Constantine Page #17

British woman takes documentary photos.

Chaz's CELLULAR RINGS over the BUZZ of a dispatch SCANNER.

CHAZ:

This is a private line --John?!

INTERCUT JOHN.

JOHN:

Chaz --where are you?!

CHAZ:

Ah... 3rd and Figueroa.

JOHN:

You still got that Sedrallus?

CHAZ:

(glancing to couple)

Yeah, but I'm kind of busy rightnow, John.

JOHN:

Dammit, Chaz, I'm trying to savemy ass here!

CHAZ:

(under his breath)

What else is new...

JOHN:

Remember the Chalic of Enook

incident?

CHAZ:

(remembering)

Oh no, no, no, not that, I justpaid off this car!

JOHN:

West side of the 3rd Street

Bridge, say...

He checks the speedometer --90 mph.

JOHN:

... 2 minutes.

(CONTINUED)

92.

CONTINUED:

CHAZ:

I'm five blocks away!

(as John CLICKS off)

John? John?! Ah... sh*t.

Chaz downshifts, stops in cloud of dust --

CHAZ:

Sorry, tour's over.

The British start to argue.

CHAZ:

OUT YA WANKERS!!! NOW!!

EXT. LA STREETS -CONTINUOUS ACTION

John heads toward the skyline now --at 90 mph --to the

3rd Street Bridge on the horizon.

Angela scans behind them, can't believe her eyes.

ANGELA:

He's back.

Here comes Balthazar through traffic on all fours --

ANGELA:

John, he's back and he's gaining!

JOHN:

Of course he's gaining.

John PUNCHES the GAS to the floor.

EXT. 3RD STREET BRIDGE

Chaz swerves onto the other side of the narrow bridge.

He SCREECHES TO A STOP across the roadway --opens theglove box, grabs a velvet-wrapped object and pulls aglass vial out of it.

Inside flows a phosphorescent green liquid. Chaz jumpsout, runs to the back of the car, pauses when he hearsthe sound of a STRAINING ENGINE.

Here comes the topless Barracuda over the bridge's archedroadway. And what the hell is that running behind it?

CHAZ:

Sh*t --sh*t --sh*t -

(CONTINUED)

93.

CONTINUED:

Chaz twists off the gas cap, drops the vial into the tank.

He pulls out his BEEPER, rips the cover off, exposing the

electronics.

He wedges the beeper into the tank inlet, then startssprinting off the bridge while --

INT. BARRACUDA

John gives Angela the number.

JOHN:

9... 5... 4...

Taxi in view. Angela punches in the number --

ANGELA:

9-5-4...

They RIP past the taxi --

JOHN:

6... 6... 6

Here comes Balthazar up the bridge. Like a superchargedcheetah, running full stride. And not even winded.

ANGELA:

6... 6... 6

Balthazar is almost to the taxi --John waits --then --

JOHN:

6.

Angela punches the last digit as ---

Balthazar LEAPS to jump the taxi --

INT. GAS TANK

BEEPER CONTACTS BUZZ --spark --GAS IGNITES --

TAXI:

EXPLODES right under Balthazar in a tremendous FIREBALL.

Initial impact only kicks him higher. It's when the

Sedrallus in the tank truly ignites that the realFIREWORKS begin.

(CONTINUED)

94.

CONTINUED:

Balthazar is caught in a haze of brilliant red particlesthat tear his body apart in midair. His final SHRIEK is

chilling.

EXT./INT. BARRACUDA

John smacks the wheel, victoriously --looks over to

Angela who sighs with relief. His expression changes ashe centers on the empty necklace dangling around herneck.

JOHN:

Where's the amulet?

WHAM --something reaches through the roof hole and JERKSHER right out of the car.

JOHN:

ANGELA!!

John SLAMS the BRAKES home --car spins and John isalready jumping out before it comes to a stop. He runs

to the rail.

CHAZ:

(running up)

What the hell was that?!

Both leap onto the concrete rail, lean over and spot aHUGE WINGED SHADOW just as it disappears below thebridge.

Chaz is speechless as he turns to John. This is too

much. John gives him the out he's been waiting for --

JOHN:

We're even.

Chaz nods and John leaves him at the rail. He jumps backin the BARRACUDA and PEELS OUT.

Chaz watches him race away, looks back at his burningtaxi.

CHAZ:

Even?

EXT. LAX -DAY

Prisoner walks out of the terminal, here at last. He

stares at all the vehicles at his disposal. A familycrowds around the back of a minivan. Wife hugs the dad.

95.

MYSTERIOUS POV:

Watches him from behind. Prisoner turns, looks back,

suspiciously. Nothing.

PRISONER:

walks out to the street, slides into the minivan, tears

away. Kids' toys tumble across the seats.

INT. CLUB MIDNITE -HALLWAY -CONTINUOUS ACTION

John bursts through a door --Midnite right on his heels.

MIDNITE:

Mammon has been trying to climbout of his father's shadow for

eons.

JOHN:

And this time he might just makeit.

MIDNITE:

(unconvinced)

Because he's got the Spear?

JOHN:

And the bridge.

MIDNITE:

You're giving this girl way toomuch credit.

JOHN:

You don't know her.

MIDNITE:

And you do? That would be a

first.

John swings open a STORAGE ROOM DOOR --looks in at

large-scale relics --statues, props, etc.

JOHN:

Where's the chair?

MIDNITE:

The chair?

JOHN:

The delicate little number from

Sing Sing?

(CONTINUED)

96.

CONTINUED:

Midnite just stares at him.

MIDNITE:

It's a fine line that separates ahero from a fool.

JOHN:

I'll take my chances.

MIDNITE:

And taint my establishment with

your blood? I don't think so.

JOHN:

Midnite --

MIDNITE:

You know what that device can do

to the ill-equipped --

JOHN:

Midnite --

MIDNITE:

--and even in your most gloriousdays your brain was never yourmost powerful attribute --

JOHN:

Where the hell is the chair, youdumb sh*t?!

Midnite just stands there --his body inflating past it'sseven feet. John knows he went too far.

JOHN:

That was the cancer talking, youknow that, right?

MIDNITE:

(holds up his finger)

Once.

John nods.

INT. STORAGE AREA

Fluorescents flicker, REVEAL boxes of toilet tissue,

cooking supplies, etc. And sitting in one corner by thehuge power transformer is -

(CONTINUED)

97.

CONTINUED:

--the chair. Heavy wooden monstrosity with straps andcuffs and the wear of many who sat in it for the lasttime. Yeah, it's an electric chair right out of SingSing.

JOHN:

What's in your bathroom, a Renoir?

MIDNITE:

I have insurance issues.

John clears off the seat, starts to sit. Midnite blocks

him.

MIDNITE:

You haven't surfed in decades.

JOHN:

Like riding a bike...

He tries again. Midnite blocks him again.

MIDNITE:

You'll be lucky to reach anelemental plane.

JOHN:

Then just increase the juice.

John tries again. Again Midnite stops him.

MIDNITE:

In your condition your body won'ttake much.

JOHN:

I just need enough rope to findher.

MIDNITE:

And if you do --what then?

JOHN:

One goddamn problem at a time --

John shoves past him, plops his ass in the huge chair.

His feet dangle off the ground. Midnite stands by, won't

help. So John starts strapping himself in the chair.

His chest, his ankles. One wrist. He obviously can'tstrap the other. He looks to the big man.

JOHN:

You want me to sign a waiver?

(CONTINUED)

98.

CONTINUED:

Midnite sighs --finally straps the other wrist in -pulls

it TIGHT. Ouch.

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