Assassins Page #21

INT. BANK - DAY

Rath waits for a teller. Electra whispers in his ear.

ELECTRA (V.O.)

He's here.

EXT. OUTDOOR CAFE - DAY

The owner brings a second espresso, steps away. Electra

downs it in a gulp as she watches Bain disappear between

a gap in the boarded-up, burned-out hotel.

ELECTRA:

(scared)

He's going in. He's in the

hotel.

INT. BANK - DAY

Rath hears the fright in her voice.

RATH:

That's what we want. Try a

decaf.

Rath steps up to the TELLER.

TELLER:

May I help you, sir?

RATH:

Yes. Could you check on a

transfer for me?

Rath slides a withdrawal ticket over.

INT. HOTEL PARAISO - ROOM 302 - DAY

Bain steps into the same room we saw him in last night.

He reaches overhead into some charred, half-collapsed

timbers, pulls down the silenced sniper's rifle.

Stepping to the window, Bain aims at the bank entrance.

Through the scope he follows an exiting man. The cross-

hairs are right on the man's forehead. Bain pulls the

trigger. CLICK.

Satisfied, Bain slaps a magazine into the rifle. Reach-

ing into his pocket he pulls out an orange. Watching

the bank, he starts to peel it. He reaches into a

duffel bag, pulls out his small keyboard and a set of

headphones. He plugs in the phones, begins to play,

always watching the bank.

INT. BANK - TELLER'S WINDOW - DAY

The Teller returns with a BANK OFFICIAL. He carries a

printed receipt, wears a great big smile.

OFFICIAL:

Senor. We have received your

transfer.

He hands the receipt to Rath who sees a "two", counts the

zeros after it. There are seven of them.

RATH:

I want to close this account.

Could you get the paperwork

together?

The smile fades.

OFFICIAL:

Today? You wish to close the

account today?

Rath nods solemnly. No joking here.

OFFICIAL:

How would you like the funds?

RATH:

American currency.

It's all the Official can do to keep from crossing him-

self. He looks around, catches the eye of the one man in

the building who looks even more official than he does --

the BANK PRESIDENT.

The President steps over, confers with his underling in

low tones. In Spanish. Occasionally the President

glances at Rath, but mostly he listens. Finally...

PRESIDENT:

You're aware, Senor, that there

may be... a withdrawal fee?

RATH:

Yes, I am.

The President looks to the Official, nods. As the

Official hurries off, the President looks back to Rath.

PRESIDENT:

This will take some time.

RATH:

I have all day.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. SUN

High in the sky. White hot.

INT. HOTEL PARAISO - ROOM 302 - DAY

Bain sits in a charred chair staring out the window, his

back soaked with sweat. He rubs his eyes. One at a

time. He's afraid to blink lest he miss something. He

checks his watch, raising it to eye level, rather than

look down.

BAIN:

What are you doing in there?

The heat in the room makes it hard to even breathe.

There! A man walks out of the bank dressed like Rath.

Bain's body snaps erect. Leveling the rifle, he sites

the man's head. He's about to squeeze the trigger when

he realizes it's not Rath.

Bain wipes the sweat from his forehead, leaves a smear of

black from the charcoal. Fumbling for his bag, he pulls

out a container of bottled water. He drinks, never once

taking his eyes off the bank.

BAIN:

Relax, baby. Calmate...

EXT. PLAZA COLON - DAY

The shadows are getting longer, stretching out toward the

bank where...

INT. BANK - DAY

Rath sits in a big, highback leather chair. Cool as a

cucumber, he watches the traffic in the lobby. The big

clock reads 3:
10.

RATH:

Talk to me.

EXT. CAFE - DAY

Electra watches the hotel, a sixth empty espresso cup

before her.

ELECTRA:

No sign of him. He's just sitting

up there, same as us.

INTERCUT the following:

INT. BANK/EXT. CAFE - DAY

RATH:

No. I mean talk to me. Tell me

some of that weird stuff you

know.

Electra smiles, thinks a beat. An old man in a beat

fedora passes by. Inspiration.

ELECTRA:

You know the expression, 'Mad as

a hatter'?

RATH:

Alice in Wonderland, right?

ELECTRA:

Yeah, but it's a real thing. Hat

makers, hatters, they used

mercurous nitrate to make felt

hats. They'd absorb it through

their skin and some of them went

insane. No one knew why at the

time. As long as their hats fit.

Rath is amused.

RATH:

Tell me another one.

ELECTRA:

(coy)

Well, there's 'Mad as a March

Hare.'

RATH:

What's that, rabbit hat makers?

ELECTRA:

Hares are bold, wild in March.

March is when they mate.

(a beat)

I think the correct term is

'rutting.' Wild rutting bull

bunnies.

As Rath smiles to himself.

INT. HOTEL PARAISO - ROOM 302 - DAY

Teeth gritted, Bain rocks side to side. He has to

urinate. Bad. He tries to scan the faces coming out

of the bank, but the situation has become intolerable.

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