Cliffhanger Page #18

Gabe grabs a rock and CLOBBERS the rat off-screen, ending the

screeches with one blow. Gabe's face first registers

disgust -- then an idea. Then real disgust. Sighing, Gabe

pulls out a pocket knife and opens the blade.

CUT TO:

INT. THE CAVE - A LITTLE LATER - CLOSE ON GABE

Gabe takes the now cooked rat carcass -- properly skinned and

butchered -- off his knife blade. We can see from flickering

shadows that a small fire is now burning in a cave -- we

pull back to see

THE FIRE:

which is built out of small bundles of $5,000 bills. It's safe

to say that something like $500,000 is going up in smoke, and

the fire's dying down. Gabe tosses a fresh band of bills on

the flame. Gabe cools the knife in some snow, saws off a rat

leg, and chews unhappily.

GABE:

(mouth full)

Mmm. Just like -- chicken.

Gabe sparingly washes the bite down with a taste of Jack

Daniel. It's going to have to last him. He has an entire rat

to get through.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. WIDE MOUNTAIN VIEW - DAWN

The first rays of the sun start to poke through the mountains.

It's stopped snowing -- the storm seems to be letting up.

INT. RANGER STATION

Very quiet in here. Frank is snoring, slumped over the radio.

Maggie is wide awake and obviously hasn't slept -- her

attention is fixed out the window.

MAGGIE'S POV - WINDSPEED GAUGE

The gauge is still flying around, but clearly shows that the

winds are slowing.

INT. DENVER MINT - WRIGHT'S OFFICE

Wright is coiled at his desk, tense. Ten empty styrofoam

coffee cups -- and dark rings under Wright's eyes -- make

clear he hasn't slept. Wright's assistant bursts in.

DAVIS:

We've got a fix on the plane, sir --

we're getting a reading on the flight

recorder tracer --

WRIGHT:

Any visual? Any radio contact?

DAVIS:

Not yet --

WRIGHT:

(heading to the door)

Get the copters ready. We take off in

three minutes.

DAVIS:

The winds are still too strong --

WRIGHT:

Sorry to hear it. We're still going.

The plane might be intact.

Wright drags the protesting Davis out the door.

DAVIS:

Sir --

WRIGHT:

Shut up. That fifty million isn't

coming out of my pension.

EXT. MOUNTAIN TOP - DOUGLAS TOURIST SHACK - DAY

Travers, Qualen and the rest of the expedition head out of the

shack, a little groggy. Odds are no one got much sleep.

Travers shoves Hal toward a sketchy "YOU ARE HERE" map of the

mountain range, and hands him the tracer monitor.

TRAVERS:

Still interested in staying alive?

Hal matches the monitor to the map -- the blip is higher up.

HAL:

(pointing to map)

It's up here. Somewhere on the Tower.

There's a way to cross over to the top

in about half a day.

TRAVERS:

Show me.

Travers shoves Hal forward -- the others follow.

ELSEWHERE ON THE MOUNTAIN/SUMMIT - BINOCULAR POV

From about fifty yards off, someone watches Hal lead the gang

away from the shack.

BRETT (O.S.)

They're heading toward the opposite

edge. An easy way down.

BRETT AND EVAN:

are crouched in the woods. Brett, gun in hand, has no idea how

far out of his league he is. Evan looks like he's having

second thoughts, but he can't hack down now.

BRETT:

I'll cut around this side, and wind up

in front. You come up behind them --

quietly. And we've got 'em.

EVAN:

Brett -- they've got five guns --

BRETT:

And you can collect them all after I

get the drop on 'em. Let's get moving.

Brett, automatic held high, circles off through the woods.

Evan reluctantly lopes off toward his assignment.

BELOW - GABE'S CAVE

Gabe pulls his jacket on -- reversed, with the grey lining

out, so the orange won't make him so easy to spot -- and

starts out towards the facing Tower -- his route, clearly, is

going to be along the rock wall. It's relatively sheer, but

there are shelves cut into it to make walking easy.

MOUNTAIN TOP/SUMMIT - BRETT

races quietly through the woods in a parallel path with Hal,

who's guiding the hang. Brett circles around ahead of them,

waiting. Before he can jump out --

HAL'S POV - ON BRETT

hiding ahead in the trees and rocks.

HAL:

makes eye contact with Brett, realizes what he's doing, and

shakes his head as violently as he dares -- no, don't --

BRETT:

gives Hal a confident wink in response, then pounces in front

of the gang, gun held high.

BRETT:

End of the line!

Travers, Delmer, Kristel and Kynette are startled, but don't

immediately comply. This throws Brett off his stride.

BRETT:

(nervous now)

You heard me! Drop the guns!

Travers smiles and steps closer to Brett. The others walk up

in front of Hal. Travers actually laughs.

TRAVERS:

"End of the line"? That's classic.

(beat)

You've got style. So, I'm going to

give you a three-count to figure out

how to turn the safety off.

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