Code of Silence Page #9

PIRELLI:

8 to 1.

Eddie punches a button on the answering machine. It spews

tape across the table.

PIRELLI:

Machines just don't like you.

Pirelli grabs the machine, unplugs it, and carries it out

the door toward his own apartment.

EDDIE:

Maybe I don't like machines.

EXT. SOLDIER FIELD - DAY

The machine in question looks like a miniature tank. This is

the "Prowler," a robot anti-terrorist vehicle that is being

maneuvered around various obstacles in a demonstration for

the city's law enforcement agencies.

The "Prowler" is amazingly agile. And its BULLHORN VOICE

breaks everybody up.

VOICE:

(from speaker)

Arretez! Halten Zie! Stop! Do not

move! No se mueve!...

The machine's three video eyes, searching the crowd

independently, give it the appearance of an extra-industrial

bug. One camera is mounted on a telescoping mast which extends

to give it the perspective of a giraffe. The thing seems

almost alive.

Commander Kates is here, leading a contingent of departmental

brass. With them are several dozen officers and a gaggle of

city councilmen.

The Prowler is being put through its paces by the FACTORY

ENGINEER. He controls the machine with a pistol-grip device

that looks like a small TV camera.

ENGINEER:

...After the gyros are locked, any

movement of the hand controller is

duplicated by the 'Prowler.'

He turns his hand to the right and the Prowler, 50 yards

away, sweeps its turret to the right, aiming the twin 30

calibre machineguns at the politicians. They move aside.

ENGINEER:

This simple control system means

that even semi-skilled employees can

operate the unit with a minimum of

training. As they say, "Even a child

can operate it."

Standing with Chief Kates, Eddie watches the demonstration

with contempt. Kates turns to him.

KATES:

He's talking about you, Cusack. Pay

attention. You're all gonna have to

be qualified on this. It's the future.

EDDIE:

Just what the world needs, another

gun without a brain.

KATES:

You're looking at the perfect cop.

The damn thing follows orders.

Eddie has seen enough.

EDDIE:

I got better things to do than play

with toys.

Kates is about to say something when the demonstrator

interrupts.

ENGINEER:

If the Commander will pick someone

to try and elude 'Prowler,' we can

show how our various target

acquisition systems function.

Kates points to Eddie, and smiles.

Instantly the turret sweeps the horizon and locks on Eddie

as he walks across the astro turf.

CLOSE-UP of the Prowler's hand controller.

The MONITOR SCREEN shows the crosshairs on the back of Eddie's

head. ON THE SCREEN the digital readout says: LOCKED AND

TRACKING.

MACHINE:

(from speaker)

Bang. You're dead.

Eddie keeps walking, seemingly oblivious to the Prowler.

Suddenly he whirls and ducks behind a wall out of the

Prowler's sight.

He pops up with his gun pointed at the Prowler's controller.

EDDIE:

Drop it.

The controller, scared shitless, drops the hand control.

The Prowler dies -- the plug pulled.

Eddie smiles at Kates, and exits.

INT. MORGUE VIEWING ROOM - DAY

The curtain is drawn back from the viewing window and the

Comachos SEE the bodies of their cousins. Luis is here with

Pompas, Efren, and Victor. Their attorney, Sanchez, has joined

them. They are speaking Spanish.

SANCHEZ:

(subtitle)

A war does no good for any of us. It

can only make what is bad worse.

Luis says nothing. He looks through the window at the bodies.

Finally he speaks.

LUIS:

(subtitle)

Get them out of here. Fix them up. I

want them to be beautiful for their

mother.

He kisses his fingertips and touches the glass.

LUIS:

(subtitle)

I promise you, my brothers, there

will be blood for blood.

Sanchez sighs.

INT. MORGUE HALL - DAY

Luis Comacho storms out of the room into the corridor followed

by the others.

Eddie and Kosalas are just entering. Victor spots Eddie and

turns to Luis.

VICTOR:

(subtitles)

This is the cop.

The Comachos slow down. The two groups survey each other --

Luis, hatred oozing from his eyes. And Eddie, without slowing,

looks the vicious Colombian over with cool contempt.

Eddie walks by.

LUIS:

How much did they pay you to set up

my brothers, Pig.

Eddie freezes, makes a slow turn, and meets Luis' eyes.

Rate this script:2.0 / 1 vote