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30.    EXT. STEVENS HOUSE – DAY

Michael gets out of the can and runs up to the front door of his house, as he enters he can see through the front window that Janice is in the living room talking to someone. He glances to his left and sees a dark blue sedan parked in the driveway. He opens the front door.

31.    INT. STEVENS HOUSE – DAY

He walks through the front door and sees David Arnold sitting in his living room having a cup of coffee and a chat with his wife. They both look up at him, smiling, as if they were old friends.

MICHAEL

What the fuck are you doing here, David?

JANICE

Michael! What in God’s name is wrong with you?

MICHAEL
(to david)

Get the fuck out of here, Arnold. GET OUT!

ARNOLD

David, David…take it easy. What’s going on? You look like shit, my friend.

(to Janice)

Would it be rude if Michael and I went on the back porch and had a chat?

JANICE

Of course not, David. You aren’t the one who is being rude here.

She gives Michael a disgusted look.

ARNOLD

Come on Michael. I came over to spill the beans to you anyway. Come on.

Michael follows Arnold to the back porch. David closes the sliding glass door behind them.

MICHAEL

What did you do to Stephen. I want to know right now.

ARNOLD

Don’t you worry what happened to that rat bastard. Worry about what is going to happen to your lovely family if you don’t keep your fucking mouth shut.

Michael lunges at Arnold, knocking him through the porch screen. They wrestle around on the grass in the backyard until Arnold gets the upper hand and pokes a gun in Michael’s face. Luckily, the Stevens have a big backyard fence, secluding this scene from Michael's neighbors. Janice is in the family room reading.

ARNOLD (CONT’D)

Are you willing to die right now you little prick? You little prick murderer. I’ll kill you right now if I have to. RIGHT NOW. I could give a shit what Cliff says about the operation. You will die RIGHT NOW if you don’t get your ass together.

Michael semi-relaxes and Arnold gets off of him and sits down beside him.

MICHAEL

What the hell is going on here? What have I gotten myself into? What has Cliff gotten me into? Jesus Christ. What have I done? I have killed two men that I don’t even KNOW. Just because some piece of paper in some freakin’ envelope told me to. For all I know those guys and the two you killed did NOTHING wrong.

ARNOLD

Bingo.

Michael has a look of genuine surprise on his face.

MICHAEL

What? WHAT?! What are you saying?

ARNOLD

I am saying that you killed two innocent men in cold blood. They never did anything wrong ‘cept hate their government. You were supposed to kill Garrett too, remember…but you pussied out so I had to finish the job for you. Look, the world isn’t going to miss three or four lowlife fucks. They were just appetizers before the big meal. 

See, it doesn’t matter who they are, Michael. It matters who YOU are. Do you know who you are? Can you honestly say that you know who you are? Because I know who you are. You’re some sad-sack survivor that lost his girlfriend and is flailing in a sinking marriage. Not a day goes by that you don’t want to save Allison, but you’ll never get that chance. And you know it. It makes it worse that they never found the dumb bastard that killed her. You’ve got just enough blind anger and vengeance in you to make you stupid, Michael. You were an obvious target. We had you chosen from day one.

Michael is having trouble breathing now and the world starts spinning around him. The camera view is from his perspective as things become increasingly skewed. We cut to a view of the two of them, sitting on the back lawn, just as Michael throws up.

32.    EXT. MOTEL 50 – DAY 

Michael pulls up to the same motel where they have met before and after each of the killings. It is the day after Michael’s run in with Arnold in his backyard. He has a cut over his eye and is wearing sunglasses. He walks slowly up the steps to the second floor rooms and goes to the room where Howard and Arnold are waiting for him.

33.    INT. MOTEL 50 – DAY

HOWARD

Have a seat Michael. I am going to make this fast and you’re going to listen.

Michael sits down. Arnold offers him some coffee but he shakes his head “no”.

HOWARD (CONT’D)

There’s one more directive, Michael, and then its over. You have an easy choice. Complete the operation I am about to give you or David puts a bullet in your head and then goes and kills your wife.

Start talking.

Buxton Swain and Roy Huffins are meeting at Huffins' estate in Atlanta tomorrow night to discuss Swain’s candidacy. You and David are to go down there and kill them both, making it look like a murder-suicide by Huffins.

Why? What did they do or what didn’t they do?

Oh no, this one’s for real Michael. The others were just to get you thinking and in practice. These two are responsible for half…probably more than half of the right-wing terrorist shit that goes on this country. Huffins bankrolls it, Swain organizes it.

Bullshit.

Believe what you want Michael, but you are going to kill them. That will set back about a hundred right-wing terrorist groups in this country and we can destroy them from there.

You see, David and I are sick of seeing these bastards skate free with little more than a slap on the wrist. Think of it as a modern day Star Chamber. We know these guys are guilty and we are dispensing with a seriously flawed judicial system. Michael, the only way to defeat terrorists is to cut out their root. These two are holding up a huge fucking tree. But not after tomorrow.

And this is it? After tomorrow I can quit the Bureau and go away…far away?

Of course, Michael. We would prefer that, in fact.

FADE OUT:

34.    INT. ROY HUFFINS BEDROOM – EVENING

A completely bizarre scene as Buxton Swain is having sex with a young woman obviously not his wife, while Roy Huffins sits on a couch about 10 feet away from them, doing coke in the nude. The phone rings and Huffins gets up and goes into the other room to answer it.

Hello?

We’re here. We’re at the airport. We’ll be there in about two hours.

OK. No one is here except us. We should be in the study. Come in the back entrance. I won’t even know you’re here till I see you.

OK, see if you can get him loaded or something.

I’m working on it. David?

What?

Do you have my money?

Of course I do. Now hang up.

35.    INT. STEVENS HOUSE - NIGHT

Janice is cleaning up the dinner dishes when the phone rings.

Hello?

Hey, its me!

Michael! Where are you? Are you at the office? I called but they said you had left this afternoon.

Honey, don’t worry about where I am. I just wanted to tell you that when I come home, you are getting your husband back. I know I have been preoccupied and distant lately, but I think I am over that.

Seriously. I am going to start treating you like the incredible woman you are. You deserve so much better and when I get back tomorrow I am going to start treating you like that. Janice, I love you SOOOO MUCH. Please forgive me.

Baby, yes of course! I love you too! I will always love you. I know how tough you have had it lately and I just want you to know that I will always be there for you, no matter what. No. Matter. What.

OK, Honey, I have to go, but I will call you later tonight. I wanna move…get the hell out off the East Coast…go be a farmer in Iowa or something…whaddya think?

Michael, of course! Whatever you want! I just want you to be happy…I’m just glad you’re happy again. We can talk about all of this when you come home. Come home quick!

All right honey, I love you. I’ll talk to you later tonight. Bye.

Bye. I love you too!

36.    EXT. ROY HUFFIN’S ESTATE – NIGHT

Michael and Arnold park about a block up the street and walk slowly up to Huffins’ mansion. They walk through the front yard and go around the back. David tries the handle to the sliding glass door and quietly slides it open.

37.    INT. ROY HUFFINS STUDY – NIGHT

Huffins and Swain sip brandy and talk about his campaign. Huffins lights a victory cigar and lights one for Swain as well. They make a toast to the election. Huffins tells some off-color jokes, sending Swain into spasms of laughter.

38.    INT. HALLWAY TO ROY HUFFINS’ STUDY – NIGHT

Michael and Arnold move slowly down the hallway. Both have their guns drawn. They can hear laughter coming from the study. Arnold gives Michael the look and mouths “follow me” as they stride toward and into the study.

39.    INT. ROY HUFFINS STUDY – NIGHT

Swain and even Huffins are completely startled by the appearance of Michael and David Arnold.

Who the fuck are you? What are you doing in my house? You come to rob me you pansy asses?

Shut up! Just shut up, please. Get up and turn off that music.

Huffins gets up, walks over and turns off the music. The room is now eerily silent.

Which one of you is Buxton Swain.

I…I…he’s me. I mean that’s me. I’m Buxton Swain.

Arnold lifts his gun leveling it at Swain’s forehead. About five feet of carpet separates them.

Say your prayers, Reverend Swain.

David, WAIT. <<BANG>>

A flash of fire and Swain’s head snaps back. Blood trickles down his forehead. Michael stands in shock, his gun dangling by his side.

Come on, Michael…we don’t have all night. Kill Huffins and let’s go.

Huffins is sitting there impassively, staring at Michael. Michael, shaking now, lifts his gun and aims it at Huffins.

DAVID! <<BANG>>

There is a crashing sound and the camera pans back to reveal Michael lying facedown on the floor, blood pouring from his head. Arnold stands with his arm extended, smoke wafting from his gun, right next to where Michael had been standing. We focus on Michael’s face for several seconds, then cut to Huffins.

Jesus Christ…you scared the shit out of me! What if he had shot me? Dammit I want two million now, you son of a …<<BANG>>.

Arnold turns and shoots Huffins in the chest, driving him back onto the couch. Arnold pauses for a second and surveys the damage, then works quickly. He takes the gun from Michael’s hand and puts it in his own pocket. He places his gun in Michael’s hand and arranges his body as if Michael had shot himself. He does a fast scan of the study and the hall, then is gone.

40.    INT. DARK OFFICES – NIGHT

The same two men who have been speaking throughout the film are again talking. We can make out the shadow of one man as Cliff Howard, but still don’t recognize the second man.  Cliff is standing looking out his office window – we can see the Washington Monument in the distance.

It’s done. He’s gone and Michael has been taken care of as we discussed.

Thank God. This has gone on for a seeming eternity. This is going to hit the press like a fireball. Thank you, Cliff. We will talk again in a couple of months.

Your welcome, Mr. Vice- President. It looks like your path is now clear. Godspeed.

41.    INT. CHANNEL 4 NEWS STUDIO – NIGHT

The two news anchors, a man and a woman, are opening their broadcast.

A shocking discovery this afternoon, as the bodies of Buxton Swain and two other men were found in the study of Atlanta billionaire Roy Huffins. There is no confirmation on the identities of the other two bodies, but reports at this time indicate some type of murder-suicide, although we are still getting details.

Joyce LaRoche from Atlanta Station  WWRG-TV is on the scene at the Huffins’ mansion. Joyce can you hear me…

FADE OUT:

42.    INT. STEVENS FAMILY ROOM – NIGHT

Janice sits alone on the couch watching the news about a murder-suicide in Atlanta that claimed the life of Buxton Swain, the frontrunner for the Republican Presidential nomination.

FADE OUT:

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