Conspiracy Theory Page #13

Strange. As Liza nods, Jerry opens to a particular page.

JERRY:

(reads)

'I keep picturing all these little

kids in this big field of rye...

And I'm standing on the edge of

some crazy cliff...'

FRONT DOOR - BEER BOTTLE

Nothing until, almost imperceptibly, the door knob moves.

JERRY (O.S.)

'If they're running and they don't

look where they're going I have to

come out from somewhere and catch

them.'

JERRY'S BEDROOM

JERRY:

(finishing)

'That's all I'd do all day. I'd

just be the catcher in the rye.'

FRONT DOOR - BEER BOTTLE

The BOTTLE FALLS as the knob turns.

JERRY'S BEDROOM

A brief look between them before Jerry hits a switch

which kills the lights, then pulls her down alongside

him.

LIZA:

It probably fell by itself.

Jerry puts a finger over her lips.

EXT. ADJACENT BUILDING - ROOFTOP - NIGHT

Two black-clad snipers aim at Jerry's window, OPEN FIRE.

INT. JERRY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Liza stifles a cry as tear gas canisters CRASH the

WINDOW.

FRONT DOOR:

It's bludgeoned open. Light streams from the hallway.

BUILDING HALLWAY

Ten black-clad assault team members dives for cover as

their leader tosses in a CONCUSSION GRENADE.

JERRY'S LIVING ROOM

Cabinets split at the seams as the air is rent by the

THUDDING IMPLOSION.

JERRY'S BEDROOM

A beacon shines through the shattered window, but they're

clear. Jerry shoulders the desk across the floor. He

pulls a barely visible wire loop, opens a trap door in

the floor.

JERRY:

Go.

As Jerry guides Liza down the hatch...

LIVING ROOM:

The assault team enters military style.

KITCHEN WINDOWS:

Smash as two commandos rappel their way inside.

JERRY'S BEDROOM

Grabbing the subscriber list, Jerry drops down the hatch

pulls the trap door shut behind him.

INT. DOWNSTAIRS APARTMENT - NIGHT

Dark. Jerry lands alongside Liza on a mattress.

JERRY:

Always rent a spare apartment!

Standing, Jerry hauls down on a handle attached to

another thin wire. Really putting his weight into it.

JERRY'S BEDROOM

The desk slides back into position over the trap door.

Just an instant before the assault team rolls in.

DOWNSTAIRS APARTMENT

Jerry dashes to a closet. Liza watches as he opens the

closet door, strikes a waiting match. He lights a fuse

which burns up toward a hole in the floor.

LIZA:

What are you doing?

JERRY:

Getting rid of my hub!

Liza stops short. The white light from the fuse

illuminates the Wonderwall. Liza stares at a 6x12

painted montage. One image dominates. In fact, it's

arresting.

Bliss:
Liza in full equestrian fear, hands outstretched,

head thrown back. Astride a winged horse. It soars over

a gate and up into the heavens.

Jerry has eyes only for the fuse. As it disappears

through the hole in the floor, it takes its light with

it. The Wonderwall goes dark.

INT. JERRY'S APARTMENT - FILE CABINETS - NIGHT

Branching off, the fuse runs into them, through them.

Incendiaries ignite.

FILE HALLWAY:

Bursting into flames. Everywhere. The assault team

members shout, beat a retreat.

INT. DOWNSTAIRS APARTMENT - NIGHT

Jerry pulls a jacket from the closet, starts to pull it

on. It's too dark to make out exactly what he's doing.

Liza grabs the matches, lights one. It casts a barely

adequate glow on the wall.

LIZA:

What is this?

Jerry's wearing a fireman's greatcoat, pulls on a

fireman's helmet. Realizing what she's seen, he's very

embarrassed.

JERRY:

Don't know. It was here when I

moved in.

The match burns to Liza's fingertips. Darkness once

again.

INT. JERRY'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

No shortage of light up here. As the last man exit, it's

become an incinerator. White hot flame shoots out.

Paint peels. The housing of the typewriter melts. A

locked METAL CYLINDER on the kitchen counter EXPLODES in

a shower of popcorn. Polaroids blister. But more than

anything -- files burn. As the sound of SIRENS builds...

INT. DOWNSTAIRS HALLWAY - NIGHT

Smoke, but no fire. Six NYC firefighters escort

squinting residents to the fire escape. A FIREMAN exits

an apartment with a woman slung over his shoulder.

FIREMAN:

Make a hole. Watch your backs.

It's Jerry. The woman is Liza. As a path is cleared...

STAIRWELL:

Jonas and his men trot up the stairs led by a FIRE

CAPTAIN. Lowry follows, looking like he wished he were

someplace else. Jonas no longer wears the bandage, just

a small strip which partially covers the stitches across

his nose.

They meet Jerry and Liza on the landing, cross right past

them. Oblivious. Jerry and Liza continue down.

LIZA:

Was that who I thought it was?

JERRY (FIREMAN)

Uh huh.

LIZA:

Has this happened to you before?

JERRY:

Never, but I've been practicing.

LIZA:

(beat; then...)

Who are you, Jerry?

JERRY:

Just a guy trying to put out a

fire.

They continue down OUT OF SIGHT.

EXT. JERRY'S NEIGHBORHOOD - STREET - NIGHT

Jerry dumps the fireman's coat in the trash, jumps in the

BMW as Liza TEARS AWAY from the curb.

INT. JERRY'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Jonas and his men are walked through the smoldering ruins

by a Fire Captain. He pauses at the silver on the walls.

FIRE CAPTAIN:

See the aluminum stuff? Firewall.

Guy designed it so he could turn

the place into an incinerator.

Leaves the rest of the building

untouched.

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