Cliffhanger Page #5

TRAVERS:

(turning away)

Thanks for the tip. But I've got work

to do.

MATHESON:

(stopping him)

Did I say "last" report? I think I

did. I mean last f***ing report.

These guys have vanished.

TRAVERS:

You have my sympathy, but --

(exasperated)

There's a reason we do things this

way, all right? Armored cars can be

hijacked. Trains can be derailed. But

nobody can get to us in flight. The

only time this is on the ground is at

the mint, or on the Presidio runway in

San Francisco. Either way, someone

would have to shoot his way past a

couple of thousand guards.

Matheson still isn't convinced.

TRAVERS:

If you're worried about an inside job,

forget it. I checked the plane from

top to bottom an hour ago. And these

three are my best against. Even if one

of them did go skydiving, they

wouldn't get far. Each case has an

electronic tracer with a range of one

hundred miles.

Travers pulls a tracking device about the size of a watchman

out of his jacket pocket. The small screen shows three red

blips at rest -- matching the three currency cases.

TRAVERS:

(facing down Matheson)

I haven't lost a bill in eight years.

And I'm not scrubbing this shipment

because you scare easily.

MATHESON:

(an easy smile)

Who said anything about stopping the

shipment?

(beat)

I've been tracking Qualen for almost a

year. If he pulls something, I want to

be in on the party.

Travers, angry, turns to Wright. Wright clearly doesn't like

this either, but is resigned to it.

WRIGHT:

This is cleared from the top, Travers.

Matheson will accompany you on the

flight to San Francisco.

(beat)

Show him every professional courtesy.

Travers turns back to a smiling Matheson, looking like he'd

rather kill him instead, as we --

CUT TO:

EXT. MOUNTAIN RANGE - MAGGIE'S HELICOPTER

is being buffeted by storm winds and a light snow -- Maggie

struggles hard with the controls, but --

INSIDE HELICOPTER

Visibility is near zero. Maggie keys the radio.

MAGGIE:

Rescue One to base, over.

HAL (O.S.)

Rescue One -- have you sighted them?

Over --

MAGGIE:

Negative, Hal -- storm's already

moving in -- I can't see them, and

winds are too strong to stay up

here -- over --

HAL (O.S.)

Rescue One -- abort. They'll be all

right. Brett and Evan are dumb enough

not to log in, but they're smart

enough to have storm gear. Head back

to base.

(not unkindly)

Maybe you can catch Gabe before he

leaves. Over.

MAGGIE:

I don't think he's planning a long

visit, Hal.

(back to business)

Rescue One heading back to base, over

and out.

THE HELICOPTER:

banks a 180 to fly back -- we can see over the horizon that

the storm is moving in fast.

INT. CAVE - DAY

We can hear Maggie's helicopter flying off overhead -- camped

inside the cave are BRETT and EVAN, both 20s, both shivering,

amid their gear -- backpacks, cooking stuff -- and parachutes.

These are Colorado rock jocks -- thrillseekers who'll try

anything if the odds are strong enough they'll die in the

process.

EVAN:

(freezing)

Way to check the weather, Brett.

BRETT:

(shivering yet macho)

Hey. If it were easy, it wouldn't be

worth d-doing.

CUT TO:

EXT. TREASURY JET (DC-9) - DAY

The DC-9 cruises over increasingly mountainous, remote

terrain.

INT. JET - CLOSE ON TRAVERS

who looks tense -- we MOVE AROUND the cabin and find two more

relaxed Treasury agents are dozing on the opposite side of the

plane, their arms chained to the currency cases. Matheson is

edgy. Another AGENT offers some condescending reassurance.

AGENT:

Just enjoy the view, huh?

(Matheson says nothing)

Relax. I mean, what could happen in

the air?

Matheson turns back to his window and looks down --

WINDOW POV - THE GROUND BELOW

is covered with snow -- the jet's shadow moves sleekly and

plainly over it. But after a moment we see -- -- another

jet's shadow on the ground, coming up fast!

INSIDE THE DC-9 - MATHESON

reacts this and shifts his look upward to --

WINDOW POV - ANOTHER PLANE (GULFSTREAM)

is flying a parallel course to the Treasury jet, and is just

one hundred yards away. Close enough to see Eric Qualen's face

in one of the windows.

INSIDE THE PLANE

Matheson stands -- Travers has noticed the plane by now too,

and gets out of his seat as the other agents react.

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