Cliffhanger Page #14

HAL:

You son of a b*tch --

Travers turns and pins Hal against the wall with the gun,

ready to kill him too. But he's stopped by Qualen.

QUALEN:

No. We need him to get the rest of the

money.

(he isn't backing down)

If he dies we lose everything

Travers, furious, takes the gun out of Hal's face.

TRAVERS:

(to Hal)

Get us out of here.

Hal stares at Travers with absolute fury -- but he leads the

gang back along the ledge in retreat.

EXT. FURTHER DOWN THE MOUNTAIN - DAY

Powdery snow is settling from the avalanche. From a cave in

the rocks, Brett and Evan crawl out a little timidly.

EVAN:

What the hell --

Evan takes a pair of overpriced binoculars and looks up --

BINOCULAR POV - FAR UP ON LEDGE

The figures are small, but it's clear that one is pointing a

gun at an orange-jacketed figure.

EVAN:

lowers the binoculars.

EVAN:

Brett -- you're not going to believe

this -- but a couple of guys are

holding a gun on Hal and forcing him

up the bluff --

BRETT (O.S.)

I believe it.

Evan turns to

BRETT:

who has found both Heldon's broken body, and his gun, half

buried in snow. Evan walks over, amazed.

EVAN:

What the f*** is going on here?

Brett picks up the gun -- this is more an adventure than he

ever dreamed of.

BRETT:

Let's catch up and find out.

Brett and Evan grab their packs, and hurry onto a trail, as we

return to --

THE UPPER LEDGE:

where Gabe was. Nothing is stirring. Until, there's some

movement ten feet from where Gabe was hugging the wall.

It's a crevice in the mountain, about two feet wide -- a

climber would call this a "chimney" -- and it's packed with

ice and snow. It's also packed with

GABE:

-- his hand gropes out -- and with some difficulty, he digs

himself out, gasping and coughing. Gabe, coated with snow,

leans against the wall and rests. Alive.

INT. RANGER STATION - DAY

Maggie is on the phone, pacing, as Frank is slumped in front

of the radio scanner. Suddenly, the radio comes to life.

HAL (O.S.)

-- Come in, Rescue Unit -- over --

Maggie bolts over to the radio before Frank can react.

MAGGIE:

(keying mike)

Rescue Unit -- what's going on,

Hall? -- over --

EXT. MOUNTAIN - WOODED AREA - DAY

Travers has his gun pressed to Hal's temple.

TRAVERS:

No tricks, no procedural codes, no

personal messages -- just tell them

everything's under control and you're

taking care of the wounded.

HAL:

(keys it)

We've reached the wreckage -- top of

Comb Bluff -- six injured, but they're

responding to treatment. Everything

A-OK. Over.

MAGGIE (O.S.)

Everything isn't okay, Hal -- I'm

coming up after you -- over --

HAL:

Negative, Maggie. Winds are too

high, and the passengers' injuries are

all superficial. We're going to ride

out the storm here -- over --

Travers yanks away the radio.

TRAVERS:

Have her come up.

HAL:

Forget it -- downdrafts would wipe her

all over the peaks --

(Travers starts to argue)

-- Not that I expect you to give a

sh*t, but it's our only copter.

You'll be stuck.

Travers relents and hands the radio back.

MAGGIE (O.S.)

I can handle the winds --

HAL:

(breaking in)

Forget about it, Maggie, that's an

order -- acknowledge --

INT. RANGER STATION

Maggie looks out the window. The station's windspeed gauge is

flying around so fast it looks like it might take off.

MAGGIE:

Acknowledged. Let me talk to Gabe --

over --

HAL (O.S.)

(hesitates)

You can't. He's taking care of

passengers. Just like I should be.

Over and out.

Maggie leans back in the chair, looks out at the storm, and

tries not to worry. She fails miserably.

EXT. MOUNTAIN - WOODED AREA - TRAVERS AND HAL

TRAVERS:

(snatching radio away)

Good. You might live longer than your

friend. Now --

(takes out monitor)

-- what?

Hal takes the monitor -- the next blip is above, almost

straight up. Hal motions to the wooded area ahead.

HAL:

The next one's on top of the peak.

This'll be long, but easy -- more like

a hike than a climb.

TRAVERS:

(suspicious)

It looks like a winding route.

HAL:

There's a more direct route. The East

Face. But it's the wall on the other

side, and it's smooth as glass. Maybe

a dozen guys in the world could do it

in good weather. Only a psycho would

try it in a snowstorm.

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