Face\Off Page #18

ARCHER'S POV:
The transbay BART Tube -- and one of the

Emergency Service Ports -- about 20 metres away.

ARCHER swallows a deep breath, opens the door -- and fights

against the sudden crush of seawater. He squeezes out,

tearing his shoulder on the buckled cockpit door.

Blood clouds the water as ARCHER SWIMS free. Lungs bursting,

the swim seems endless, yet somehow he reaches the Service

Port. He yanks on the release handle -- it won't open.

The DIVERS are coming this way.

ARCHER yanks harder and WHOOSH -- the porthole dilates open.

Archer swims up and into it.

INT. EMERGENCY SERVICE BAY -- DAY

ARCHER pulls himself up, out of the porthole, shuts it down

and tightens it. He collapses -- exhausted -- until he

hears the divers POUND -- trying to get inside.

ARCHER throws open the interior door and -- BOOM! A BART

Train rushes by at an insane speed -- inches from his face.

In another second -- it's gone.

INT. BART TUBE -- DAY

ARCHER limps west. Suddenly the tracks shake. Archer turns

and sees a BEAM OF LIGHT growing brighter. A bullet train

is roaring toward him.

ARCHER looks around for a way out as the train screams in --

right over the spot where Archer was just standing.

THE CEILING:
Archer has wedged himself high up in the

support panels. He watches the first cars roar by -- then

gathers his courage. He drops down -- onto the ...

ROOF OF THE TRAIN. Archer tumbles back -- spinning out of

control -- as he grapples for a hold on the slick surface.

He's running out of train -- scooting headfirst onto ...

THE LAST CAR. Slipping across its length, he plunges into

oblivion. But his pant cuff catches on the rear wind scoop

-- and holds fast. Archer grabs the railing -- securing

himself against the window.

ARCHER'S POV (through window): A woman's back. Holding her

infant child, she reads the paper. The baby stares

straight at Archer. It reaches out to touch his funny-

looking, squashed nose.

Archer reads the paper's UPSIDE DOWN headline:

BOMB HERO LANDS NEW POST

Promoted to NSA's West Coast Chief

And a photograph of "himself" yucking it up with Lazarro.

BOOM! The train disappears into the blackness.

INT. ARCHER HOUSE -- BEDROOM -- DAY

EVE'S asleep. CASTOR looks down at her like Cortez at

Montezuma -- triumphant, with overwhelming power.

CASTOR:

(to himself)

Use it or lose it, Jon.

EXT. DRIVEWAY -- DAY

Heading for the car, CASTOR is about to light up a smoke when --

EVE (o.s.)

Last night, I thought --

this isn't my husband.

He pockets the smoke. EVE is there, dressed somberly.

EVE (cont'd)

Obviously, I was wrong.

CASTOR:

What's on your mind?

EVE:

Jon, it's the tenth. I

know how difficult it is

for you, but we still

have to go.

CASTOR:

I'm late. Gotta protect and

serve the world, y'know.

EVE:

The world can wait, Jon.

You're going.

CASTOR:

Okay, if you insist.

But -- you drive.

He climbs into the front seat beside her.

INT./EXT. CAR -- MOVING -- DAY

Beyond the suburbs -- a pastoral, hilly area.

EVE:

I think Jamie's been

seeing Karl again.

CASTOR:

Great.

EVE:

Great? He's 17 -- you told

her to stay away from him.

CASTOR:

Oh, that Karl.

EVE:

Yes, Jon. That Karl.

CASTOR:

I'll have a talk with her.

By the way, you never said

anything about last night ...

He moves closer, stroking her hair. Eve starts to respond

-- but without knowing exactly why, she tenses up.

EVE:

Jon -- this is hardly

the time or place.

EVE stops the car and gets out. CASTOR stares around in

surprise because he sees he's in --

A SPRAWLING CEMETERY

CASTOR follows EVE through the ocean of headstones -- with

no idea where she's leading him. Then, she stops. Castor

joins her in front of -- A TOMBSTONE. It reads:

Matthew Archer, Age 5

Beloved Son & Brother

We Cherish You Always

Stunned, CASTOR stares as EVE places flowers on the grave.

EVE:

Happy birthday, Matty.

Every day we think of you.

You're part of everything

we are and everything we do ...

(breaking down)

I wish you could know

the lifetime of joy and

happiness you brought us.

Overwhelmed with grief, she collapses into CASTOR.

EVE (cont'd)

He took our baby, Jon.

He took our little boy.

FULL SCREEN -- CASTOR'S FACE

He stares at the grave of the boy he killed -- the boy whose

mother is weeping into his chest.

Shutting his eyes to the grave, CASTOR stiffly returns EVE'S

embrace -- maybe, just maybe, feeling the victim's pain.

CASTOR:

Stop crying ... stop

crying ... stop ...

EXT. NSA HQ -- DAY

Shrugging off his funk, CASTOR whistles his way inside.

INT. NSA "DEBRIEFING" AREA -- DAY

A vigilant NSA agent stands watch outside a glass-enclosed

booth. INSIDE, Pollux is working at a computer.

CASTOR:

How's our star witness?

AGENT:

Spilling his guts. Obviously

his guilty conscience has

finally caught up with him.

CASTOR:

Obviously.

Castor dismisses the agent and enters THE BOOTH.

POLLUX:

Don't get mad, but I just

went for a little stroll

through the company switches.

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