Die Hard Page #26

As he talks, he essentially PATROLS the floor he's staked

out, constantly looking into every dark corner, gun held

ready, moving toward the stairwell.

MCCLANE:

Al? Al, you there?

POWELL:

I'm here, cowboy.

MCCLANE:

Speaking of cows, did you ever

hear so much bullshit in your life?

Two hours? That doesn't even make

any sense --

POWELL:

Don't tell me, partner. I'm just

a desk jockey who was on the way

home when you rang.

MCCLANE:

The way you drove that car, I

figured you for the streets.

POWELL:

In my youth, partner. In my youth.

246 INT. TV STUDIO - NIGHT 246

Gail and Harvey have company, a man from the Senator

Paul Simon's school of grooming.

GAIL:

(in mid-speech)

...author of...

(holding up a copy)

'Hostage/Terrorist, Terrorist/Hostage,

a Study in Duality.' Dr. Hasseldorf,

what can we expect in the next few hours?

HASSELDORF:

Well, Gail, by this time the hostages

and their captors should be entering

the early stages of the Helsinki

Syndrome.

HARVEY:

As in Helsinki, Sweden?

247 CONTROL ROOM 247

Sam sighs, shakes his head.

HASSELDORF:

(over monitor)

Uh...Finland. Basically, it's when

the hostages and the terrorists go

through a sort of psychological

transference and projection of dependency...

248 INT. NAKATOMI - HOSTAGE FLOOR 248

Fritz drags Ellis' body out of the office and throws it on the

floor.

HASSELDORF:

(over Hans' TV)

What can only be described as a

strange sort of trust and bond

develops...We've had situations where

hostages have embraced their captors

after their release and in one case

even corresponded with them in prison...

249 INT. BUILDING - MACHINE FLOOR 249

Hans turns, looks up at the ceiling. Too dim up there to see

from here. He sighs, sets his gun down on a buttress, starts

to climb up, not enjoying it.

250- OUT OUT 250-

253 253

CUT TO:

254 OUTSIDE THE BUILDING 254

Robinson looks at a YOUNG COP, reacts, startled:

ROBINSON:

The...the FBI? Here? Now?

YOUNG COP:

Yessir. Right over there.

Robinson looks at Powell, adjusts his clothing, fixes his tie.

POWELL:

(dryly)

You want a breath mint?

Robinson glares at him, then they move together towards:

255 A BIG DARK GOVERNMENT CAR 255

Headlights still on, dominating the area where it sits. Robinson

steps up, sees:

256 HIS P.O.V. - FBI AGENTS 256

They get out. One big back lit SILHOUETTE, one little one.

BIG JOHNSON:

(showing badge)

I'm Special Agent Johnson of the FBI.

This is Agent Johnson...no relation.

ROBINSON:

(stepping forward, plastic

smile)

Dwayne Robinson, LAPD. I'm in charge

here.

BIG JOHNSON:

Not any more.

As Robinson REACTS, we GO TO:

257 THE MECHANICAL FLOOR - TIGHT ON HANS 257

He checks the plastique, not pleased. He turns, DROPS to the

floor.

258 LOW ANGLE 258

He lands, knees bent...looks directly at a PAIR OF BARE FEET.

A GUN BARREL DROPS INTO THE SHOT close to his head.

MCCLANE:

Lost?

259 NEW ANGLE 259

A moment. And then Hans turns, looks up.

The transformation in his expression and bearing are mind-

boggling. Hands shaking, eyes filled with fear, he swallows,

looks up at McClane and in a perfect American accent says:

HANS:

--ohGodplease -- don't kill me --

don't kill me -- you're one of them,

I know it --

MCCLANE:

(thrown, unsure)

Whoa, whoa, easy man. I won't hurt

you. Who are you? What are you

looking for?

Hans' eyes dart towards:

260 THE BUTTRESS TEN FEET AWAY 260

Where a tiny piece of his gun sticks out, barely visible.

261 BACK TO SCENE 261

HANS:

A way up to the roof...I thought I

could signal for help --

He starts in that direction.

MCCLANE:

Forget it. They got a guy up there.

You want to stay alive, keep moving.

Hey? You hear me?

Hans realizes this tack won't work. He follows McClane.

HANS:

You...you're an American?

MCCLANE:

(friendly, easing the

man's fears)

Only if New Jersey counts.

It works. The poor frightened civilian shows a hint of a smile.

CUT TO:

261-A OUTSIDE BUILDING 261-A

ROBINSON:

(in mid-speech to FBI)

We've got thirty, maybe thirty-five

hostages, probably on the 30th floor...

seven, maybe eight terrorists.

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