Assassins Page #14

ELECTRA'S BUILDING - STAIRWELL

Leading with his .22, Rath tries to lead Electra out,

but she doesn't want to go. She has other things to

consider.

ELECTRA:

Wait. Jennifer.

Rath looks at her, shakes his head. Jennifer didn't make

it. Turning her gently, they continue down.

EXT. MUSTANG - PARKED - DAY

Electra and Rath make it to the car. Distraught, she's

still staring back as he gets her inside.

INT. MUSTANG - DRIVING - DAY

Electra's neighborhood. Rath drives away. He glances

over at Electra who sits clutching hold of Pearl. In

shock over Bob and Jennifer, she's withdrawn into her-

self. Rath knows there's nothing he can say so he keeps

quiet and drives.

EXT. CHAIN HOTEL - NIGHT

The Mustang drives up. Rath is at the wheel.

INT. CHAIN HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT

Electra enters ahead of Rath.

She sets her bag down, lets Pearl out of the porta-pet.

Feeling like a prisoner, she sits in a chair in the

corner. Pearl jumps up in her lap.

Rath gets a quick feel for the room. After checking the

view out the window, he draws the curtains.

Rath takes off his jacket. Pulling off his shoulder

holster, he sets the rig on the coffee table, then sits

in a couch opposite Electra. The gun is halfway between

the two. Electra does her best to be nonchalant, but

she's well aware of the fact.

May be the very first time we've seen Rath relax. Pearl

jumps to the carpet, pads her way toward him.

ELECTRA:

Pearl.

Ignoring her owner, Pearl leaps up, settles into Rath's

lap. As he scratches her ears...

ELECTRA:

Here, girl.

Electra snaps her fingers, but PEARL just closes her

eyes, begins to PURR. Electra is not happy about this.

RATH:

She likes me.

ELECTRA:

She likes dead fish, too.

As Rath looks down at the cat, Electra looks at the gun,

measuring the distance with her eyes.

ELECTRA:

What do you call yourself?

RATH:

Robert Rath.

ELECTRA:

Yeah, sure. Call me Electra...

So, are you one of them?

RATH:

Used to be.

(checks watch)

Retired.

ELECTRA:

Pardon me if I don't believe you.

RATH:

If I was going to kill you, you'd

be dead already.

She pretends to look away, but as Rath looks down at

Pearl, Electra lunges for the gun.

He never moves or even blinks an eye. He just watches as

she struggles a moment to free the .22 from its holster.

She realizes, suspects the worst.

ELECTRA:

What? It's not loaded?

RATH:

It's loaded.

ELECTRA:

I could shoot you. I could be

500 miles away by the time they

find you.

Electra keeps the gun on him, but can't shake the feeling

he's got the upper hand. A long silence.

Rath scratches Pearl's ears.

ELECTRA:

Stop it. She doesn't like it.

PEARL begins to PURR.

RATH:

Afraid you'll hit the cat?

Rath sets Pearl down, looks back to Electra. Waits.

Without warning she starts squeezing off ROUNDS. A LAMP

EXPLODES on one side of Rath. Two tufts of stuffing

erupt from the couch on the other side. Rath doesn't

move.

ELECTRA:

(steps forward)

You think letting me get this gun

was a mistake, don't you? You

think I'm afraid. Don't you?

She FIRES just over his head; the round digs the wall.

ELECTRA:

You don't know sh*t about me!

RATH:

You're wrong. I --

ELECTRA:

Shut up!

A final step, she levels the gun at Rath's face.

ELECTRA:

This was supposed to be a good day.

A payday. Forty grand. I was

going to get Pearl a boyfriend.

Now two people are dead. I'm

almost dead.

(a beat)

I'm in way over my head, Rath.

I just want out.

For the first time really, she looks into his eyes. Her

hand begins to tremble. The gun barrel shakes.

RATH:

You have the gun. The keys are

on the dresser. Go.

Electra covers Rath as she steps over to the dresser,

scoops up the keys. Her next words are more to reassure

herself than to convince Rath.

ELECTRA:

I don't have a social security

number, a driver's license. I

barely remember my real name.

I'm a ghost; I can disappear.

RATH:

I found you. So did he.

ELECTRA:

I want my life back. Please,

that's all I want.

Rath shakes his head.

RATH:

I'm sorry.

Electra's finger tightens on the trigger. Suddenly,

jerking her arm left, she FIRES a wild shot. A CRASH

as a cheap print is obliterated by the bullet.

Electra lowers the gun limply to her side, lets it drop

to the carpet.

ELECTRA:

I need to be alone.

(a beat)

I haven't spent this much time

with someone in years.

Near tears, Electra moves blindly for the bathroom, Pearl

at her heel. As Electra closes the door behind her.

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