Rush Hour Page #9

EXT. STREET -- NIGHT

THREE UNMARKED FBI CARS pull out of the Consulate Compound. Move

quickly down the street. Carter's sedan pulls out a few moments later.

INT. SEDAN -- NIGHT

Carter behind the wheel. Lee next to him. Both are quiet for a

moment, then --

CARTER:

You're a regular god damn acrobat,

aren't you? Bet you feel real good

makin' me look like an a**hole.

LEE:

It was not my intent --

CARTER:

Right....

LEE:

Mr. Carter, I appreciate your desire

to show me a good time, but that is

not the reason I am here.

CARTER:

Let me just clarify a few things. I

don't care what kind of cop you are in

China, you have no jurisdiction in

America. Without me you are just

another tourist.

Carter and Lee exchange a look.

CARTER:

So don't pull that sh*t again.

Carter suddenly turns the sedan in another direction from the FBI cars

they're following.

LEE:

What about them?

CARTER:

I know a shortcut.

LEE:

Shortcut?

CARTER:

You don't know what a shortcut is?

Lee shakes his head.

CARTER (cont'd)

(to himself)

Lame ass country.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. STREET - NIGHT

Carter is repeatedly hitting the speed dial on his CELL PHONE while he

drives. We hear that HEE HAW sound you get when you're in cell phone

hell.

CARTER:

(tossing the phone)

Piece Œa sh*t.

Carter starts looking for a phone booth. Lee, meanwhile, picks up the

cell phone and expertly RIPS it open.

He starts studying the inner workings of the phone.

LEE:

Accessory board probably burnt out.

Carter looks over at his phone and freaks.

CARTER:

Hey! What did you do to my phone,

man!? You people can't keep your hands

off electronics, can you?!

ON THE SEDAN:

He pulls across the street from a MINI-MART. We see EMPTY PHONE BOOTHS

out front.

CARTER (cont'd)

Wait here.

Carter shuts the door. Starts away. Stops. Then returns to the car,

reaches in and quickly snaps a hand cuff on Lee's arm and another on

the steering wheel.

CARTER:

Relax. This is somethin' we do in L.A.

Always cuff a friend or a wife or a

kid to the steering' wheel so

nobody'll steal the car. It's like a

human anti-theft device.

(big smile)

Be right back.

Carter crosses to the Mini Mart. Lee watches him, then looks at his

wrist cuffed to the steering wheel.

EXT. MINI-MART -- NIGHT

Carter is HOLDING on the pay phone when a GUY IN A TURBAN comes out of

the store.

CARTER:

Nice hat.

(on the phone)

Hey, Johnson! It's Carter. Listen,

meet me at 620 S. Main. Some Federal

type action is gonna be going down

there.

INTERCUT WITH JOHNSON

She's at her desk.

JOHNSON:

Well.. I wouldn't want to be in the

way.

CARTER:

No way in the way! I'm talkin' back

up, Johnson. I'm in charge! And I need

you, baby.

CUT TO:

INT. THE SEDAN-NIGHT

Carter comes back across the street and gets in the car.

CARTER:

OK, now I'm gonna show you what a

shortcut is...

Carter reaches down to start the car and finds that his steering wheel

is gone. Along with Lee.

CARTER (cont'd)

Sonuvabitch!

CUT TO:

EXT. STREET DOWNTOWN -- NIGHT

UNMARKED CARS pulling up. FBI SPECIAL TACTICS TEAMS arriving and

deploying. The target: the OLD OFFICE BUILDING across the street. A

TEAM OF BLACK CLAD FBI moves into the ground floor.

A TAXI pulls up. Lee exits, carrying Carter's steering wheel because

he's still attached to it. Whitney sees him first and does a double

take.

WHITNEY:

Jesus H...

Lee moves toward Whitney.

WHITNEY (cont'd)

Where's Carter?

LEE:

Lost I think. Which building?

Russ walks up.

RUSS:

Mr. Lee, this is an FBI operation.

LEE:

I was brought here to help.

RUSS:

Please stay back.

Two AGENTS walk up ready to restrain him.

LEE:

She is very important to me. You must

let me --

RUSS:

Mr. Lee, the very fact that you know

her compromises your judgement.

Whitney comes up behind Russ, interrupting --

WHITNEY:

Area secured. Teams ready.

Another TAXI pulls up. Carter jumps out. Storming toward Lee.

CARTER:

He stole my wheel!

WHITNEY:

This is pathetic.

CARTER:

I'm gonna arrest the sonuvabitch!

(turns to Lee)

Your ass is goin' to jail!

Carter WHISPERS to the two restraining agents:

CARTER (cont'd)

Hold me back.

(yelling)

After I kick it first!

The TWO AGENTS PULL Carter away from Lee. Russ has had enough.

RUSS:

(to OTHER AGENTS)

Get them the hell out of here!

(on the radio)

You are cleared to go.

ON THE BUILDING:

We can see FLASHLIGHTS moving in the windows as the team moves to the

top floor.

INT. OLD BUILDING - OFFICE -- CONTINUOUS

The DOOR is KICKED OPEN. AGENTS BURST INTO THE ROOM, Drop to

positions, ready to fire. They move quickly through the office,

checking every corner. But the office is empty.

Except for the table, chair and phone.

LEAD AGENT TACTICAL TEAM

(into radio)

Area secured. The room is empty.

INTERCUT WITH RUSS ON THE STREET as he gets the message.

RUSS:

Dammit!

LEAD AGENT TACTICAL TEAM

A table, chair and phone.

THE PHONE RINGS. The Lead Agent turns to the phone. First ring, second

ring.

LEAD AGENT TACTICAL TEAM

And it's ringing.

(Third ring)

What do you want me to do?

Russ hesitates. Then starts running for the building.

RUSS:

I'm on my way.

FOURTH RING. FIFTH RING. Finally he takes off his helmet, picks up

the receiver.

EXT. OLD BUILDING -- CONTINUOUS

The TOP FLOOR OF THE BUILDING SUDDENLY BLOWS UP in a huge fireball.

Russ and Agents are knocked down. Lee and Carter take cover from the

debris. CLOUD OF DUST AND SMOKE roll over them.

When Lee gets up, he's facing away from the building. He sees

something.

P.O.V. OF A MAN -- CONTINUOUS

Standing in a doorway as the FLASH FROM THE EXPLOSION LIGHTS up his

face for a moment. And we recognize him. It's Sang.

EXT. STREET -- CONTINUOUS

Lee is stunned. He gets up quickly, starts running after Sang who

disappears down an alley into darkness.

Carter sees Lee.

CARTER:

Hey!

(to himself)

Not this time...

Carter goes after him.

EXT. STREET -- CONTINUOUS

Lee runs after Sang into the alley.

EXT. ALLEY INTERSECTION -- CONTINUOUS

Sang is running hard when he turns and sees Lee.

Sang jumps onto a DUMPSTER in the alley, grabs a FIRE ESCAPE LADDER and

starts climbing.

Lee leaps onto the dumpster, grabs the ladder and goes up.

Sang climbs two stories, smashes a WINDOW and climbs into the building.

ON CARTER:

He rounds the corner and sees Lee going up the building.

CARTER:

What are you doing, god damn it!?

Carter runs for the dumpster and the fire escape.

INT. BUILDING -- CONTINUOUS

We're in an ABANDONED ATRIUM moving down an open, dirty hallway. Lee

moves quickly and quietly. He peaks over the edge of the atrium:

LEE'S POV

Two floors below we see a TUNNEL filled with trash.

Lee passes SCAFFOLDING that's been abandoned. He stops and listens.

Suddenly, we hear SOMEONE RUNNING. Lee takes off.

ON CARTER:

He climbs through the window and takes off down the open hallway.

ON SANG:

He explodes around a corner and runs over a BRIDGE connecting both

sides of the atrium. A sign on the bridge says DANGER-UNDER

CONSTRUCTION.

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