Conspiracy Theory Page #5

A beat as Jonas considers Jerry.

JONAS:

I'm a very patient man.

JERRY:

That's great. Good for you.

JONAS:

Who have you been talking to,

Jerry? Who else knows what you

know?

JERRY:

Could you be a little more

specific?

Jonas doesn't answer. Instead, he methodically loads a

syringe. Jerry watches with grave apprehension.

JERRY:

What's that?

JONAS:

Lysergic acid diethylamide... With

a little kicker of my own. Surely

it must be coming back to you by

now?

There's nowhere to go, but Jerry still tries to go there

as the needle descends. And then the plunge.

JERRY:

What do I know?...

Jonas switches on a row of strobe lights. They flash

into Jerry's face. In between them, on a screen, images.

JERRY'S POV

A man on fire. Kennedy with the waiter on the floor in

the Ambassador. That guy in Vietnam being shot in the

side of the head. Rhesus monkeys subjected to direct

brain stimulation. Reagan catching it under the armpit.

A slaughterhouse. And interspersed between it all, a

rather official-looking photo of a middle-aged man we'll

call Mr. S. Then --

JONAS:

is dancing back and forth before Jerry. The strobes

freeze him like some club from the '70s.

ROOM:

But Jonas isn't really dancing. He's directly across

from Jerry -- profile-to-profile.

JONAS:

Who else knows what you know?

Slack-jawed, Jerry doesn't answer. Jonas holds an

electrode to Jerry's leg, touches a second to his side.

Jerry arches back as current flows.

JERRY'S POV

as the ceiling melts and drops in heavy globs around

them.

ROOM:

Jonas cuts the flow.

JONAS:

Who else knows what you know?

Jerry's only answers are the tears running down his

cheeks. Jonas hits him again.

Jerry jerks back so hard the chair snaps right off the

floor and topples over backwards. Jerry's left wrist and

right leg burst through the straps which were holding

them down. A wisp of smoke rises.

Jonas sighs. He looks down at Jerry who moans,

whispers...

JERRY:

I'll tell you...

Jonas smiles paternally, steps over. Jerry's mouth

moves, but we can't hear him. Mr. S flashes on the

screen.

JONAS:

(crouching)

From your lips, to God's ear.

JERRY'S POV

As Jonas leans in, his nose looks enormous.

ROOM:

Grabbing Jonas' shirt with his limited left hand, Jerry

uses the only weapon he's got. He bites Jonas on the

nose. Blood pulses as Jerry's teeth find an artery.

Howling, Jonas tries to scramble out of reach.

Jerry kicks him in the stomach with his free leg and then

keeps kicking. It's inarticulate, roughshod work, but he

connects and Jonas feels it and each new kick as a

little more fury than the last.

Finally Jonas rolls away. Jerry half-crawls, half-rocks

his way to a crouched position. Rising, he staggers into

the window, the top of the chair smashing through the

glass. Jerry stares down to the ground below.

JERRY'S POV

As the earth rises and falls like a wave. The distance

down is impossible to gauge.

ROOM:

As Jonas staggers to his feet, Piper and Clark charge in.

They move forward, but without warning, Jerry gathers

what balance he has and heaves himself out the window.

EXT. SIDE OF BUILDING - DAY

Partially obscured by trees, Jerry does a half-gainer

from exactly two stories above the ground. The chair

back takes the brunt of the landing. Wood splinters.

ROOM:

Blood spurts between Jonas' fingers. Clark and Piper

draw their guns and rush to the window...

GROUND:

Slats of wood hang at his elbows and knees as Jerry reels

across the lawn.

ROOM:

Clark and Piper FIRE.

JONAS:

Don't kill him! Get him!

As Clark and Piper rush off...

EXT. STREET - DAY

Jerry slogs, sinks into asphalt up to his knees. A truck

sets a dumpster down on the street ahead. As it pulls

away, Jerry dashes, grabs hold of a handle on the rear.

EXT. STREET TWO - SOME BLOCKS AWAY - DAY

We see the truck approach. As it turns right, the

centrifugal force flings Jerry off the back and into the

oncoming lane. Several taxis slam on their brakes to

keep from running him over.

All Jerry sees is yellow.

JERRY:

I'm one of you! I'm one of you!

As one driver leans out one window, shouts at him in

Hindu.

CUT TO:

INT. JUSTICE - ELEVATOR - DAY (END OF DAY)

Liza's in the back next to, but not with, one of the

Lawyers seen earlier. He seems nice enough.

LAWYER:

So, you doing anything tonight?

LIZA:

(hefts briefcase)

Working.

LAWYER:

Hmm, how about tomorrow night?

LIZA:

Working.

LAWYER:

Night after that?

LIZA:

(smiles)

Look, you're a nice guy, but I'm

not really dating right now.

LAWYER:

I'm not that good at 'no,' Liza.

LIZA:

Too bad. Because I'm terrible at

'yes.'

INT. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT - LOBBY - DAY

As the elevator doors open, Liza steps into her worst

nightmare.

JERRY (O.S.)

Liza Sutton! I need to see Liza!

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