The Saint Page #23

EXT. ADMIRALTY - PERIMETER WALLS

The naval guards come around the corner just as...

... THE CONCRETE HATCH DOORS pull shut.

INT. ADMIRALTY - NUCLEAR SITUATION ROOM - DAY

Templar and Ilya move through the nuclear situation room to President Karpov's office.

INT. ADMIRALTY - NUCLEAR OPERATIONS OFFICE - DAY

Ilya and Templar enter. Ilya opens the credenza behind Karpov's desk, revealing ROWS OF VIDEOTAPE CASSETTES. Ilya rifles through the tapes. Templar kneels behind the T.V. and V.C.R. He switches the T.V.'s satellite link from "RECEIVE" to "TRANSMIT," and adjusts the satellite frequency. Ilya hands Templar a VIDEO CASSETTE TAPE. Templar throws it in the V.C.R. and hits a button. The V.C.R. transmits the tape over the satellite link to the - -

EXT. ADMIRALTY ROOF

-- Satellite DISH on the Admiralty's roof, which sends the transmission into outer space, where it bounces off a satellite and returns to --

INT. ST. PETERSBURG - HOTEL SUITE - NIGHT

-- a V.C.R. in the hotel suite, where Frankie hovers over an array of sophisticated editing equipment. Tretiak, Romanov, and several of Tretiak's men stand to the side. Templar's transmission plays on a T.V. It's a tape of the Karpov/Romanov meeting:

KARPOV:

Tell me what you want.

ROMANOV:

A public debate, then new elections. We'll let the people decide.

KARPOV:

(considers this)

Agreed.

Frankie hits "play" on A SECOND V.C.R.: Here, we see the Tretiak/Ivan Grachameeting, taped earlier:

TRETIAK:

Upon what conditions would you accept a partnership? Be reasonable.

GRACHA:

Fifty percent of the drug trade in St. Petersburg and Moscow. A third of prostitution and gambling.

Both V.C.R.'s are connected to a VIDEO MORPHING SYSTEM not unlike those used by filmmakers. Frankie hits some buttons on the morphing machine. On the first V.C.R. MONITOR - ROMANOV'S IMAGE is lifted from the videotape. It simply disappears.

CUT TO:

INT. ADMIRALTY - NUCLEAR SITUATIONS FACILITY - NIGHT

Templar and Ilya, waiting. Templar looks at his watch.

TEMPLAR:

Come on, Frankie...

INT. ST. PETERSBURG - HOTEL SUITE - NIGHT

Frankie, finished, hits "play." We see an altered version of the Karpov/Romanov meeting. Romanov has been morphed out and Ivan Gracha bas been morphed in. ON THE SCREEN, it now looks like this:

PRESIDENT KARPOV

Tell me what you want.

GRACHA:

Fifty percent of the drug trade in St. Petersburg and Moscow. A third of prostitution and gambling.

PRESIDENT KARPOV

Agreed.

President Karpov shakes Gracha's hand.

BACK TO SCENE:

Frankie turns to Tretiak and Romanov.

FRANKIE:

Should I send it?

TRETIAK:

Not yet.

Romanov clicks on his cellular phone.

ROMANOV:

General Radischev please. Yes, an emergency.

Frankie, alarmed, turns to Tretiak.

FRANKIE:

What's he doing? Templar won't have time to get out of there...

Tretiak nods to ZERO who opens the door into the hall. TWO MOSCOW POLICEMEN enter. They stride over to Frankie, yank her up and handcuff her, dragging her off.

CUT TO:

EXT. ADMIRALTY - GARRISON - NIGHT

The Naval Guard in the garrison looks up with wide, startled eyes at --

THREE RUSSIAN TANKS rumble up to the Admiralty, followed by a detachment of RUSSIAN ARMY SPECIAL FORCES.

NAVAL GUARD:

(under his breath)

Mother of God...

The tanks smash through the gate, rolling into the Admiralty compound. The Special Forces Men walk silently past the startled Naval Guard, who rushes inside and hits a KLAXON HORN.

INT. ADMIRALTY - NAVAL HOSPITAL STORAGE ROOM - NIGHT

Harry and Remy, startled by the klaxon, look out the storage room window at...the tanks.

HARRY:

Come on, Simon, move it...

EXT. ADMIRALTY - COMPOUND - NIGHT

THE TANKS roll into the Admiralty compound: a message blares from one of the tank's loudspeaker:

TANK LOUDSPEAKER (v. o .)

This is a matter of national security. I repeat, this is matter of national...

The tanks roll up to the nuclear situation facility. The Special Forces Men walk up to the open hatch.

INT. ADMIRALTY - NUCLEAR OPERATIONS OFFICE

Templar looks at his watch. He's waiting for Frankie to send back the morphed tape...

TEMPLAR:

Come on, Frankie.

Suddenly the transmission starts coming across the satellite link, recording over the old tape. It's almost finished...

INT. ADMIRALTY - OPERATIONS ROOM - NIGHT

The Special Forces Men come down the stairs and across the room toward Karpov's office...

INT. ADMIRALTY - NUCLEAR BUNKER - KARPOV'S OFFICE

Templar yanks the MORPHED TAPE from the v.c.r and goes back to Karpov's credenza. He kneels by the drawer. Something fast and unexpected happens, like slight-of hand. Templar pulls A SECOND TAPE from inside his suit and puts it back in the drawer, sliding the morphed tape under the credenza. He stands, turns, and freezes...

ILYA (remember, he is dressed as a NAVAL M.P.) has his gun leveled on Templar. Ilya steps past Templar. Lifts the tape from the drawer - the tape from Templar's waistband. The door bursts open. The Special Forces men pile inside. The Special Forces MAJOR regards the situation.

ILYA:

I found him over there.

(holds up the tape)

With this.

SPECIAL FORCES MAJOR

Give it to me.

(turns to his men)

Arrest President Karpov.

Four Special Forces Men race out.

INT. ADMIRALTY - NIGHT

President Karpov and his wife are sleeping. The door blasts open, throwing a beam of light on Karpov, who sits up, staring with a confused expression at --

The SPECIAL FORCES MEN, glaring back at him.

CUT TO:

EXT. DVORTSOVAYA PLOSCHAD - EARLY MORNING

It's 4 a.m., but revolution is in the air. Thousands of St. Petersburgers are pouring into the square. It is an anxious, surreal scene. RUSSIAN TANKS and ARMOURED VEHICLES surround the square. THE CROWD explodes with thunderous cheers as --

MICHAEL ROMANOV, escorted by soldiers, comes through the crowd. GENERAL NICOLAI RADISCHEV, tall, stern, career Army man, follows with a contingent of junior officers.

Behind Radischev are TEMPLAR, FRANKIE and PRESIDENT KARPOV, under arrest, escorted by SPECIAL FORCES MEN. Romanov climbs atop a TANK TURRET. He looks out over the crowd. THE CROWD comes to a hush. Like Lenin's arrival at Finland Station. A history-in-the-making atmosphere.

ROMANOV:

Friends, countrymen, I give you Major Antonin Scarpinin.

Major Scarpinin (the Special Forces Major), climbs atop the tank turret.

MAJOR SCARPININ:

Twenty minutes ago a team of Russian Special Forces, acting on confidential information, raided President Karpov's office...

ACROSS THE SQUARE - TRETIAK and his men emerge from several limousines. As Tretiak moves through the crowd, IVAN GRACHA and twenty of his men approach.

TRETIAK:

Thank you for coming, Ivan, it is a great night for Russia.

IVAN GRACHA:

I don't give a damn who's president. I'll make my money either way.

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