Manhunter Page #17

SPURGEN:

...if he's smart he'll approach

from the front, pass, and take you

from the back. How well do you

hear?

GRAHAM:

Pretty well.

SPURGEN:

I'm gonna spray your suit jackets.

It'll be invisible in this light,

but you'll stand out like a zebra

for us.

(beat)

They told me you checked out a .44

Charter Arms Bulldog.

GI(AHAM

Yes .

SPURGEN:

Good. You'll load these, Ever

fire them?

Spurgen hands Graham a glycine envelope containing 25 rounds

of .44 Special ammunition.

GRAHAM EXAMINES ONE ROUND

Instead of a lead bullet, there's a matte-black, blunt-nosed

cylinder .

76.

GRAHAM:

Glaser Safety Slugs?

SPURGEN:

(nods )

... commercially prohibited.

(beat)

Number Twelve shot in liquid Teflon

in a copper casing. On impact it

all opens up in the target. Expect

the recoil. They're hot loads.

Body armor?

GRAHAM:

Kevlar Second Chance.

SPURGEN:

I hope you have a second chance...

GRAHAM:

Because he's gone for the head shot

seven out of eight times'

SPURGEN:

You got it.

GRAHAM:

Let's walk the route.

As they start across the parking lot:

CUT TO:

INT. LAMBERT ST. LOUIS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - FLOOR

DAY:

We've been here before. The floor is empty. In the WIDE

ANGLE -- OUT OF FOCUS -- the NEWSSTAND OPERATOR is squatted

down reading the "Chicago Tribune." In the empty space is

dumped a bundle of "Tattlers" A pair of black zippered boots

enters and stands behind the man.

NEWSSTAND OPERATOR

(without looking)

What is it?

VOICE (O.S.)

A "Tattler."

NEWSSTAND OPERATOR

You'll have to wait until I bust a

bundle.

One black boot kicks the "Tattler" bundle.

VOICE (O.S.)

Now.

77.

NEWSSTAND OPERATOR

(hot)

I said wait 'til I bust a bundle.

Understand?

A hand and a flash of bright steel rip through the FRAME.

The wire is cut with a POP. A dollar bill is thrown on

the floor. The hand whips a "Tattler" out from the center of

the bundle. RAISE UP WITH the outraged Newsstand Operator.

NEWSSTAND OPERATOR

Hey. Hey you.

The retreating man turns to face him. It is Francis

Dollarhyde.

DOLLARHYDE:

Me?

NEWSSTAND OPERATOR

Yeah, you. F***in' told you...

DOLLARHYDE:

(interrupting)

You told me what?

He starts coming back. He rakes off his silver sunglasses

revealing the white violet eyes.

DOLLARHYDE:

You told me what?!

CLOSE:
NEWSSTAND OPERATOR

NEWSSTAND OPERATOR

You got a quarter comin' back.

CUT TO:

EXT. WASHINGTON APARTMENT, PARKING LOT - GRAHAM'S CAR -

NIGHT:

pulls into the prescribed space. It's raining. He kills the

engine and gets out.

HIGH ANGLE:
GRAHAM

exiting the car. The image is in GREEN AND BLACK. We are:

EXT. ROOFTOP - SWAT #1

behind the balustrade in a prone firing position sighting

through a heavy-barrelled Heckler and Koch Model 93 with a

Startron scope.

78.

A SECOND HIGH ANGLE: GRAHAM

also in GREEN AND BLACK. Reveal we are:

EXT. SECOND ROOFTOP - SWAT #2

with the same rifle sweeping the parking lot. He reacts to

something to his left.

GRAHAM:

... walking along the determined line, fifty yards from the

apartment building.., hears something through the delicate

patter of the rain.

GRAHAM'S POV:
CORNER OF BUILDING

A distant "plop-plop-plop" of running feet...

GRAHAM'S

eyes tighten.

CORNER OF BUILDING

HOLD. Then entering around the corner is a running MAN.

He's 6'2". He's heavy and wears a running suit with the

hood up. His face is lost in its shadow.

RUNNER'S RIGHT HAND

is gloved and slips into the pocket of his jacket, grasping

something...

RUNNER'S FEET ACROSS WET BLACK TARMAC

splash through shallow puddles.

GRAHAM'S FACE

in anticipation. The foot beats are getting LOUDER...

GBAHAM'S EYES

like taut wire about to snap.

79.

WIDE PROFILE:
GRAHAM

on the left. The Runner enters on the right. In SLOW MOTION

as they cross, Graham slams him sideways...

RUNNER:

is knocked off balance and slams face forward into the side

of a car. He comes off the car violently, to turn, to

fight ...

.44 BULLDOG

comes up.., pressure on the trigger.

RUNNER'S HEAD

turns INTO CAMERA. He is a black man with a moustache and

scared eyes staring into the .44. His hands shoot into the

air:

RUNNER (MAN)

Yo, boss. Plastic and cash in the

right pocket...!

GRAHAM:

(re the mistake)

God-dammit!!!

Walking away, Graham rips off his jacket: and the Kevlar vest.

Coming off the expectation of contact, Graham is explosive.

The Runner looks at Graham as if he's crazy: Spurgen and two

D.C. cops are running in.

RUNNER:

Arrest dat sucker...!

Crawford catches up to Graham:

CRAWFORD:

You okay?

Graham shoulders past Crawford He throws the Kevlar vest

across the parking lot. He almost killed the man. Meanwhile,

Spurgen is with the Runner.

SPURGEN:

It was a mistake . Sorry we...

RUNNER:

'Sorry' yo' mama!!

Runner pissed off -- starts towards Graham. Spurgen stops

him.

80.

SPURGEN:

Hold on! We thought you were

someone we're trying to catch...

RUNNER:

(backs up)

Hold onto this!!

(grabs his groin)

I get dat cannon stuck up mah

face?! Car dirt splattered up

and down mah Calvin Kleins?!

'Catch somebody?!' You couldn't

catch yo' ass with yo' right hand!

You lucky you muther-f***ers catch

a cold! Who the hell goin' pay my

cleanin' bill? Huh?

HUGE LAUGHTER which is coming from...

CUT TO:

INT. "TATTLER" GARAGE - ELEVATOR DOOR - NIGHT

slides open. Lounds and TWO SECRETARIES are cracking up.

He apparently told them the funniest joke they ever heard.

SECRETARY:

See you, Freddie.

LOUNDS:

pleased with himself, walks to his car.

REAR:
LOUNDS' HEAD

enters FRAME, unlocking his car door. A hand falls on

Lounds' shoulder and turns him INTO CAMERA: Lounds' self-

satisfied smile still beams. A chloroformed rag jams

into his face. A massive hand holds his head and neck

steady and is nor bothered by his struggles.

CUT TO:

INT. DOLLARHYDE HOUSE (ST. LOUIS) - LOUNDS - NIGHT

is unconscious. A hand puts ammonia under his nose.

Lounds regains consciousness. He tries to move. He can't.

There are sanitary napkins covering Lounds' eyes and mouth.

The one on his mouth is removed. We will see ONLY Lounds.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes