Human Target Page #4

STEPHANIE (CONT'D)

What the hell was that?

CHANCE:

What the hell was what?

STEPHANIE:

They’re our biggest consultants, I have

to work with them. What did you just say?

CHANCE:

They were surprised my dialect is satsumaben.

I told them my father’s father was

with MacArthur’s staff in Tokyo, where he

befriended a steward from a fishing

village on the island of Kyushu. My

grandfather sponsored the steward when he

came to the U.S. for college, where he

and my dad became lifelong friends. And

he taught me to speak Japanese.

STEPHANIE:

(totally charmed by that...)

Wow, that’s... Is that true?

CHANCE:

No. We shouldn’t be the last to board,

let’s go.

Stephanie shakes her head, and they head to the train. But as

they do, Chance spots a SUSPICIOUS GUY in the crowd. The Guy

had an eye on Stephanie and tried to look away... Not in

time. Chance clocks it...

CUT TO:

EXT. LOS ANGELES OUTSKIRTS - DAY

The Monterey Line runs through an LA suburb, still at its

modest urban cruising speed. Ten passenger and cargo cars,

an engine at both front and back. It’s a good-looking train.

CUT TO:

Human Target - Steinberg Network Revisions 1/23/09 17.

INT. MONTEREY ONE - CAFE CAR - DAY

The cafe car has been done up for a cocktail party. Right

now, everyone’s attention is focused at the front of the car,

where DAVID MCNAMARA (60s), addresses the crowd.

MCNAMARA:

...when my father started this company 52

years ago, I doubt he’d have believed the

State of California could get its act

together to accomplish something like

this. But in three hours we’ll be in San

Francisco, nothing will ever be the same

again, and it’s because of all of you.

(a STEWARD whispers in his ear)

Folks, I’m told we’re now clear of the

marker. Now most of you know Stephanie

Dobbs, she’s the project leader for this

mess. Stephanie, will you give the order?

STEPHANIE:

Full speed ahead...

Off Stephanie, beaming-

CUT TO:

INT. MONTEREY ONE - CONTROL CAB - DAY

The ENGINEER pushes the throttle forward, and we watch the

digital speedometer move. 90 mph... 110... 140...

CUT TO:

EXT. LOS ANGELES OUTSKIRTS - DAY

THE TRAIN SCREAMS BY. A 200 MPH bullet, bound for San Fran.

TIME DISSOLVE TO:

INT. MONTEREY ONE - CAFE CAR - DAY

Cocktail party. Chance talks to TOM (40s), as Stephanie is

in another conversation, just arms length away from Chance.

TOM:

Don’t sweat what everyone says about her,

I’m sure you’ll enjoy working for her.

CHANCE:

What does everyone say?

(CONTINUED)

Human Target - Steinberg Network Revisions 1/23/09 18.

CONTINUED:

TOM:

That she’s miserable to work for. That

if you’re not as smart as she is, you

must be incompetent. That mistakes

should be punishable by death...

CHANCE:

So it’s not true?

TOM:

No, it’s true. But I love her anyway.

CHANCE:

So if’s she’s so difficult, why does

anyone put up with working with her?

TOM:

She’d tell you it’s because no one can do

what she does. But the truth is, James’d

never let anyone look at her funny, much

less suggest getting rid of her...

(unable to ignore his scratches)

Say, what happened to your face?

CHANCE:

You should see the other guy. What’s

left of him, anyway...

Tom laughs, although something about Chance’s tone creeps him

out a little. Stephanie joins them.

TOM:

I was just telling Tony here about how

everyone hates you but me...

Stephanie punches Tom in the arm.

STEPHANIE:

Tom was James’s Best Man, he introduced

us. He’s Mac’s General Counsel.

Tom sees an OLDER WOMAN waving him down across the room...

TOM:

Excuse me. Our Undersecretary for Mass

Transit isn’t through bugging me about

the tab for today.

Tom excuses himself, and exits.

CHANCE:

What was the tab for all this?

(CONTINUED)

Human Target - Steinberg Network Revisions 1/23/09 19.

CONTINUED:
(2)

STEPHANIE:

All in? About 80 billion.

(off Chance’s double-take)

We went a little over budget.

CHANCE:

Well I should hope so. Do I even want to

know how much of that came from my taxes?

STEPHANIE:

About 80 billion.

CHANCE:

(beat; under his breath)

Even I want to kill you a little bit

right now...

Stephanie has to smile a little. Then, quietly, privately-

CHANCE (CONT’D)

Listen, if it’s possible, have them turn

the air-conditioning down 10 degrees.

STEPHANIE:

Why, are you warm?

CHANCE:

I’m not, but at least 10 different guys

here are starting to sweat...

STEPHANIE:

What do you care how much other guys

sweat?

CHANCE:

Because God doesn’t like cold-blooded

killers, so He makes as few as He can.

The prospect of hurting someone causes

stress in most people. They sweat. Fat

guys sweat when it’s 5 degrees too warm.

I like to be able to tell the difference.

STEPHANIE:

Oh... Ok. I’ll see what I can do.

CHANCE:

Great. And feel free to keep asking

questions about how I do my job. I find

it not at all irritating or distracting.

Stephanie doesn’t shrink from that. And we get the sense

Chance likes it. But we also sense there’s something else on

her mind...

(CONTINUED)

Human Target - Steinberg Network Revisions 1/23/09 20.

CONTINUED:
(3)

STEPHANIE:

You really think whoever is after me is

on this train...?

CHANCE:

If it were me... I’d be here.

Off Stephanie, unsettled...

CUT TO:

INT. CHANCE’S OFFICE - DAY

Winston, on the phone-

WINSTON (INTO PHONE)

Sounds like she’s got enemies there...

INTERCUT WITH:

INT. MONTEREY ONE - CAFE CAR - DAY

Chance is on a cell phone. He’s talking discreetly, no one

else in earshot. He watches Stephanie intently as he talks.

CHANCE (INTO PHONE)

Line forms to the left. She’s a bad

boss. She’s stubborn as all get-out.

She designed a $40 billion train that

somehow cost 80. If there are 10 people

here who haven’t considered killing this

woman at least once, I’d be amazed.

WINSTON (FROM PHONE)

Anyone jumping out at you yet?

CHANCE (INTO PHONE)

Not yet.

(beat)

Do me a favor, see if you can pull the

call logs from this phone.

WINSTON (FROM PHONE)

Just out of curiosity, does she know

you’re on her phone?

CHANCE (INTO PHONE)

No, I swiped it. I wanna see if she’s

talking to anyone interesting, and I

didn’t want to have to go 12 rounds with

her about it. And one more thing: Find

Guerrero, bring him into this. No one

handles this corporate crap like he does.

(CONTINUED)

Human Target - Steinberg Network Revisions 1/23/09 21.

CONTINUED:

Chance trails off as he realizes that Stephanie is now

staring back at him. She glares. Quit staring at me...

CHANCE (INTO PHONE) (CONT'D)

Will you look at this. I’m watching a guy

that won’t stop shifting his coat around,

and she thinks I’m flirting with her.

We see the SUSPICIOUS GUY from before in Chance’s eyeline,

looking a bit agitated.

CHANCE (INTO PHONE) (CONT'D)

This is some piece of work, this lady...

ON WINSTON. He hesitates a beat, before broaching-

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