The Abyss Page #17

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COFFEY:

It went straight for the warhead. And they

think it's cute.

SCHOENICK:

You need to get some sleep.

Coffey walks away without hearing him. Schoenick catches up.

INT. MAINTENANCE 152

The door opens in the dark room. Coffey enters, moving with purpose. He

pulls his gear bag out from under the work table. Unzips it. Pulls out a

short-barreled CAR-15 assault rifle.

COFFEY:

We have no way of warning the surface. Do you

know what that means?

Schoenick doesn't know. He hopes Coffey knows. Because he's a fearless man

who's discovering what it is to be afraid. Coffey inserts the magazine with

a CLACK! Snaps the bolt. Tosses the rifle to Schoenick.

COFFEY:

It means... whatever happens is up to us.

CUT TO:

INT. CORRIDOR/MAINTENANCE -- LATER 153

Hippy passes the maintenance room. Looks in. The warhead and its cart are

missing. He looks around. Heads toward the sub-bay.

INT. MESS HALL 154

The discussion, still in progress.

ONE NIGHT:

You think they're from down there originally?

Or from... you know.

She jerks her thumb toward the ceiling.

LINDSEY:

I think they're from 'you know'. Some place

that has similar conditions... cold, intense

pressure. No light.

CATFISH:

Happy as hogs in a waller down there, prob'ly.

INT. CORRIDOR/SUB BAY 155

Hippy freezes in the corridor as he hears a loud ratcheting sound echoing from

the sub-bay. He edges forward slowly, trying to keep his feet silent on the

steel floor. Slides up along the wall next to the door. Inches his eye

around the doorframe. Across the room. Schoenick is working with a chainfall,

lowering Big Geek onto the MIRV warhead, which is still on its cart. He

begins to attach them together with a sling of tie-down straps.

Hippy lets his breath out slowly. His expression is Holy Sh*t.

He slides back along the corridor wall, silently. Away from the door. Then

turn turns quickly to go... WHAM! Coffey slams him up against the wall!

.45 pressed to Hippy's temple. Hippy gulping air as Coffey ears back the

hammer.

COFFEY:

Sniff something did you, rat boy?

INT. MESS HALL 156

The meeting is breaking up as the door CLANGS open and Hippy is thrusted

inside. His hands are taped behind his back and he stumbles onto his face.

Coffey steps through smoothly, straight-arming the .45. Schoenick flanks him

with the assault rifle aimed at the group.

COFFEY:

FREEZE! Don't move. That's it.

(to Monk)

Here, hold this a second. We're going to phase

three.

He hands his gun to Monk, with the assumption of absolute loyalty from a team

member. Monk's eyes move between Coffey and the pistol. We can't tell what

he's thinking. Coffey grabs Hippy and shoves him onto a chair.

HIPPY:

They're using Big Geek to take the bomb to the

NTIs! We set it up to go right to them.

Lindsey looks stricken. Her plan is betraying them all.

LINDSEY:

Oh my God... Oh no...

(steps toward Coffey)

Please, you can't. Coffey, think about what

you're doing... for God's sake--

Coffey lets her approach him, his eyes glittering.

Without warning he grabs her by the hair and hurls her against the Coke

machine, pinning her there with one hand. Bud leaps forward.

SCHOENICK:

GET BACK!

Bud freezes. The rifle's muzzle is aimed for a heart-shot.

Coffey moves up close to Lindsey.

COFFEY:

This is something I've wanted to do since I

first met you.

His hand reaches down, OUT OF FRAME. We hear something RIP. His hand comes

back up... holding a piece of gaffer's tape.

He slaps it over her mouth. Then pushes her down into a chair.

Hippy looks at Monk and Schoenick.

HIPPY:

You boss is having a full-on meltdown. Guy's

fixing to pull the pin on fifty kilotons and

we're all ringside!

MONK:

What's the timer set for?

SCHOENICK:

Three hours.

COFFEY:

Shut up! Don't talk!

MONK:

We can't get to minimum-safe-distance in three

hours. The shockwave will kill us. It'll crush

this rig like a semi driving over a beer can.

COFFEY:

Shut up! SHUT UP! What's the matter with you?!

Everybody is twitching a hyper. Schoenick is white-knuckling his assault

rifle... looking from Monk to Coffey to the group.

COFFEY:

Just stay calm. The situation is under control.

Coffey backs out quickly with Schoenick.

INT. CORRIDOR 157

Coffey dogs down the watertight door and wedges a piece of steel pipe into

the mechanism so it can't be opened.

COFFEY:

Stay here.

Schoenick take a position in front of the door. Coffey turns and runs through

the corridor like demons are chasing him.

INT. MESS HALL 158

Their only hope is to sway Schoenick. But the SEAL's fear is making him the

perfect machine, totally dependent on external orders. And his orders are

clear. They can see him through the tiny window in the door. Lindsey rips

the tape painfully off her mouth.

LINDSEY:

Schoenick... your Lieutenant is about to make

a real bad career move...

HIPPY:

That guy's crazier'n a shithouse rat!

BUD:

We have to stop him! Schoenick!!

They pound on the door. Schoenick turns and hangs his cap over the tiny

window.

INT. SUB BAY159

Using the chainfall, Coffey maneuvers the completed Geek/MIRV package over

the back of Flatbed, obviously preparing to use the submersible to take it

out and launch it.

INT. MESS HALL 160

Lindsey is up next to the door, with Bud.

LINDSEY:

... he's about to declare war on an alien species,

Schoenick, just when they're trying to make

contact with us.

(to Bud)

I think I'm reaching him.

There is a CLUNK-CLATTER and the door unlatches.

LINDSEY:

See?

The door opens. Jammer is standing there. Schoenick is in a heap against

the far wall, moaning. Jammer hands the rifle to Hippy as he walks in. Hippy

turns to cover the other SEAL. Monk puts his hands up, passively.

MONK:

I'm the least of your problems.

Bud appraises Jammer, who seems a little weak and dazed but basically okay.

BUD:

Thanks. How you feeling, big guy?

JAMMER:

Figured I was dead, there, when I seen that

angel comin' toward me.

They all look at him for a second. What?

BUD:

Uh, okay, right. You can tell us about it

later. Let's go.

CUT TO:

INT. TRIMODULE C/LADDERWELL161

Bud drops down the ladder, INTO FRAME, followed by the others. He tries the

door into the main corridor. The wheel won't turn. The others get on it.

Won't budge.

BUD:

He's jammed the mechanism.

LINDSEY:

Now what?

They're locked in trimodule-C. No other doors give access to the sub-bay

corridor. Bud's mind is racing. He drops down the ladder to Level One, into

about two feet of water. He reaches down and open the emergency lockout

hatch. Takes off his boots.

BUD:

Okay, I'm gonna free-swim to hatch six... get

inside, get the door open from the other side.

LINDSEY:

Bud, that water's only a couple degrees above

freezing.

BUD:

Then I guess you better wish me luck, huh?

Catfish is pulling his boots off as well.

CATFISH:

Wish us luck.

(hands his wallet to Hippy)

'Case I don't die. Okay, Bud... let's go,

podner, I ain't got all day.

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