Face\Off Page #4

ARCHER:

Yeah, real fine. Especially

all the casualties.

LAZARRO:

I'm complimenting you.

Can't you ever just say

"thanks"?

ARCHER:

(grudgingly)

... Thanks.

LAZARRO:

Try to kiss my butt just

once before I'm transferred.

ARCHER:

Sorry, Admiral. It wasn't

mentioned in the job

description.

The elevator doors open. They've arrived in --

THE LOBBY:

Filled with agents, cops and press. A REPORTER snaps a

photograph of the pair.

REPORTER:

Hey, Archer, what's going

on? How about a statement?

Routinely, Archer gives his "statement" -- grabbing the man's

Nikon. He rips out the film -- then hands the camera back.

LAZARRO:

Jon -- bad press means bad

publicity means budget cuts.

(Archer doesn't respond)

Just have your report on my

desk by noon.

Lazarro looks at Archer like he's some long-extinct species

and walks away. TITO steps up and slings an arm around Archer.

TITO:

Go home, Jon. Tell Eve ...

EXT. SUNSET DISTRICT -- CAR -- MOVING -- DAY

Exhausted -- ARCHER drives through the middle-class

neighborhood, sipping a carton of milk.

INT. AN ORDINARY HOUSE -- DAY

At the KITCHEN WINDOW: EVELYN ARCHER (30) -- handsome,

strong, reserved -- watches as ...

ARCHER'S CAR rolls right past the house -- then jerks to a

stop. In reverse, it backs down the street -- back toward

the house. EVE shakes her head. Same old story.

EXT. ARCHER HOME -- DAY

On his way to the house, ARCHER picks up a basketball and

takes a shot. His form is terrible -- he misses by a mile.

INT. ARCHER'S HOME -- DAY

ARCHER enters and sees EVE in her medical scrubs. Her fiery

auburn hair may be down, but she's decidedly cool.

ARCHER:

Hi ...

(no response)

Where's Jamie?

She nods toward the KITCHEN. JAMIE is there -- a sullen and

hard 12-year-old. She's flanked by TWO COPS.

EVE:

She complimented her "D"

in physics with an "F"

in grad theft auto ...

EXT. ARCHER'S FRONT PORCH -- MINUTES LATER -- DAY

Smiling, ARCHER shakes hands with the cops -- as they leave.

INT. ARCHER'S HOME -- DAY

ARCHER shuts the door -- his smile disappears. He turns and

looks at Jamie, matter-of-factly pouring herself coffee.

ARCHER:

Stealing a police car

from a car wash! Are

you out of your mind?

JAMIE:

That's right. Don't even

ask me what happened.

Archer looks to Eve for help. Eve shakes her head -- nope.

ARCHER:

Okay. What happened?

JAMIE:

Like you'd ever believe

me over a f***ing cop!

She bolts. In anticipation, Eve calmly opens the door as

Jamie rushes out, then closes it behind her.

EVE:

Well, you tried. You failed

miserably, but you tried.

ARCHER:

Everything I say is wrong.

I can't talk to her anymore.

EVE:

She's only 12. Some day

she'll understand that apathy

and absence are just special

ways of saying "I love you."

ARCHER:

Is that what you think?

EVE:

Jon ... we just remember

how it used to be.

(heads for door)

You staying for a while or

is this just a piss-stop?

ARCHER:

We need to talk.

EVE:

I'm late for surgery.

ARCHER:

It's important.

EVE:

So is finishing my residency

and passing my boards ...

But as Eve opens the door -- something in her husband's

expression makes her stop cold.

EVE (cont'd)

Jon -- what is it?

But he's too overcome. He starts to speak -- but can't.

EVE (cont'd)

Is it -- him? You

got him?

Emotions avalanche across his face until he finally looks up.

EVE (cont'd)

It's over, Jon? It's

really over?

For the first time -- ARCHER allows himself a thin SMILE.

EVE pulls him close -- a sheltering embrace for them both.

ARCHER:

I'll make it up to you and

Jamie. I'll put in for a desk

job. This time, I mean it.

INT. ARCHER HOME -- MORNING

Freshly dressed, Archer heads down the hall. He pauses at

the door to Jamie's room when he sees --

INSIDE:

Fully clothed, Jamie is fast asleep on her bed cluttered

with clothes and assorted girl-stuff.

ARCHER steps inside -- looking at his daughter's now-

peaceful face. He looks around at her room ... sees the

stuffed animals collecting dust ... make-up, jewelry ...

his little girl is growing up fast. And he's missing it.

ARCHER carefully pulls the blanket up over her. With a

bittersweet smile, he slips out of the room.

EXT. PRESIDIO -- NSA HEADQUARTERS -- DAY

A sprawling, high-security compound. ARCHER negotiates the

no-nonsense check-point manned by heavily-armed guards.

GATE GUARD ED:

Print, please, Commander.

ARCHER presses his thumb to a scan-pad as guards inspect the

car. ED waves "all clear." Archer drives in.

INT. LOBBY -- DAY

The entry is dominated by the NSA OFFICIAL SEAL -- A cobalt-

and-white glass mosaic of a stalwart eagle clutching a key.

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