Sound of Metal Page #2

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6.

the Protagonist, confused, REACHES towards it... the SWATCOCKS his weapon...

BLAM! With EXPLOSIVE FORCE THE BULLET HOLE DISAPPEARS – A

NICK HAS APPEARED IN THE PROTAGONIST’S UNIFORM – he SPINS –

the SWAT is SHOT THROUGH THE CHEST AND DROPS... revealing aFIGURE, also in a gas mask and tactical gear...

The Figure TURNS – the Protagonist sees, on the Figure’spack, a small TALISMAN – a COIN with a hole tied to a zip byORANGE AND YELLOW THREAD – the Protagonist turns back to grabthe bomb –

‘TARGET’

That wasn’t one of us.

PROTAGONIST:

I’ll take the help.

The Protagonist GRABS the last bomb: ‘0:03’... he looks up tothe boxes, where REAL SWATS EVACUATE THE HIGH OFFICIALS...

THE PROTAGONIST LOBS THE BOMBS UP INTO THE BOXES...

EXT. PLAZA, DOWNTOWN KIEV – CONTINUOUS

The Protagonist and ‘Target’ emerge – an EXPLOSION above them

-

INT. THEATRE, CONCERT HALL – CONTINUOUS

INNOCENT CIVILIANS STIR under the EXPLOSION IN THE BOXES –

EXT. PLAZA, DOWNTOWN KIEV – CONTINUOUS

The van PULLS UP – rear door open – they JUMP INSIDE –

INT. VAN – MOMENTS LATER

The Protagonist pulls off his mask. BREATHING. The Passengerturns – grabs the ‘Target’s face, SOMETHING WRONG... theProtagonist turns to the Driver – WHO HAS A GUN POINTED ATHIM ...

BLACK SCREEN:

SCREAMING. The Protagonist’s screaming. Close on his eyes –

FLICKERING, SWEATING, PLEADING, DEFIANT... and we are –

EXT. RAIL YARDS – DAY

The Protagonist, tied to a chair, in a windswept rail yard.

In front of him, the ‘Target’, also tied to a chair, back tous. The Driver steps back, SWEATING. BLOODY PLIERS in hand.

7.

DRIVER:

(breathless)

A man can be trained to hold out

for about eighteen hours.

The Driver gestures at a CLOCK on a table –

DRIVER (CONT'D)

So your colleagues will clear by 7.

The Driver PUSHES the ‘Target’s chair over. The ‘Target’lands hard on his side on the gravel. Groaning.

DRIVER (CONT'D)

He didn’t last eighteen minutes.

The Driver pulls out a KNIFE. Leans in to the Protagonist –

DRIVER (CONT'D)

But he didn’t have anything tohide. You were smuggling a nobody.

The knife moves towards the Protagonist’s throat...

DRIVER (CONT'D)

Risky.

...then to his collar – which he CUTS –

DRIVER (CONT'D)

Or were you counting on this?

...pulling out a SILVER CAPSULE. The Protagonist stares.

DRIVER (CONT'D)

Death, CIA issue.

The Driver TOSSES the pill, WAVES the pliers at the clock –

DRIVER (CONT'D)

Spare yourself once they’re clear.

The Protagonist looks at the clock – ‘5:38’. A FREIGHT TRAINRUMBLES PAST, CLOSE... As we close in on the clock, THE

PROTAGONIST’S SCREAMS ARE DROWNED OUT BY THE FREIGHT TRAIN...

The Driver steps back. The Protagonist breathes heavy, blooddribbling... the Driver follows his gaze to the clock –

‘6:
53’ – then checks his watch. Frowns theatrically, picks upthe clock, SHAKES it –

DRIVER (CONT'D)

Running fast...

The Driver SETS THE HANDS BACK ONE HOUR. The Protagonistwatches, DESPAIRING... as the Driver puts the clock back onthe table, the Protagonist notices the ‘Target’s FINGERSWIGGLING... in them is a SILVER PILL...

8.

Freight trains rumble past in opposite directions, soundBUILDING... The Driver approaches, bloody pliers in hand –

PROTAGONIST:

We were alone.

DRIVER:

I didn’t ask. Which means we’re

finally getting somewhere.

The Protagonist HURLS himself onto the ‘Target’s hands – faceSMASHING – gets the PILL into his mouth – BITES DOWN –

DEAFENING TRAIN NOISE...

Arms GRAB at him – HANDS PRY his jaw as he SEIZES, MOUTHFOAMING... the Protagonist’s EYES GLAZE and we –

CUT TO:

Black screen.

Supertitle:

TENET:

FADE IN:

The Protagonist opens his eyes. A man stands beside his bed.

SWAYING gently. This is FAY.

FAY:

Welcome to the afterlife.

The Protagonist lifts his head and we are –

INT. BOAT AT SEA – DAY

The Protagonist sees the STEELY OCEAN SWELL...

FAY:

You’ve been in a medically inducedcoma while we got you out ofUkraine and rebuilt your mouth.

PROTAGONIST:

The pills are fake?

FAY:

We swapped yours for a sedative.

PROTAGONIST:

Why?

FAY:

A test.

The Protagonist runs a finger around his mouth. REALIZING.

9.

PROTAGONIST:

Test? They pulled my teeth out.

Fay lets that dissipate. The Protagonist closes his eyes.

PROTAGONIST (CONT'D)

Did the team get clear?

FAY:

No. Private Russians, we think.

PROTAGONIST:

Somebody talked.

FAY:

Not you. You chose to die insteadof giving up your colleagues.

EXT. DECK OF THE BOAT – LATER

The Protagonist stands in the wind, contemplating thehorizon.

FAY (O.S.)

We all believe we’d run into the

burning building, but until we feelthat heat... we can never know. You

do.

PROTAGONIST:

I resign.

FAY:

You don’t work for us – you’redead.

The Protagonist turns to Fay, confused.

FAY (CONT'D)

Your duty transcends nationalinterests. This is about survival.

PROTAGONIST:

Whose?

FAY:

Everyone’s. There’s a cold war.

Cold as ice. To even know its true

nature is to lose. This is

knowledge divided – all I have foryou is a gesture –

(interlaces his fingers)

– in combination with a word –

‘tenet’. Use it carefully, it’llopen the right doors, but some ofthe wrong ones, too.

10.

PROTAGONIST:

That’s all they’ve told you?

FAY:

The test you passed?

(beat)

Not everybody does.

Fay breaks eye contact with the Protagonist. The boatcontinues to nose into the swell.

EXT. LAUNCH, WIND FARM AT SEA – DUSK

The Protagonist is driven away from the boat on a launch,

towards the GIANT WHITE TURBINES of the ocean wind farm.

The launch SLIPS amongst them, seeking the ladder of aparticular one...

The Protagonist climbs the ladder to a door. He tries it –

it’s open. He turns to see the launch move off into thegathering dark. The Protagonist ENTERS the wind turbine.

INT. WIND TURBINE – CONTINUOUS

In the bare space, the Protagonist finds a SPORTS BAG, a COT,

a pallet of WATER and PROTEIN BARS. He opens the sports bagto find passports, cash, credit cards and a HI-VIZ VEST.

Under the vest is a small black cylinder. He unscrews the topto find three SILVER SUICIDE PILLS. The Protagonist shakeshis head as he tosses them back into the bag.

INT. WIND TURBINE – LATER

The Protagonist EATS, DRINKS and EXERCISES by CLIMBING theendless interior ladder of the turbine. The stash of food and

water SHRINKS...

The Protagonist does PULL-UPS at the very top of the ladder,

FEET DANGLING over the VERTIGINOUS DROP...

INT. WIND TURBINE – MORNING

The Protagonist is woken by a repeated AIR HORN. He pullshimself off the cot, opens the door to find –

EXT. WIND TURBINE – CONTINUOUS

A large CATAMARAN nosed up to the windmill, ladder in place,

MAINTENANCE CREW in HI-VIZ VESTS moving on and off theturbine. Other boats service other turbines. The Protagonistpulls on his VEST and CLIMBS down onto the catamaran.

11.

EXT. EUROPEAN PORT – DAY

The Protagonist disembarks with the rest of the wind-farmcrew. As they file past a car the driver, also in hi-viz,

steps out into line, leaving the door open, engine running.

The Protagonist gets in. The GPS is already set...

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