Assassins Page #16

RATH:

Follow our plan. And if I don't

show...

ELECTRA:

I know. Split!

Rath barely nods. Reassuring a woman is a skill he never

had. He takes the laptop from the back, casts about the

front seat for something he can't find. Electra holds up

the disc. He reaches, but she doesn't give it to him.

ELECTRA:

In ten minutes you'll have two

million dollars and no reason to

come back. I ditched you. I

really didn't know you that well

at the time, but who knows, maybe

you hold it against me and --

Rath gently crosses her lips with two fingers. Then,

with absolute finality:

RATH:

Partners.

She gives him the disc. Rath gets out of the car.

Electra watches as he disappears, swallowed by the crowd.

ELECTRA:

Be careful... Partner.

Electra drives on.

EXT. MONORAIL STATION - DAY

Carrying the laptop, wearing sunglasses, Rath boards a

northbound monorail. The doors shut and it glides away.

EXT. STREET BELOW MONORAIL - DAY

As the monorail moves along above, the Mustang follows

below. Her eyes looking up, Electra nearly rear ends a

car slowing for a left turn. As she swerves around it.

INT. MONORAIL CAR - DAY

Rath sits, his back to the window. Turning on the

computer, he inserts the disc. A list of file names

scroll across the screen.

EXT. MONORAIL TRACKS - DAY

Two tracks run parallel. The northbound train slows as

it nears a southbound. Reaching a station, the two

trains stop directly across from each other.

ANGLE BETWEEN TRAINS

Two facing doors open. Rath stands, partly concealed

behind one. A courier behind the other. He holds up an

open briefcase. Inside: 20 stacks of banded $1000

bills.

Rath, his face hidden, holds up the laptop, the screen

visible. The laptop and briefcase are both closed.

ANGLE ABOVE TRAINS

All we see are hands as the briefcase is exchanged for

the laptop. As both trains continue on their way.

INT. MONORAIL CAR - DAY

Rath holds the briefcase in his lap. It feels good.

ANGLE ON WATCHER

His back to Rath, reading the paper. But watching Rath

from a piece of reflective tape on the inside lens of

his glasses.

EXT. MUSTANG - DAY

Electra drives, falling behind. As the light turns red

ahead, she swerves 'round traffic, shoots through the

intersection inches ahead of the cross traffic.

INT. MONORAIL CAR - DAY

Picking his spot, Rath pulls down on the emergency stop

cord. The monorail lurches to a stop.

Rath grabs the release handle on the door, pushes it

open.

EXT. MONORAIL CAR - DAY

Briefcase in hand, Rath leaps, lands on the roof of a

neighboring business.

INT. MONORAIL CAR - DAY

The Watcher stands, but the doors close. True to his

name, he can only watch as...

EXT. BUSINESS BUILDING - DAY

Rath swings himself over the edge of the roof, drops down

to the street below.

INT. MONORAIL CAR - DAY

As the monorail continues, the Watcher loses sight,

doesn't see as...

EXT. BUSINESS BUILDING - DAY

Rath's only just gotten to his feet when the Mustang

pulls up, RADIO BLASTING. Rath hops in and they tear

off.

EXT. MUSTANG - DRIVING - DAY

Rath grabs the briefcase from the back.

ELECTRA:

It's in there?

Rath nods. As he swings the briefcase onto his lap, the

RADIO LOSES RECEPTION.

Rath frowns. He moves the briefcase away and the

RECEPTION RETURNS. Rath looks around them. Pedestrians

everywhere.

RATH:

Turn left!

Hearing his urgency, Electra turns.

EXT. SIDE STREET - DAY

Deserted. Rath heaves the BRIEFCASE up with all his

might. It soars straight into the air. EXPLODES! As

the air fills with shredded money...

EXT. MUSTANG - DAY

Electra slams on the brakes. As she starts to get out,

Rath holds her back.

ELECTRA:

But the money.

RATH:

Go.

The street behind them is already filling with instant

lottery winners.

INT. MONORAIL CAR - DAY

The Watcher hears the REVERBERATION, watches smoke rise

in the distance. He takes out a cell-phone, speed dials.

WATCHER:

(into phone)

There's been an explosion.

He flips it shut.

INT. MUSTANG - DAY

They continue. Rath with quiet resolve.

RATH:

No money. No disc.

Though shaken, Electra suddenly smiles like the cat who

ate the canary. Rath catches the look.

RATH:

What?

ELECTRA:

I wasn't sure you'd come back.

This morning I switched discs.

All they got was a list of file

names. Bupkis.

Electra holds up the real disc. Rath can't believe it.

ELECTRA:

Zero, a goose egg, jackstraw, ni,

nada, zot, zilch, squirt, a dry

hump, diddly squat.

(a beat)

I read a slang dictionary once.

RATH:

Keep reading.

ELECTRA:

Your contractor just tried to kill

you. That's not good.

Rath nods. He takes the disc from her, considers it.

INT. MUSTANG - PARKED - DAY

MOVE WITH Electra. Carrying a paper bag, she exits a

gourmet market and crosses the street to the Mustang.

Rath waits with Pearl and his computer.

As Rath sets up his computer, Electra treats Pearl to

some caviar.

ELECTRA:

Do you know that caviar is not a

Russian word?

RATH:

Ikra. It's ikra.

ELECTRA:

(surprised)

How did you know that?

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