Human Target Page #12

TV NEWSPERSON (O.S.)

...the cause of the derailment isn’t yet

known, but considering the reported $80

billion price tag, there’s certain to be

no shortage of questions in the coming

days about how such an accident could-

The TV is clicked off. Tom stands looking out the window,

lost in his own head. Clearly on edge.

A KNOCK AT THE DOOR. Tom goes to answer it. IT’S GUERRERO.

GUERRERO:

Tom Jansen?

TOM:

Yes...

GUERRERO:

You don’t know me. We need to talk.

Off Tom-

CUT TO:

EXT. JAMES & STEPHANIE’S HOME - NIGHT

James’s SUV pulls up to the house, as James, Stephanie and

Chance get out. Both Stephanie and Chance have clearly been

treated; Stephanie bandaged, Chance’s arm in a sling.

(CONTINUED)

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CONTINUED:

JAMES:

Thank you for coming all the way back

here with us, but I think it might be

nice to have a night with an empty house

after all this...

CHANCE:

Job’s not done yet.

JAMES:

...but I thought you said-

CHANCE:

The hitter is out of the picture. But

somebody hired him, and somebody jammed

that door shut on us on the train. Until

we find out who, your wife is in danger.

STEPHANIE:

What’s the next step?

CHANCE:

I think we’ve got some promising leads...

Off Chance-

CUT TO:

INT. JAMES & STEPHANIE’S HOME - MOMENTS LATER

They enter the house, turn on the lights. Stephanie is

startled to see TOM SITTING IN THEIR LIVING ROOM.

STEPHANIE:

What are you doing here?

Before Tom answers, GUERRERO APPEARS as well.

JAMES:

What’s going on?

GUERRERO:

(to James)

Mark Hoffer’s expense reports included a

number of expenses at a hotel in Laguna

Niguel. His stays coincided with phone

calls placed by him to Stephanie’s cell

phone. Each and every one.

CHANCE:

James, when did you find out your wife

was sleeping with Mark Hoffer?

On James and Stephanie, both stunned into silence...

(CONTINUED)

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CONTINUED:

TOM:

(to James)

Is this true? You hired someone to...

Tom can’t even say it out loud. James sits down on a step,

head in his hands. Nothing for him to say at this point.

CHANCE:

(to Tom)

When Stephanie asked you if you told

anyone that she’d talked to the reporter

about the brakes, you said you hadn’t.

That wasn’t entirely true, was it?

TOM:

No.

(beat)

I told her husband.

(to James)

I told you so you could protect her...

And you did this?

CHANCE:

(to James)

How’d you put it together from there?

Suspicious that she’d told Tom and kept

it from you? Start digging through her

phone like I did?

On Stephanie, horrified in several different directions...

STEPHANIE:

You knew...? For how long?

James remains silent. Just stares back at her.

STEPHANIE (CONT’D)

But it was over. It’d been over for a

year, I hadn’t even talked to him...

JAMES:

I know.

STEPHANIE:

Then why now? We were doing better...

This whole last year, we’ve been better.

On Chance, as it clicks...

CHANCE:

The money...

(beat)

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)

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CONTINUED:
(2)

CHANCE (CONT'D)

If he’d done this a year ago, you don’t

finish the train, and there’s no bonus...

This way, he gets the money.

On Stephanie, as that sickening realization hits her. She’s

in shock, too horrified to speak. She looks up at Chance,

and they lock eyes, as a tear starts to run down her cheek...

CUT TO:

INT. JAMES & STEPHANIE’S HOME - LATER

We see the cop siren flashing silently through the window.

Lt. Peale is here. He’s just finished cuffing James, when he

pulls Chance aside-

PEALE:

With all the news about the crash, this

place is about to be a mob scene. Press.

Precinct captain. You got about 5

minutes-

CHANCE:

Yeah, I’m going. Thanks.

Chance exits the house to-

CUT TO:

EXT. JAMES & STEPHANIE’S HOME - CONTINUOUS

--where he sees Stephanie sitting on steps of the front

porch, her knees pulled to her chest. He stands in front of

her. Her eyes stay on the ground as she speaks-

STEPHANIE:

I think you were wrong.

CHANCE:

About what?

STEPHANIE:

(beat)

I’m responsible for this. You risked

your life for me, and it turns out I

deserved what was coming to me...

CHANCE:

There are 118 people who are alive

tonight because of you.

STEPHANIE:

That’s not what I’m talking about-

(CONTINUED)

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CONTINUED:

CHANCE:

I know what you’re talking about...

Chance moves closer to her, and places a hand on her head.

It’s as intimate a moment as he’ll allow himself.

CHANCE (CONT’D)

You did something you regret. We’re hardwired

to do things we regret. It ain’t

gonna change, it ain’t something to be

afraid of, and it most certainly is not a

reason to die.

Chance lingers. Doesn’t want to leave her. She doesn’t want

him to go.

STEPHANIE:

I don’t even know what I owe you...

CHANCE:

(beat; smiles...)

You’ll buy me a drink someday.

And he finally turns, walking off towards a waiting car.

STEPHANIE:

Can you at least tell me your name?

Chance stops walking. A beat. Then, defenses down...

CHANCE:

Chance. Christopher Chance.

STEPHANIE:

(beat)

Is that true?

Chance gives her a hint of a smile, but no answer. He turns

back towards the car, where Winston is driving, Guerrero’s in

back. Chance gets in, and they head off into the night.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. CHANCE’S OFFICE - DAY

Chance reads the paper. A piece about a foiled murder-forhire

plot that shattered a family. We get the sense that

Chance isn’t even reading. He’s just looking at the picture

of Stephanie. It’s an old picture, and she’s smiling.

Winston enters, and sits.

WINSTON:

I think you should take some time off.

(CONTINUED)

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CONTINUED:

CHANCE:

Imagine my surprise.

WINSTON:

I’m not joking, mate. Take some time.

Get away from this.

CHANCE:

What are you so worried about? What’s

different about right now than anything

else I’ve ever done? And don’t start

with me about how much Stephanie looked

like Mary. That was a low blow.

WINSTON:

Do you want to know the truth?

CHANCE:

Please.

WINSTON:

I thought that at first. That maybe you

thought that somehow by putting yourself

through this, you’d be able to finally

put Mary in the past. But now I don’t

think that’s it.

CHANCE:

It isn’t it.

WINSTON:

No, now I’m even more worried. I kept

asking myself, why would he keep doing

this? Letting situations get out of hand

so he ends up standing in front of one

loaded gun after another? Lydecker, that

stunt with the train... Is it the rush?

Is it some kind of penance? And then it

hit me... Maybe he keeps putting himself

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