The American Page #17

Stepping out of the car he looks around the car park. It’s

ominously empty. In the near distance we can hear the ROAR of

highway traffic.

JACK takes the BRIEFCASE from the rear seat and walks away.

He makes a show of locking the car but doesn’t.

130 INT. CAFE- DAY 130

Almost empty.

JACK sits at a table at the back of the cafe. From here he

can see both entrances: the public entrance and the service

entrance and also the door to the bathrooms. Through the

window, he has a good view of the garage forecourt and the

slip road to and from the autostrada.

JACK places the BRIEFCASE on a chair beside him and puts a

PAPER BAG on the table next to the sugar dispenser. He checks

his watch. It is two minutes before noon. He orders an

espresso.

His nerve-heightened senses take in everything: the sound of

the hum of traffic, the buzz of the refrigeration units and

the murmur of the cafe’s few occupants.

JACK's eyes flick outside to the forecourt.

We hear the cafe door open.

And in an instant, MATHILDE is at his table.

She is dressed in a tight black skirt, a simple blue blouse

and a dark blue jacket. Her hair is neatly styled, her makeup

immaculate and heavier than we’ve seen her wear before.

She looks exactly like the kind of woman who might carry a

Samsonite briefcase.

MATHILDE:

Hello. I see you have brought it in

from the car with you.

She speaks quietly: her voice low and attractive.

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 96. page 96.

JACK:

All there, as agreed.

MATHILDE:

What’s in the paper bag?

The WAITRESS comes over with Jack's coffee. MATHILDE orders

another for herself.

JACK:

Sweets. For your journey.

She opens the bag and takes out one of the TINS.

She can immediately feel that it’s heavier than it should be.

JACK:

I guessed you’d have a sweet tooth.

MATHILDE:

That is most thoughtful of you.

The polite phrase sounds even more polite with her slight

Belgian accent.

The WAITRESS returns with the second espresso and MATHILDE

pays for them both.

JACK watches as she stirs her coffee to cool it. She’s

nervous.

JACK:

I suppose I’ll read about this in

the Times.

For a moment she is pensive.

MATHILDE:

Yes, I expect so.

She drinks her coffee, holding her cup in mid-air and looking

out the window.

JACK follows her eye-line to check she’s not signalling to an

accomplice.

The FORECOURT is still empty.

In the silence we can hear the buzz of the refrigeration

units.

MATHILDE looks at JACK. Her expression is impossible to read.

Perhaps it’s tinged with sadness. She drinks the rest of her

coffee.

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 97. page 97.

MATHILDE:

I’m just going to the ladies. Wait

here.

She picks up the CASE.

There is nothing JACK can do about this. She has taken him

off guard and grasped the initiative.

All he can do is wait.

131 INT. BATHROOM- CONTINUOUS 131

MATHILDE enters a cubicle, opens the CASE, bypasses the

stationery, lifts the false bottom and checks the M14 parts

are present and correct.

Then she loads a magazine of her handgun.

132 INT. CAFE- DAY 132

MATHILDE returns from the bathroom.

MATHILDE:

Shall we go.

Not a question, a command.

JACK is obliged to stand up.

133 EXT. HIGHWAY, CAR PARK- DAY 133

MATHILDE walks towards a silver 5 series BMW with slightly

tinted windows.

She is carrying the BRIEFCASE.

JACK has his right hand in his jacket pocket.

MATHILDE:

You won’t need your piece.

JACK:

You never know.

She stops beside the BMW.

JACK still has his hands on the Walther.

MATHILDE:

OK?

JACK:

Sure. You?

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 98. page 98.

MATHILDE:

Everything’s just fine.

Her RIGHT HAND slips into her pocket.

JACK twists his wrist upwards and thumbs the cocking lever.

MATHILDE:

Final payment.

She hands JACK an ENVELOPE.

MATHILDE:

Buy yourself a retirement clock.

JACK braces himself for a bullet.

Just then...

...a COACH pulls into the car park.

It stops with a hydraulic hiss and dozens of TEENAGE KIDS

descend.

MATHILDE and JACK are surrounded. There is nothing either of

them can do.

MATHILDE looks suddenly relieved.

She leans forward and kisses JACK lightly and quickly and on

the lips.

MATHILDE:

Have you taken your girl up to the

meadow yet?

JACK doesn’t answer. His whole body is still tense for the

bullet that he knows is coming. Perhaps there is a second

person in the car.

MATHILDE:

(whispers to JACK)

Do it.

She gets into the driver’s seat of the BMW and swings the

BRIEFCASE into the back.

MATHILDE:

Goodbye, Mr. Butterfly.

JACK tenses as MATHILDE raises her hand in farewell.

The BMW pulls away and disappears down the slip road onto the

autostrada.

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 99. page 99.

JACK watches it go.

Thumbs back the lever on his Walther.

Gets into his Fiat.

And opens the ENVELOPE.

-No wires.

-No tricks.

-Just TWENTY THOUSAND US DOLLARS.

JACK stares at the money. He isn’t supposed to be alive. For

a while he stays put. He shuts his eyes in the sunshine and

listens to the laughter of the teenage kids. To a girl

calling:
“Amore!” To the cicadas. To the distant rush of

traffic on the autostrada.

SMASH CUT TO:

134 EXT. AUTOSTRADA SLIP ROAD - DAY 134

JACK’S FIAT turns off the highway beneath a sign.

The sign reads CASTEL DEL MONTE.

EXTRA MATHILDE/ PAVEL PHONE CALL

PAVEL:

Change of target.

*

*

135 EXT. ITALIAN COUNTRYSIDE - MATHILDE’S BMW IS FOLLOWING JACK’S135

FIAT:

MATHILDE:

It didn’t work out, but I’m

following him.

PAVEL:

Stay on him!

*

135A EXT. BAR HOME - DAY

*

PAVEL *

Yes. *

JACK *

It’s done. *

PAVEL *

I’ll confirm with her. *

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 99A. page 99A.

finished... *

Beat. *

JACK *

Pavel? *

PAVEL *

Have a nice life Jack. *

JACK *

I will... *

JACK hangs up. PAVEL dials another number. We stay on his *

face. *

MATHILDE *

Hello... *

PAVEL *

Just go off the phone with Jack, he *

told me the exchange was *

successful. *

MATHILDE *

There wasn’t an opportunity... *

PAVEL *

Find one. *

135 (ALTERNATE) *

You’ll confirm with me, I’m

JACK *

*

PAVEL’S phone rings. He answers. *

PAVEL *

Is it done? *

MATHILDE *

No. *

PAVEL *

What happened? *

MATHILDE *

There wasn’t the opportunity. *

Beat. *

PAVEL *

Find one.

*

*

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 99Bpage 99B.

136 EXT. AUTOSTRADA SLIP ROAD- DAY 136

The BMW exits the highway on the same slip road signed CASTEL

DEL MONTE.

"The American" June 21st, 2010 page 100. page 100.

137 OMITTED 137

137A OMITTED 137A

138 EXT. CASTEL DEL MONTE, CHURCH STEPS- DAY 138

The town square is jam-packed with cars and coaches.

Hundreds of tourists and locals have gathered near the church

square. There is even a camera crew.

The church doors open. As FATHER BENEDETTO steps out a CHOIR

starts to sing.

Behind him, LOCAL MEN are carrying a larger-than-life painted

wooden STATUE OF SAINT DOMINIC.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes