Passenger 57 Page #16

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Vincent leaps from the Tower roof and lands with a SICKENING CRUNCH on the tarmac far below. He scrambles to his feet but he's sprained an ankle and has to hobble like a crab toward the boarding stairs.

Commandos in gas masks emerge from the terminal and are quickly disoriented.

181 CUTTER AND BIGGS 181

Driven back by the smoke. On the walkie-talkie, the sounds of STRUGGLE and MOVEMENT inside the 747. THUMPING, CRASHING sounds. More GUNSHOTS. COMMOTION and then --the sound of the passengers SCREAMING.

WOLFGANG (V.O.)

(filtered)

-- seal the hatch -- resuming 'Geronimo' plan.

Geronimo -- the name makes Cutter stiffen with horror. He knows what it means. Cutter starts forward.

BIGGS:

Don't go in there, you damn fool!

Cutter disappears into the smoke but this is the stuff they use for riot control. Cutter staggers back out, coughing and gagging. Suddenly, all noise is obliterated by a lound WHINE -- the whine of the 747's ENGINES starting up.

182 EXT. RUNWAY 182

A section of smoke mysteriously begins to swirl. It swirls faster and faster as the big engines of the 747 suck it in.

183 VINCENT 183

He's at the top of the stairs when he realizes they've closed the hatch on him. Wolfgang's face appears in the window. He gives smiles at Vincent and shrugs as if to say. "Tough sh*t."

VINCENT:

(screaming)

Wolfgang!

As the jumbo jet begins to taxi forward Vincent hurls himself at the hatch. He hits the side and falls to the tarmac below. He lies there, still conscious as one of the huge landing gear wheels rolls right over him, squashing him like the bug he is.

184 INT. TERMINAL 184

Henderson and his people stare helplessly into the smoke.

WOLFGANG (V.O.)

This is Wolfgang. We are once again in control of the aircraft and will continue with our scheduled flight to Houston. The passengers are safe but their lives are forfeit if you interfere with our plans. Remember our demands. A small jet standing by, fueled and ready for take-off. Wolfgang out.

185 EXT. RUNWAY PERIMETER 185

Cutter grabs Biggs by the lapels and pulls him close, shouting above the ROAR of the JET.

CUTTER:

He said 'Geronimo.' It's code. It means he plans to ditch the plane in mid-air.

BIGGS:

What about Houston?

CUTTER:

They're not going to Houston. They never were. Chief, unless you help me, those people are dead.

BIGGS:

What do we do?

CUTTER:

We get busy. I got some payback to deliver.

ON Cutter's almost maniacal look...

CUT TO:

186 EXT. RUNWAY AND LAKE LUCILLE AIRFIELD - FROM A GREAT DISTANCE 186

We see the gigantic cloud of smoke that has settled over everything. From within it, the mighty SCREAM of JET ENGINES.

Suddenly, like a great ghostly whale, the 747 bursts out of the smoke and comes RUMBLING down the slick tarmac. Right behind it -- something small and moving fast --Biggs' police cruiser.

187 INT. CRUISER 187

Chief Biggs drives, flattening the gas pedal to the floor. Cutter, in the passenger seat, rolls his window down. They're gaining on the 747's inboard main undercarriage bogie -- the landing gear.

Biggs draws up as close as possible. Cutter is about to go through the window when Biggs whips out his gun -- and offers it.

BIGGS:

(shouting above the roar of the 747)

Take my gun!

CUTTER:

Is it loaded?

BIGGS:

(he almost smiles)

Hurry up or you'll miss your flight.

Cutter takes the gun. He shoves it in his waistband. And with that, his upper half disappears out the window.

188 INT. 747 - FLIGHT DECK 188

Priest is once again at the controls of the aircraft, oblivious to the pursuing police cruiser. Marti occupies one of the observer seats. She glares at Wolfgang who sits across from her, holding a gun.

WOLFGANG:

I'm afraid you'll have to pay for that 'begging' business.

MARTI:

It was worth it just to see the look on your face.

Wolfgang leans forward and smiles like a lascivious wolf. *

WOLFGANG:

What do you think of the look on my face now?

189 EXT. RUNWAY IN FRONT OF TERMINAL 189

The smoke clears as Henderson and his people swarm out on the tarmac. Crumpled up dead on the runway are the two commandos. Their weapons are gone.

HENDERSON:

Damn.

He looks off through the wispy smoke at the distant, departing 747.

190 EXT. RUNWAY 190

Cutter, hanging out of the cruiser, tries to get a grip on the landing gear. He misses and almost falls. He'd better hurry. The 747 is beginning to lift off.

Cutter scrambles onto the roof of the speeding cruiser. He balances on his knees and reaches up as Biggs guides the cruiser directly beneath the rising wheel. Cutter grabs hold and is lifted into the air as the 747 becomes airborne.

191 CUTTER 191

He dangles above the blurring ground, then pulls himself up onto the wheel assembly. Biggs' cruiser grows small beneath him. Cutter looks down and almost loses it.

Painfully, Cutter clambers up the wheel assembly and rides it as the hydraulics come to life and the wheel folds into the 747's undercarriage. Biggs' gun falls out of his waistband and plummets to Earth.

CUTTER:

Gimme a break...

192 & 193 OMITTED

194 EXT. NIGHT SKY 194

The 747 climbs into a twinkling starfield.

195 INT. 717 - WHEEL WELL 195

The NOISE is DEAFENING. Cutter works his way up the strut as the wheel folds into the jet, enveloping him in darkness.

196 INT. 747 - MAIN CABIN 196

The passengers are not happy to be in the air again but no one's complaining since Fiona and the Indian are once again covering them with automatic weapons. One of the PASSENGERS begins to whimper.

PASSENGER:

Please... don't kill us...

FIONA:

What do you expect from your frequent flyer plan? To live forever?

197 INT. FLIGHT DECK 197

Wolfgang continues to appraise Marti. He leans forward and presses the tip of the gun to her knee. When he tries to poke it inside her skirt, Marti recoils.

MARTI:

You're repulsive.

Wolfgang gives her a suggestive look.

WOLFGANG:

You'll change your mind after we've gotten to know each other better.

MARTI:

You'll have to kill me first.

WOLFGANG:

(a sexy whisper)

No, Marti. I'm going to kill you during.

Marti's defiance evaporates and she looks truly scared.

WOLFGANG:

(to Priest)

How long 'til we reach Geronimo Junction?

PRIEST:

Soon. Twenty minutes.

MARTI:

Geronimo Junction?

WOLFGANG:

It's a place in the sky about twelve hundred feet above Port Arthur, Texas, where my colleagues and I will be deplaning.

MARTI:

(confused)

What're you talking about?

Wolfgang imitates a skydiver pulling an imaginary ripcord.

WOLFGANG:

'Geronimo!'

MARTI:

But Houston --

WOLFGANG:

Houston was just to throw off the Feds. Our intention all along has been to bail out at a pre-arranged point. 'Geronimo Junction.'

MARTI:

There aren't any parachutes on this plane.

WOLFGANG:

There aren't?

Wolfgang picks up the Captain's microphone and speaks over the P.A. system.

WOLFGANG:

Mister Elk Horn, it's time to break out the silk.

MARTI:

You can't just leave us in the air.

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