase and money starts flutteringall the hell over. INT. POLICE HELICOPTER - DAY The sharp shooter smirks at the helicopter cop in a superiorway -- SHARP SHOOTER It's not a car, John, it's a boat. You don't pullover -- -- when he sees the money take wind -- SHARP SHOOTER (CONT'D) -- Oh shit, the money! The helicopter cop pales -- still yelling through the megaphone-- HELICOPTER COP (MEGAPHONED) -- Oh fuck, the money. You! Pick the briefcase backup! Below, the mate wants nothing more to do with that briefcaseand has gotten down on his knees to say a few Hail Marys. HELICOPTER COP (CONT'D) (MEGAPHONED) You with your hands over your head, pick that briefcaseup immediately! EXT. RIVER BARGE - DAY The pilot abandons the wheelhouse to try to stop the money'spell mell trail into the sky -- He stops dead when the sharp shooter brings the rifle tobear on him -- going after the money is threatening behavior -- The helicopter cop is still yelling through his megaphone-- HELICOPTER COP (MEGAPHONED) Pick up that briefcase! You moron! Pick it up! The mate is staring up at the helicopter, eyes big, shakinghis head back and forth -- no way is he touching that brief case -- The barge, minus its pilot, hits bottom, the jolt spinningthe briefcase out along the deck -- INT. UNDERCOVER CAR - DAY Dan Sims wrestles his seat belt, struggling to snap it intoa mechanism that just doesn't want to work, riding shot gun as the undercovercar careens around the corner and down the street toward the parking structure-- EXT. PARKING GARAGE - DAY The gray Mercedes slips out the structure's exit -- as miscellaneousundercover cars careen past it on their way in -- and turns down the streettowards Sims' car. INT. UNDERCOVER CAR - DAY Dan, cursing his seat belt, glances up in time to see theMercedes pass, does a double take and turns to read the license plate -- SIMS Holy shit, that's her car! Barnaby, at the wheel, speeds along in the opposite direction. BARNABY What? Sims, still clutching his seat belt, grabs for the sirenas they hit a bump, drops the siren, grabs it again. BARNABY (CONT'D) I thought you said no sirens. SIMS Turn around! That's her god damned car! INT. MERCEDES - DAY Will, whistling casually, hears tires squeal behind himand checks the rear view mirror -- in time to see Sims slap the SIREN atopthe undercover car. WILL Holy shit! Will steps on it, sliding between two more unmarked carsthat screech around corners to cut him off -- he cranks the wheel and avoidsa third -- Will drives better than well -- but he's sweating, cursingunder his breath, fighting to outdistance cop cars converging behind him,to dodge incoming cars that keep adding up -- WILL (CONT'D) Jesus Christ, all this for a lousy grand theft auto? EXT. RIVER BANK - DAY Life is not looking good here. Money scattered all overthe ground, all over the water, the barge pilot and mate shaking in theirshoes, the barge grounded in mud at an awkward angle -- and glum undercovercops milling to and fro. The helicopter cop talks into a radio mike. HELICOPTER COP Dan, we lost the money. INT. UNDERCOVER CAR - DAY Dan Sims, rocking around each curve, hangs onto his swingingseat belt for dear life and yells into his radio. SIMS What do you mean, you lost the money? It's on abarge! How hard could it be to keep track of a barge? HELICOPTER COP (V.O.) We didn't lose the barge. We lost the money. SIMS For Christ's sake, where'd it go? INT. RIVER BANK - DAY The helicopter cop stares glumly up at all those flutteringbills in the sky. . . down at all those floating bills on the water. . .. HELICOPTER COP Half is air borne, and the other half sank. INT. UNDERCOVER CAR - DAY Dan's about three shades of purple, still clinging to hisdysfunctional seat belt, yelling into the radio -- SIMS Well fish it out! -- When the car slows. Dan rounds on Barnaby, the driver. SIMS (CONT'D) What are you slowing down for! BARNABY We lost him. Sims looks up from the radio at the abandoned street. SIMS God damn it, where are the helicopters. BARNABY They lost him too. Sims slumps. SIMS I don't believe this. Barnaby shrugs. BARNABY He can't have gone far. They'll pick him up. INT. WILL'S WAREHOUSE - DAY The warehouse is large, immaculate, and dark -- ground levelwindows are painted black and barred. Shelves hold engine parts. An oldbeat up Porsche Speedster sits in a corner. Loft steps lead to living quartersabove. An electric garage door slides open, triggering a ceilinglight, and Emily's Mercedes glides in. The garage door shuts behind it andWill climbs from the car to run a shaky hand through his hair. B.g., a helicopter DRONES. He lets out an explosion of breath,frowning at the ceiling, WILLing the copter away. WILL Jesus. He pats the car. WILL (CONT'D) Who'd you belong to, sweetheart? The president orwhat? He checks the car, inside and out, admiring the interior,checking underneath the chassis. WILL (CONT'D) Last job, and I nab the president's car. It figures. He pops the trunk -- there's Emily, bound and gagged, lookingthe worse for the ride, glaring up at him -- it might have been a mistake,her cuffing her arms behind her back.
WILL Jesus Christ! He slams the trunk. Muffled POUNDING inside. He opens the trunk cautiously,to stare incredulously at Emily. WILL (CONT'D) Who the hell are you? EMILY (MUFFLED) Mmmmphmmmphmmmphmmmph! WILL I don't need this. He lowers the trunk lid and scrubs his face with a wearyhand. EMILY (MUFFLED) (O.S.) MmmmMmmmph-ph-ph! He raises the trunk lid. WILL Can you breathe? EMILY (MUFFLED) MMmmmmmmMMMphmmmmm! He nods. WILL Have you had water within the last twenty-four hours? EMILY MphMphMph! WILL You look healthy to me. He slams the lid, jumps into the driver's seat, and hitsthe control for the garage door. WILL Sweating, revving the engine, waiting for clearance underthe door -- WILL It's okay. She doesn't know your name. She doesn'tknow the address. Nobody saw you come in. We're just going to leavethe car somewhere for the cops to find. No. She could die by then.Okay, we'll call the cops -- an anonymous tip. No problem. Finda corner. Dump the car. Stay calm. Everything is all right -- As the garage door opens, the helicopter DRONE fills thewarehouse. Will sits, listening to that drone in the sky, tapping thesteering wheel -- he turns off the engine and listens a second longer, beforeclosing the garage door against that sound. WILL Shit. INT. AMADEUS's STUDY - EVENING An ad for the house would boast five fireplaces, parkingfor nine cars, two hundred feet of river frontage, a dock. . . we are talkingexceptionally expensive -- and frighteningly neat. THOMAS PERKINS steps into the study: Thomas has scars toprove he's been bad places and lived to not talk about them, whichconflicts with his million dollar suit only insofar as he wears it well. Amadeus, intently manicuring what looks like a perfectlymanicured Bonsai, nods. AMADEUS Someone's kidnapped Emily. Perkins snorts. Amadeus pinches off a microscopic sectionof tree, discarding it in an empty waste basket. AMADEUS The police -- (Amadeus uses the word "police" much theway a bull dyke says "penis") PERKINS You called the police. AMADEUS No. They called the police. PERKINS They. AMADEUS Yes. PERKINS Well she's got your attention now, hasn't she? Amadeus shoots him a dour glance. AMADEUS I fail to see the humor in the situation, Thomas.There's a precedent at stake here. Thomas snorts again -- no way is he believing this. AMADEUS (CONT'D) The police informed me a man drove her car awayfrom the pick-up zone. Thomas frowns -- less sure of himself. PERKINS An accomplice? That doesn't sound like Emily. A peremptory KNOCK and Dan Sims pushes into the study. Thomasturns, giving Sims a view of the back of his head and not much else. SIMS Mr. Hope, I'd love to answer phones in your foyerall day, but this man -- Sims glowers at Thomas's back. SIMS (CONT'D) -- is not on my roster of household staff -- orguests. AMADEUS Mr. Perkins is a private associate, Detective Sims.He'll be taking over. SIMS Excuse me? AMADEUS Your services are no longer necessary, DetectiveSims. If you WILL excuse us? Amadeus drops another nothing into the waste basket -- amove not lost on Sims. SIMS We are not a cleaning service, Mr. Hope. We arethe police. Amadeus stares blankly, like "what's the difference?" PERKINS I think what Detective Sims is trying to say, Amadeus,is you can't fire the police. SIMS Exactly. AMADEUS (to Perkins) Are you sure about this? Perkins nods solemnly. AMADEUS (CONT'D) Very well, Detective Sims may maintain surveillance. Sims chokes. SIMS I. May. AMADEUS (to Sims) That will be all, Detective Sims. Sims stands his ground, mutely refusing dismissal. AMADEUS (CONT'D) Unless you'd like to discuss the money. SIMS I'll be in the foyer. Sims spins for the door -- the door handle fights him. AMADEUS Turn to the right, Detective Sims. Sims, crimson, turns to the right. AMADEUS (CONT'D) And Detective Sims? If you're going to remain afixture in this household, speak to my assistant -- he'll cut youa wardrobe check. The door slams behind Sims. AMADEUS (CONT'D) Nobody holds me hostage. Perkins stares into a glass case -- one of those pedestaljobs you find museum displays in, but this holds photographs: Emily at three; Emily at the military academy; Emily atgraduation; Emily at a high powered reception beside her father -- ThomasPerkins loves that little girl. PERKINS We'll make that clear. INT. AMADEUS'S ANTEROOM/OFF THE STUDY - EVENING Wires run from phones to phones to black boxes -- presumablythe latest in police tech surveillance -- monitored by bleary eyed COPS. Amadeus's ASSISTANT attempts to work around the squad roomsqualor. Barnaby, being a calm soul, doesn't jump when Sims slamsin. SIMS Mr. Hope just fired us. Shocked silence from the cops -- sounds perfectly reasonableto Hope's assistant, though. HOPE'S ASSISTANT You'll be leaving, then. Dan stares at the assistant, incredulous. SIMS No we won't be leaving! COP Can he do that? SIMS No he can't do that! BARNABY (aside to the cop) We're the police, Corey. COP Oh, right. SIMS Let's get this straight. We are the police. Andwe are in control here. ASSISTANT Not on this planet. INT. WILL'S WAREHOUSE - EVENING The Porsche is gone. The Mercedes sits in the gloom. INT. MERCEDES/TRUNK - EVENING Emily is in a minor fix -- and judging from the sweat anddiscontent factor, has been for some time. It's not easy to pass arms, handcuffedbehind you, under your legs to in front of you -- especially when you'relying on your side in a trunk -- and Emily's stuck mid-way. She struggles again to get her hands past her feet. Strugglessome more. They come free. Next job is to wrench the gag away -- she tied a good gag,so it's tough going, but she gets it off. She yanks stuffing from her mouth,takes a big breath -- spits, tries to wet her mouth. EMILY Thank God. Smiling grimly at success, she extracts the handcuff keyfrom her front jeans pocket and releases the cuffs.
EMILY (CONT'D) Can you breathe. What an asshole. EXT. WAREHOUSE DISTRICT - NIGHT Will's old Porsche glides down a dimly illuminated street. INT. WILL'S PORSCHE (WAREHOUSE DISTRICT) - NIGHT Will's checking the neighborhood for signs of stress, andwhat he sees isn't good. On the corner, a cruiser. WILL Cop. Across the street, another cruiser. WILL (CONT'D) Cop. Overhead, a helicopter. WILL (CONT'D) Cop. On the sidewalk, a German Shepherd -- WILL (CONT'D) Cop -- dog? He shakes his head. WILL (CONT'D) Don't be paranoid. That is not a cop dog. He cranes his neck to stare up through the windshield. WILL (CONT'D) But that is definitely a cop helicopter. He eyes the passing cruiser. WILL (CONT'D) And that is definitely a cop car. Another cruiser sits quietly on the corner, lights out,but there's a guy in uniform in the car all right. WILL (CONT'D) Cop cop cop. Will jerks the steering wheel hard, swerving down a darkstreet and away -- INT. MERCEDES/TRUNK - EVENING Emily searches around the trunk lid's key slot -- frustrated,not finding what she wants, then finding it -- a small hole in the metal-- There's a piece of metal blocking the mechanism that wouldusually allow someone to open the trunk from the inside. EMILY Why does it always have to be the hard way? She squirms around to face the back of the trunk -- DISSOLVE TO: EXT. MILITARY SCHOOL - DAY (FLASHBACK) Impeccable grounds, impeccable buildings -- except for one,the corner of which has been reduced to rubble by an explosion, if the burnmarks are any indication. Thomas Perkins, hands clasped behind his back, rolls forwardand backward on the balls of his feet, studying the rubble. Emily (young) stands beside him, dressed "academy," suitcaseby her feet, and grins, proud. PERKINS You're lucky no one was in there. Emily's offended. YOUNG EMILY That wasn't luck. I called. PERKINS Voice I.D. Emily grimaces chagrin. YOUNG EMILY That won't happen again. Thomas lifts her suitcase and strides across impeccablelawn, towards a faraway and expensive automobile with tinted windows. PERKINS You won't call? Awful messy, when bodies blow. She stumps along at his side. YOUNG EMILY I won't use a cold phone. PERKINS Emily, if we could keep you in school long enoughto get an education, you'd have a real future in Secret Service. They're at the car. He opens the passenger door for her.She pulls out a cigarette and lights up. YOUNG EMILY I don't need a future. I'm rich. Thomas plucks the cigarette from her mouth, grinds it underhis heel, and extends his open palm, waiting. She glares, sighs, and hands over the pack. INT. PERKINS' DISCREET AUTOMOBILE - DAY (FLASHBACK CONT'D) Thomas drives. Young Emily broods in injured silence. YOUNG EMILY He could have come. Probably playing with thosedamn trees. PERKINS Maybe he doesn't appreciate paying for a new wing. Injured silence. PERKINS (CONT'D) You know what this means. YOUNG EMILY Uh oh. PERKINS Back to Catholic school. YOUNG EMILY Nuns? Again? PERKINS It's going to take a while for me to get you inanywhere else. YOUNG EMILY Nuns are the worst. PERKINS Look in the glove box. Emily brightens and digs, coming up with a gift wrappedbox. PERKINS (CONT'D) Happy Birthday, Emily. Emily shoots him a grateful smile, reads the card, grimaces. YOUNG EMILY Thank you, Uncle Thomas. PERKINS It's from your father. YOUNG EMILY It's a nice lie. Thanks for remembering. She tears wrapping. PERKINS You're locked in a room. What do you do? YOUNG EMILY Check windows. PERKINS The windows are barred. YOUNG EMILY Check doors. PERKINS The doors are locked. YOUNG EMILY Check the ceiling. This is a very old routine, almost sing song. PERKINS Ceiling's clean. Emily lifts a delicate necklace from the wrapping. YOUNG EMILY This is beautiful, Uncle Thomas. She leans over, kisses his cheek. YOUNG EMILY (CONT'D) Thank you. PERKINS Ceiling. YOUNG EMILY I don't want to play today. Silence. YOUNG EMILY (CONT'D) Why don't you take me out to dinner, Uncle Thomas? Silence. YOUNG EMILY (CONT'D) It's my birthday. More silence. Emily sighs. YOUNG EMILY (CONT'D) I hate rooms. Let's do explosives. He cocks an eyebrow at her -- explosives are not a goodsubject right now. PERKINS We're doing rooms. YOUNG EMILY Okay, rooms, but you have to buy me a realdrink. He snorts laughter. DISSOLVE TO: INT. WILL'S WAREHOUSE - EVENING The Mercedes' back seat pops loose and Emily, scuffed, crawlsfrom the trunk, over the back seat, into the car's interior. EMILY You owe me a drink, Thomas. The first thing she reaches for is the Mercedes' cellularphone. The cord is cut. EMILY (CONT'D) Oh, you creep. She pulls her purse from the trunk, rearranges the backseat, and considers a cigarette -- sniffs the air, wrinkles her nose, shakesher head sorrowfully, and puts the cigarette away -- before climbing outof the car to survey her surroundings. No phones. INT. WILL'S PORSCHE - NIGHT Will steers down a dark street he knows by heart -- takesan alley by rote, a short cut, passes a sign: "Portland International Airport"-- EXT. PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - NIGHT The Porsche idles, headlights illuminating Will as he shovesaside a fence marked "Airport Personnel Only" -- He pulls the car into an abandoned lot off the runway, settlesonto the car's hood with a weary sigh, stress falling away as he staresup at planes taking off for Somewhere Else. And watching his face, you know he wants to be going toSomewhere Else -- has wanted that for all his life -- INT. WILL'S WAREHOUSE - EVENING Whoever designed this place was more than security conscious.Bars and locks on what few windows there are, each requiring a key. Emilystrokes the bars in disgust, shoves a finger through to scratch a thin linein the black paint covering the glass surface. EMILY (CONT'D) Shit. There're a couple of doors on the ground floor. First one'sa bathroom. She checks it out. Nothing in there but toilet paper, toilet,sink, and soap. The second door is locked. She pads upstairs to study the door to the living quarters-- also locked. Not with a household doorknob. With a key lock. EMILY (CONT'D) What a control freak. She turns to study the garage door. No buttons for gettingthis baby open -- ceiling and door mechanisms out of reach. Everything lockeddown, barred, keyed, bolted. She pads to a tool bench and rummages in its drawers --the only things not locked down. EXT. PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - NIGHT Will's still watching those planes -- but he's calmer, moretogether, and it's time to shake it off. Moving stiffly, he climbs off the hood, walks around toclimb into the porsche's driver's seat. INT. WILL'S PORSCHE (PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT) - NIGHT Starting the engine, shooting one more "Wait for me, I'mcoming back" grimace at those rumbling planes. WILL Another day. Another life. He pulls out and away. INT. WILL'S WAREHOUSE - NIGHT Emily, surrounded by tools, works to disassemble the lockon the living quarters door -- this is one killer lock. The tool slips, stabs into her finger -- adding to a growingassortment of insults to what used to be a perfect manicure -- she popsthe injured digit into her mouth, studies the nicks, cuts, and abrasionswith contempt. A police SIREN flares outside. She brightens, till the siren FADES into the distance. EMILY To protect and serve. Yeah, right. She rises stiffly, shoves sweaty hair off her forehead,glares angrily at the lock -- which looks intact as hell -- stretches, sighs,and pads to the bathroom. EXT. WILL'S WAREHOUSE - NIGHT The Porsche glides to the warehouse's garage door. INT. WILL'S PORSCHE - NIGHT Will triggers the garage door with the opener that neverleaves his side -- preferably, as high tech a coded mechanism as God puton this green earth, when it comes to garage door openers. The door slidesopen. INT./EXT. WILL'S WAREHOUSE/BATHROOM/MAIN WAREHOUSE - NIGHT Emily's on the toilet when the electric garage door HUMS,b.g. EMILY No! It's hard to hurry these things up, but she's ready to peeher jeans to get out of there -- she reaches automatically to flush thetoilet, jerks her hand back. EMILY (CONT'D) What, am I nuts? Struggling to get her pants put to rights as she stumblesto the door -- MAIN WAREHOUSE Will guides the Porsche into the slot beside the Mercedes,swings out of the Porsche, approaching the Mercedes, as the garage doorstarts down, pauses -- He doesn't want to open that damn trunk. He eyes it, apprehensive-- WILL This is ridiculous. He pops the trunk. It's empty. WILL (CONT'D) Oh shit. He stares around the warehouse -- nothing -- spins to eyethe closing garage door in horror. WILL (CONT'D) No! He smacks the control, halting the door in mid-close, ducksunder it to stare up and down the street of a run down warehouse district. Emily slips from the bathroom, working her way stealthilyalong the wall towards the open door. WILL (CONT'D) God damn it! An OLD WOMAN stops picking through a dumpster to glare defiantlyat him. He rakes a hand through his hair -- Emily's almost to the open door -- Will turns, ducking back inside -- looking both ways -- Emily, busted, lunges for the opening -- He lunges to cut her off -- It's a flying, freewheeling tackle -- they hit the concretefloor -- inside -- and hard. POV Outside the door, the old woman gawks. WILL and emily Will's fighting to hold Emily down as he clicks the garagedoor opener -- the door starts going up -- WILL Damn it! Clicking again -- going down -- Fighting -- it's not a sure thing who's winning here --she kicks the door's bottom edge -- going up -- He's cursing, hitting buttons -- going down -- She's kicking -- there's a lot of defense training in thosekicks -- which is unfortunate for Will's jaw -- going for the door againwith that foot -- He heaves, dragging them both backwards across concrete,out of reach -- and the door slams closed. Silence. Will rolls onto his toes, breathing heavy, waiting for thenext attack. Emily stares at the closed door in disgust, rubs her concreteburned elbow. WILL If you were smart, you would have pulled that stuntwhen I pulled in. EMILY I am smart. I had to pee. Not what he was expecting -- and he almost laughs, stopswhen he touches his injured chin. Wincing -- that elbow hurts -- she studies him. EMILY (CONT'D) This place is harder to get out of than a convent. WILL How'd you get out of the trunk? She surveys the Mercedes, the warehouse, him. EMILY You're not a kidnapper. You're a thief. Will snorts. WILL And the handcuffs. EMILY Hah. You were after the car. WILL Lady, you're giving me a headache. Who are you? She smiles, all winsome charm. EMILY Tell you what. Give me the car keys, let me outof here, and this'll be our little secret? Deal? INT. WILL'S WAREHOUSE - NIGHT (LATER) Emily sits on the commode, handcuffed again, this time tothe sink. She's wearing pants this time, too, but that doesn't appear tocheer her up. Will, flaunting a new and improved jaw injury, smiles grimlyand pockets the handcuff key. EMILY You scum sucking, arrogant, peg-headed, sadistic-- Will touches his jaw gingerly. WILL I liked you better in the trunk. EMILY I hope you go bald. A doorbell CHIMES above in the living quarters. WILL Oh, hell. He shuts the bathroom door -- on a few stifled yells --and punches an intercom button on the wall. WILL Yeah? JOE (V.O.) Will? WILL Joe? JOE (V.O.) Yep. Will winces. WILL What are you doing here, Joe? JOE (V.O.) Plates ring a bell? Maybe tags? Maybe you were supposedto be at my place five hours ago? WILL Oh. Great. (he doesn't sound great) Hang on -- I'll be right up. EXT. WAREHOUSE DISTRICT - NIGHT The old woman from the dumpster stalks, stiff backed, toa parked police cruiser and raps on the window. A startled PATROLMAN rollsit down. She stares him straight in the eye, daring him to notice her dirtswept hair. OLD WOMAN I would like to report a case of domestic violence. PATROLMAN You need to call it in. I'm on special assignment. OLD WOMAN Excuse me, while I pull out my portable phone. PATROLMAN You want a ride downtown, Sister? OLD WOMAN There is a man beating his wife down the street. The patrolman winces. She radiates indignation. He liftshis radio. PATROLMAN Central, I've got a report of domestic violencein the neighborhood. Request backup. Over. VOICE OVER Negative, 223. All cars in the vicinity on specialassignment. I'll have to send someone else out. Over. The patrolman rolls his eyes at the old woman. PATROLMAN (to old woman) What'd I tell you? She snorts. PATROLMAN (CONT'D) (into radio) Central, there is a man beating his wife down thestreet. Over. A pause. RADIO (V.O.) Sit tight, 223. I'll see what I can do. INT. WILL'S WAREHOUSE/APARTMENT - NIGHT (Uncle) JOE POGUE is a pretty good indication of what Will'sgoing to grow up to be, if Will doesn't get on one of those planes prettyquick. Not that Joe's a bad guy -- he isn't -- but he's got a habit, namelya bottle, and a tired stoop to his shoulders that says bad news has perchedon his doorstep one too many times. Will opens the door, ready to say something appropriate,like maybe this is a bad time -- but doesn't get the chance. JOE Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Where have you been? Joe barges right in, waving a crinkled up brown paper shoppingbag under Will's nose -- about the size and shape of license plates. WILL Oh god, I forgot. JOE You forgot? You forgot? I thought you were in jail. Stalking to the refrigerator. JOE (CONT'D) He forgot. You got anything to drink around here? The question's moot, as Joe's got his beer and is headedfor the door to downstairs. JOE (CONT'D) Did you get her? Will panics for a quick second. WILL Her? JOE The car? WILL Oh, right, the car. Yeah, I got her. Joe, much to Will's chagrin, is headed straight for thedoor to downstairs. JOE Well let's take a look. Joe stops at the door, studying the knob, which is loose. JOE (CONT'D) When are you going to quit this business, Will? Will, at a loss, shrugs. Joe snorts and studies the warehouseside of the doorknob and lock. Scratched. JOE (CONT'D) Yeah, that's what I thought. Last job, my ass. Joe stomps down the steps. JOE (CONT'D) He forgot. INT. WILL'S WAREHOUSE - NIGHT Joe, stroking the Mercedes, whistles. Will attempts to arrangehis hands in some sort of natural pose and look nonchalant. JOE She's pretty. WILL I don't think I can unload her. Joe's head snaps up. JOE Why? What's wrong with her? WILL Long story. JOE Then it'll have to wait -- Joe smacks the bag and beer into Will's numb hands. JOE (CONT'D) There're your papers, tags, and plates -- whetheror not you can unload her -- and there's my beer. I gotta talk toa man about a horse. Joe's on his way, steamrolling right up to that bathroomdoor. WILL Uncle Joe? Joe's hand's on the doorknob, turning -- JOE Yeah? The door's opening -- WILL Nothing. Emily, sitting on the commode, shoots Joe one wide, fake,frosty smile, and waves at him with her free hand. JOE Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! Joe simultaneously leaps up, backward, and slams the door.He stands, hand on knob, thinking for a moment, before turning heavily tothe stairs and starting back up for the living quarters. INT. WILL'S WAREHOUSE/APARTMENT - NIGHT Joe's sitting at the table, stone cold still. Will's fillinga coffee pot with water, just as quiet. JOE Get me another beer, Son. Will gets the beer, pops it open, sets it down beside Joe'sempty. Joe drains it, then sets the can carefully down on the table. JOE (CONT'D) Pardon me for intruding in your affairs, Will, butthere is a girl downstairs chained to the commode. Will nods, pouring water into the coffee maker. JOE (CONT'D) Of course, it's nice to see you with a girl, Will.I've been kinda worried about you in the girl department of late. Will ogles Joe, mouths "In the girl department?" -- coffeesplatters from the coffee machine -- Will jams the pot in place to catchthe stream. JOE (CONT'D) But it was somewhat of a surprise. WILL I can see that. JOE I think I'll be heading home now, Will. Joe stands and heads creakily for the door. WILL Uncle Joe, would you like to know why I have a girlchained up downstairs? Joe thinks a moment, slowly shakes his head. JOE Nope. Nope. Don't want to know nothing about it. He's at the front door, opening it, turning. JOE (CONT'D) But Will? WILL Yes? JOE Flowers are a good alternative. Joe closes the door behind him. Will sits at the table,trying to take it all in. The door opens again and Joe sticks his head in. JOE (CONT'D) Oh, and Will? WILL Yes? JOE She's a real pretty girl, Will. Your parents would'vebeen proud to know you're seeing such a real pretty girl. And then he's gone. Will rises slowly and starts closingdown locks -- all keyed from the inside. There's a window running alongsidethe door -- barred, natch, but you can see through the upstairs windows,'cause they aren't painted black. INT. POLICE CAR (BEHIND WILL'S WAREHOUSE) - NIGHT The patrolman eyes back entrances to warehouse buildings.They all look pretty much the same in the gloom. The old woman leans forwardand points. OLD WOMAN That's the one. PATROLMAN You sure? She nods. OLD WOMAN Across from the dumpster. PATROLMAN Okay. Through the patrol car's back window, you can see a secondpatrol car following them as he glides down the back street and turns thecorner. EXT. WILL'S WAREHOUSE/FRONT - NIGHT Joe's climbing into his old Chevy -- a small, slumped figurein all that darkness -- when the two police cars cruise around the cornerand down the street towards the warehouse's front entrance. WILL (O.S.) Oh, shit. The police cars are slowing, checking buildings -- WILL (O.S.) (CONT'D) Go, Uncle Joe, Go. INT. WILL'S WAREHOUSE/APARTMENT - NIGHT Will's at the window, every tendon in his body pushing forJoe to get out of there -- WILL Don't stop, old man. EXT. WILL'S WAREHOUSE/FRONT - NIGHT Joe's leaning forward in his car, eyeing the approachingcruisers in his rearview mirror -- casually, oh so casually, adjusting thatmirror -- you can see the indecision in him, sitting there, adjusting themirror just a little too long -- But he starts his old car up and pulls away from the curb,gliding slowly down the block -- INT. WILL'S WAREHOUSE/APARTMENT - NIGHT Will, standing pensive by the window, watching -- WILL Keep going, Joe, keep going -- EXT. WILL'S WAREHOUSE/FRONT - NIGHT Joe's Chevy glides around the corner as the two cruisershalt in front. Their doors creak open, and the patrolman and a COMPANIONCOP climb out. INT. WILL'S WAREHOUSE/APARTMENT - NIGHT Will drags a pre-packed duffel bag from under the bed, checksto make sure a stack (we are talking a serious STACK) of money is in there,and hoists the duffel, heading for the stairs. A KNOCK sounds behind him. Another KNOCK. He sets the bag softly down and eyes the door. WILL Okay, they're serious. But how serious? EXT. WILL'S WAREHOUSE/FRONT - NIGHT The patrolman knocks on the door again, looks at his COMPANIONCOP, shrugs. COMPANION COP Lights are on. The patrolman nods, starting back for his car. PATROLMAN Call it in and see what they say. He leans into the cruiser, pulls out the radio mike. PATROLMAN (CONT'D) Central, I've got a situation here in the warehousedistrict. Over. INT. WILL'S WAREHOUSE/APARTMENT - NIGHT Will hoists his duffel bag. WILL Too damn serious for me. INT. WILL'S WAREHOUSE - NIGHT Will, coming down stairs two at a time, tossing the duffelbag into the back of the Porsche, yanking the bathroom door open on Emily-- EMILY You running a peek show here or what? WILL Up. He's undoing the handcuff on the sink, jerking her to herfeet, dragging her towards the car -- EMILY Who was that old man? Shoving her headfirst through the Porsche's passenger door,he slaps the cuff to the passenger brace bar -- EMILY (CONT'D) Hey! God Damn It! She jerks backwards -- stuck. WILL Get in. She doesn't. He's headed around the car, slipping into the driver's seat,revving the engine as he slaps control keys to open the garage door -- hepauses to stare at her, hard and cold.
WILL (CONT'D) You can ride inside or outside the car, but eitherway, when that door opens, we're leaving. Emily climbs into the car and slams the door. EMILY You're a real fun date, you know that? WILL You aren't my idea of a good time. The Porsche squeals out of the warehouse. INT. WILL'S WAREHOUSE/APARTMENT - NIGHT The coffee pot steams on its burner. EXT. WAREHOUSE DISTRICT - NIGHT Joe slows to a crawl, pulls the Chevy over, and sits thereidling -- tapping the steering wheel, indecisive. JOE Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. He squints at approaching headlights in the rearview mirror. The approaching car slows, pulls alongside him. Natch, it'sa COP. The cop shines a flashlight in at Joe, rolls down a window, forcingJoe to roll down his window and squint into the glare. COP Everything all right here? JOE Oh, yeah, just fine. I just kinda lost my way. The cop's getting out. Joe winces. COP Could I see some identification, please? JOE Oh, sure. Joe fumbles for his wallet, pulls out a license, extendsit with a shaky hand -- the cop eyes him, takes it, studies it, then Joe. COP Mr. Pogue, would you please step out of the car? JOE Excuse me? COP Please step out of the car, Sir. Joe opens the door and climbs out. JOE Hey, I just got a little lost, is all. If you couldgive me directions to the freeway -- COP Have you been drinking tonight, Mr. Pogue? INT. WILL'S PORSCHE - NIGHT Will winds up Highway 5, North. Emily, still cuffed to thebrace bar, broods in the passenger seat. EMILY I can see you are a master economist of words. Will grunts, spots a lone gas station and phone booth onan abandoned stretch, slows to pull off the highway. EMILY (CONT'D) You're a kidnapper now, you know. I mean, before,it was just an accident, but this is definitely a hostage situation. Silence. EMILY (CONT'D) Oh, and in case you didn't notice that sign backthere? "Washington." Silence. She shakes her head in mock chagrin. EMILY (CONT'D) Crossing a state line with a hostage. That's a federaloffense. Will idles in front of the phone booth, unlocks the cuffs,leans across her to push open the passenger door. WILL Get out. Emily eyes him, the phone booth, him. EMILY Get. Out? The car idles. Cold wind sweeps through the open door, rufflinganything not nailed down. She sits, not moving. Comprehension dawns on his face. WILL Oh. Here. He fishes in his pocket, pulls out a quarter, smacks itinto her palm. She studies the quarter in her palm like it's some sortof alien relic -- slowly looks up at him. EMILY Are you mad? WILL Excuse me? EMILY You think, after being locked up, starved, bullied!Brow beaten! Robbed! And you forgot my purse. You think now you'regoing to give me a quarter and leave me here? WILL This'll do. EMILY Forget it. I want a cigarette. I want breakfast.I want a shower. And I want my car. She crosses her arms. He struggles for an appropriate response-- WILL I don't allow smoking in my car. EMILY Are you for real? The engine idles. Will eyes the car's dimensions, gauging the feasibilityof a fight in close quarters, touches the bandage on his chin. She smiles, smug -- his odds don't look good. WILL I'm a hardened criminal. EMILY (CONT'D) I'm Emily Rose T. Hope. And you do not want to messwith me before I get my morning cigarette. Emily snaps her seat belt on with finality. INT. UNDERCOVER CAR - NIGHT Dan Sims wrestles his seat belt as the undercover car screechesthrough the warehouse district. SIMS I thought I told you to get this fixed. Barnaby shrugs. BARNABY I did get it fixed. SIMS Then why isn't it fixed? BARNABY New car assignment. Dan, at a loss, studies the car's interior -- it sure ashell looks like the same car, right down to the gum on the dashboard. Hesighs. SIMS Get it fixed. Barnaby shrugs. SIMS (CONT'D) What the hell is that? Dan squints through the windshield at a column of blacksmoke. BARNABY Looks like smoke. SIMS I am really trying to like you, Barnaby, but youjust make it so damn hard. Barnaby shrugs. The car speeds on -- SIMS (CONT'D) Oh no. It can't be. . . . But it is. Will Pogue's warehouse roars away in a fire tobeat all fires. Out front, police and firemen jostle shoulder to shoulderwith newscasters. EXT. WILL'S WAREHOUSE - NIGHT Sims climbs from the car to stare in appalled silence atthe blaze. Barnaby climbs from the car to stand cheerfully at his side. BARNABY Fire started in the kitchen. SIMS You knew about this? BARNABY Car's inside, though, so this is definitely theplace. SIMS How do you know this? Barnaby shrugs. BARNABY Daniels called it in. Too bad they couldn't getthose locks off, before the building went. Gonna lose a lot of evidence. SIMS Barnaby. BARNABY Yes? SIMS I'm not sure there's a legal precedent for arrestingmy partner for withholding evidence, but I am going to check thebooks. B.g., Perkins watches the blaze, watches Sims and Barnaby,taking it all in with an impassive expression. A REPORTER slams a microphoneinto Sims' face. REPORTER Detective, is it true this is the suspected lairof kidnappers? SIMS What? REPORTER Isn't it true, Detective, that -- INT. WILL'S PORSCHE - DAY (OVERCAST) Dawn streaks the sky. Will drives down a dirt road, ominouslysilent. Emily sucks on a cigarette, blows smoke out the open window, studyingthe deserted surroundings warily. EMILY A speech class could do wonders for you. Maybe instillsome of that inner confidence needed to carry on a conversation. He keeps driving -- we're talking past the middle of nowhere,here -- the landscape grows more and more barren. EMILY (CONT'D) Want to tell me where we're going? No response. Emily is winding tighter and tighter. EMILY (CONT'D) Nice place to hide a body. Not even a peep. She stubs out her cigarette, glares at the open window. EMILY (CONT'D) How can anyone live without air conditioning? He turns into an abandoned field. She rolls up her window, surreptitiously glides her fingeracross the door lock -- pushes it down. He stops the car, shuts off the ignition, turns to rummagein the duffel bag. She slams him hard with her elbow, hits him again to keephim down, lunges across him to knock his door open -- He's coming up -- she kicks him, sending him backwards outthe door -- kicks again, to send him all the way out -- Will hits dirt as she slams the door, locks it, slides intothe driver's seat, and reaches for the ignition -- No key. Will, rising stiffly, jingles the car keys outside the windowand smiles, grim. She punches the ignition switch -- WILL Open the door. She punches the ignition switch again. It pops free. Shereaches for its wires. Will winces -- he did not want to do this -- doubles uphis fist, and punches a hole through the driver's side window. Emily lunges backwards, out of reach, into the passengerseat, still holding the limp ignition. He unlocks and opens the driver's side door. WILL What the hell do you think you're doing? Emily is breathing hard, tensed to kick him again. Seconds tick by. She relaxes -- barely. EMILY What are you doing? Will reaches cautiously into the car to lift a running shoefrom the floorboard -- what he dropped when the assault began -- danglesit for her inspection. Emily, pale, eyes it, him. He looks pointedly at the driver's seat, raises a brow ina question. She bites her lip, nods, gathering herself into a smallball as he sits gingerly on the glass littered driver's seat and pulls offhis shoes. WILL It's six o'clock. This means nothing to Emily. Lacing up, he shoots her askeptical glance. WILL (CONT'D) I run at six o'clock. She bites her lip harder. Will lifts the limp ignition andstudies it, her, pops the hood and climbs out. EMILY Now what are you doing? He jerks the distributor cap and pockets it, before limpingdown the road at a slow lope. Emily watches him go in consternation. EXT. DIRT ROAD - DAY Will, bloody but unbent, doggedly runs, ignoring Emily,who trots by his side, puffing a cigarette. EMILY You're angry. Silence. EMILY (CONT'D) Well what did you expect me to think? Silence. EMILY (CONT'D) I'm sorry. He shoots her an appalled glance. WILL For beating the crap out of me, or my car? Emily smiles, winsome charm. EMILY How can I make it up to you? WILL Go home. EMILY I'd love to do that for you, but then I'd have toexplain about how you stole my car. WILL I'll buy it. EMILY Excuse me? WILL I'll buy the damn car. EMILY But I love that car. He seethes. EMILY (CONT'D) Fifty thousand dollars. WILL What? A slow drizzle is beginning. Will, breathing hard, stopsand braces his hands against his knees. Emily looks him up and down, takesa pull off her cigarette. EMILY For a runner, you're not in very good shape. WILL Fifty thousand dollars. It's used. EMILY Cash. His jaw tightens. WILL Fine. Will picks up the pace. Emily, fascinated, follows. EMILY You've got fifty thousand dollars cash? WILL Yes. EMILY On you? WILL Yes. EMILY How barbaric. EXT. MOTEL - DAY Will's Porsche sits outside the dingy motel structure. INT. MOTEL/ROOM - DAY Emily hums, toweling her hair. Will taps the phone, impatientas hell. Emily grins. EMILY You oughta take one. Nice to be human again. WILL What's the number? EMILY What, no breakfast? Judging from his expression, it looks like breakfast isout. WILL The number. EMILY Where's my money? Will throws a packet of cash on the table. EMILY Five-oh-three, five-five-five, eight-nine-seven-six. WILL Thank you. He dials. It RINGS on the other end. Emily lifts cash andcounts under her breath. ASSISTANT (V.O.) Hope residence. Will extends the phone to Emily. She shrugs him off, stillcounting. ASSISTANT (V.O.) (CONT'D) Hope residence. May I help you? WILL I'd like to speak to Mr. Hope, please. ASSISTANT (V.O.) May I ask what this is regarding? WILL His daughter. ASSISTANT (V.O.) One moment please. The line CLICKS a few times. WILL (whispering) You are going to talk to him. EMILY Forty seven, forty eight -- AMADEUS (V.O.) This is Amadeus T. Hope. To whom am I speaking? WILL Your daughter would like to speak to you, Mr. Hope. Will extends the phone to Emily. She takes her time. Willshakes the phone at her. She touches off the last bills. EMILY Forty-nine, and fifty. She smiles sweetly and takes the phone.
EMILY (into phone) Daddy?
AMADEUS (V.O.) Emily? EMILY Daddy, he made me suck his penis -- WILL What!? Will rips the phone away and slams the receiver into itscradle. Emily collapses on the bed, laughing. WILL (CONT'D) What the hell is the matter with you? You thinkthat's funny? He rips the money from her hands. WILL (CONT'D) Give me that! She's still laughing. He ogles her, horrified. WILL (CONT'D) You look human. . . you sound human. . . but underneathit all -- Emily stops laughing. EMILY We'd better leave. WILL You leave. EMILY They traced that call. Emily heads for the door. Will's not going anywhere. WILL They didn't have time. She pauses, exasperated. EMILY My father doesn't need time. We've got to go. Now. He stands firm. She stalks out. WILL Shit. This is definitely a hostage situation. INT. WILL'S PORSCHE - DAY (RAINING) Will, driving, squints against rain splattering throughthe hole in the driver's side window. Emily, smoking with her window cracked,is quiet. WILL Family reunions must be a blast at your house. She taps cigarette ash out the window -- wind and rain blowit back into the car. Will winces. EMILY I'm just having a little fun here. Don't take itpersonally. WILL This is fun? EMILY This car isn't safe anymore. WILL You want another car, you steal your own. EMILY Excuse me. I have a car. It happens to be in yourgarage. They drive in stony silence -- WILL Lemme let you in on a little secret, Princess. Thecars I steal are business. Not fun. Not boredom. Not rich kid curiosityor life on the wild side. Business. He's pissed. Emily laughs.
EMILY I like you. WILL What do you do to people you don't like? Will sighs, swerves to the curb, turns to her, engine idling. WILL (CONT'D) Look, I don't like being chased by police. I don'tlike police coming to my door. I don't like strangers in my house.I don't like strangers in my car. I don't like strangers, period. Emily studies him with a clear steady gaze. WILL (CONT'D) So I'm sure you're a real nice girl, though you'vegot a few problems and a real strange sense of humor, but I didn'task for you, I don't want you, I don't need you, and I don't likeyou. I want off this ride. EMILY Okay. WILL Okay? EMILY Okay. WILL Good. EMILY Pay me for my car, and I'm gone. WILL What? Emily shoots him a look. His jaw tightens. WILL (CONT'D) Fine. EXT. MOTEL - DAY Thomas Perkins' discreet automobile -- tinted windows, Oregonplates -- sits in the motel parking lot Emily and Will just left -- And past the car, through the motel office window, you cansee Perkins conversing with a very pale motel office clerk -- who opensa registration book, no questions asked, for Thomas to examine. EXT. TRUCK STOP - DAY (RAINING) It's not night, but it's damn dark, what with rain and clouds.A gaudy neon light flashes welcome at the interstate. Fluorescents piercethe gloom above gas pumps and semis. Occasional burly figures dash beneathslickers for the yellow glow of a coffee shop. Will and Emily stand in shadow by the Porsche. Will castsa doubtful glance around -- Emily extends her hand. EMILY Well, have a good life. Will awkwardly accepts the handshake. WILL Same to you. EMILY And lose that car -- Will opens his mouth to protest -- EMILY (CONT'D) Just for a while. Park it somewhere. And stay awayfrom phones. Trust me on this. She strides away, a slim, erect figure in the gloom -- looking,suddenly, awfully frail and abandoned. Will frowns, a hint of concern, thentouches his bruised jaw and eyes his broken window. WILL Who am I kidding? She can take care of herself. He shakes his head -- Emily turns -- EMILY Hey, what's your name? Will pauses, indecisive -- Emily (CONT'D) Never mind. Probably better if I don't know. WILL Right. EMILY Right. He watches, until she disappears around a corner -- INT. WILL'S PORSCHE - DAY (RAINING) Will collapses into the Porsche's rain soaked seat, grimacesat the wet and the hanging ignition, then starts the car and pulls ontothe highway. But he checks the rearview mirror one last time, watching thetruck stop lights fade away into the gloom. WILL Good-bye, Emily Hope. And he breathes a sigh of relief. EXT. FARMHOUSE/DRIVE - DAY (RAINING) Dusk is falling as Will's Porsche turns up a dirt driveand halts at an old gate -- Will climbs out to unlock a rusty key lock on an old chain,swings the gate open, drives through, climbs out to relock it, before continuingup the drive. INT. WILL'S PORSCHE - DAY (RAINING) Will follows the drive through trees, an overgrown field,around a bend -- there's an old dilapidated farmhouse and a boarded up barnahead. He stops at the barn and clicks his trusty garage door opener-- the barn door rolls back on tracks. INT. BARN - DAY (RAINING) Inside, the barn's similar to Will's Portland warehouse:illuminated by overhead flourescents, a clean, if dusty, cement floor, acouple cars under dusty covers. Will climbs wearily from the Porsche, pats its side affectionately,and heads out the side door -- EXT. FARMHOUSE - DAY (RAINING) -- making his way to the old farmhouse -- INT. FARMHOUSE - DAY A big old place, dusty and unused. But the utilities work-- Will swings into the kitchen, flicks on lights, dials a phone -- pauses,shakes his head -- WILL Don't be ridiculous. And continues dialing. He drags a coffee maker from underthe counter, rinses as he listens to the phone RING on the other end. JOE (V.O.) This is Joe. I'm not here. Leave a message. Will sighs. INT. TRUCK STOP/COFFEE SHOP - NIGHT Emily, rain soaked and looking less than able to pay fora cup of coffee, sits at the counter wearing a pair of large, black sunglasses,sipping the aforementioned coffee and studying a map. The WAITRESS shoots her a suspicious glance, ambles up torefill her cup and smack a bill on the counter. WAITRESS Lotta glare on the road today, is there? She indicates the rain swept night outside the windows.Emily touches her sunglasses and laughs, self conscious. EMILY Oh, these. The waitress waits for Emily to take off the sunglasses.Emily doesn't. EMILY (CONT'D) This is very embarrassing -- Emily touches a finger to the skin beneath her sunglasses-- implying a black eye -- shrugs, lifts her coffee cup, bringing her scabbedover elbow into full view -- In two seconds flat, the waitress goes from smart ass tosympathetic. WAITRESS Do you need help? Emily casts her gaze around the room, smiles wryly. EMILY Do you know any of these people? I hate to justask a stranger, and I guess they have rules about people ridingalong, but. . . Do you know anyone, a nice guy maybe, who wouldbe willing to give someone a lift out of town? WAITRESS Where do you want to go? Emily It doesn't matter where, it just needs to be tonight. WAITRESS You just sit right here, honey, i'll be right back. The waitress stiff legs it to a table and whispers to truckers. INT. FARMHOUSE/BATHROOM - NIGHT Will revels under a hot shower. EXT. FARMHOUSE/DRIVE - NIGHT The gate to the drive hangs open. A car approaches -- a very expensive car with tinted windowsand Oregon plates -- headlights off, it parks out of sight of the farmhouse. You guessed it: Thomas Perkins. INT. FARMHOUSE - NIGHT Scrubbed and dressed in a robe, Will pours himself a cupof coffee, ambles into the spartan living room, switches a radio on to MUSIC,lifts a phone, dials, and listens to it RING on the other end as he liftsa remote control and switches on the MUTED TV. JOE (V.O.) This is Joe. I'm not here. Leave a message. Will frowns, hangs up, and relaxes into a chair to stareat the TV. Boring. He flips channels -- Jerks forward in his chair, and switches back a channelto stare in horror at -- The TV screen shows an anchorman, the warehouse fire, acharred Mercedes, more fire -- Will's jaw drops. WILL Oh shit.
Will's high school yearbook photo flashes by, a pictureof Emily -- WILL Shit shit shit. PERKINS (O.S.) Interesting viewing? WILL Jesus! Will spins to stare at Thomas Perkins, who steps silentlyinto the room. WILL (CONT'D) Who the fuck are you? PERKINS I'm Uncle Tom. Who the fuck are you? Perkins holds up photocopies of mortgage deeds, studiesone in mock annoyance. PERKINS William Pogue, who owns a warehouse in Portland,Oregon -- Studying another photocopy -- PERKINS (CONT'D) -- William Danny, who owns a farm in Denton*, Washington?,or maybe William Baker, who owns another warehouse -- you like warehouses,don't you? -- in Seattle, Washington. Perkins lowers the papers. PERKINS (CONT'D) I'll just call you William. Now, William, where'sEmily Hope? Perkins brings out a gun and casually begins screwing asilencer into place. EXT. TRUCK STOP - NIGHT (RAINING) Standing beside a rumbling semi truck, the waitress embracesEmily and shoves a bag into her hands. WAITRESS There's food in here, to hold you over. EMILY Thank you Norma. WAITRESS Don't even think twice about it. You just get yourselfsomewhere safe. Emily gives her a hug, shoves bills into her big waitresspockets, and swings up into the truck cab. WAITRESS Now blast you, I told you -- EMILY You take that money, Norma. It's all I've got togive you, and money isn't enough. Emily slams the cab door, waves, and the semi rumbles outof the parking lot. INT. TRUCK STOP - NIGHT Norma, the waitress, is wiping down a deserted counter,when Will, face cut up and a bit wild around the eyes, stalks up -- wearinga really nice suit. WAITRESS Coffee, Hon? WILL I'm looking for a girl. Norma looks Will up and down, not liking what she sees. WILL (CONT'D) She may have come in here. About yeah high, suchand such hair, thin, kinda delicate looking? WAITRESS She's gone. Will sighs in relief. WILL You've seen her. Do you know where she went? WAITRESS Somewhere you can't get your lousy hands on her,is where. Don't let the door hit your ass on the way out. WILL What? WAITRESS Bobby? Joe? The place is not entirely deserted -- two very burly TRUCKERSglance up from their booth. TRUCKER #1 Norma, you need something? WAITRESS This gentleman is looking for the little girl Mikegave a ride to -- She indicates Will with her chin -- TRUCKER #2 That so? The truckers are rising -- rising being an understatement-- to approach Will. TRUCKER #1 He the one gave her that black eye? Norma's got her hands on her hips, staring Will down. WILL Now wait a minute -- TRUCKER #2 I think maybe we need to have a talk outside, Son. INT. SEMI TRUCK CAB - DAY (MORNING) Emily wakes up, ensconced in the bed of the truck cab, asMIKE the trucker climbs into the cab with two styrofoam cups of coffee. MIKE Morning. Want some coffee? EMILY Thanks. He hands it back to her and she cracks its cover to happilybreathe in steam, before taking a sip. MIKE Your eye looks pretty good. Thomas Perkins' tinted windows car pulls into the lot outside. EMILY I'm a fast healer. She sets the cup down and crawls to the front of the cab,to get a better look -- it is definitely Thomas's car. She sucks in breath.Mike frowns at the car. MIKE Someone you know? She nods, tired, and drags on her shoes. Mike's glowering at the car. MIKE You don't have to go out there. Emily gives him a tired smile and a kiss on the cheek. EMILY Thanks for the ride and the coffee, Mike. I'll beokay. She drops down out of the cab. Mike shakes his head. MIKE Why do they always go back, I wonder? Nice prettygirl, could have anyone she wanted, and she goes back to the blackeye patrol. EXT. TRUCK STOP #2 - DAY (MORNING) Emily braces her shoulders and walks towards Thomas's car. EMILY Aw, well, it was a fun ride, Em. She sighs, and opens the passenger door. Will glares at her from the driver's seat. EMILY (CONT'D) You! WILL Get in. EMILY Fuck you. You burned my car! She whirls and stalks back towards the truck. WILL I what!? He slams out and stands there, breathing hard. She turns,glaring. EMILY No wonder you were in such a hurry to get out ofthere. You torched the place! WILL The hell I did. More likely one of your relativescame to visit. She stares at the car, his suit -- EMILY Where's Thomas? WILL In the last twenty-four hours, I've been beatenup by three people, threatened with a gun, insulted by a waitress,and I had to run naked through the woods. So I'm not in the moodto hold this conversation in the god damned rain. Now get in thecar. EMILY You ran naked through the woods? She glances at her watch: five thirty. EMILY Wow. It's not even six o'clock. INT. PERKINS' DISCREET AUTOMOBILE - DAY (RAINING) Emily smokes like a fiend. Will drives by reflex. EMILY I'm not going back. WILL The hell you aren't. EMILY You wouldn't be in this mess, if you hadn't gonearound making a bunch of phone calls. The car's cellular phone rings. Will stares at it, appalled.Emily eyes it, curious. WILL Don't answer that. EMILY Who is it? Silence. Will's jaw works. EMILY Uncle Tom? Uncle Tom is calling you on the phone? She laughs, delighted. He glares. WILL (CONT'D) If I'd known the fucking marines were on my ass-- but no. It wasn't the marines. It was Uncle Tom, a much morefrightening individual. Where the hell did you think you were yougoing? EMILY Fort Lewis. WILL Oh, that explains everything. EMILY If you must know, I was going to visit a priest. Will snorts. WILL Well now you're going to visit a policeman. Whothe hell is Uncle Tom? Emily stares around the car in fascination. EMILY I can't believe you stole Uncle Thomas's car. Andhis clothes. How did you do it? WILL I ran. EMILY You outran Uncle Tom? WILL He wasn't counting on me jumping through that plateglass window. She reaches up to touch one of his facial nicks. EMILY But how -- Will shoots her a deprecating glance, grits his teeth -- WILL The clothes were in the car. He's waiting for an explanation, seething. She sighs. EMILY He's not really my uncle, that's just what I callhim. He rubs his eyes, tired to death of subterfuge. She sighs. EMILY (CONT'D) Uncle Tom does clean up for my father. WILL He's a janitor. Why didn't I think of that. Will jerks the steering wheel, straightening the car's pathout on the road. EMILY When's the last time you got some sleep? He grits his teeth. EMILY (CONT'D) Jesus, I bet you haven't slept at all. You can'teven stay on the road. WILL I can stay on the road. EXT. HIGHWAY - DAY (RAINING) Perkins' car screeches off the road -- slamming to a haltamid flying pebbles and mud.
WILL (O.S.) Uncle Tom is a hit man? INT. PERKINS' DISCREET AUTOMOBILE - DAY (RAINING) Will stares, horrified, at Emily. EMILY Not exactly. WILL Then I wish to hell you'd tell me what "exactly"Uncle Tom is. EMILY Okay, he's a hit man. Will plunges off the shoulder, through weeds and mud, ontothe feeder road. EMILY (CONT'D) Where are you going? WILL I have to make a call. INT. PHONE BOOTH - DAY (RAINING) Will listens grimly to Joe's answering machine. JOE (V.O.) This is Joe. I'm not here. Leave a message. Will hangs up. WILL Jesus, Joe, where are you? INT. JAIL CELL - DAY (MORNING) Uncle Joe stands at the common phone, amidst the glamourand glitz of a holding cell. VOICE OVER I'm sorry, but the number you have dialed is disconnectedor no longer in service at this time. If you feel you have reachedthis recording in error -- Joe drops the phone into its cradle. JOE Damn. Looks like I'm walking. A gnarled VISITOR laughs. VISITOR Joe, you miser, why don't you cough up for a cab? JOE Already had to pay the damn fine. A GUARD clangs the cell door.
GUARD This ain't a hotel, you know, Pogue. You going orstaying? JOE I'm going. Hold your britches. Joe shambles out. VISITOR Damn idiot's going to walk. Crazy assed white sonof a bitch. INT. AMADEUS'S VIEWING ROOM - DAY It truly is a viewing room, in every sense of the word.Amadeus sits in a massive chair, watching a newscaster harass Dan Sims onthe enormous TV screen. NEWSCASTER (V.O.) Is it true Emily Hope, daughter of billionaire AmadeusT. Hope the Third, has been missing for three days? SIMS (V.O.) No comment. NEWSCASTER (V.O.) Is it true the recent grounding of a river bargewas a failed attempt -- Amadeus snaps off the telecast, stares at the dark screen.Thomas rises silently and refills their drinks. AMADEUS Do you relize how embarrassing it is to call a bankpresident and tell him you need one million dollars replaced? Thomas drops ice in the drinks. AMADEUS (CONT'D) Do you realize there are eleven news vans parkedoutside this residence? Thomas hands Amadeus a drink. Amadeus sips, brooding. AMADEUS (CONT'D) Privacy, Thomas, is a rare commodity. PERKINS Amadeus, it's Emily. AMADEUS That's no longer an issue. Someone must take publicresponsibility for this fiasco -- that someone will not be a Hope.She's in Washington? Perkins nods. Amadeus shakes his head. AMADEUS (CONT'D) Please tell me we aren't involving the Bureau inthis. PERKINS It's unconfirmed. It will remain unconfirmed. AMADEUS Is there any way we can -- Amadeus gestures helplessly at the TV. PERKINS Short of killing everyone in the news departments? Amadeus considers the possibilities -- PERKINS (CONT'D) No. Amadeus sighs, strokes one of his Bonsai. AMADEUS They're so perfect. So controlled. Perkins' face twitches. PERKINS Will you permit me to make an observation, Amadeus? AMADEUS Certainly, Thomas. PERKINS Emily is not a plant. Amadeus frowns. PERKINS (CONT'D) Just an observation. Amadeus turns the tree to a more complimentary angle. AMADEUS I'm experiencing the strangest emotions, Thomas.Relief. And shame. Because I thought my daughter was dead -- He strokes the moss at the plant's base. AMADEUS (CONT'D) -- and the thought was oddly comforting. I supposethat makes me a terrible person. Perkins doesn't say a word. Amadeus sighs. AMADEUS (CONT'D) I don't care how you do it. Shut the circus down. Thomas nods and heads for the door, leaving -- Thomas turnsto the right. AMADEUS (CONT'D) Thomas? Thomas pauses. AMADEUS (CONT'D) My father was rarely present, while I was growingup, yet I didn't terrorize every living soul I came in contact with. Thomas's eyes are sad in that hard masked face of his. PERKINS I'm not judging you, Amadeus. AMADEUS Aren't you? PERKINS No. Just making an observation. And Thomas is gone, leaving Amadeus alone in that big, beautiful,perfectly controlled, and very empty room. INT. JOE'S AUTO PARTS - DAY (RAINING) If you want to talk grease and engine parts, "Joe's AutoParts" is sacred, if grimy, ground. The phone is RINGING. Uncle Joe, lookingthe worse for his visit with the authorities, not to mention his walk, appearsoutside the window and unlocks the shop door. The answering machine clickson. JOE (V.O.) This is Joe. I'm not here. Leave a message. The door JANGLES as Joe pushes in. The machine beeps. Hestumps across the room to pick up, just as the caller hangs up. JOE I hate it when they do that. Sighing, he pulls a bottle from under the cash register,takes a long pull, and collapses onto a beat up stool. INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT - DAY Dan Sims studies reports, reading each sheet, setting itaside, and wearily going on to the nEXT. He pauses. SIMS Barnaby? You see this DUI report? Barnaby, at the next desk, glances up. BARNABY You mean that old guy Pogue? SIMS Yeah. BARNABY Sure. SIMS Did it occur to you, this old guy Pogue, who waspulled over in the vicinity of a warehouse that just happens tobelong to a suspect named Pogue, might be a relative? BARNABY Sure. SIMS Sure? BARNABY Yeah, it's his uncle. SIMS His uncle? BARNABY Yeah. Sims stares ceilingward, praying for patience. SIMS Barnaby, were you going to tell me this? BARNABY Yeah, I probably would have gotten around to it. Sims struggles into his jacket. SIMS Barnaby, I am really trying to like you. BARNABY We going somewhere? SIMS Yeah, Barnaby, I thought we might pay a visit toMr. Pogue's uncle. INT. MOTEL #2/ROOM - DAY (RAINING) Emily comes out of the bathroom, wearing a towel and rubbingher hair with another, smoking a cigarette. The key rattles and Will stalks in, soaked, halts dead. EMILY Did you get him? WILL Who? He settles warily into a chair, as far from her as physicallypossible -- by the door. EMILY Whoever it is you keep calling. WILL You take too many damn showers. She grabs her clothes off the floor and stalks into thebathroom, leaving the door partially ajar. Will, uncomfortable as hell, tries to ignore flashes offlesh, as she walks back and forth in there, to the accompaniment of zippersand sliding material. WILL (CONT'D) Is there really a priest? EMILY The nuns at school used to make us go to church-- which was boring as hell -- so I used to go to confession --to shock the priests. Told 'em I slept with all these army guysand stuff. WILL What's so shocking about that? EMILY I was nine. She comes out of the bathroom, tosses herself on the bed,sniffs her shirt sleeve, grimaces, shuts her eyes. EMILY (CONT'D) God I hate dirty clothes. WILL These priests all believed a nine year old girlwas sleeping with army guys? EMILY I think Father Douglas is the only one who caughton. She shuts her eyes. He shuts his eyes. He puts his feet up on the table. Shifts. Shifts again. Opens his eyes. Shuts them. Emilyopens her eyes and glares. EMILY If the chair's so god damned uncomfortable, sleepon the bed. Your virtue will remain intact. WILL I'm used to sleeping alone. EMILY I'll bet. All those frigging locks. She tosses back down into the pillows, turning away fromhim. He turns onto his side, facing away from her. The rain beats down. There they both lie, wide awake. EMILY (CONT'D) Pogue, are you planning on being a car thief allyour life? WILL Are you planning on being a thorn in your father'sside all your life? Stony silence. Will sighs. WILL (CONT'D) I'm going to Tahiti. EMILY You're going to steal cars in Tahiti? That's progress. WILL I'm going to fish. And I'm going to go first class. EMILY Oh, right. So what will you live on? Fish? WILL I have investments. Emily laughs -- bitter. WILL (CONT'D) What's so funny? EMILY Here I thought I'd met an honest thief -- and youhave investments. She's really laughing now -- but it's a brittle laugh. EMILY (CONT'D) Just like my father. Next, you'll tell me you havea tree fetish. WILL Believe you me, hard as I tried, I could never fucksomeone up as bad as you're fucked up over your old man. She stops laughing. He glances over at her. WILL (CONT'D) Don't tell me I hurt your feelings. She throws back the covers, stumps out of bed. EMILY You take the bed. I'll sleep in the chair. He shakes his head no, crosses his arms. WILL Chair's by the door. EMILY Jesus, God. Look, I give you my word, I will notleave, while you're asleep. Okay? Because I would rather see youget some sleep than end up somewhere dead on the highway. Will thatwork? My solemn oath. He looks at her, skeptical. INT. JOE'S AUTO PARTS - DAY The bell JANGLES over the door and Dan Sims walks in, Barnabyplodding along behind him. The only living thing in sight is an old GermanShepherd in the corner -- it wags its tail. SIMS Anybody here? JOE (O.S.) Yeah, yeah, hold on. Sims leans down to pet the dog. Joe comes out of the back,glares at the dog. JOE Veronica, you're supposed to bite the burglars,not welcome them in. Veronica's tail wags harder. JOE (CONT'D) What can I do you for? Dan flashes a badge. SIMS Are you Joseph Pogue? JOE Nope. He ain't here. Sims squints at Joe. SIMS When do you expect him back? JOE Dunno. He went on a fishing trip. Maybe a week orso. SIMS Would you happen to know where? JOE Nope. SIMS How about his nephew, William Pogue? You ever seehim around here? JOE Sorry. Only worked here a coupla weeks. Sims gives him a hard look.
SIMS And what would your name be? JOE Dennis Hodges. SIMS You got any identification, Dennis Hodges? JOE Nope. Sims glowers. Joe shrugs. JOE (CONT'D) I don't drive. SIMS You know it's against the law to lie to a policeofficer, Mr. Hodges? JOE Now I do. Sims slaps his card on the counter. SIMS You hear from Pogue, you call me. JOE Will do. Sims and Barnaby JANGLE out the door. Joe picks up the card,studies it. JOE Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The Shepherd flops its tail. INT. UNDERCOVER CAR (OUTSIDE JOE'S AUTO PARTS) - DAY Sims steams. Barnaby starts the engine. SIMS There is something wrong here. I don't know what,but something is not right. BARNABY You mean with Pogue? SIMS What do you mean, "Do you mean with Pogue"? Barnaby inclines his head towards Joe's Auto Parts. BARNABY That was him back there. SIMS How can you tell? The station picture is shit. BARNABY Went to school with him. Sims' jaw drops. SIMS You might have said something sooner. Barnaby shrugs. BARNABY You want to go back and talk to him? SIMS Oh, right. Excuse me, Mr. Pogue. My partner justhappened to mention. . . he won't tell us anything now. BARNABY Nope. SIMS But I want the place watched. BARNABY Okey-dokey. Barnaby pulls out. Sims jerks his seat belt forward -- itsticks. Disgusted, he drops it, past trying to get the damn thing to work. INT. THOMAS PERKINS' NEW AND IMPROVED DISCREET AUTOMOBILE(OUTSIDE JOE'S AUTO PARTS) - DAY Thomas, expressionless and immaculate as always, watchesBarnaby and Sims pull away. Beside him on the seat, the red LED on a high tech phonemonitoring device blinks. INT. UNDERCOVER CAR - DAY Barnaby drives, nonchalant. Dan Sims broods. SIMS Barnaby, let me ask you a question. BARNABY Shoot. SIMS What do you think is happening here? Barnaby scratches his neck, thinks a moment. BARNABY You want to know what I think? Sims is getting belligerent. SIMS Yeah. Just out of curiosity, I want to know whatyou think. BARNABY Well, lemme see. I think old man Hope thought hisdaughter was setting him up, so he didn't get too riled, thoughthe'd just play along. Then, when the car wasn't there with her init, he got worried and called in the big guns -- that'd be our mysteriousMr. Perkins. But the kidnapper we're after wasn't a kidnapper, hewas a car thief -- seeing as he's Joe Pogue's nephew, and Poguesaren't into kidnapping, they're into cars. You know his daddy wasa racer? So the kid took the car, but then he found the girl init, which put him in a fix. So he was trying to figure out whatto do about it, without getting tangled up with the law, when thatold lady put the finger on him and the cops showed up. Then he ran-- skittish lot, the Pogues -- and the girl probably went with him-- but he forgot to take the coffee off, so the whole place burneddown. Now old Pogue's sweating it, 'cause he hasn't heard from hisnephew in a while, and young Pogue and that girl are somewhere outin tarnation. Sims just stares, slack jawed. Barnaby glances at him. BARNABY (CONT'D) That's what I think. SIMS You thought that all out. BARNABY Yep. SIMS And you never thought to mention it. BARNABY You didn't ask. Sims collapses back into his seat, thinking. SIMS What makes you think the kid's a car thief? BARNABY Got busted way back, musta been about fourteen atthe time, for auto. Bad crowd he was running with, after his daddydied. SIMS He did. Barnaby nods. BARNABY You'd know these things, if you were from aroundhere. SIMS You don't like me much, do you Barnaby? BARNABY I got nothing against you. I just wonder, sometimes,how come you're out here, instead of back in your own town. Seconds tick by as Sims considers. SIMS You ever been to Los Angeles, Barnaby? BARNABY Nope. INT. MOTEL #2/ROOM - DAY (RAINING HARD) RAIN beats against the roof. Thunder RUMBLES and Will jerksawake, stares around the room panicked, relaxes when he remembers wherehe is -- And stiffens when he sees Emily's gone. WILL God damn it. He struggles free of tangled bed clothes, jerks open thedoor to stare out at the gray sheet of rain, and cursing, plunges into it. EXT. MOTEL #2/PARKING LOT - DAY Will, dashing through the rain -- WILL Stupid stupid stupid -- The car is still there, and intact. He turns to stare at the abandoned lot. The neon motel sign spits in the gray rain, shooting weakillumination. Even the office looks dead. WILL (CONT'D) Shit. I give you my solemn oath. Yeah, right. Stupidstupid stupid. LIGHTNING shoots across the sky, casting everything intoblack and white lines, and there, on the hill behind the hotel, is a small,still figure standing in the rain. WILL (CONT'D) Emily? He wipes rain off his face -- like that does any good --and trudges up the hill through a growing stream of mud and water. And sureenough, it's her. WILL (CONT'D) Emily, what are you doing out here? She just stands there, holding the front of her shirt awayfrom her body to stare down at an enormous black blotch on it, as the rainsleets down her. EMILY I stained my shirt. WILL What? EMILY I was playing with the god damn motel pen, and itbroke, and now I've got ink all over my shirt. Will stares at the ragged shirt -- scruffy, torn, dirty-- he laughs. WILL Emily, that shirt needs to be burned. EMILY I hate god damn stains. Emily starts crying. He blanches, puts his hands on hershoulders, staring at her in consternation. WILL Hey, hey, it's just a beat up old shirt. This isn't having the desired effect -- she's bawling. WILL (CONT'D) We'll buy you a new one. Here, you can have my shirt-- He's struggling out his shirt. EMILY No no no. The rain comes and it washes the wholeworld clean. It just doesn't wash the people clean. We're all stained,Will. WILL How long have you been out here, Emily? She shrugs. He takes her hands, rubs them. WILL (CONT'D) Jesus, you're cold. Come on. He tugs. She resists, rain plastering her face and hair.He wipes a sodden strand out of her face. WILL (CONT'D) Anybody can change, Emily. EMILY Like you're going to change, Will, when you getto Tahiti? INT. MOTEL #2/ROOM - DAY (RAINING) They're soaked and Emily's teeth are chattering as Willpushes her into the motel room chair and crouches to drag her shoes offand rub her feet. EMILY That hurts. WILL I bet. He grabs a discarded towel, rubs her hair. EMILY Rain never killed anyone. WILL The hell it didn't. You've got to get out of theseclothes. She smiles, tired. He meets her eyes -- eyes for once candidand just plain young and tired. WILL (CONT'D) Thanks for not leaving. She reaches out with a cold, gentle hand, to touch his face,so close, leans forward, kisses him. . . . It's a long kiss -- before he breaks away. She frees thefirst button of her shirt. WILL No. EMILY I need you. WILL You don't need me. You need something, but it'snot me. EMILY Don't you ever get lonely, Will Pogue? Living behindall your locks and chains and secrets, don't you ever need anotherhuman being? WILL I can't afford the stakes you play for, Emily.
EMILY Yes you can, Will. Just for a moment. Just to behuman. And she kisses him again, and what he should do -- or mightregret -- doesn't matter. INT. MOTEL #2/ROOM - DAY Emily lies awake by Will's side in the bed, staring at theceiling, listening to Will's soft breathing. He rolls over, kisses her,smiles one of those shit eating grins everyone wears, when they're in lovewith the world because they just got laid. WILL Hi. EMILY Hi. She's distant. Will drags clothes off a chair, frowns atthe wrinkled suit, but climbs into it anyway. WILL You okay? EMILY I don't want to go back. He loses a bit of the rosy glow. WILL Emily, it's hard truth time. I have to go back.I have to check on someone. And you have to go back. To clear upthis mess. He straps on his watch. She turns to stare at the wall.He touches her face. WILL (CONT'D) I would truly love to hide out here with you forever,but that's not going to work, and you know it. For one thing, becauseUncle Tom is going to come through that door one of these days andkill me dead for making you suck my penis. He smiles, trying. EMILY Fine. She grabs her clothes off the floor and drags them on, purposefullyignoring the stain. WILL God, I could eat a horse. INT. RESTAURANT/PAY PHONE - DAY Will, relieved enough to be rude, speaks into the phone. WILL Where the hell have you been? INT. JOE'S AUTO PARTS/LIVING QUARTERS - DAY Joe, casual, speaks into the phone. intercut: JOE Jail. WILL Jail? JOE Yep. WILL What the hell -- JOE Pardon me for intruding, Will, but did you knowyour warehouse burned to the ground? WILL Yeah, I know. JOE I ask because I don't know if you've got TV's whereyou're at. WILL You want to know what's going on? JOE Nope. Nope. I don't want to know. I'd rather notknow. But I thought it might be good to be sure you know. WILL I know. JOE Then I figure you'll take care of it. When're youcoming home? WILL I'm on my way. JOE Well that's good. Things're a might peculiar aroundhere, though. You might want to wear a hat. WILL I'll do that, Uncle Joe. (beat) Uncle Joe, there haven't been any strangers around,asking questions, have there? Maybe a guy in a suit? JOE A nice suit, or a cheap suit? WILL A nice suit. JOE Just cops. WILL That's good. INT. THOMAS PERKINS' NEW AND IMPROVED DISCREET AUTOMOBILE- DAY Thomas smiles -- not a nice smile -- snaps off his phonetapping device, and straightens his cuff, obscuring a military tattoo. INT. RESTAURANT - DAY Emily, shivering slightly, picks at her food, looking miserable.A plate of fish sits across the table from her, growing cold. Will slides into the booth. EMILY You get through? WILL Yep. EMILY Congratulations. I ordered you the fish. WILL Oh. He eyes the congealing creature with an expression lessthan rapturous, but takes a manful bite and swallows. WILL (CONT'D) Said the cops have been by. EMILY What's wrong with the fish? WILL Nothing. What I'm going to do is drop you off atthe police station. Then I'm going to get the hell out of there,while you go in and introduce yourself. Emily, watching him wince his way through the fish, eyeshis plate, frowns. EMILY What's wrong with it. Will sets down his fork with a sigh. WILL Emily, I'm sorry. I hate fish. EMILY You hate fish. She stares out the window -- coming to a decision here,building up inside defenses -- EMILY (CONT'D) I think you should go to Tahiti, Will. Just geton that plane and go. Forget all this mess -- and take a few steaksalong, for insurance purposes. WILL Am I missing something here? EMILY Missing something? She gives him a cool stare. WILL Maybe I'm taking a lot for granted. But I thoughtsomething happened here. EMILY Yeah, something happened here. It's called sex,Will. WILL Uh huh. EMILY And suddenly, after having sex, you seem to be thinkingI'm going to be changed into a nice person and I'm going to go trottinginto some police station and announce myself to the world. Will isn't attempting to eat fish anymore. EMILY (CONT'D) Don't ever make that mistake, Will, of thinkingI'm a nice person, just because we had sex, because if there's onething I'm not, it's nice. Will's sitting there, waiting for the punch line. It doesn'tcome. The silence grows. EMILY (CONT'D) I'm pregnant, Will. He stares at her blankly. WILL There's no way. EMILY Not last night. Before last night. WILL How -- oh, shit. He's working through it, adjusting -- comes back at herjust as tough as she's coming at him. WILL (CONT'D) I can live with that. Ouch -- she didn't expect that -- she recovers fast. WILL (CONT'D) Who? She hits him with a hard, cold stare -- these are the bigguns. EMILY (CONT'D) I don't really remember. She pulls out a cigarette, lights up. Will stares at it, at her, the implications sinking in. She blows smoke, a thin cloud growing between them. Will Emily? EMILY What, you're still here? WILL No. You're right. I think it's time I go. He stands stiffly and stalks for the door. Emily watches him go with a crooked, pained smile. EXT. JOE'S AUTO PARTS - DAY Thomas Perkins strolls to the door of the shop, sparinga casual glance for the undercover car outside -- INT. SECOND UNDERCOVER CAR - DAY A weary detective watches Joe's place, Will's high schoolyearbook photo on the seat beside him, and, unfortunately, the detectivedoesn't know, or care, who Thomas Perkins is, and spares him only a passingglance. INT. JOE'S AUTO PARTS - DAY The door JANGLES and Thomas strolls to the counter. TheGerman Shepherd flops its tail against the wall. Joe, behind the counter,glances up, studies Perkins' suit. JOE (CONT'D) Sorry, I'm closed. PERKINS Joseph Pogue? JOE He ain't here. Thomas Really? Then perhaps you can tell me where he is? JOE Got no idea. You wanna leave a message, though,I'll see he gets it when he comes back. Thomas slides a fifty dollar bill onto the counter. Thomas I would like very much to speak with him. Joe eyes the money. JOE That's too bad, 'cause he ain't here. Thomas's eyes narrow and he retracts the fifty. PERKINS Mr. Pogue, you may not want my money, but you aregoing to speak to me. Silence. PERKINS (CONT'D) Perhaps you don't understand, Mr. Pogue. I'm veryserious. JOE I told you, Joe Pogue ain't here. Thomas pulls a gun (silenced) from his shoulder holster,turns, and shoots the German Shepherd dead. JOE (CONT'D) Veronica? PERKINS As I said, Mr. Pogue, I'm very serious. Joe wobbles around the counter's edge, not quite believingthat old dog is dead. JOE Oh, shit, Veronica? INT. PERKINS' DISCREET AUTOMOBILE - DAY Will drives, seriously pissed, passing Highway Five Southsigns too fast -- and then it hits him. WILL She's lying. He jerks the wheel and screeches to a halt on the shoulder-- which gets him an unfriendly HORN blast from the car behind him -- andlaughs, amazed. WILL (CONT'D) Man, she is good. Those poor priests. And then he sobers. WILL (CONT'D) If she's not lying, you are about to make one hellof a fool of yourself, William Pogue. He stares out the window, drumming his fingers on the wheel.Drumming drumming drumming -- WILL (CONT'D) Fuck it. He spins the wheel and makes a very illegal U-turn. EXT. RECTORY - DAY Will rings the bell, shifts feet a few times, waiting. TheRECTORY PRIEST opens the door. RECTORY PRIEST May I help you? WILL I'm looking for Father Douglas? The Priest studies Will, who's not up to boy scout standardstoday -- in fact, Will resembles a seriously scruffy character. RECTORY PRIEST I'm sorry, he's unavailable. Perhaps you could tellme what this is regarding? WILL No, I need to speak to Father Douglas personally.Could you tell me where he went? The priest checks his watch. RECTORY PRIEST He should be back in a couple of hours, if you'dlike to come back. The priest starts to shut the door -- starts, only, becauseWill blocks it. WILL This is urgent. RECTORY PRIEST If it's urgent, you can talk to me. Will's losing patience. WILL No, I need to speak to Father Douglas. RECTORY PRIEST Then I can't help you. The priest starts to shut the door again -- Will strong arms the door. WILL Look you, I need to speak to Father Douglas, andI need to speak to him now. The priest blanches. RECTORY PRIEST Father Douglas is taking confessions. WILL Thank you. INT. CHURCH - DAY Will Pogue's footsteps echo, slap slap slap, across thehard floor. It's an intimidating church, but he's not into being intimidatedright now, he's into getting to the confessional. Still -- he genuflectsand shoots a token knee bend at the alter, old habits dying hard. At the confessional, there's a line. He pauses, less sureof himself, takes his place at the end. And way up there, at the front of the line, there are twoconfessionals. He studies them. WILL What now? A WOMAN in front of him turns. WOMAN Excuse me? WILL Nothing. Sorry. She eyes his wrinkled clothing, before turning a stiff backon him. Nothing for it, he waits -- receiving odd glances from littleold ladies ahead of and behind him. INT. RECTORY - DAY The rectory priest dials an old fashioned, black, rotaryphone. INT. CHURCH - DAY Will's next in line. An elderly woman steps from one ofthe confessionals. He plunges in. INT. CONFESSIONAL - DAY Will sits awkwardly in the booth. The shade rolls back. WILL Are you Father Douglas?
The PRIEST clears his throat -- a hint. Will crosses himself. WILL (CONT'D) Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned repeatedlyand it's been years since my last confession, but if you aren'tFather Douglas, I don't want to talk to you. PRIEST May I ask why, then, you're here? WILL I'm looking for a girl. Silence. WILL (CONT'D) So if you could just tell me -- PRIEST Did you say you were looking for a girl? WILL Uh, maybe I should explain -- PRIEST Next door. Will boggles. WILL Excuse me? PRIEST Next door. WILL A girl? PRIEST You'll find Father Douglas in the next confessional. WILL Oh. Uh, okay. PRIEST Unless, of course, you'd like to take advantageof the circumstances. WILL No, I'll just be going now. Will reaches for the door -- INT. CHURCH - DAY Will, crimson faced, takes his place at the end of the lineagain. He's getting truly curious glances from waiting confessors. INT. CHURCH - DAY Will's first in line again. An elderly woman steps fromthe confessional he entered the first time. Drat! He pretends not to notice,shifts his weight, staring at the second confessional. WILL (under his breath) Come on, come on -- A WOMAN behind him taps him on the shoulder. WOMAN I think it's free now. WILL Uh, no, you go ahead. I'm waiting for the next one. She ogles him, before going ahead. He's embarrassed as hell,getting stares, standing there, trying to be cool. A woman steps out ofthe second confessional and he bolts for it. EXT. RECTORY - DAY A police cruiser pulls to the curb. As the COP steps fromthe cruiser, the rectory priest Will had the doorway altercation with stepsforward to meet him. INT. SECOND CONFESSIONAL - DAY Will sits awkwardly in the booth, relieved to be off display-- until the shade rolls back. WILL Father Douglas? The PRIEST coughs, a hint. Will genuflects -- stops himself. WILL (CONT'D) Look, the guy next door said you were Father Douglas,and I've got to talk to Father Douglas, so you either are or arenot Father Douglas. Silence. Will starts to sweat. WILL (CONT'D) If you are, I need to talk to you. If you aren't,just tell me where Father Douglas is -- I'll get out of your hairand you won't have to worry about me till last rites. It is, by the way, FATHER DOUGLAS. FATHER DOUGLAS It might be wise to see me sooner than that. WILL Are you Father Douglas, or aren't you? FATHER DOUGLAS I'll be through here in an hour. Perhaps we couldspeak at that time? WILL You're Father Douglas. FATHER DOUGLAS Yes. Will expels a big sigh of relief. WILL I have a message for Emily Hope. Silence. WILL (CONT'D) You do know Emily Hope? FATHER DOUGLAS Are you Catholic? WILL What does that have to do with it? FATHER DOUGLAS Answer the question, please. Will glances around guiltily. WILL Yes. FATHER DOUGLAS Then you know I can't answer your question. Will's about had it with obstacles. He rips out paper andpen, and scribbles. WILL Fine. I'm writing down an address and phone number.And if you should happen to see Emily Hope, you tell her I can bereached here for the next twenty-four hours. And then I'm gone. Will shoves the paper through the grill. WILL (CONT'D) Oh, and Father? Tell her I thought she was tougherthan this. INT. CHURCH - DAY Will, stepping out of the confessional, stops dead whenhe sees the rectory priest approaching with the COP. WILL Aw, shit. RECTORY PRIEST That's him, officer. Will, looking for somewhere, anywhere, to hide, ducks backinto the confessional. The confession crowd is wild with anticipation. The cop comes to a dead stop outside the confessional. COP I can't go in there. The rectory priest raps on the door. RECTORY PRIEST Young man, come out of there immediately! No answer. RECTORY PRIEST (CONT'D) Do you hear me, young man? I said come out! Father Douglas, looking holier than God, steps from theconfessional, to the further excitement of the crowd -- FATHER DOUGLAS What is the meaning of this? The cop pales -- he wasn't prepared for a stand off withGod. RECTORY PRIEST The man inside -- FATHER DOUGLAS Is a confessor. Since it is not, as far as I know,yet a crime to attend confession, we are not yet in the habit ofdragging confessors out of the booth. Am I clear, Father Michael? RECTORY PRIEST Very, Father Douglas. Father Douglas turns to the cop. FATHER DOUGLAS Thank you for coming. Your services won't be necessarytoday. The cop nods, gulps, and goes. Father Douglas turns to therectory priest. FATHER DOUGLAS (CONT'D) Would you care to explain? The rectory priest falters, casts an anxious glance at theavid spectators -- at this point, no one is entering either of the confessionals.He lowers his voice. RECTORY PRIEST I was concerned for your safety, and. . . (oh, this is going to sound bad) RECTORY PRIEST (CONT'D) I called the police. FATHER DOUGLAS I see. The rectory priest shoots a dour glance at the booth. RECTORY PRIEST He was quite forceful. Father Douglas sighs, opens the confessional door. Willand he lock eyes. FATHER DOUGLAS It was good seeing you again, William. Will reacts, eyes narrowing momentarily. WILL Right. Good seeing you again, Father. Will steps awkwardly from the booth. FATHER DOUGLAS And William? WILL Yes? FATHER DOUGLAS Ten Hail Marys, ten Our Fathers. Will's jaw drops. FATHER DOUGLAS (CONT'D) You may go. WILL Right. Will GOES. Father Douglas turns back to the rectory priest. INT. JOE'S AUTO PARTS/LIVING QUARTERS - DAY The place is a reflection of Joe: old, worn -- too muchbad news has passed through here, leaving behind a yellowed, tarnished toneof loss that clings to every item in the room. Joe himself is not lookingtoo good right now either -- probably because Thomas Perkins is beatingthe crap out of him. Thomas pauses. Joe coughs. Thomas lifts Joe's bottle andoffers Joe a swig, which Joe takes thankfully. PERKINS Joe, you have to understand, I don't enjoy beatingup old men. Especially military men like yourself. But your nephewis in possession of something I must find. JOE Don't know where he is. Haven't heard from him.In days. PERKINS Really, Joe. Perkins gently removes the bottle from Joe's hands. PERKINS (CONT'D) We both know you're lying. Joe reaches pleadingly after the bottle. JOE Please -- PERKINS Sorry, Joe. Thomas hits him again. EXT. CHURCH - DAY Will stands in the shadows, watching the cop study Will's"borrowed" automobile. WILL What is this, pick on Will Pogue week? The cop eyes the out of state plate, scribbles the numberon a pad, lifts his radio mike. WILL (CONT'D) Look, I promise to say the hail marys, I promiseto say the our fathers, hell, I promise to confess, next chanceI get, if that bozo just walks away from the car. Honest. A fullconfession. And no more cars. Not ever. The cop's radio SQUAWKS, the cop hops into his cruiser,turns on his SIREN, and screams out of the parking lot. WILL (CONT'D) You're kidding? Thunder rumbles. Will casts an appalled glance at the sky. INT. PERKINS' DISCREET AUTOMOBILE - DAY Will's screaming down the highway, muttering under his breath. WILL Hail Mary, full of grace. . . EXT. GARDEN - DAY (OVERCAST) Emily sits on a rock, staring into space, as dark cloudsrumble past. Father Douglas walks up behind her. FATHER DOUGLAS I have a message for you. Emily covers her face with her hands. EMILY Aw, shit. Father Douglas drops Will's paper into Emily's lap. FATHER DOUGLAS There's a phone in the rectory. You may use it. He turns away. EMILY Don't you judge me. He turns back. FATHER DOUGLAS I don't judge you, Emily. That's not my job.
EMILY Then what do you call this superior attitude? FATHER DOUGLAS (CONT'D) Frustration? What did you tell him, anyway? EMILY It doesn't matter. It didn't work. Father Douglas laughs. EMILY (CONT'D) What did he say? FATHER DOUGLAS He said he thought you were tougher than this. EMILY Shit shit shit. Father Douglas raises his eyebrows. EMILY (CONT'D) Sorry, Father. FATHER DOUGLAS We'll make a Catholic out of you yet, Emily. Emily shakes her head, almost smiles at the old joke. FATHER DOUGLAS (CONT'D) Emily, that young man is in a great deal of troublebecause of you. EMILY It's not like he's a saint, Father. He did steala car. A lot of cars. FATHER DOUGLAS That he did. I have to return. Will you be all right? EMILY I'll be fine. Father Douglas starts down the path, pauses, and turns. FATHER DOUGLAS Oh, and Emily? EMILY Yes? FATHER DOUGLAS He appeared to have a great deal of -- character. Emily watches Father Douglas disappear down the path. EMILY Touché, Father. INT. RECTORY - DAY Emily squints at the number on Will's paper, lifts the phone,dials -- and hangs up. EMILY I can't do this. She picks up. Hangs up. Picks up. A grotesque crucifix stares down at her from the wall. Sheglares back at it. EMILY (CONT'D) I can't do this, all right! The crucifix glowers -- no, it's not all right. EMILY (CONT'D) Same to you, buddy. But she picks up and angrily dials, glaring at the crucifixthe whole time. EMILY (CONT'D) This is not a good idea. You know that. The phone RINGS on the other end, and is picked up by ThomasPerkins. PERKINS (V.O.) Joe's Auto Parts. Emily freezes. PERKINS (V.O.) (CONT'D) Hello? She hangs up gently, backs slowly from the phone, turns,and bolts for the door. INT. JOE'S AUTO PARTS - DAY Joe is definitely looking the worse for wear. Thomas hangsup the phone, smiles. PERKINS We should be expecting company soon now. JOE Coulda been anybody. PERKINS I doubt it. Perkins gives Joe a good whack -- enough to put him out,which is a damn hard whack. PERKINS (CONT'D) Nothing personal. INT. RECTORY - DAY The rectory priest huffs into the study to ogle Father Douglas.
RECTORY PRIEST Are you aware a young woman just drove off in theChurch sedan? FATHER DOUGLAS Yes. I gave her the keys. The rectory priest pauses, reassessing. RECTORY PRIEST She appeared rather distraught. FATHER DOUGLAS I believe she was, yes. RECTORY PRIEST Should we. . . ? FATHER DOUGLAS No, Michael. We should not. Father Douglas drapes an arm around the rectory priest'sshoulders, walks him gently towards the door. FATHER DOUGLAS (CONT'D) Michael, police are only men. Around here, we relyon God to sort things out. RECTORY PRIEST Yes, Douglas, but -- Father Douglas raises a finger to hush him. FATHER DOUGLAS No buts, Michael. I learned a long time ago, hisway is the best way. EXT. JOE'S AUTO PARTS - DAY Will saunters up the street, just a casual guy in a baseballcap and sunglasses, just ambling along to pick up some parts for his car-- and pushes through the front door of Joe's Auto Parts. INT. SECOND UNDERCOVER CAR - DAY The cop in the under cover car glances at him, at the picture,but hey, nobody actually looks like their high school yearbook picture.Not really. And the cop goes back to his long wait for nothing. INT. JOE'S AUTO PARTS - DAY Will slouches in. No one around. WILL Joe? Silence. Will glances at Veronica's corner -- empty. WILL Joe? Veronica? Silence. He strides to the cash register -- WILL (CONT'D) 'Bout time you walked that dog. -- bangs the cash drawer open -- too much cash in there. WILL (CONT'D) God damn it, Joe, I keep telling you, don't leavethis stuff around. He opens the safe in the cupboard below the register, takesa passport out, stashes it in his front pocket, grabs cash from the registerdrawer and stows it in the safe -- PERKINS (O.S.) Are you robbing the place? Will spins to see Perkins in the doorway to the back. WILL Uncle Tom. PERKINS Very good. Do you know what Uncle Tom wants? WILL I didn't make her suck my penis, if that's the nextquestion. PERKINS Her father will be relieved to hear that. Perkins motions. PERKINS (CONT'D) In back, please. WILL I don't think so. PERKINS It's not a request. WILL Sorry. Perkins shoots Will in the leg -- the gun's silenced, natch. PERKINS Now. Shall we try again? EXT. JOE'S AUTO PARTS - DAY The church sedan, if the logo is any indication, screamsinto the parking lot -- which actually does get the undercover detective'sattention -- and a very recognizable Emily falls out of the car in her hurryto get to the door. INT. SECOND UNDERCOVER CAR - DAY The undercover detective scrabbles for his radio. UNDERCOVER DETECTIVE Jesus Christ, I've got Emily Hope here -- I needback up, now! INT. JOE'S AUTO PARTS - DAY Emily slams in the door, knocking the jangling bells cleanoff their hook, glances around -- no one there -- sees the door to the backand keeps going -- To stop dead in the doorway. LIVING QUARTERS Joe's still out cold. Will, however, is very much awake,not to mention in pain, leaning against a table, his leg bleeding. Perkinsholds his gun at a nonchalant angle, addressing Will. PERKINS A medical team could -- EMILY Thomas. Perkins turns to study Emily. PERKINS You did do it. EMILY Yes. Let them go. PERKINS It would be best if you waited in the car, Emily. EMILY It's just a game, Thomas. PERKINS Sometimes, the game becomes real. That's somethingI forgot to teach you, evidently. EMILY There's a cop outside, Thomas, and his friends areon their way. WILL Emily -- EMILY Shut up, Will. Emily fingers the necklace at her throat -- Thomas's giftof long ago. PERKINS In sixty seconds, that won't be a problem. Neverstart something you can't finish, Emily. Will is reaching under the table -- cautious, so cautiousnot to attract Perkins' attention with his movement -- because the thingWill is stretching fingers for is a good old fashioned revolver strappedto the bottom of the table -- Perkins turns and draws down on Will -- EMILY Uncle Tom! And she's bringing a gun up to bear on Thomas -- staringat his face -- DISSOLVE TO: SERIES OF SHOTS: A) Emily, a little girl, crying at her mother's funeral-- Amadeus, too distracted to notice a three year old child -- Thomastaking her hand, leading her away -- B) Emily, a little girl, running down the steps ofthat big, empty, Hope house -- YOUNG EMILY Uncle Tom! And Thomas lifting her up in the air to swing her aroundwhile she laughs -- C) Amadeus, studying a young Emily -- AMADEUS Emily, you're growing too attached to Thomas. It'simportant you understand what Thomas does for this family D) Emily, teenaged, crying in a car, as Thomas slidesinto the driver's seat EMILY But you hurt people! PERKINS Emily, that's my job. EMILY Why do you hurt people -- INT. JOE'S AUTO PARTS/LIVING QUARTERS - DAY Everything is slowing down as Thomas goes combat, eyes flat,instinct taking over, turning and drawing on Emily -- Her finger isn't moving on the trigger, isn't responding,because she is not going to be able to shoot this man -- But he is able, is going, to shoot her, his fingertightening -- and then he meets her eyes -- Combat mode switches off, and he's human again, staringat her, knowing her, Emily, not the enemy -- EMILY I love you, Uncle Thomas. PERKINS I love you too, Emily. All those shared years, all those lessons, and in that look,he's saying good-bye, because they both know what the last lesson is --Thomas spins away, drawing down on Will -- EMILY NO! Will draws that old revolver, firing -- missing -- Thomas pulls the trigger, hitting Will in the shoulder,spinning him back against the wall -- EMILY (CONT'D) NO! And Emily raises her gun and fires --- EXT. JOE'S AUTO PARTS - DAY Cop cars screaming into the lot, cops coming out guns drawnand heading inside, as GUNSHOTS blast O.S. -- INT. JOE'S AUTO PARTS/LIVING QUARTERS - DAY Thomas takes a solid hit -- Emily's -- as he fires at Willagain, the hit throwing his aim off -- the bullet slugging into the wallas Emily ducks, hands over her ears, screaming -- EMILY (CONT'D) No no no no no -- Will firing and this time he isn't missing -- Thomas falling, falling, as Cops come in the door, weaponsdrawn -- COP Freeze! Will turning in surprise -- not a good move, holding a gun-- WILL Not me -- -- dropping the gun as a cop squeezes the trigger -- EMILY Stop it -- Will slamming back into the wall, surprised, because hejust took another bullet in the shoulder -- EMILY Stop it! He didn't do anything! And Thomas still falling, to land and bounce, land and bounce,land and lie still -- WILL I'm hit? Cops grabbing Will, SIRENS Screaming b.g. -- Emily crawling to Thomas, crying -- EMILY Uncle Tom! God no no no -- Will looking back at her as she raises her tear streakedface and mouths "Please" -- Uniforms surrounding her, AD LIBBING are you hurt, are youall right, where does it hurt, blocking Will out -- Emily looks down at Perkins -- EMILY (CONT'D) I finished it, Uncle Thomas. Oh, God, I am so sorry,I finished it, and I should never have listened to you -- And just closes her eyes, not wanting to see any more --as Will passes out. EXT. CEMETERY - DAY Amadeus, Emily, and Father Douglas stand grave side. FATHER DOUGLAS Would you like to say a few words, Mr. Hope? Amadeus shakes his head no. FATHER DOUGLAS (CONT'D) Emily? Emily removes that long ago birthday necklace, and placesit on the headstone, shakes her head. FATHER DOUGLAS (CONT'D) I'll leave you alone with him. Father Douglas strides away, and there they are: Emily andAmadeus. Alone at last. Seconds tick by. Amadeus removes a sub-atomic speck of lint from his cuff. AMADEUS Thomas was a good man. EMILY Thomas was not a good man. Thomas was an assassin.But he was the only father I ever had. AMADEUS That would explain why you shot him in the back. She jerks, struck hard, studies him through hard, unshedtears. EMILY All these years, I thought it was me. That therewas something ugly and wrong about me. And if I just tried hardenough, you'd care. But it's always been you. Ugly and broken. AMADEUS He was my friend, God damn it. EMILY I was your daughter. AMADEUS As distasteful as you may find it, Emily, you'restill my daughter. And I'm still your father. EMILY No. I just buried my father. She turns and walks away, across that big expanse of death,towards waiting cars, and life. Amadeus watches her retreating back, turns away, adjustshis cuff. SUIT #1 (O.S.) Amadeus Thadeus Hope? Amadeus turns to face two stern faced, over-barbered, sunglasswearing SUITS -- i.e., federal agents. AMADEUS Yes? The suits flash badges. SUIT #1 You're under arrest for conspiracy and withholdinginformation related to a federal crime. SUIT #2 If you'll step over to the car, Mr. Hope? AMADEUS What are the grounds for these charges, gentlemen? SUIT #1 Were you aware, Mr. Hope, that Mr. Perkins kepta ledger of his activities? Amadeus pales. The suit cracks a grim faced smile. SUIT #1 It's quite comprehensive. EXT. SIDEWALK BY CEMETERY - DAY Sims and Barnaby lean against a limousine, much to the CHAUFFEUR'schagrin, watching Amadeus and the suits. SIMS They got him. BARNABY Yup. SIMS Amazing. Emily, ignoring the detectives, strides to the limo, wherethe chauffeur leaps to open her door. CHAUFFEUR Will we be waiting for Mr. Hope, Miss? Emily is pulling herself together, getting frosty. EMILY No. Mr. Hope has provided his own transportation. SIMS Miss Hope? Emily frowns at the detective. EMILY This is not the time or the place, Detective. SIMS I'm running out of times and places, Miss Hope.And you're a little hard to reach. Silence. SIMS Look, we know about the car. EMILY What about the car, Detective? SIMS We found the car in William Pogue's warehouse. EMILY I sold that car to Mr. Pogue. SIMS While you were kidnapped, you sold the car? EMILY No. Before my abduction, I sold the car. SIMS This would be before Thomas Perkins abducted you,then? EMILY Precisely. SIMS Miss, do you know lying to a police officer is acrime? EMILY Yes, I'm perfectly aware of that, Detective. I'malso aware you have no case. Sims settles back on his heels to study her warily. SIMS Actually, I have quite an interesting case, MissHope. Emily smiles, winsome, charming -- the angel again. EMILY Detective Sims, I owe you an apology. I'm sure myfather has put you through living hell -- and I'm largely responsiblefor that. Please accept my apology. Sims blinks. Emily's face hardens. EMILY (CONT'D) However, Detective Sims, you should also be awareI'm a superb liar. Sims opens his mouth -- Emily raises a hand to cut him off. EMILY (CONT'D) Superb, Detective Sims -- and stinking filthy rich.In other words, if you attempt to pursue this further, I will dragyour ass through the worst press campaign it has ever seen -- Iwill embarrass you to death, Detective Sims, and then I will obliterateyou in court. Is that clear? SIMS Quite. Emily smiles, steps into the limo, and the chauffeur slamsthe door. INT. UNDERCOVER CAR - DAY Sims and Barnaby sit watching the limo disappear down thestreet, its exhaust trail dissipating until there's nothing left but a thincloud. SIMS What do you think, Barnaby? BARNABY I believe her. SIMS So do I. Sims casts a sideways glance at Barnaby's profile. SIMS (CONT'D) You know, I'm beginning to like you, Barnaby. Barnaby shrugs and starts the engine. Sims reaches for hisseat belt, stops, scrutinizes it. The damn thing works. He eyes Barnaby. Barnaby doesn't bat an eye, just pulls away from the curb-- and Dan snaps his belt home. INT. JOE'S AUTO PARTS - DAY The bell JANGLES, and Emily Hope stalks in, puffing a cigarette.Uncle Joe squints at her from behind the counter. She extends her hand. EMILY I'm Emily Hope. Joe ignores the hand. JOE I know who you are. And I don't allow smoking inmy shop. EMILY You have Will's winning personality, I see. JOE Yep. She smiles. EMILY Then we ought to get along just fine. EXT. PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - DAY (DUSK) Will leans against his Porsche -- the window's fixed --watchinghis planes. A cab approaches, its tires crunching gravel. He glances over his shoulder at it. It stops and Emily climbsout. Will turns his back on her. She crunches up to lean against the Porsche beside him,as the cab pulls away. WILL Letting that driver go might have been a mistake. EMILY Yep. WILL I tried calling, you know. EMILY I didn't get the messages. WILL For a month. EMILY You called twice. WILL What do you want, Emily. EMILY Thought you'd be in Tahiti by now. Catching fishyou won't eat. Silence. EMILY (CONT'D) Decided to stick around and steal cars instead? WILL I'm retired. She lights a cigarette. WILL (CONT'D) You were never pregnant, were you? EMILY Nope. WILL You're a damn fine liar. I just think I've had enoughof liars for the time being. EMILY I'm retired too. Will rounds on her. WILL Jesus God, Emily. I killed a man. Because of you.And I don't know how I can live with that. Let alone if I can livewith that. EMILY I'm sorry, Will. WILL You don't know what sorry means. And you probablynever will. He stalks to the Porsche, drags the door open, leaving. EMILY I know what sorry means. I know damn well what sorrymeans, Will Pogue. She throws her cigarette away, hugs herself, staring offinto the growing dusk. . . EMILY (CONT'D) Shit. She fumbles a plane ticket out of her purse and throws iton the ground. EMILY (CONT'D) I bought two tickets to Tahiti, Will Pogue. Andyou can either be on that plane, or you can sit here staring atthem for the rest of your life. Frankly, I don't give a damn whichyou choose. But I do know what sorry means. She turns and crunches away across gravel, headed for thedistant terminal lights. It's starting to rain, big wet drops out of the sky, fallingdown. WILL Are they first class tickets? Emily slaps an angry tear, or maybe it's a raindrop, away. EMILY What? WILL I said, are they first class tickets? EMILY What do you think? Will lifts the ticket, wipes a raindrop off it, which isquickly replaced by another, and another. WILL Round trip? Emily crosses her arms and shoots him a "don't push yourluck" type glare. He opens the passenger door. She's thinking about it? He rolls his eyes. She crunches back, climbs in. He climbs in, starts the car. And the Porsche pulls away, crunching over gravel, turningonto tarmac, as a plane crosses over our heads and we:
FADE OUT: THE END |