Human Target Page #10

WE SEE THE ASSASSIN A FEW YARDS AWAY, IN THE DUCT! He’s

trying same thing we are... A moment of surprise for both of

them, before the Assassin goes for his gun, and Chance

scrambles towards him, trying to close the distance...

The gun comes out, but Chance is on top of him--They trade

punches, elbows... Like wild dogs locked inside a metal

trunk... With each punch and kick, we see the BRACKETS

SUPPORTING THE DUCT STRAINING under their weight...

They trade punches, but Chance is losing stamina... The

Assassin begins to get the upper hand, lands a few nasty

elbows... With the last one, THE DUCT GIVES WAY, and we-

CUT TO:

INT. MONTEREY ONE - EMPTY PASSENGER CAR - CONTINUOUS

--where one end of duct drops--Chance and Assassin slide down

and onto the deck... The section holding Stephanie teeters for

a moment, before it gives way, dumping her hard to the ground...

Chance gets up just in time to DODGE THE REST OF THE DUCT AS

IT FALLS... The lower end of the duct hits the ground,

SNAPPING LOOSE THE END THAT WAS STILL CONNECTED... The top

end then topples SIDEWAYS INTO A WINDOW, SHATTERING IT,

FILLING THE CAR WITH WHIPPING WIND.

Chance looks to Stephanie; she’s not moving. But before he

can go to her, the ASSASSIN SPRINGS... This isn’t like

fighting Hollis earlier; the Assassin knows what he’s

doing... Hand-to-hand combat between two pros...

But the Assassin goes to work on Chance’s wound, which is now

a full-on bleeding mess... Chance summons the strength to

throw the Assassin off him... He then clambers across the

floor, where a STEEL PIPE is rolling... He grabs the pipe,

stands, brandishing it, ready to charge, but as he turns, he

sees the ASSASSIN HAS RECOVERED THE GUN. A beat... The

Assassin smiles a little... C*cks his gun... Checkmate.

On Chance... Think fast... He turns, AND FIRES THE PIPE AT

A WINDOW OPPOSITE THE SHATTERED ONE... As it hits, A

SPIDERING CRACK grows in the window... The Assassin looks at

Chance puzzled--What the hell was that for? But then, the

window finally shatters, and-

(CONTINUED)

Human Target - Steinberg Network Revisions 1/23/09 47.

CONTINUED:

ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE... The two open windows create a cross-

draft that TURNS THE WHIPPING WIND INTO A CYCLONE! Hurricane

force winds swirl, tossing the Assassin like a rag doll...

The odds evened, Chance scoots towards the Assassin, almost

gliding across the deck as he catches a tailwind... HE

CRASHES INTO THE ASSASSIN, checking him into the wall, just a

few feet away from the OPEN WINDOW...

They struggle, each trying to get the upper hand... Then, in

one move, Chance pivots, spinning the Assassin’s momentum

against him, towards the window, and with one last shove, THE

ASSASSIN IS SUCKED RIGHT OUT OF THE TRAIN.

Chance drops to the ground, completely spent... Catching his

breath... But as he raises his head, he sees Stephanie, now

on all fours, hauling herself up.

We’re not out of the woods yet...

They exchange a look...

CUT TO:

INT. MONTEREY ONE - CAFE CAR - DAY

Chance, with Stephanie tight behind him, enters the crowded

car. James approaches, and Stephanie rushes to him, hugging

him tightly...

Chance looks like grim death, and draws strange looks from

most of the car’s passengers. CHANCE THEN FIRES HIS PISTOL

into the deck. That gets the attention of the rest of them.

CHANCE:

In about 10 minutes, this train is going

to crash. I suggest we all get off it

beforehand.

Stunned silence, as the bewildered crowd stares at Chance.

SAITO (JAPANESE SUBTITLED)

Who are you?

CHANCE:

I told you. I’m the interpreter.

Off Chance-

END ACT THREE:

Human Target - Steinberg Network Revisions 1/23/09 48.

ACT FOUR:

INT. MONTEREY ONE - CAFE CAR - DAY

Moments after the end of Act Three.

MCNAMARA:

What the hell do you think you’re doing?

STEPHANIE:

You son of a b*tch... You lied to me.

MCNAMARA:

What?

STEPHANIE:

I told you about the defect in the brake

assemblies. I warned you.

MCNAMARA:

Stephanie, you sound like a crazy person,

calm down...

James tries to put an arm around Stephanie to calm her down,

but she pushes him away-

STEPHANIE:

In a few minutes, we’re going to arrive

at the R-5 curve. But when the engineer

applies the brakes to slow us down before

the curve, the brakes are going to fail.

MCNAMARA:

Alright, let’s everyone take a breath.

This train is perfectly safe. Its brakes

are perfectly safe. Would I be here if I

had the slightest doubt about that?

STEPHANIE:

You’re wrong...

JAMES:

Steph-

CHANCE:

Excuse me. Seems like there’s an easy

way to resolve this...

Stephanie gets it immediately. She heads towards the control

cabin. Chance follows.

CUT TO:

Human Target - Steinberg Network Revisions 1/23/09 49.

INT. MONTEREY ONE - CONTROL CAB - MOMENTS LATER

Stephanie, Chance, James, the Engineer, and a number of

onlookers. McNamara pushes his way to the front.

STEPHANIE:

Slow us down, please.

The Engineer, a bit confused, engages the brakes. Everyone

watches the speedometer... 231 MPH... 227... 221... They’re

slowing. Relieved sighs around the cabin.

MCNAMARA:

Stephanie, come tomorrow, we’re going to

have to have a serious discussion about

your continued employment with-

A LOUD METALLIC POPPING SOUND comes from under the deck.

Everyone gets quiet a moment. ANOTHER POP. THEN ANOTHER.

We hear a series of pops, running the length of the train...

On the speedometer... Stopped at 221 MPH. The Engineer

pushes the brakes harder, but the speed stays the same.

The air suddenly goes out of the room, as it dawns on

everyone the trouble they’re in. McNamara’s face goes white.

CHANCE:

I think they have a name for the kind of

train this just turned into...

TOM:

There must be a way to stop it.

STEPHANIE:

There isn’t. But there may be a way to

stop part of it...

(beat)

There’s a supplemental braking system in

the rear car. It’s too weak to slow the

whole train at this speed, but if we

separate the rear car, we can slow it

down enough to take the curve safely.

A few people look to McNamara for his approval, but he’s too

shocked to respond.

CHANCE:

How far?

Stephanie checks a display on the console.

STEPHANIE:

About 27 miles.

(CONTINUED)

Human Target - Steinberg Network Revisions 1/23/09 50.

CONTINUED:

CHANCE:

(does the math; checks his

watch)

Seven minutes. I suggest we get

moving...

Off Chance-

CUT TO:

INT. CHANCE’S OFFICE - DAY

Guerrero enters, a sense of urgency about him. He goes

straight to the computer.

WINSTON:

Find something?

GUERRERO:

Do you still have the call logs from the

client’s cell phone?

WINSTON:

Yeah.

GUERRERO:

Please read me back the dates and times

of the incoming calls from Mark Hoffer.

WINSTON:

Why?

GUERRERO:

Please. The dates and times.

WINSTON:

August 20, 12:
53 pm. April 24, 7:31pm...

Guerrero runs his finger across the screen as Winston reads.

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