Mission: Impossible II Page #28

AMBROSE:

Go ahead. Use it Hunt. It's not a bad

way to go. A lot better than the way that

b*tch is going to die.

Ambrose swings again and misses, and Ethan delivers a series of

kicks, leaving Ambrose stunned and barely standing. Ethan steps

back, and with a running start, strikes Ambrose with a leaping

kick that drops him to the ground and knock the knife out of his

hand.

EXT/INT - IMF HELICOPTER - CLIFFTOP

As they approach in the distance, Billy, Luther and Nyah finally

gain sight of Ethan in hand-to-hand combat.

EXT - CLIFFTOP - CLEARING - FIGHT

Ethan turns and walks away from Ambrose toward the cliff edge.

The copter lands and Luther runs toward Ethan but pulls up,

looking over Ethan's shoulder. Ambrose has a gun aimed at

Ethan's back.

AMBROSE:

Hunt. You should have killed me.

Near Hunt's feet is his own gun, obscured from Ambrose's view by

dust from the copter. Ethan tosses the canister to Luther and

then kicks his gun up out of the dirt and into the air. He

catches it, drops down and fires, killing Ambrose.

EXT/ INT - HELICOPTER ON CLIFFTOP

Ethan reaches Nyah at the copter. Inches apart, they can only

stare silently at one another.

INT - CULTURAL MUSEUM

Didgeridoo music. A child admires a painting. Swanbeck and Ethan

face one another. A long, long pause. For a moment it appears as

if Swanbeck has lost awareness of Ethan's presence.

SWANBECK:

Sorry, Ethan. I don't quite know where to

begin. Any suggestions?

ETHAN:

You'd like me to conduct my own

debriefing.

SWANBECK:

Why not? You've done just about

everything else on this operation.

ETHAN:

I'd thank you -- but I'm not sure that was

a compliment.

SWANBECK:

Of course it was. Anyone whose operations

requires the level of disinformation that

yours do, is bound to get a little flak

here and there. You try flogging the

stories on CNN I've had to come up with

about what's been going on around here the

last few days. At any rate, it's been

most instructive -- what they'll swallow,

or what they'll broadcast with a straight

face.

(picking up a file)

Miss Hall's blood, it appears, has

absolutely no elements of the Chimera

virus. Not even antibodies.

ETHAN:

Yes, I gathered as much.

SWANBECK:

And the only other remaining sample was in

the canister you recover from Ambrose.

ETHAN:

Yes.

SWANBECK:

And that appears to have been destroyed.

It also contained the anti-virus,

Bellerophon.

ETHAN:

Well, Bellerophon, it turns out, was only

really effective against Chimera.

SWANBECK:

But you were under specific instructions

to bring back a living sample of the

Chimera virus. I'd be very interested to

know how, after you'd managed its recovery

intact, it subsequently got destroyed.

ETHAN:

By fire. That's the best way, really.

SWANBECK:

So you didn't fail mission, you simply

changed it.

Ethan doesn't respond.

SWANBECK (cont'd)

It's no longer enough for you to execute

and implement IMF policy, you now wish to

go in the business of creating it?

ETHAN:

No, I don't. But in this case -

SWANBECK:

In this case, it wasn't a bad idea. In

face, it was a pretty damn good idea.

Just don't make a habit of it. And, as for

Ms. Hall, in light of her efforts, her

criminal records will certainly be

expunged. I'm assuming you approve.

ETHAN:

I do.

SWANBECK:

Where is she now, by the way? Do you

know?

ETHAN:

I don't. No exactly.

SWANBECK:

Well, Hunt, what are your plans?

ETHAN:

Not sure. Some sort of vacation. I'll

let you know where I'm going.

SWANBECK:

Oh, you don't have to do that. Wouldn't

be a vacation if you did.

Ethan and Swanbeck exchange one final, knowing glance.

SKY NEWSCASTER:

This incident in the wake of rumors

suddenly surfacing about Mr. McCloy and

Biocyte's financial difficulties --

including criminal allegations of insider

trading, embezzlement, conspiracy to

commit fraud, and stock parking -- have,

understandably, sent stock prices of the

pharmaceutical company plummeting.

EXT - SYDNEY (DAY)

Ethan emerges to a very crowded street. Billy and Luther are

waiting. Both look to Ethan.

LUTHER:

(worried)

So what did he say?

ETHAN:

Good job. And thanks.

BILLY:

(incredulous)

That's it? That's it? That's it?

LUTHER:

(dryly, looking at Billy)

And the check's in the mall.

BILLY:

Right. Just remember, mates. Billy

Baird's the name. Anything you need to

get, move or watch, I'm your man.

And Billy's gone. Ethan and Luther remain alone, both reluctant

to say anything, both reluctant to leave.

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