The Next Three Days Page #19

WHITE 9-10-09 99.

297 CONTINUED:
297

BRENDA (CONT'D)

They should be back in about an hour.

Would you like to wait?

No.

JOHH:

Thank you.

*

*

John turns and walks back to the SUV.

moment, made curious by his behavior.

Brenda watches for a *

He gets into the vehicle. Lara is in a panic.

LARA:

What's wrong?

John punches ZOO into POINTS OF INTEREST on the GPS. *

LARA (CONT'D)

Where's Luke?

JOHN:

He's at the party.

He sneaks a look at his stopwatch: 24 MINUTES and counting.

What party?

here.

LARA:

You said the party was *

JOHN:

I was wrong. She took them to the

zoo.

*

The GPS comes up with an address. John punches a button.

LARA:

(can't help herself)

She? *

GPS VOICE:

Estimated drive time: seventeen

minutes.

JOHN:

Carrie's mom. Nicole. *

He drops the transmission into gear and speeds off.

298 EXT. BRENNAN HOUSE -- MORNING 298

A squad car is waiting, another arrives.

and strides toward the house.

Harris pulls up

(CONTINUED)

WHITE 9-10-09 100.

298 CONTINUED:
298

SGT. HARRIS

Canvas the neighbors. We're looking

for the boy and anything they've

noticed in the last few days.

299 EXT. CITY STREETS -- MORNING 299

John drives like a man possessed.

300 INT. SUV - DRIVING THROUGH INTERSECTION -- MORNING 300*

John brakes as he spots a State Trooper vehicle at an *

intersection. As he keeps an eye on the rearview mirror, *

the squad car puts on its flashers, turns and follows them.

John's hands tighten on the wheel. He keeps the speedometer *

at 35, praying he's not their target.

The police vehicle passes them and takes off fast down the

four lane street.

John breathes again and drives on. He checks the stopwatch

29 minutes flicks to 30. He pushes the button on the GPS.

GPS VOICE:

Time to destination: eleven minutes.

Lara sees him sweat, unaware of the significance of the time.

301 EXT. STREETS -- DAY 301

The SUV swerves around a corner, heading into the outskirts

of town.

302 INT. SUV - FOUR LANE STREET -- DAY 302

John's eyes flick to his stopwatch: 32 minutes flicks to 33.

Signs appear quickly now. Interstate: Keep Right; Zoo: Next

Left.

John keeps driving, hoping somehow that he won't have to

make this choice -- their freedom, or their son.

Too many questions rage across his face. Perhaps they can

escape and his parents can somehow arrange to get Luke to

them. Or perhaps Luke would be better off with his

grandparents after all.

Then there it is:

The sign to the interstate points to the entrance ahead on

the right.

(CONTINUED)

WHITE 9-10-09 101.

302 CONTINUED:
302

The sign to the Zoo sits behind it, pointing to the next road

on the left.

34:
02, 34:03, 34:04...

John takes the freeway ramp.

303 EXT. INTERSTATE -- CONTINUOUS 303

The SUV climbs up the on-ramp, leaving the city behind. *

304 INT. SUV - DRIVING -- CONTINUOUS 304

LARA:

You took the wrong turn! It's back

there.

No response. Lara looks back over her shoulder, wondering *

if this is some kind of shortcut. *

LARA (CONT'D)

The zoo is back there. You're going *

the wrong way! *

(no response) *

It's back there!

(no response)

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!!

JOHN:

She'll call my parents.

LARA:

What??

JOHN *

They'll take care of him, I will

figure out how to get him to us.

LARA:

Are you out of your mind!

JOHN:

I tried!! There's no more time!!

Any second now there's going to be a

roadblock ahead! It might be there

now!! If we don't get out now we

don't get out!!

Lara sits back in her seat, stunned and horrified, as John

continues.

(CONTINUED)

WHITE 9-10-09 102.

304 CONTINUED:
304

JOHN (CONT'D)

I promise. I promise I will find a *

way to get Luke to us. I will find

some way.

Lara unsnaps her seat belt. She reaches for the door latch.

John sees her pull the door and GRABS her by the shirt as he

slams his foot on the brakes!

The tires SCREAM, the SUV skids into an uncontrolled turn.

Horns blare. Cars behind them swerve to avoid collision.

John holds Lara in her seat as the SUV flies around in a

circle and finally comes to a dead stop on the shoulder,

miraculously facing in the right direction.

John allows himself to breathe. He lets go of Lara's shirt. *

She opens the door and steps out. *

John closes his eyes and tries to gather himself back

together. He opens his door and steps out. *

305 EXT. INTERSTATE HWY - SHOULDER -- DAY 305

John sees the big rig truck driver look back from where he's *

pulled over. John nods to him that everything is okay and *

comes around the bumper to find Lara sitting on the gravel

shoulder, leaning against the back tire, staring out at the

field beyond. He sits beside her in silence.

Behind them the cars whip by. No one even thinks to stop to

see if they need help.

Lara and John watch a cow in the farmer's field.

There is nothing for either of them to say, they both know

how they got here.

Their hands sit on the gravel between each other. Without

looking at him, Lara tentatively entwines a single finger

with his. He slowly gathers strength from her touch. *

306 INT. SUV - ON THE SHOULDER -- MOMENTS LATER 306

They close the doors, and John starts the engine and they

drive forward. John takes the first exit.

307 EXT. BRENNAN HOUSE - ALLEY -- DAY 307

A garbage truck is just pulling up as Paula shows Harris and

an officer her recycling bin. They pull out John's

overstuffed trash bag.

WHITE 9-10-09 103.

308 EXT. ZOO ENTRANCE -- DAY 308

Lara sits in the SUV by herself, watching the entrance.

309 EXT. ZOO -- DAY 309

Nicole, surrounded by a dozen six year-olds, passes Luke off

to John.

JOHN:

No, it really is fine. I can't thank

you enough for taking care of him.

NICOLE:

It is our pleasure. Wasn't it,

Carrie?

John and Luke turn and walk toward the exit.

310 EXT. ZOO ENTRANCE -- CONTINUOUS 310

Lara turns and sees John and Luke walking toward her.

LARA:

Hi.

LUKE:

Hi.

LARA:

Did you have a nice time at the party?

LUKE:

Yeah.

Lara walks him to the car, as if this day is no different

than any other.

LARA:

What was your favorite thing?

LUKE:

Ice cream cake.

She lifts him into his seat and buckles him in.

LARA:

They had ice cream cake here?

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