The Game Page #14

NICHOLAS:

Stop this. It's not true...

CONRAD:

I'm sorry, Christ, I'm sorry! How

many more times do I have to say I'm

sorry before you forgive me... ?

NICHOLAS:

Stop it!

Conrad bolts away, full tilt, into a nearby PARK and PUBLIC

GARDENS. Nicholas gives chase, calling after.

AHEAD, Conrad runs headlong, disappearing thru thick bushes.

Nicholas follows, downhill, falls and slides, gets up. At

the bottom, he shoves thru vegetation...

On the other side, Nicholas looks all directions, gulping

air. Conrad's nowhere to be seen. Nicholas stops.

NICHOLAS:

(shouting)

Connie!

Far off, there's a concrete path winding thru the park past

a BANK OF PAYPHONES. ONE PAYPHONE starts RINGING. Nicholas

starts back the way he came.

Behind, ALL THE PAYPHONES start RINGING. Nicholas halts.

He runs to the phones, answers one.

NICHOLAS:

(into phone)

You sons-of-b*tches...

MAN'S VOICE (v.o.)

(from phone)

Flippy? Is Flippy there? Flippy?

Nichols slams the phone down, picks up another...

RECORDING (v.o.)

(from phone)

If you'd like to make a call, please

hang up and...

PHONE STOP RINGING. Nicholas hangs up, digging out his

wallet. Rifling thru it, he comes up with the VALET TICKET

with the C.R.S. EMERGRENCY 800-NUMBER on it. He dials...

Puts the phone to his ear. BUSY SIGNAL. He slaps the

headset-tongue, redialing, waiting...

RECORDING (v.o.)

(from phone)

We're sorry. The number you have

dialed has been disconnected or is no

longer in service...

He throws the receiver, tears the valet ticket in half and

tosses it, then steps back -- KICKS the phone.

EXT. CITY STREET -- NIGHT

Nicholas returns to his car, looks down at the flat tire.

At the rear, Nicholas opens the trunk. He reaches in and

takes out the car's JACK. He looks at it like an alien

thing, turns it over, tosses it into the street.

He closes the trunk, REMOTE's the ALARM, walking away.

There's a TAXI heading this way. Nicholas hails it...

INSIDE THE TAXI:

Nicholas gets in. GLASS separates him from the CAB DRIVER

NICHOLAS:

Twenty-two Moore Street.

The driver nods and hits the gas.

EXT. CITY STREETS, FURTHER ON -- NIGHT

The taxi roars down the street.

INSIDE THE TAXI:

Nicholas has his head back, eyes closed, loosening his tie.

He looks out the window, narrow his eyes.

NICHOLAS:

(pointing)

Um... you want to turn here...

(TAXI KEEPS GOING)

Excuse me, you missed the turn.

The driver says nothing. Nicholas knocks on the glass.

NICHOLAS:

Did you hear me? You're...

Nicholas stops, noticing the DRIVER I.D. on the other side

of the partition. "California Regal Sedans." C.R.S.

NICHOLAS:

No... no, no, no. Stop the car!

The taxi HALTS at a LIGHT. Nicholas tries the DOOR HANDLE.

Doesn't work. He tries the WINDOW HANDLE -- it COMES OFF.

ON THE STREET:

The cab PEELS OUT as the light turns green.

INSIDE THE TAXI:

Nicholas tries the other door, panicky. Same results --

locked in. The taxi makes a SCREEEEECHING TURN...

ON THE STREET:

The taxi speeds up... heading for a WHARF AREA and PIERS.

INSIDE THE TAXI:

Nicholas presses against the partition, urgent, calm...

NICHOLAS:

Listen. I am a very wealthy man.

Whatever they're paying you, I'll

double it!

The taxi driver simply opens his door and leaps out...

THRU THE WINDOW:
the driver ROLLS, a perfectly executed

stunt fall. Nicholas can't believe. He grabs frantically

for his seatbelt, SNAPS it around him, looks up...

Opens his mouth to SCREAM...

ON THE WHARF:

The taxi goes FLYING off a deserted pier... airborne...

SPLASHES DOWN! in the San Francisco Bay.

INSIDE THE TAXI:

Nicholas is jerked forward, breath slammed out of him.

ON THE SURFACE OF THE WATER

The taxi goes under in an eruption of bubbles.

UNDERWATER:

THRU THE TAXI WINDOW: Nicholas pulls off his seatbelt,

extricates himself and starts kicking the window. Dashboard

lights grow eerie as they submerge.

INSIDE THE TAXI:

Nicholas stops kicking, trying to calm. He looks to the

front:
water's gushing in through two-inches of open window.

The taxi's less that half full.

NICHOLAS:

(to himself)

It's a game... it's a game...

He tries the DOOR HANDLE again, yanking, to no avail. He

realizes something, searches his pockets...

UNDERWATER:

The taxi sinks, headlights dimming in murkier depths.

INSIDE THE TAXI:

Nicholas finds the METAL CRANK. He takes a deep breath...

SUBMERGING. He puts the crank in the WINDOW HANDLE HOLE,

turns the crank. The WINDOW LOWERS, water flooding in...

UNDERWATER:

Nicholas swims out the window, heading upwards...

EXT. SAN FRANCISCO BAY -- NIGHT

Nicholas bursts to the surface, sucking air. He treads

water, catching his breath.

GIRL'S VOICE (o.s.)

Hey, mister... are you alright?

Nicholas turns. There's a CABIN CRUISER docked nearby. A

beautiful GIRL in a yellow raincoat throws a life preserver.

Nicholas swims to it.

EXT. CABIN CRUISER -- NIGHT

Nicholas climbs the rear ladder with the girl's help. He

stays on his knees, teeth chattering. The boat's luxurious.

GIRL:

You could get hepatitis from that

water.

She helps Nicholas up, keeps a grip on him.

NICHOLAS:

I need the police.

GIRL:

Let's get you dried off first. I

might have some clothes below.

INT. CABIN CRUISER, BATHROOM -- NIGHT

The shower and mirrors are fogged. Nicholas' wet clothing

sits in the sink. He's wearing a short-sleeved shirt,

pulling on trousers.

IN THE ADJOINING BEDROOM

QUIET MUSIC. Nicholas comes from the bathroom, feeling the

waistband of the pants, checking out the cuffs.

NICHOLAS:

You know, these fit... perfectly.

GIRL:

They were my husband's. My late

husband... may he rest in peace.

Nicholas looks to the girl. She rises from the bed and

slides the raincoat off, wearing only a BIKINI. A Playmate.

Nicholas just sort of sags.

The girl undoes her top, which falls. She steps forward.

GIRL:

I've been so lonely.

NICHOLAS:

I can't tell you how not interested

I am.

GIRL:

Don't be nervous. They said you'd be

nervous.

NICHOLAS:

Don't take another step.

The girl covers her breasts, confused. Nicholas gathers his

clothing from the sink, heading for the stairs.

GIRL:

Isn't this what you like? They told

me you had a thing for boats.

NICHOLAS:

First they try to kill me, now you?

(to girl)

Put your damn clothes back on.

Nicholas scrambles upstairs...

EXT. CABIN CRUISER -- NIGHT

Nicholas leaps off onto the wharf. The girl, pulling on her

raincoat, crosses to the boat's rail, waving a BOX. Thru

the box's window: a gold GLASS CUTTER nestled in velvet.

GIRL:

Don't you want your thing? I was

supposed to give you this thing.

Nicholas just keeps walking.

CUT TO:

EXT. C.R.S. BUILDING -- DAY

TWO POLICE CARS, marked and unmarked, pull to the curb.

From the plainclothes car, MALE DETECTIVE and FEMALE

DETECTIVE get out. Nicholas and Sutherland get out.

INT. C.R.S. BUILDING, LOBBY -- DAY

Nicholas, Sutherland, Male and Female Detective cross the

busy lobby with TWO UNIFORMED OFFICER'S behind.

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