Lou Page #11

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LOU:

You’re all Vee’s got. Do you know

that?

HANNAH:

Yeah. I do.

LOU:

And I’m all you’ve got. I can keep

you safe but only if you listen to

me.

Lou glares at Hannah and holsters her gun.

60.

HANNAH:

Okay.

LOU:

Let’s keep moving.

HANNAH:

There’s nothing you want to say to

me?

LOU:

No.

HANNAH:

Nothing at all?

LOU:

You talk too much?

HANNAH:

Alright. You don’t have to

apologize for hitting me. I know

you did it because you care.

Hannah reaches forward, rubbing Lou’s back. Lou STIFFENS and

quickly steps away from Hannah’s touch.

EXT. LOU’S BACKYARD (WOODS) - DAY

Rankin stares into the trees bordering the grass. He’s real

conflicted, uncomfortable with doing nothing.

RANKIN:

I got a bad feeling Millie. I got a

feeling they’re in way too deep.

BERRY (O.C.)

Hey Boss!

Berry saddles up next to Rankin carrying the EVIDENCE BOX and

a steaming cup of coffee.

BERRY (CONT’D)

Penny for your thoughts.

RANKIN:

(taking the coffee)

Did Inatomi say when search and

rescue is getting here?

BERRY:

He said soon.

61.

RANKIN:

What’s soon mean?

BERRY:

Not sure, Boss.

Rankin looks into the evidence box and sees the bag holding

Hannah’s note with the COORDINATES. He takes it, looks at it,

making up his mind.

RANKIN:

I need to go into those woods,

Berry. When people start asking

questions and you don’t know what

to say, don’t say anything. And you

don’t know much, do you?

BERRY:

No, Boss.

As if he’s sensed Rankin’s plan, Inatomi runs from the house

holding a FOLDER full of FAX PAPER. He’s replaced his FBI

windbreaker with a heavy duty outdoor jacket.

INATOMI:

Big news guys! Big news! Just got

word. Reenforcements are coming.

Rankin eyes Inatomi’s fancy outdoor jacket. It’s pretty nice.

RANKIN:

That’s fantastic. Can I borrow your

jacket?

INATOMI:

Why?

RANKIN:

I just need a better jacket.

INATOMI:

For what?

RANKIN:

For when I go into the woods.

INATOMI:

Did you hear me? Help’s coming. You

don’t need to go into the woods.

Actually, we’ve been ordered NOT to

go into those woods.

RANKIN:

Give me your jacket.

62.

INATOMI:

No. This isn’t department issued. I

had to spend my own money on it.

Rankin takes a step toward Inatomi. Inatomi steps back,

bumping into Berry.

RANKIN:

(to Berry)

Shoot him. But not in the chest. I

don’t want a hole in my new jacket.

Inatomi clutches the folder. Berry reaches for his side arm.

INATOMI:

What? No. Listen. We just need to

wait before we do anything. Okay?

RANKIN:

Give me one good reason to wait.

Inatomi glances at the folder.

INATOMI:

Okay. If I tell you something, do

you promise not to tell anyone?

Rankin SNATCHES the folder from Inatomi. He opens it.

ANGLE ON FOLDER-

The fax paper is covered in THICK BLACK LINES.

CUT TO:

EXT. CLIFF (WOODS) - DAY

Vee continues to sit on the picnic blanket enjoying an

animated after-lunch conversation with Mr. Hippo when she

realizes -- Philip’s gone. She’s alone.

A BRANCH CRACKS somewhere close by. Vee startles. She holds

up Mr. Hippo, forcing him to peek into the trees.

VEE:

What do you see?

MR. HIPPO’S POV: TWO MEN IN CAMOUFLAGE creep toward the

picnic blanket.

They see Vee, look to each other for confirmation. Then they

RAISE THEIR WEAPONS and move forward until--

63.

PHILIP (O.C.)

Oh, come on boys. She’s just a kid.

Philip steps into frame behind the men. Before they know

what’s happening, he quickly wraps a METAL LANYARD with TWO

LOOPS around their necks. He sweeps his leg behind their

shins, dropping them to their knees.

ANGLE ON VEE-The

hand holding Mr. Hippo begins to shake.

VEE:

(to Mr. Hippo)

What’s going on?

ANGLE ON PHILIP-He

drags the men to a nearby tree, securing their necks to

the trunk with a well practiced slip knot.

Then he steps back to watch -- if one man pulls on the wire,

the other begins to suffocate.

PHILIP:

I could do this for hours but I’ve

got baby-sitting duty.

Philip salutes the men, turns around and walks back to Vee.

It’s now that we see that the wire is attached to a large

spool that Philip holds in his hand.

As he moves further from the tree, the spool unwinds.

Vee opens her eyes, seeing Philip approach.

VEE:

I heard a noise.

PHILIP:

What did it sound like?

VEE:

Mr. Hippo will tell you.

She holds Mr. Hippo up so he and Philip can chat.

ANGLE ON PHILIP’S BACK-The

spool of wire has reached its end. Philip feels the

strain. Smiling, he takes one step forward toward Mr. Hippo.

ANGLE ON MEN-

64.

They frantically grab at the wire as it transitions from

tight to suffocating. They struggle. Then go limp.

ANGLE ON PHILIP-

Philip feels this play out along the wire. And he enjoys it.

He tosses the spool to the side and takes Mr. Hippo. He holds

the toy up to his ear, listening.

Then he looks Mr. Hippo in the eye.

PHILIP:

I appreciate your vigilance. But

let me assure you, there are

absolutely no monsters in these

woods. I’ve made sure of that.

(to Vee)

Do you think he feels better?

Vee nods, taking Mr. Hippo back. Philip’s watch BEEPS.

PHILIP (CONT’D)

Good. Now I need you to answer my

next question truthfully. Does Mr.

Hippo like amusement park rides?

Vee gives Philip a small smile.

EXT. LOU’S BACKYARD - DAY

Rankin rifles through the folder then glares at Inatomi.

RANKIN:

What in the hell am I looking at?

Inatomi points at the BLACK FAX PAPER.

INATOMI:

It’s Lou. You’re looking at Lou.

Her file’s completely redacted.

Files like this were urban legends

at the academy. I’ve never seen

anything like it.

RANKIN:

What does it mean?

INATOMI:

It can only mean one thing: Lou’s

been in some sh*t. And when someone

like this disappears into the

woods, you stay as far away from

the smell as possible. Yesterday,

she emptied her bank account.

(MORE)

65.

INATOMI (CONT'D)

Most likely to pay whoever she’s

working with. Which brings me to

Philip, her partner in crime--

Rankin opens Philip’s file next. He squints at the papers.

RANKIN:

My God-

CUT TO:

EXT./INT. CLIFF/PLAYHOUSE - DAY

Philip now stands at the TOP OF THE CLIFF strapped into a

CLIMBING HARNESS. A rope runs from the harness to a METAL

PULLEY lodged deep in a TREE that overhangs the side of the

cliff.

INATOMI (O.S.)

This guy’s a real sicko. The type

of guy who’d have weird groupies if

we could keep him locked-up long

enough.

ANGLE ON PLAYHOUSE-

Ropes are attached to each of the four sides. The ropes

tighten. And the playhouse rises off the ground.

INATOMI (O.S.) (CONT’D)

Problem is, he escapes wherever we

put him. Minimum security, maximum,

it doesn’t matter. Frankly, I think

he enjoys a good challenge.

ANGLE ON PHILIP-

He walks backwards pulling the rope. The wind picks up.

ANGLE ON PLAYHOUSE-

The playhouse swings in the wind, twisting. Suddenly-

SNAP.

-A ROPE BREAKS. The house lurches from the three remaining

ropes, smashing into the rock.

In the playhouse, Vee slides down the floor, hitting the

door. It holds. She shields herself as the plastic window

BREAKS into the house.

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