Assassins Page #19

INT. HOTEL PARAISO - LOBBY - NIGHT

An atrium courtyard. The burnt-out interior hall bal-

conies stare down from four sides. The ceiling is gone.

Bain stares up at the moon. It casts broken patterns of

light across the walls and floor. Bain seems almost

reverent. Like he was in a holy place.

Moving cautiously, Bain starts up the staircase, headed

for the third floor.

INT. HOTEL PARAISO - ROOM 302 - NIGHT

Bain enters. We jump as a FLOOR BOARD gives way with a

SNAP. Taking it in stride, Bain pulls his leg free,

steps carefully over to a...

THIRD FLOOR WINDOW

Bain stares across at the entrance to the bank. A good

clear view, the vertical angle not too EXTREME.

He unzips his bag. Quickly, epertly, he puts together

a sniper's rifle complete with a two-foot silencer.

Holding up the rifle, he closes one eye, sights. A CLICK

as Bain squeezes the TRIGGER on an empty chamber. He

looks up from the sight, across the plaza. This is good.

EXT. NEW HOTEL - BALCONY - NIGHT

Holding Pearl, Electra stands looking out at the city.

What holds her attention is the procession moving down

the cobblestoned street, following a trail of marigold

petals to a nearby cemetery. It includes children made

up as skeletons.

INT. NEW HOTEL - HALLWAY - NIGHT

A WAITER pushes a room service cart. We don't see his

face, but we suspect the worst. As he reaches the door

to Rath and Electra's room...

INT. NEW HOTEL - ROOM - NIGHT

Rath looks up at a KNOCK on the door. Drawing his .22,

he steps over, stays to the side of the door.

RATH:

Who is it?

MUFFLED VOICE (O.S.)

Room service.

Rath places the end of the silencer against the door --

head level.

RATH:

I didn't order room service.

As he c*cks back the trigger, Electra steps in from the

Balcony.

ELECTRA:

I did.

Rath pulls the gun away, pauses a moment to collect

himself. He holsters it, opens the door. The Waiter

smiles, rolls the cart in.

As he sets up the plates, Electra steps over.

ELECTRA:

Excuse me.

(points out balcony)

What's happening out there?

WAITER:

The Day of the Dead, Senora.

ELECTRA:

What are the flowers for?

WAITER:

Families make a path from their

homes to the cemetery. So the

souls of the dead loved ones can

find their way back home.

Electra is fascinated. As the Waiter finishes, Rath tips

him and he exits.

ELECTRA:

Can we go?

RATH:

He'll be here by now. This room

and the bank. That's it.

Disappointed, she sets Pearl down and steps back out on

the balcony to watch.

Rath pours himself a drink. As he does, he notices

something. There's a slight tremble in his hand. He

sets the drink down, looks to the balcony. After a

moment, he steps over, stops to the side of it.

RATH:

I wish I could explain why I

killed Nicolai. I may have been

manipulated. I don't know.

(a beat)

For what it's worth, I'm sorry I

did it.

A beat. He waits for her to say something, can't really

blame her when she doesn't.

RATH:

I used to hope the same thing

would happen to me. A least it's

a way out.

It may. Finally, Rath steps out to be with her.

RATH:

Electra...

EXT. BALCONY - NIGHT

Rath steps out. Electra's gone! Not on the ground a

floor below. Nowhere in sight. Rath looks to the

cemetery and the fire escape leading from the balcony

down to the cobblestone street below.

EXT. OLD CEMETERY - NIGHT

A procession emerges from a tunnel, through old gates and

into a cemetery. It includes some American tourists.

Marigold petals and candles are everywhere. There are

headstones, many of which lie flat. Also much well-made

statuary.

Two local women stand to one side selling coffee and

shaved ice. Solemn, but not dreadfully so.

Stepping up from the shadows of a darker part of the

cemetery is Electra. She looks on eagerly. This is

prime people-watching territory.

She spots the coffee women, starts to move in closer. As

she passes behind a larger memorial, she hears...

BAIN (O.S.)

Hola. Que pasa?

Electra freezes, peeks around the memorial to see Bain

not more than four feet away, standing near the coffee

women. They smile at him. He seems respectful. In

fact, as Bain watches the ceremony, he's in his element.

He speaks, almost like he's addressing the women, but not

really. Electra can't take her eyes off him.

BAIN:

Death is like me. Quiet, a

little scary. Sharp, he's real

sharp. And even though you want

to stay away from him, you can't.

He draws you. You dig him and

fear him at the same time.

(laughs)

I'm a million years old, but I

look like I'm thirty.

ELECTRA:

She hurries away into the shadows. In the gloom, she

nearly trips over a headstone. In the process she sends

an old GLASS CANDLE HOLDER flying. As it SMASHES...

BAIN:

At first we don't think he heard it, but then he turns,

looks back into the darkness. He's going to turn back to

the ceremony, but he can't. It's instinctual.

Reaching into his jacket, Bain heads into the darkness.

The two women watch him go. One looks to the other,

makes "crazy circles" around her ear with a finger.

DARKENED CEMETERY

Electra moves. Hears someone behind her. Or was it to

the left? She ducks behind an angel statue. Moments

later, Bain steps up. Electra holds her breath as he

scans the area. All of Bain's senses are working,

including smell.

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