Passenger 57 Page #8

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89 UPPER GALLEY 89

The Indian is trying to wedge open the elevator door when a sudden drop in altitude knocks him off his feet.

90 EXT. NIGHT SKY 90

The 747 falls, coming AT US in excess of 500 knots.

91 INT. 747 - MAIN CABIN 91

It's panic time for everybody -- terrorists as well as passengers. Screams and shouts. The interior lights flicker out -- then burst back on. The ENGINE WHINE is deafening.

CUT TO:

91A INT. TRANS PACIFIC BOARDROOM 91A

Sly, Ramsay and Addison Cale react to news from a TECHNICIAN monitoring the A.F.C.

TECHNICIAN:

694 has dropped off the radar screen!

The room becomes very quiet, very tense.

CALE:

(pragmatic)

Well, if they crashed, it would certainly take the pressure off.

CUT TO:

92 OMITTED 92

93 INT. 747 - FLIGHT DECK 93

Wolfgang enters to see what's gone wrong. Fighting the yoke, Priest jabs a finger at the fuel gauge. The needle is steadily going down. Red lights wink on. Under each red light it says "Manual Emergency Fuel Void."

PRIEST:

Somebody's dumping fuel!

WOLFGANG:

What does that mean?

PRIEST:

It means we find a place to land in five minutes or we're dead!

94 AVIONICS COMPARTMENT 94

While Marti watches. Cutter severs wires with the blunt butter knife.

95 EXT. GULF OF MEXICO - NIGHT 95

Men working on the back of a fishing boat look up as the mammoth JETLINER THUNDERS overhead, sending them scurrying for cover or diving overboard.

96 INT. 747 - FLIGHT DECK 96

Priest motions for Wolfgang to take the co-pilot seat.

PRIEST:

Better strap yourself down. This is gonna get hairy.

Wolfgang buckles up as the fuel gauge hits empty.

WOLFGANG:

(a trace of admiration)

The hero did this.

PRIEST:

(into his headset)

Lake Lucille Tower. Do you read?

97 EXT. AIRFIELD (LAKE LUCILLE, LOUISIANA) - NIGHT 97

A terminal, control tower and a couple of runways in the middle of a soggy cow pasture.

In the distance, we see the lights and hear the faint noise of a small county fair and carnival. The ferris wheel is a revolving beacon in the gathering darkness.

TOWER (V.O.)

This is Lake Lucille. Identify yourself.

98 INT. TOWER 98

A night crew of four or five including FRANK ALLEN and his wife, NORA. The Allens work as flight controllers. *

PRIEST (V.O.)

This is Trans Pacific Flight 694 on emergency approach! Request landing instructions, your field.

Frank and Nora can't believe their headsets.

FRANK:

Negative 694 -- this is not a commercial airport. We are not equipped to accommodate a craft of your size. Suggest you reroute to Baton Rouge --

PRIEST (V.O.)

And I suggest you shut up and get ready 'cause we're coming in!

NORA:

694 -- that's the hijacked ship.

Frank nods grimly.

FRANK:

Say your position, 694.

PRIEST (V.O.)

Due west. Two miles out at five hundred feet -- coming in hot and fast!

Frank and Nora look at each in alarm. Then, gripped by the same thought, their eyes go to the window... and the fairgrounds beyond the landing strip. If the 747 comes in too low...

99 EXT. FAIRGROUNDS - ESTABLISHING 99

The familiar sights and sounds of a county fair. The mid-way is packed with innocent, unsuspecting fun-seekers from neighboring farms and towns. Families, couples and teenagers enjoy the rides and attractions. They're out for a night of excitement (and danger) headed their way.

100 FERRIS WHEEL 100

Revolving, brightly lit, framed against the night sky. Just as a seat containing two necking teenagers comes up over the top, the 747 plunges out of the clouds. FILLING the FRAME. It THUNDERS overhead -- almost close enough to touch. Then -- WHOOM! it's gone. And the ferris wheel shakes -and shimmies in the powerful jetwash.

101 MID-WAY 101

People react and panic as if the sky is falling. And it is! The massive underbelly of the 747 completely obliterates the moon and stars. Over by the pony rides, a terrified mother clutches her CHILD who points at the big plane with excitement.

CHILD:

Mommy, I wanna ride on that!

102 EXT. END OF RUNWAY 102

Barely missing the fairgrounds, the 747 continues to drop like a brick with wings.

103 INT. 747 - LOWER GALLEY 103

Cutter and Marti strap themselves into harnesses. The plane shakes, RATTLES and rolls -- dislodging the food cart from the elevator. As Cutter and Marti look on in horror, the elevator door closes and the MOTOR WHIRS to life.

CUTTER:

Sh*t! We've got company!

Cutter struggles to unstrap himself.

104 EXT. RUNWAY 104

The jet comes down, biting asphalt, blue smoke rising.

105 INT. 747 - LOWER GALLEY 105

Cutter frees himself just as the elevator opens to reveal the Indian, gun up. Cutter leaps into the air. With a vicious roundhouse kick, he knocks the gun out of the Indian's hand. The Indian swings at Cutter and connects.

While Marti looks on, the two men slam each other around the compartment. Cutter's good but it's like fighting a mastadon.

106 INT. 747 - FLIGHT DECK 106

Priest mashes the brake pedals to the floor.

107 MAIN CABIN 107

Everyone and everything is violently thrown forward.

108 LOWER GALLEY 108

Cutter and the Indian are lifted off their feet and hurled forward. Cutter manages to get behind the Indian and use him as a buffer. The Indian hits the wall head first -- Thud! -- and knocks himself cold.

109 EXT. RUNWAY 109

The 747 -- bumping and SKIDDING along the tarmac.

110 INT. 747 - LOWER GALLEY 110

Cutter sits on the floor beside the unconscious Indian, trying to clear his head. He picks up the Indian's gun, then gestures to Marti who is out of her harness.

CUTTER:

Open the loading hatch!

Marti wheels it open -- letting in a blast of wind. Cutter stands.

MARTI:

Now what?

CUTTER:

Climb down and jump.

MARTI:

You're kidding.

CUTTER:

Somebody's got to tell 'em our situation and I just elected you. So climb down and jump -- or I'll throw you out.

That's when a huge foot slams into Cutter's back. He loses the gun and falls out through the open hatch.

111 EXT. RUNWAY 111

Cutter lands in the wet grass alongside the runway.

CUTTER:

(a groan of pain)

Grounded.

Cutter looks up and sees the 747 growing small in the distance. The Indian stands in the open hatchway, restraining Marti while waving "bye bye" to Cutter with the gun. And to make matters worse, the big bastard is smiling. The plane disappears into the distance.

The sound of a GUN being COCKED. Cutter raises his head and finds himself staring into the barrel of a revolver. Behind it is a BURLY SECURITY COP, ready to blow him away.

BURLY COP:

Hold it right there, boy.

CUTTER:

Bov?

ON Cutter's fierce look...

CUT TO:

111A INT. TRANS PACIFIC BOARDROOM - NIGHT 111A

Staff is crowded around a TV to watch a VIDEO TAPE. On the screen, a bearded man with an Israeli accent is speaking. Under his face is supered DR. ROBERT KAPOV, AUTHOR, "THE NEW TERRORISM."

KAPOV:

(on the TV)

Wolfgang's services are available to any group or government willing to meet his price. He hasn't got a political bone in his body. In my opinion, he is all the more dangerous because he does not align himself with any particular cause other than his own survival. And Wolfgang has the survival instincts of a cockroach.

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