The Contract

---

It's on.

You the new guy, Davis?

No, no, no way.

I'm the guy

here to ice the floor for skating.

Hope you're better

than the last guy.

DAVIS:

What's wrong with him?

Couldn't take the heat.

Yeah, well, I'm fireproof.

Short on self-discipline?

Bobby Fischer would be

proud of that move.

You got no way out now, pal.

So where's the big tamale?

Coming.

Just relax.

That's a quick way to go deaf.

What'd you say?

That's a quick way to go deaf.

You winning?

I never lose.

All right, let's get on with it.

It's a two-step contract.

Everything you need to know is there.

Memorize it.

By tomorrow morning.

After that, it'll corrupt

and nuke your hard drive.

Great.

You're Davis.

I didn't think you knew I was here.

I knew.

Something wrong?

I don't see-

There's no exit strategy.

The operation has

been planned in detail.

I'm glad

you're confident.

But if we need to abort

or if we miss the target-

We're not gonna miss.

You intending to miss?

Not me.

I can't vouch for anyone else.

I can.

We travel on separate airlines.

IDs and tickets from Turner.

DAVIS:
First class?

Coach.

I bet you're going first.

Yeah, but I'm the big tamale.

Remember?

All right, that's all.

Oh, hell, I can't believe it.

Problem?

He got me. Checkmate.

Good play!

Come on, Matty,

keep your head down.

Attaboy, Matty.

Turn two.

Hey, come on,

sit down.

What do you have to say

for yourself?

Nothing, Dad.

What do you want me to say?

To start with? Apology.

An apology to who?

Your teammates, to me.

Lucky you got off

with a three-day suspension.

Lucky?

Yes, you're lucky.

Dad, it's not a big deal.

Everybody smokes pot these days.

Oh, don't give me that bullshit,

Chris. Do I look like a chump?

You know I don't care what

other kids do. You're my son.

I know what this is about.

It's about your mother.

Whatever.

Chris, let me just-

Okay,

let's just get it over with right

now! Tell me everything I do wrong.

Knock yourself out,

okay?

I'm trying to tell you I understa-

Stop trying to help me!

Stop wearing that stupid pink wristband

like it's gonna make any difference.

You can't do anything

about anything.

Why do you keep

pretending like you can? You can't.

It wasn't all right, Dad.

You said when she was sick

it was gonna be all right...

...and it wasn't.

Lydel Hammond?

Take a look at this.

I got better pictures than these,

Mr. Hammond. Know what I mean?

My wife hired you.

Of course she did.

Do you know who my father is?

That's why we're talking to you.

Thought maybe

you could make a better deal.

What's it gonna cost me?

Well...

You're gonna be late for school.

No, I'm playing hooky.

You're playing hooky?

Yep.

Hey, listen I thought, you and

I, we could do something together,

you know?

Something you like doing.

Well, the cop took all my reefers,

Dad.

Well, besides that,

you know?

What about camping?

You like camping?

That's not the point, you like it.

You loved that Outward Bound

thing you did.

What do you say?

I don't think you're serious.

So what do you do for a living, Mr...

...Ellwood?

I sell computer equipment.

Peripherals, we call it.

Not computers,

but the stuff that goes with it.

You know, cables, software,

mini storage systems,

things like that.

I'm afraid it's not very interesting.

Oh, no.

It's fascinating.

Right. There we are, Mr. Ellwood.

Utilities included, rent due

on the first of the month.

Very good, thank you.

You get use of the garage.

There's an electric opener

on the shelf in the kitchen.

Trash service

Mondays and Thursdays.

Good luck.

Thank you very much.

Act one is complete.

No problems?

That's correct.

Good.

Curtain going up on act two.

I wasn't talking to her at all.

She wanted to give me her number.

I said, "Sorry, honey.

I already got a girlfriend.

Great girl.

That's her, just over there. "

Whoa, did you see that?

Stay back, man.

Auto accident.

No kidding.

You got any more?

No, other guy's a pile of ash.

Vitals are stable on this one.

Did he say anything on the way in?

No, he was out of it

when I got to him.

Okay.

Doctor?

Call security.

How you feeling?

My name's Wainwright.

Ed Wainwright. Chief of Police.

Come on, guy drove straight at me.

Oh, sure, yeah. It's not that.

Your gun?

We did a little checking.

Tried to get in touch

with Robert Ellwood's next of kin.

Turns out he didn't have any.

And he died when he was three.

Ran a set of your prints,

Mr. Carden.

Apparently, you've been

missing in action for many years.

But you're not missing anymore,

Mr. Carden.

Not too often we get somebody

your caliber up here in our little burg.

You know, frankly, Frank,

I can't think of anybody-

Hey, frankly, Frank.

Is that- Is that a pun?

It's an alliteration, chief, not a pun.

Yeah, well, anyway.

So come on, Frank,

what are you doing around here?

When are they coming for me?

I'm gonna have two men here all night.

Just for you, Mr. Carden.

Keep your eyes open.

I'll be back in the morning.

Sure, chief.

What in the hell is it can't

wait for an hour and a half?

Cops in the Northwest picked up

this guy in some kind of accident.

Better be good.

Well, I ran his prints

through a database.

Got a match

with a Major Frank Carden

from his military records.

Frank Carden?

You know him?

No.

He was Defense of Intelligence,

MIA in 1974.

Take it he didn't die in the accident?

No, he's in the hospital.

Somebody hit

the Homeland Security button.

The FBl has gotten all excited.

The other agencies are lining up

behind us.

This guy is a hot potato.

Is he?

Just about everyone seems

to ring alarm bells these days.

All right. Let me know

when he gets here.

Sure.

See you later.

Yes.

Miles.

What have you got? Is it him?

Yes. It's definitely Carden.

FBl liaison officer

just came by to tell me.

I don't want this going any further.

No, sir.

It won't get out of hand.

I'm on top of it.

DAVIS:

How do you know that?

He called me.

DAVIS:
He called you?

How did he manage that?

Ask him later.

We're gonna have to improvise.

Okay, rule one.

We don't go back

for him.

We leave him down.

That's not rule one.

Same for any of us.

What are you talking about?

The old man got caught,

that's his problem.

This is Frank's command. We've

been with him a long time.

Yeah, everybody but you.

Ever hear of loyalty?

Yeah, I read about it

in a book once. Look,

I'm not getting paid

to save his ass.

You're not getting paid

unless we save his ass.

You know that offshore account?

Only Frank can access it.

No Frank,

no money.

Now, you see, that argument

appeals to my sentimental side.

Local celebrities and officials

are reported to be lobbying for seats

at a dinner for the president,

to be held following

his upcoming speech

at Woodburn College.

Morning.

Morning.

Death has been reported

of a well-known local personality,

Lydel Hammond, Jr.,

in what appears to be

a hit-and-run accident

outside the Rosemont Apartments.

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