Air Force One Page #24

INT. MAIN CONFERENCE ROOM.

MAJOR CALDWELL:

Led off to slaughter one at a time.

Next time I say we rush `em. They can't shoot us all.

SHEPHERD:

They can shoot enough of us.

*

77.

MAJOR CALDWELL:

If we don't act, they'll kill US all

eventually Who's with me?

Several of the hostages raise their hands.

INT. AFO'S MAINTENANCE HANGER/ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE - DAY

The Chief Mechanic has Air Force One schematics open in front

of him. He and his staff are huddled around them.

CHIEF MECHANIC:

Do you see the maintenance panel?

MARSHALL:

Got it.

CHIEF MECHANIC:

Pop it open. There should be a red

switch, toggle it up.

MARSHALL:

Okay, it's on. We've got some

indicator lights here.

CHIEF MECHANIC:

Okay, you're aerated. To dump the

fuel you have to close the circuit

for the pump. There's no switch in

Avionics so you'll have to cross the

wires. There should be five wires,

just to your left. Do you see them?

INT. AVIONICS COMPARTMENT - NIGHT

Marshall finds the wires: red, white, blue, green and yellow.

MARSHALL:

Got `en.

Static blankets the conversation.

CHIEF MECHANIC:

Okay, hang on. Let me double check

here, because if you get the wrong ones, you'll cut the engine

feeds and stall the plane.

MARSHALL:

I'll wait.

The static worsens.

CHIEF MECHANIC:

First... cut... green wire.

Marshall, Using a kitchen knife, slices the green wire. Heavy

static. The phone beeps... lOsing batteries.

MARSHALL:

It's cut.

CHIEF MECHANIC:

cross it... The static overwhelms

the voice, then cuts out.

MARSHALR'

Hello? Hello? Goddamnit.

Static comes roaring back and garbled voices...

MARSHAlj Hello? Are YOU there?

Dead. Marshall tries to activate it again.

MARSHAIJi Hello? Hello?

Nothing. He tosses the dead phone aside.

Marshall stares. Cross the green wires with the... what?

Red, white, blue... or the yellow. His choice is obvious. He

cuts the yellow wire and crosses it with the green, leaving

the red, white and blue standing.

He waits. The engines continue to groan. He allows himself a

smile.

MARSHALL:

An emergency landing in friendly

territory... there's your goddamn

miracle.

EXT. AIR FORCE ONE - NIGHT

Beneath the plane a trickle of gasoline appears and grows

into a strong steady stream.

INT. FLIGHT DECK - NIGHT

A red warning light flashes on the plane's panel.

GIBBS:

Goddamnit it. We're losing fuel.

Korshunov crosses to the flight deck.

KORSHUNOV:

How?

GIBBS:

Avionics compartment! It's the only

place. You better get Zedeck down

there fast Unless, of course, you'd

rather be a martyr than a savior.

KORSHUNOV:

(to Zedeck)

Go! Take Serge.. and watch your backs.

Zedeck nods and dashes out of the cabin.

INT. MAIN CABIN.

Zedeck pulls open the hatch cover to the forward front stairs.

Descends into the dimly lit underneath.

Serge descends right behind Zedeck.

INT. FORWARD BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT - NIGHT

Zedeck, Spooked by the dark shadows, senses he's being

watched.

ZEDECK:

He's down here. I can feel it.

SERGE:

Shut up and do your job.

Zedeck hastens toward the Avionics compartment, gun at the

ready. Serge sweeps the area behind.

They hear a metallic clank echo and reverberate around him.

They both check left... right... behind them...

Nothing.

It's creepy being a walking target.

From behind a water storage tank, Marshall watches down the

barrel of his Mp5. With all the equipment in the way, it's

almost impossible to line up a clear shot.

And they're both well armed. He looks toward the stairway

instead.

Zedeck enters the Avionics compartment. Serge takes a

defensive position outside the door.

ZEDECK (O.S.)

The valve is shut. This guy sure

knew what he was doing.

Serge hears a noise and opens tire.

80.

ZEDECK:

You see him?

SERGE:

Erring on the side of caution.

INT. AVIONICS COMPARTMENT -

Zedeck opens a panel and rips out some wiring.

ZEDECK:

I'm going to deactivate the by-pass

pump. It'll take a minute.

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