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16.
INT. CAR – NIGHT
Arnold and Michael
drive up to a neighborhood-ish bar called McGovern’s, right outside of
downtown Boston.
ARNOLD
I’m just
going to park right across the street in that parking lot over there
and wait. See it there?
MICHAEL
Yep. I might
see you in five minutes. Or
I might see you in five hours. Sleep tight.
Michael gets out of
the car. He walks into McGovern’s.
17.
INT. MGOVERN’S PUB – NIGHT
McGovern’s is one of
your basic neighborhood Irish bars. A
couple of men in tam-o-shanter caps play darts and watch European League
soccer from a video feed on the tube. The bar is moderately full and
pretty loud. A strange mix of Irish ballads and 80’s dance tunes
emanates from the jukebox. Stevens scans the bar, but doesn’t see Faldo.
He walks over to the bathroom and as he walks in, he runs into a
slight-looking man in jeans, a flannel, and work boots. PAUL FALDO
(Lucian) looks up at Michael and scowls.
PAUL
FALDO
(a little drunk)
Watch where
the fuck you’re going there, stretch.
MICHAEL
Oh…hey…my
fault. Need to look where I’m going. Tell you what…let me make
it up to you…lemme buy you a drink.
FALDO
That’s ok.
Just watch where you’re going.
MICHAEL
Alright, well
at least let me buy you a drink.
FALDO
You aren’t
some type of fag are you?
(Looks
Michael up and down)
Ahhh…what
the hell. I guess I’ll take a free drink.
Michael and Faldo go
to the bar and order a round of Irish Whiskey. Faldo gets drunker, but more
comfortable with Michael as the evening wears on. We see them talking
seriously, then Faldo becomes animated and Michael listens intently.
Several hours of intense conversation have gone by and it is now near
closing time. Faldo is completely shit-faced by this point, while Michael
has done his best to stay sober, but is still pretty buzzed.
FALDO
…and that is
what I am fucking saying. These pansy ass liberals are trying to
take everything we got! Goddamn taxes are higher than ever. A man
can barely make ends meet. Hell, you know…how much of your cab
driver salary do you get to keep each month?
MICHAEL
Not too damn
much, that’s for sure.
FALDO
Yup. Well one
thing at a time, right? If we can get those liberal puppets off the
Supreme Court, then we can restore some fucking order in this
country. And don’t get me started on Roe again.
Michael laughs. He
gets up off his stool.
MICHAEL
Well, it looks
like they are about to close up shop for the night. You need a ride
home?
FALDO
Hell, I drive
better drunk than I do sober. You’re the one who needs a ride, you
drunk bastard.
MICHAEL
(laughing)
Yeah, I am
fucked up. Do you mind?
FALDO
Not at all.
Besides, I like the way you think. I got some friends that I want
you to meet – maybe we can swing by there on the way home.
Michael and Faldo get
up, pay their tab and leave.
18.
INT. FALDO’S CAR – NIGHT
Faldo fumbles for his
keys as Michael pulls a syringe out of his pocket.
FALDO
(yelling)
Oh, no you
fucking junkie. Not in my car. Get the fuck out of my car. Get out!
MICHAEL
Hey…hey!
Take it easy. I’m diabetic.
FALDO
Oh, my
mistake. I’m sorry, George.
MICHAEL
Hey…you
didn’t know.
And with that Michael
jams the syringe into Faldo’s neck, pressing the plunger all the way
down. A shrill gurgling noise comes out of Faldo’s throat as he
convulses, then lays still with his eyes wide open.
MICHAEL
(to Faldo)
You piece of
shit. You miserable piece of shit. That’s for Allison you son of a
bitch. YOU SON OF A BITCH.
Michael punches
Faldo’s body, rambling about Allison, about Faldo, about killing
innocent people. He is sobbing. Sobbing and rambling and punching. He goes
on for several minutes but eventually gets a hold of himself. Then he
stops, composes himself and cleans up. He wipes the interior of the car
down and gets out. He walks out of the parking lot and crosses the street,
where Arnold waits.
19.
INT. UNKNOWN OFFICE – NIGHT
The same two voices
that were speaking on the phone in an earlier scene are speaking again.
As before, we can see their bodies in dark shadows, making it impossible
to determine their identities. The camera focuses on the dark outlines
of their heads as they talk. Camera cuts away to different objects in
both offices as the two speak. A burning cigarette, a half-empty
highball glass.
VOICE
#1
It’s done.
VOICE
#2
Good. We need
to get moving. The polls show him moving up. Quickly.
VOICE
#1
Just one more,
then we can execute the final phase.
VOICE
#2
Forget that.
We need to move this along faster.
VOICE
#1
We have a
perfect directive, though. Getting Stevens to carry it out will make it
easier to accomplish the final task.
VOICE
#2
That is true.
Fine…have him kill Rogers. But do it this week. I want this thing
done before the polls come out at the end of the month. What is his
general mental state?
VOICE
#1
Stevens?
Strange, really. I think he is almost beginning to enjoy it. During
our debriefing he was damn near energetic about Boston. That poor
S.O.B. he killed didn’t have a chance. I think we made the right
choice. Stevens has some deep-seated hatreds resulting from that
clinic bombing that killed his fiancée.
VOICE
#2
That’s why
we chose him. Listen, don’t contact me again until this is done.
We have been speaking too often recently.
VOICE
#1
Yes, we have.
OK, I will…
(Click)
Hello?
We see the phone
being hung up as the individual takes the highball glass from his desk
and brings it to his lips. He drains the glass and puts it down He picks
up the phone and dials.
VOICE
#1
David? This is
Cliff. We need to speed this thing up.
FADE OUT:
20.
INT. STEVENS HOUSE – MORNING
Stevens sits in his
family room with his feet up on the coffee table, reading the paper.
Cartoons play on the television as both of his children (boys aged 3 and
5) watch with rapt attention. Stevens keeps flashing back to the look on
Faldo’s face when he died and the look on Davis’ face right before
being killed. The faces begin blending together and Stevens has to close
his eyes hard to make them go away.
Janice walks into
the room and sees Michael.
JANICE
Michael?
Honey? Are you alright?
Michael opens his
eyes and looks up at her.
MICHAEL
Yeah…I’m
fine. I just have a headache. Do we have any Excedrin around?
JANICE
Yeah, sweetie.
I’ll go get some for you. Oh…I forgot to tell you. Guess who
called while you were in Detroit?
MICHAEL
Who?
JANICE
Steven.
MICHAEL
Wow, really? I
haven’t talked to him in a year. What did he have to say?
JANICE
He’s here in
DC for some Bureau training program. He’ll be here for two weeks.
In fact, I invited him over for dinner tonight.
MICHAEL
Cool. I
haven’t seen him since he was transferred to the Biloxi field
office.
21.
INT. FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, GREENVILLE, SC – DAY
Buxton Swain sits in
the front pew with his wife as the preacher finishes his sermon. Once he
is done, he introduces Swain to the congregation and there is hearty
applause. Swain talks about the moral decay of the country, the
godlessness that has been promoted by its current leaders. He bows his
head and leads the assembly in prayer, asking for forgiveness for the
President and Congress, asking God to help save the greatest Country in
the world. He gets a standing ovation when he is finished and strolls
triumphantly down the aisle, outside the church to the front steps where
a press conference is about to be held.
22.
EXT. FRONT STEPS, FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, GREENVILLE
Swain strides to the
podium, and there is a throng of reporters and cameramen waiting for
him. An entourage seemingly appears out of nowhere, flanking Swain.
Churchgoers poor out of the chapel and down the steps, beaming. They
take their places behind the media, making for a good sized group of
people. At least eight hundred people now stand in front of the church,
waiting to hear Swain speak.
SWAIN
(into the microphone)
Thank you all
for coming here today. This is where I started my religious career,
thirty years ago, as an assistant pastor at this very church. So
much has changed in those thirty years. Christianity in America is
under attack more than at any time in the history of this country.
Woman are allowed to take their baby’s lives and the government is
doing everything it can to help them.
Our children
can’t pray in their own schools. They are taught a secularist view
of history that urges them to turn away from the Lord our Savior.
Homosexuals are allowed, even encouraged, to marry and adopt our children. Sin is rampant in this country, my friends, and our
current administration is fiddling as this great country burns to
the ground. Well, I for one can no longer take it. That’s why,
today, I am announcing my intent to run as the Republican Candidate
for President of the United States.
There are deafening
cheers and applause, and Swain puts both arms in the air, in a
triumphant pose. A high school band plays off to the side of the steps.
Swain takes questions from the media, which asks him how he feels about
being the automatic frontrunner for the Republican nomination. The press
conference lasts for about thirty minutes. Once it is over, Swain is
ushered into a limousine that is waiting for him in front of the church.
23.
INT. LIMOUSINE – DAY
Swain and his wife
get into the limousine and find another person waiting for them in the
backseat. This is ROY
HUFFINS (Joe Don Baker), a reclusive Atlanta Billionaire that is known
for supporting a variety of right-wing causes. A big man, he nearly
takes up the whole back seat.
ROY
HUFFINS
Nice job,
Buxton. You’ve got those Dems running scared now. You just shoved
a big fucking grenade up Harrison’s ass. I’ll bet the Vice
President just pissed his pants.
SWAIN
Jesus Chirst,
watch your mouth in front of my wife, Roy. Nice fucking language.
They both laugh as
Swain’s wife gets a sour look on her wrinkly face.
HUFFINS
Listen, I
talked to Greene and he seems to think that the voters are ready for
a militant stand on abortion. I think you should go great guns on it
for the next month. Really make yourself stand out.
SWAIN
No way. I
can’t be perceived as too far right. I’m no Buchanan, or at
least I don’t want the public thinking that. Which leads me to
another point, Roy. This has to be our last meeting for a while. I
can’t have any ties to you if I am going to have a chance at this
thing. No hard feelings, but all of your connections will do nothing
but get me beaten.
HUFFINS
I had a
feeling this was coming. Look, we still need to get together once
and a while and kick around strategy. We can do it at night, at my
house. That way no one will know where you are or that we are
meeting. The press is so goddman stupid they’ll follow any decoy
car you send out ahead of you. Face it, you need me. You wouldn’t be here
if it wasn’t for me.
SWAIN
All right, you
are right. Let’s get together in a week or two. How about next
Sunday?
HUFFINS
Great.
24.
INT. STEVENS HOUSE – NIGHT
We see Stevens and
his family having dinner with Michael’s longtime friend STEPHEN
JACKSON (Don Cheadle). From the conversation, we learn that Jackson and
Stevens were together at the Academy in Quantico. We also learn that
they worked together for several years before Jackson got married and
moved back to his wife’s hometown in Mississippi. Jackson now works in
the Biloxi field office. He is a textbook great guy. Funny, intelligent,
respectful, loyal. Everyone is laughing and having a good time at
dinner. The camera shows Janice looking at Michael and she is obviously
happy that he is happy – for the first time, it seems, in months.
25.
INT. STEVENS HOUSE LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
It’s late and
Janice and the children have gone to bed. Michael and Stephen sit up in
the living room talking. Michael, who has not been able to completely
resolve what he is so deeply involved with, talks in general terms with
Stephen about the Domestic Anti-Terrorism Unit and what they have been
involved in. They talk about Cliff Howard and Michael brings up David
Arnold’s name.
STEPHEN
JACKSON
David Arnold?
You’re kidding.
MICHAEL
No. We just
started working together two weeks ago.
STEPHEN
Michael, that
guy is infamous. He’s been suspended at least twice. He beat up
one of his partners and put him in the hospital. He “accidently”
shot another one during a drug bust. That’s the stuff that’s on
his official record. The other stuff is rumored and much worse.
MICHAEL
Like what?
STEPHEN
Like he’s
completely corrupt. Like he has shaken down hundreds of people. Like
he has killed several crooks when they’re business dealings got
out of hand. Of course, it's all rumor, but he is supposed to be on
administrative duty until his retirement. There is no way they would
let him work with your Unit. No freakin’ way.
(He
looks squarely at Michael).
What kind of
shit are you involved with Michael? You are talking in general terms
about all of these “directives”, but it doesn’t sound like the
kind of procedures the Bureau follows. I don’t know that much
about Cliff Howard, but I know that Arnold is no good. Michael, tell
me you aren’t breaking the law.
Michael looks
away from Stephen. He is heavily conflicted, his face looks pained.
The number of questions racing in his head are making him dizzy.
MICHAEL
Stephen…I…I
can’t. I can’t tell you anything. It’s high-level stuff. I am
not even sure what is going on. I don’t know anymore. The whole
operation is completely insulated. Nobody knows what is going on. We
meet away from the office and don’t file reports and…
Michael trails off.
STEPHEN
Look, it’s
ok. Let me make some phone calls at least. Just poke around a
little.
MICHAEL
OK. That would
probably help. I don’t know what is going on with me lately. I
have just been consumed with thoughts of Allison and the bombing. I
think work is taking a toll on me. Janice has got to be sick of me.
I am just not the same person anymore. I don’t know who the hell I
am. I am just becoming this detached, soulless thing. All I can
think about is revenge and justice and…shit I don’t know. The
anger and regret is paralyzing sometimes. I’m a goddamn stranger
to myself and my family.
Michael continues
this stream-of-consciousness semi-confession to Stephen. Stephen looks
at him warily. Michael begins crying and buries his hands in his face.
STEPHEN
(patting him on the back)
Jesus,
Michael, it’s ok. It’s ok. I’ll make some calls. Se what I can
find out. You take it easy. Go upstairs and tell your wife you love
her. Take a couple of days off work. We’ll get you straightened
out.
FADE OUT:
26.
EXT. MONTAGE OF SCENES – DAY AND NIGHT
The following scenes
are played as another montage against slow, deliberate music. We sense
the struggle in Michael during these scenes, as he realizes he is going
over the edge. There are numerous close-ups of his face as we move
through three separate scenes: the first is Cliff, David and he
discussing another objective. The
music fades in and out as we catch sections of the objective. We hear
“separatist” “Franklin Garrett” “destroy a federal building”
and “secluded in the mountains”.
The second is David
and Michael scoping out a small run down house in a clearing. They see
trucks come and go. The same man keeps coming outside to relieve
himself.
The last scene is
during the night and David and Michael standing up against what appears
to be the same house. When the same man from the previous scene,
presumably Franklin Garrett, David grabs him while Michael moves to
strangle him. Another man comes out of the house and surprises them.
David turns and in one move, knocks him down and pulls a knife out,
slitting the man’s neck. Michael is struggling to strangle Garrett,
but when he sees David slit the other man’s throat, all of the
strength goes out of him and Garrett struggles free. Garrett gets up and
start to run, when he suddenly collapses from a gunshot to the back of
the head from David’s gun. The camera ends on Michael’s face. He
looks like he’s in shock. David pulls him up on his feet and they move
quickly into the woods.
FADE OUT:
27.
INT. FBI BUILDING WASHINGTON, DC – DAY
Michael sits at his
desk, staring at the wall. He sees something in his periphery and turns
to see Max Davis running toward him. He visibly recoils and shakes his
head and Davis is gone. His phone rings and he jumps.
MICHAEL
Michael
Stevens.
STEPHEN
Michael,
it’s Stephen. You got a second? Yeah, I definitely need to talk to
you. You aren’t going to believe what I found out.
MICHAEL
I should
probably go to a pay phone. Are you still at the Marriott?
STEPHEN
Yeah, call me
back.
Michael gets up from
his desk and quickly heads to the elevator.
28.
EXT. ACROSS THE STREET FROM FBI HEADQUARTERS – DAY
Michael has the
phone cradled in the crook of his neck as he dials the number.
STEPHEN
Michael?
MICHAEL
Yeah, Stephen,
it’s me. Look, things are getting out of hand here.
STEPHEN
They must be,
because guess what.
MICHAEL
What?
STEPHEN
David Arnold
got kicked out the Bureau last year. He hasn’t been an agent for
over nine months. He got caught in a random drug sting at a massage
parlor in San Diego. That was kind of the last straw, but rather
than bringing bad p.r. to the Bureau, they let him leave quietly.
MICHAEL
Jesus.
STEPHEN
That’s
nothing, my friend. Cliff Howard is under investigation with
internal affairs. I can’t find out what it is they are
investigating, though…I just know that they are keeping it
completely quiet.
MICHAEL
Then how did
you find out?
STEPHEN
You
remember Laura Murdock, right? She was in our class at the Academy.
Anyway, she’s in internal affairs now and we swap info every now
and then. She owed me one.
(beat)
Look, Michael
these are BAD guys. Whatever you are doing with them or whatever
they have you involved in…get out. Get out now. Now listen, I
<<click>>…hello? Michael?
MICHAEL
I’m still
here Stephen. It sounded like your line was…I don’t know. It
sounded like a clicking sound. There’s no way they can tap this
line. Are you still there? Stephen?
The line suddenly
goes dead. Michael drops the phone and sprints up the street towards the
Marriot, which is about eight blocks away.
29.
INT. MARRIOTT HOTEL LOBBY – DAY
Michael bursts into
the hotel lobby, dripping sweat, panting. He runs to the reception desk,
running into a dolly, knocking over a stack of luggage. He makes it to
the desk, out of breath.
MICHAEL
Stephen
Jackson’s room please. Now…I need to know what room he’s in.
HOTEL
CLERK
I’m sorry
sir, but I am not allowed to give out that information. Can I help
you with something else?
By this time
Michael has the attention of the hundred or so patrons milling
around in the lobby.
MICHAEL
Look, I have
to see him, he might be in some serious danger. PLEASE.
HOTEL
CLERK
Sir, I can
patch you through to his room and he can give you his room number.
Unfortunately, I am not allowed to give out that information.
MICHAEL
(Still agitated)
Fine,
fine…hurry up! His name is Stephen Jackson.
The hotel clerk
types the name into her computer. A frown passes over her face.
HOTEL
CLERK
I’m sorry
sir, but there is no one registered here by that name.
MICHAEL
(incredulous)
That CAN’T
be. I just talked to him. Look again. Please.
HOTEL
CLERK
But sir, I…
MICHAEL
(screaming)
LOOK AGAIN!
HOTEL
CLERK
I am looking
again. No one registered under the name Jackson. No one registered
here in the past 10 days with that last name, in fact.
MICHAEL
You don’t
understand…I JUST talked to him.
Out of the corner of
his eye, Michael sees two security guards moving toward him. He pulls
his badge and screams at the woman.
MICHAEL
(cont’d)
Look, I am an
agent with Federal Bureau of Investigation. Tell me RIGHT NOW what
room Stephen Jackson is in or I am placing you under arrest.
HOTEL
CLERK
(crying)
Sir, I’m
sorry, but he is not registered. You can come around the desk and
look for yourself. Please…I’m sorry…there must be some
misunderstanding.
Michael backs away
from the desk, suddenly aware of all the eyes on him. He runs out the
front door and hails a taxi.
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