Cliffhanger Page #12

INSIDE THE FUSELAGE

Qualen hustles Gabe inside the plane -- his hands are on his

head, and his pack has been removed. Qualen throws the pack

to Ryan and Delmer, who rifle through it, removing anything

that could be a weapon -- they quickly confiscate Gabe's bolt

gun and ice axe.

TRAVERS:

What's for dinner?

(Kynette tosses packet)

Ugh. "Dried Beef Slices With Barbeque

Sauce."

(tosses it back)

Try and make this edible.

Travis looks at Hal's park ranger badge.

TRAVERS:

Hal Tucker.

(to Gabe)

Where's yours?

QUALEN:

He doesn't have one. Just a wallet.

Qualen tosses it to Travers, who glances through it.

TRAVERS:

Gabe Walker...

(notes photo of Maggie)

Very attractive.

GABE:

My ex.

TRAVERS:

Too bad. Let me tell you what's on for

today. We'd like you to help settle a

wager. You see, we lost some

luggage --

Travers motions to Ryan and Qualen, who shove Gabe and Hal

forward in the cabin. Travers takes out the tracer monitor.

TRAVERS:

(showing them the blips)

See these? Now I've bet the gentlemen

behind you that you know enough about

this mountain range to lead us to each

of these, quickly, and that you'd be

happy to do so. They bet me you

couldn't and wouldn't.

(guns are clicked)

Now tell me -- who wins?

Gabe and Hal eye each other -- no choice. Gabe nods.

TRAVERS:

Good dog. Now let's get this

expedition started.

EXT. FACING MOUNTAIN - WIDE SHOT

Hal and Gabe lead the "expedition" down a steep, but passable,

descent, leading to --

A NATURAL STONE BRIDGE

that links Comb Bluff with the next mountain. Travers stops

Gabe and pulls out the monitor.

TRAVERS:

Okay. Connect the dots.

Gabe pauses as he holds the monitor up against the

mountainscape.

MOUNTAIN AND MONITOR

The first blip is up a thousand feet -- it's a wall, and

obviously not something for a novice. Gabe pauses a little

too long -- Qualen nudges him with his gun. Gabe hands the

monitor back to Travers.

GABE:

This way.

Gabe, with Hal right behind, leads them up the wall -- it's

not a straight climb, but there's a series of zig-zagging

natural ledges that cut up the wall. Wide enough even for an

amateur. The others follow Gabe and Hal's example.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. MOUNTAIN WALL - WIDE SHOT - DAY - HAL AND GABE

have led the gang further up the wall, using pitons and

carabiner clips to create a guide rope. It's still just a

matter of climbing relatively easy ascending ledges. Hal and

Gabe lead them by jumping to the next ledge.

CLOSER ON HAL AND GABE

As Gabe hammers in a new piton, he turns to Hal.

GABE:

(sotto)

We don't have to do this. We know

these mountains -- they don't. If we

can get ahead --

HAL:

Can you climb faster than they can

shoot?

GABE:

We've got to try something. Think

we'll get a finder's fee after they

get all their "luggage"?

HAL:

Sure. All the bullets we can eat.

GABE:

That's not what really worries me.

HAL:

There's something else to worry

about?

GABE:

Yeah. Once they've got what they're

after -- they're gonna need a copter

to get out of here.

HAL:

(realizing)

Maggie.

Gabe nods grimly -- and keeps moving up. The rest keep pace.

THE WALL:

The climbers have reached a point of comparative comfort on

the wall -- the ledge is now two feet wide. Travers takes out

the tracer monitor -- the monitor shows that the first case is

just above them.

TRAVERS:

Hold it.

(beat)

It's up there.

"UP THERE" - AN OVERHANG

juts out of the wall fifty feet above their position. As the

rest of the wall above is completely sheer, it's obvious that

the case, if it is above, has landed on top of a ledge.

But this isn't easily accessible -- we MOVE DOWN from the

overhang and can see there are only the smallest of handholds

to get up there, and those are slick with ice and snow. Worse,

the rest of the mountain bulges outward in a curve, making

climbing almost impossible.

ON THE LEDGE:

Travers holds his gun on Gabe, and motions up

TRAVERS:

Fetch.

GABE:

I'll need the ice axe.

TRAVERS:

(laughs)

You've got to be kidding.

GABE:

(sighs)

Okay. How about some tape?

Travers nods -- Kynette pulls a roll of tape out of Gabe's

confiscated pack and throws it to him.

GABE:

Crampons too.

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