Lake Placid Page #19

As the pick-up backs closer to the shore--

JACK (CONT'D)

(to Keough)

If you get a safe shot...

KEOUGH:

I'll take it!

JACK:

Hector. Do not move.

The water is calm again. A beat.

JACK (CONT'D)

(to Gare)

You see anything?

GARE:

(looking through binocs)

Nothing. Maybe he swam out.

Upon which the croc comes thrusting up out of the water charging

the truck. Screams.

JACK:

Go!! Drive!!

The pick-up spins dirt, lurches forward, throwing Keough off

balance. The croc heads back for the water as Keough regains

his balance.

JACK (CONT'D)

Take him!!

And Keough blasts. It detonates the ground near the croc

causing him to surge airborne into the water. And he goes

under. Silence. A beat.

KELLY:

Did you get him?

KEOUGH:

I don't know.

(to the Driver)

Back the truck--

ALL:

No!!!

JACK:

Hector, you see anything?

ANGLE HECTOR:

on the pontoon of his chopper. He's looking about, studying the

water.

HECTOR:

No!

KEOUGH:

(sarcastic)

I just have this feeling

everything's totally safe.

HECTOR:

(yelling)

I see blood. Maybe you got him,

Hank.

And as Hector looks further. Behind him... up surfaces the

crocodile in all his stealth. His head is two feet from Hector

and nobody knows it. Least of all Hector.

HECTOR (CONT'D)

I can't see him, but this is

definitely blood. Maybe you got

him.

And as he turns back, he sees it. The croc comes up as Hector

screams, jumps off. Screams. Keough leaps off the truck and

charges into the shallow water with his gun, looking to give

Hector some cover.

Hector then resurfaces swimming to his bobbing chopper. He

climbs in.

KEOUGH:

Where is he?!

HECTOR:

I don't know!

No sooner said than the croc comes launching up. As he springs

toward the open chopper cabin, Hector, leaps out on the other

side. The croc's head comes crashing clear through the cabin

and he becomes wedged. The crocodile is stuck, he protrudes

right through the chopper. He's not completely immobilized but

wherever he goes now, the helicopter is going with him.

KEOUGH:

Hector!!

But now Jack has joined, rifle in hand. Hector surfaces again,

swimming for shore. Jack runs to help him onto land.

KEOUGH (CONT'D)

(taking aim)

Alright. Game over.

But the croc looks feeble now. He lets out this MOAN of DEATH.

And even Keough hesitates to pull the trigger.

KEOUGH (CONT'D)

(to Kelly)

Should I?

KELLY:

Wait.

RESUME:

The croc, unable to dive, is now thrashing toward the beach.

But there's no rage in his behavior now. He seems desperate.

He's taken some bullets, he's tired, he's wedged inside a two

ton piece of metal and he's exhausted.

KELLY:

I think the drugs are kicking in.

Breathing heavily, he lumbers into the shallow water, unable to

free himself from the mangled wreckage. As unbelievable as that

cow looked dangling from this very chopper, the sight is even

more astonishing, if not preposterous, now. A thirty foot

exhausted crocodile is wearing the broken helicopter. And he

just cannot go on anymore.

Kelly, Hector, Jack, Keough, stare back. They approach with

caution. They all stare at the tired crocodile.

ANGLE THE CROC:

He's now looking back. Bleeding, gasping... beaten. In his

eyes... we can see it. The beast is beaten.

ANGLE THE PRINCIPLES

There's no triumph. In their eyes... sadness.

JACK:

I don't think we really want to

wait for him to catch his breath.

It continues to breathe heavily.

KELLY:

He's through fighting. Look at

him.

JACK:

I don't care. Hank. End it.

Keough raises his cannon.

HECTOR:

No. Look. He's got nothing left.

JACK:

Yeah and every time we think

there's no more danger--

Upon which, a twenty footer, another croc, thrusts up out of the

water, seizing Hector. Screams. It death rolls Hector, flings

him out of his mouth and in seconds, he's coming up for more.

Keough blasts his Avenger. A direct hit.

It takes the smaller croc's head right off sending it sailing

into the air. It splashes down, the first head not to hit

Kelly.

They all then go for Hector, pulling him to shore. He's

bleeding.

HECTOR:

I'm okay.

KELLY:

You're not okay, your leg's a mess.

JACK:

Get him onto shore.

KELLY:

He heeds a tourniquet.

Keough quickly peels off his shirt. Gives it to Kelly, who goes

to work.

KELLY (CONT'D)

You're gonna be okay.

HECTOR:

Guess I finally got bit.

KELLY:

Yeah, you got bit. I'm gonna fix

it.

A sudden ROAR. Kelly screams as Jack and Keough wheel to see...

the big croc. Maybe his final roar, he looks weak. GASPING in

the crashed chopper. Jack and Keough approach.

KEOUGH:

(quietly; re the big croc)

He's done. He's dying.

JACK:

Don't count on it.

(then)

We better take him out.

But something about this crocodile... his eyes looking back at

them... nobody wants wants to take him out.

ANGLE THE CROC:

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