Real Genius Page #16

HOPSFIELD:

I don't need a watch.

CHRIS:

Okay, forget it. Let's go.

EXT. ATHERTON'S HOUSE-DAY

Atherton comes out and heads for his car carrying an over-night bag. As he drives away we SEE that Ick has been spying on him.

EXT. A FILED-DAY

Ick is hiding behind some bushes on a knoll. he is looking through binoculars.

ICK POV:

Atherton's car is passing through a high security gate into Marsh field.

EXT. SHIPPING DOCK-DAY

Chris, Mitch and Hopsfield are loading the last of several large boxes into a beat-up van.

EXT. ATHERTON'S HOUSE-EVENING

The van pulls up in front. Painted on the side is a plumber's logo. Mitch, Jordan and Ick start unloading boxes. Chris goes to the front door.

ANGLE ON THE DOOR.

Chris picks the lock.

INT. HOPSFIELD'S LAIR-LATER THAT NIGHT

Chris and Mitch enter to see Hopsfield as he works at the computer, attempting to interface with another computer. Each time he hits the keys the READOUT replies "Negative."

HOPSFIELD:

Boy, these secret fields are so untrusting.

CHRIS:

So we can't get on-base clearance.

HOPSFIELD:

I guess not.

CHRIS:

Forget it. We'll balls it.

Jordan enters carrying two I. D. cards.

JORDAN:

How do these look?

INSERT:

Two fake I. D.'s with Mitch's and Chris's picture on them.

Perfect. I hope.

ANGLE BACK ON THE ROOM

MITCH:

What if they don't fool anybody?

CHRIS:

They shoot us.

EXT. MARSH AIR FORCE BASE- MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT

Technicians check monitors and prepare for the coming test. Nearby stands a firing command module very reminiscent of the pilot's compartment in the opening sequence. Atherton goes over last minute details with various people. He seems distracted as an engineer discusses a problem with him.

ENGINEER:

Are you all right?

ATHERTON:

What? Oh, yes, fine. Have you ever had a feeling that there's something terribly wrong?

ENGINEER:

No.

EXT. MAIN GATE OF THE BASE-NIGHT

There are two Air force Police GUARDS in the shack. Chris and Mitch pulls up in Kent's Citroen, behind a government sedan awaiting clearance at the gate. They are dressed as technicians and Mitch sports a moustache.

INT. THE CITROEN

Mitch is a wreck and Chris doesn't help. He begins humming the theme from "Mission Impossible."

GUARD (V.O.)

All clear, Mr. Decker. Just follow the yellow line.

Chris accidentally hits the horn. Through the windshield we SEE Decker and the guard look back. Chris recognizes Decker.

CHRIS:

(covering)

How long does it take?

Mitch whimpers. Decker's car pulls away. The guard uses one finger to motion Chris forward. Chris pulls the car up. The guard leans in the window.

GUARD:

I.D.

Mitch, obviously shaking, hands his to Chris who hands them to both guard.

CHRIS:

Snap it up, will ya? We just flew in. We're tired. We're hungry. We have this stupid car.

The guard turns away and walks into the shack.

MITCH:

Are you out of your mind?

CHRIS:

You have to intimidate these guys.

The guard returns.

GUARD:

You're not on the list.

CHRIS:

Of course not. We're classified.

We HEAR the phone RING. The second guard answers it.

INT. COMMAND CENTER

An Air Force Officer is on the phone. An impatient Atherton stands beside him.

ATHERTON:

I don't know what he should look for, just tell him if he sees anything out of the...let me tell him.

He grabs the phone.

INT. THE CITROEN

GUARD:

Aren't you guys a little young to be technicians?

CHRIS:

Lasers are a young science. There, fine, now you've made me say it. Now we're all in trouble.

Mitch looks like he's going to die.

GUARD:

Look, I'll call the duty officer.

He starts towards the phone shack. The other guard is still on the phone.

CHRIS:

(his demeanor changing)

Excuse me.

The guard turns back.

CHRIS (CONT'D)

Look, pal, don't call anybody. We're four hours late. It's our jobs. Give us a break, will ya? Someday you might be in the private sector, right?

A beat. Mitch dies. Chris gives the guard a goofy grin.

EXT. THE GATE

The guard waves them through. The car pulls away. The guard returns to the booth.

SECOND GUARD:

We're supposed to look for anything out of the ordinary.

FIRST GUARD:

Okay.

EXT. THE RAMP - NIGHT

A B-1 Bomber, painted black, sits in the glow of the work lights. Technicians, who are wearing jumpsuits similar to the ones Mitch and Chris have on, are busy working around the plane.

Chris and Mitch ENTER FRAME and walk up to the plane. A couple of the technicians watch them curiously as they go up the stairs into the bomb bay.

INT. BOMB BAY

Chris and Mitch enter. Three technicians are inside the plane running last minute checks on the laser, which sits in the middle of the cabin. Chris crosses to the technician who is in the middle of the cabin. He watches him making mental notes as he checks the program. The technician turns, sensing his presence.

CHRIS:

Nice work. Keep it up.

Mitch, meanwhile, checks out the laser optics. After a beat, one of the technicians signals for the others to complete their jobs and exit. They start to file out. One of them turns and looks at Chris, who is just standing there.

CHRIS:

What?!

The technician shakes his head uncertainly and exits with the others. Finally, Mitch and Chris are alone. Chris opens the BRIEFCASE. It contains a cellular phone, a modem and an EEPROM Processor.

INT. HOPSFIELD'S LAIR - SAME TIME

The computer receives a signal. Hopsfield turns to Jordan and Ick.

HOPSFIELD:

We've got a connection. They're in.

INT. BOMB BAY

CHRIS:

Get the EEPROMs.

Mitch opens up the computer and clips a couple of power lines and pulls out four computer chips and hands them to Chris, who plugs them into the processor. Chris picks up the phone.

CHRIS:

(into phone)

Abbott to Costello.

INT. HOPSFIELD'S LAIR

Jordan picks up the phone.

JORDAN:

(into phone)

This is Costello. Go ahead, Abbott.

INT. BOMB BAY

CHRIS:

(into phone)

Costello, who's on first?

Mitch hits him impatiently.

CHRIS (CONT'D)

We've got the goodies.

JORDAN (V.O.)

We have the target coordinates computed for trajectory adjustment.

CHRIS:

Great. Shoot.

INT. HOPSFIELD'S LAIR

Hopsfield's computer screen fills with machine code of ones and zeros. He begins searching through many screens of code.

HOPSFIELD:

Oh, oh.

ICK:

What?

HOPSFIELD:

Oh, nothing.

INT. BOMB BAY

Chris and Mitch freeze as a mechanic walks by the open bomb bay door.

INT. COMMAND CENTER - EARLY MORNING

Technicians are checking monitors and a radar scope at a control panel. Atherton is in the rear of the room briefing a group of civilians and military brass. Amongst them is Decker. Atherton points to a drawing on a large chart.

ATHERTON:

The plane will reach an altitude of sixty-five thousand feet. When it is over, the target will fire the laser from here ....

(points to the firing module)

... for five point two seconds.

Carmichael enters.

CARMICHAEL:

They're all set for the final onboard check.

ATHERTON:

Fine. Right this way, gentlemen.

They all follow Atherton and Decker to the exit at the rear of the room.

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