Lethal Weapon Page #7

Murtaugh's car glides to the curb. The doors burst open

and the two partners emerge. A PATROL COP approaches.

PATROL COP:

Hey, Sarge, you wanna handle

this?

MURTAUGH:

Where's the psychologist?

PATROL COP:

Sitting in traffic.

MURTAUGH:

Swell.

(beat)

Who's the guy?

PATROL COP:

Salesman name of MacCleary. Left

the office party. Went upstairs

and walked out on the ledge.

MURTAUGH:

Think he'll go?

PATROL COP:

Seems serious enough. Who knows?

Riggs clears his throat. Murtaugh turns.

RIGGS:

I can handle this.

MURTAUGH:

You qualified to talk to jumpers?

RIGGS:

I've done it before.

MURTAUGH:

(reluctant; then)

Okay. You're elected.

(as Riggs

turns to go)

Hey.

(as Riggs stops)

No guns. No kung fu. Just ...

bring him in.

RIGGS:

Sure. Bring him in.

MURTAUGH:

Right.

Riggs moves off toward the building. Murtaugh looks

after him. Was this a mistake ... ?

44 EXT. ROOFTOP - DAY 44

Riggs appears on the roof. There, about five yards away,

stands the JUMPER. Agitated. Breathing hard.

Below is ten stories of open space. The wind blows.

Riggs nods to the Jumper.

MacCLEARY (JUMPER)

Go away.

RIGGS:

My name is Riggs.

MacCLEARY

F*** off.

RIGGS:

I can't do that.

(beat)

What's your name?

MacCLEARY

Look, I know all the psychology

bullshit, it won't work.

RIGGS:

I'm not a psychologist.

MacCLEARY

Yeah? What are you?

RIGGS:

Homicide cop.

MacCLEARY

You're early. Hang on a couple

minutes, you can go to work.

RIGGS:

At least tell me your name. Look,

I gotta fill out the little piece

of paper. Okay?

MacCLEARY

(swallows)

Len. Len MacCleary.

RIGGS:

Thanks. 'Preciate it.

(beat)

That M -- C ... ?

MacCLEARY

M -- A -- C, now get outta here.

Riggs leans out farther, perches on the ledge. Absolutely

calm.

RIGGS:

Why are you doing this?

MacCLEARY

None of your goddamn business.

RIGGS:

Fair enough.

(pause; then)

I'm coming out. Take it easy.

Riggs stands, steps out onto the narrow ledge. He seems

unconcerned.

MacCLEARY

Don't come near me!

RIGGS:

Ssshhh. Easy. I'm just going to

talk.

MacCLEARY

Touch me and I'll jump.

RIGGS:

I understand.

45 EXT. BUILDING - DAY 45

On the ground below, Roger Murtaugh reacts with disbelief.

His partner is taking an insane risk. Up above, Riggs

pauses. Around him the WIND BLOWS treacherously.

RIGGS:

You're not the first guy to think

of this, you know. Everyone's got

problems.

MacCLEARY

You know sh*t.

RIGGS:

Wrong. You're wrong.

(beat)

I almost tried this once.

Seriously. My wife. Got killed

in a car crash. Only person I

ever cared about. I never had

kids.

MacCLEARY

You're breaking my heart.

Riggs takes out his wallet, flashes it at MacCleary.

RIGGS:

This is her picture.

MacCLEARY

Nice. F*** off.

RIGGS:

I'm trying to tell you I understand,

you dope.

He takes a step closer.

MacCLEARY

Don't touch me. I'm not doing

anything wrong.

RIGGS:

I know that. Not like you're

murdering anyone.

MacCLEARY

Right. Only one hurt is me.

RIGGS:

Same way I look at it. I'm gonna

stand beside you, okay?

MacCLEARY

No!

(beat)

Dammit, keep away.

RIGGS:

Please. This is scary stuff.

Just ... let me stand next to you.

MacCLEARY

Don't try nothing.

RIGGS:

I try something, we both go.

MacCLEARY

Right.

Riggs slowly steps up to the man. Shudders.

RIGGS:

There. F***in' cold,up here.

(beat)

Helluva day for both of us, huh?

(looks around at

the sea of traffic

far below)

Here we are.

(beat)

God, this is really scary. I'm

scared.

MacCLEARY

Me, too.

RIGGS:

You wanna smoke?

(pulls out

cigarettes)

Let's smoke, okay?

MacCLEARY

Sure.

Riggs offers a smoke. MacCleary reaches for it. And Riggs

snaps a handcuff on his wrist. Snaps the other end onto

his own wrist.

MacCLEARY

Hey ...

RIGGS:

Sorry.

(beat)

See this key?

He holds up the key to the cuffs. Flings it out into

space.

RIGGS:

We're together on this. You can

go if you want. But you take me

with you. Makes you a murderer.

MacCLEARY

You bastard.

RIGGS:

You'll be killing a cop.

Silence.

RIGGS:

I'm going inside. What say you

come with me?

He turns, starts to ease along the ledge. MacCleary

swallows hard, says:

MacCLEARY

F*** you, I'm jumping.

And suddenly Riggs turns on him. Eyes like steel.

RIGGS:

You wanna jump ... ? You really

want to ... ?

(long pause;

then)

Fine. Let's do it.

He steps to the edge.

MacCLEARY

Hey, what the f*** ...

RIGGS:

You asked for it.

MacCLEARY

Hey, wait a minute ... !

Riggs does something very drastic. He jerks them both

off the ledge. Holy sh*t. The crowd gasps.

RIGGS:

Geronimoooooo ...

As down they plunge, all ten stories -- Tumbling and

falling -- MacCleary shrieking like a lunatic ... And

suddenly, BAM -- ! They land in a fireman's net. Bounce

a few times. Come to rest, safe and unharmed ... Riggs

rolls over with a sour look on his face. Cops surround

them. MacCleary is a trifle upset.

MacCLEARY

Get him away from me!! Cut me

loose!! Crazy f***er tried to

kill me!! Did you see that?? He

tried to kill me!!!

And so on, screaming and ranting --As a uniformed cop

cuts Riggs free with a set of clippers. Riggs stands

shakily. Steps away from the net. And there is Roger

Murtaugh. Visibly upset.

Did I say upset? I meant enraged. He grabs Riggs, slams

him against the wall. Tries to grab his collar. Riggs'

hand shoots out. Lightning fast. Stops Murtaugh's hand.

Stops it cold. They stare into each other's eyes.

RIGGS:

Don't ... touch me.

Murtaugh will not back down.

MURTAUGH:

What the f*** did you just do???

RIGGS:

I controlled the jump. You wanted

him down. He's down.

MURTAUGH:

C'mere.

He yanks Riggs around the corner, away from the other

cops.

MURTAUGH:

Okay, turkey, no bullshit. Do you

want to kill yourself?

RIGGS:

Aw, for Chrissake ...

MURTAUGH:

Shut up. Just yes or no, do you

want to die? Huh? Yes or no?

RIGGS:

I got the job done.

MURTAUGH:

You're not answering the

question!!!

RIGGS:

(angry)

What do you wanna hear, man? You

wanna hear that I got a bottle of

pills in my room? I do. Every

day I wake up, I look for a reason

not to take them. Doing the job,

that's ... that's the reason.

Murtaugh looks at him. Nods. A moment, then:

MURTAUGH:

You want to die.

RIGGS:

I'm not afraid of it.

MURTAUGH:

Here.

(unholsters

his gun)

Pills are too slow. Use a gun.

Use my gun. Go ahead, pal.

A pause. Riggs looks at the gun.

MURTAUGH:

Be my guest.

He offers the gun to Riggs.

MURTAUGH:

Go ahead. If you're serious.

Riggs smiles, takes the gun without missing a beat. Puts

it to his head. CLICK -- ! The hammer is cocked.

Murtaugh and Riggs stare each other down. Tense. Reading

each other.

RIGGS:

You shouldn't tempt me, Roger.

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