Assassins Page #20

BAIN:

(under his breath)

Jasmine...

His .22 in hand, Bain moves on.

Electra stands, moves back. She hasn't gone far when a

hand slaps down over her mouth. It's Rath!

BAIN:

He's starting to get a little spooked himself. Sure

that he's cornered someone, he leaps around a corner,

takes aim down a row of tombstones. No one's there.

RATH AND ELECTRA

Rath's feeling the same way. Motioning for her to stay

put, he creeps around a statue, sees Bain, draws a bead

-- but a large group from the procession moves in between

them -- when they clear, Bain is gone. Rath takes

Electra's hand and they move on.

BAIN:

Looking about, the feeling passing. Then he spots it, a

Jasmine in a vase by a stone. Bain takes a sniff.

Laughing, he turns, heads back to the ceremony.

INT. NEW HOTEL - ROOM - NIGHT

Electra enters followed by Rath. Rath is exhausted from

the past tension. Electra watches as he locks the door,

leans his forehead against it. Finally...

ELECTRA:

Am I attractive?

Rath looks at her a beat, nods. She is.

ELECTRA:

Are you attracted to me?

RATH:

Yes.

ELECTRA:

Is it a physical thing or a mental

thing?

RATH:

Both.

ELECTRA:

When did it start?

RATH:

(a beat; almost shy)

When you were shooting at me.

ELECTRA:

That's strange, don't you think?

(a beat)

You're a strange man, Robert Rath.

RATH:

Joseph. My real name is Joseph.

For a man like Rath, this is like giving her the Hope

Diamond. Electra knows it. A beat and then...

ELECTRA:

(savors the sound)

Joseph... I'm Anna. It's awfully

nice to meet you.

She holds her hand out like a promise. All Rath has to

do is take it. He does. They come together. Kissing,

wanting, needing contact. And they're on the bed. Never

have two people needed each other more. As Pearl runs

out of the room...

INT. NEW HOTEL - ROOM #2 - NIGHT

Lying in their bed, the newlyweds listen to the sounds of

LOVEMAKING coming from the room next door. As they smile

at each other...

EXT. BANK ENTRANCE - CLOSE ON APRICOT - NIGHT

that Bain left here. Dewy, glistening. Without warning,

it EXPLODES into a thousand pieces.

WHIP PAN TO:

INT. HOTEL PARAISO - ROOM 302 - NIGHT

Bain lowers the rifle. Slowly, solemnly, he raises his

forefinger to heaven. Tomorrow he will be number one.

And Rath's dream of a new life will die.

EXT. PLAZA COLON - DAWN

Deserted as the sun casts an early morning glow.

INT. NEW HOTEL - ROOM - COMPUTER SCREEN - DAY

Contractor:
The contract has been paid.

Transferred to the specified account.

Rath and Electra look from the screen to each other.

More than partners this morning.

Rath:
And the disc?

Contractor:
You'll be advised. Good-bye, Robert.

The screen goes blank. Rath switches it off. Sitting in

front of the remains of a huge breakfast, Electra pours

herself coffee.

Rath opens a case. He takes out two small "hearing aid"

mics. He sets them on the table alongside his gun.

Electra immediately scoops up one of them.

ELECTRA:

Two way?

RATH:

(nods)

Remember, you tell me when he

leaves the hotel; I'll tell you

when he leaves the bank.

(a beat)

We're gone.

Electra nods. Rath hands her his .22.

ELECTRA:

What's this for?

RATH:

Just in case.

Electra moves to hand it back, but Rath doesn't take it.

ELECTRA:

I don't think I could shoot

someone.

RATH:

Did you play Cowboys and Indians

when you were a kid?

ELECTRA:

Sure, but this --

RATH:

Which were you?

ELECTRA:

An Indian. Always an Indian.

RATH:

Then pretend he's a cowboy and

pull the trigger. You can pretend

he'll just get up after, but you

pull the trigger.

For Electra, this is getting a little too real.

INT. BANK - DAY

Glossed with light. We PULL BACK and see other squares.

Black and white. Like a chessboard. A woman's HEELS

CLICK past. RISING HIGHER, we see the woman walking. A

man crosses behind her going the other way. HIGHER STILL

and we realize we're looking at the black and white

marble floor of the...

INT. BANK - DAY

The ceilings are vaulted and vast, the suspended lights

baroque. An enormous clock (10:00 AM) hangs from the

wall. With its massive oil paintings and bronze statues,

the bank could be a museum.

Armed guards stroll the floor. Customers go about their

business. Carrying a large black briefcase, Rath steps

onto the checkered floor.

EXT. OUTDOOR CAFE - DAY

Set just off the plaza with a view of the side of the

hotel and the front of the bank. Electra sits on the

patio sipping a thick, almost sludgy espresso. She

hears Rath over her ear-piece.

RATH (V.O.)

I'm in the bank. He'll move now.

She scans the plaza, nervous.

ELECTRA:

I don't see him. I --

There. Across the Plaza. Bain glides through the crowd

like a shark. Headed for the Hotel Paraiso.

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