Mission: Impossible Page #11

? JOB - CORNER OF NEKAZANKA AND PRlKOPY ONE P.M.

? BUY A PACKET OF DUNHILL

? AND ASK THE MAN SITTING ON THE BUS

? STOP BENCH FOR A MATCH

CLAIRE looks to ETHAN.

CLAIRE:

The message is for Job.

ETHAN:

I'm going to answer it.

EXT. STREET BY BANK/FLORENC BUS STOP - DAY

ETHAN arrives at the bus stop outside the Savoy Arcade. A

MAN in a black wind-breaker sits on the bench, his back to

ETHAN.

ETHAN:

Excuse me, could I trouble you for a

match?

Without turning, the MAN offers up a box of matches. As

ETHAN takes them, TWO MEN from behind take him by either arm

and escort him into a car which has just pulled up.

INT. CAR - DAY

ETHAN slides into the back seat, between the TWO MEN.

MATTHIAS, the man on the left, holds up a black hood. He

extends it to ETHAN, who doesn't take it.

MATTHIAS:

Would you remove your hat please?

ETHAN:

Why?

MATTHIAS:

You wish to meet Max? This is the price

of admission.

Reluctantly, Ethan pulls the hood over his head and the car

takes off.

INT. MAX'S APARTMENT - DAY

The black hood still on his head, ETHAN has trouble sitting

upright. He's before a desk, in an apartment somewhere in

the city -- it's impossible to tell where, as the blinds are

drawn. The place is roomy and lavishly furnished --

expensive Oriental rugs, well-chosen objects of art.

Somewhere down the block, a dog BARKS, steadily, every few

seconds. In the hallway outside the apartment door, someone

is VACUUMING. MATTHIAS and the OTHER MAN are nearby.

ETHAN:

I thought I was going to see Max.

MATTHIAS:

You misunderstood. No one sees Max.

ETHAN:

Then what am I doing here?

MATTHIAS:

Allowing Max to see you and hear what

you've got to say.

ETHAN:

I don't communicate very well through a

shroud.

MATTHIAS:

If Max doesn't like what you have to say,

you'll be wearing that shroud

indefinitely.

ETHAN:

I'm willing to take the chance.

MATTHIAS:

Very well.

MAX'S figure into frame. MATTHIAS removes ETHAN's hood.

When it comes off ETHAN finds himself looking up at a tall

woman of indeterminate age. She's handsome to the point of

severity.

MAX:

Who are you and what are you doing here?

ETHAN:

I need one hundred thousand dollars.

MAX:

Really? And you thought if you simply

showed up I might give it to you?

ETHAN:

Why not? You gave Job a hundred and

twenty five thousand.

MAX:

The penny drops. You are not Job. Yes,

Job is not given to quoting Scripture in

his communications. And there was its

tone -- aggressive but playful. Job is

not playful. So you're something of a

paradox.

ETHAN:

That depends.

MAX:

On what?

ETHAN:

Whether you like a paradox. I want a

hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

MAX:

It's quite out of the question.

ETHAN:

The disk Job sold you is worthless. It's

bait, part of an internal molehunt.

MAX:

And how might you know that? Are you

another Company man?

ETHAN:

Like Job?

MAX:

Ah, but, we're asking about you.

ETHAN:

I'm NOC. Was. Now disavowed.

MAX:

Why, may I ask?

ETHAN:

That's the question I want to ask Job.

MAX:

I don't know Job any more than he knows

me.

ETHAN:

Even so, I'm sure you could arrange an

introduction.

MAX:

Why should I?

ETHAN:

Because I can deliver the actual NOC

list. The one you have is not only

worthless, it's certain to be equipped

with a homing device to pinpoint your

exact location.

MAX:

It's easy to say the disk is worthless

when you say I can't look at the

information and see if it's worthless.

Not a tenable position, sir.

ETHAN:

Okay, boot it up and in anywhere from

thirty seconds to ten minutes you're

gonna have Virginia farm boys hopping

around you like jackrabbits.

MAX:

(Pause.)

Mm - Hmmm...

ETHAN:

Tell you what. How good's the RF scanner

you used in the car?

MAX:

Very good.

ETHAN:

Okay, use it. But I suggest pack up

first.

ANGLE:

MATTHIAS boots up. There's a little musical noise and the

screen brightens. The computer WHIRS and CLICKS and a

complex list of names, addresses, phone numbers and other

personal information scrolls by. But Matthias is watching

the digital read-out on the RF scanner.

MATTHIAS:

Twenty-six, twenty-seven. So far so

good.

MAX:

That's not so good for you, my friend.

On the scanner, the digital read-out is now in the thirties.

MATTHIAS:

Thirty-two and change.

MAX:

(to Ethan)

Doesn't mean it's a signal. Could just

be the hard drive heating up.

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