The Siege Page #9

ELISE:

They've also got a warrant. A warrant

from God. They're ready to die! And

your quaint laws don't mean sh*t to

these people.

HUB:

My quaint laws? Last I checked you

were an American citizen. And these

happen to be the only laws we got.

(turns on her)

Look, I'm just a cop, okay, and I'm

real sorry the cold war's over, and

you Masters of the Universe got

nothing going on over there in

Afghanistan or Iraq or wherever --

but you're just not in the Middle

East anymore...

ELISE:

Oh, really...?

They reach the top of the stairs where Frank is waiting. He

dangles a piece of paper -- the warrant -- and grins.

IN THE SAME SQUALID APARTMENT BUILDING -- LATER

Hub looks through the surveillance equipment focused on an

apartment across the street -- paper shades drawn. Wearing a

set of HEADPHONES, Elise listens intently to the Arabic

conversation.

ELISE:

They're discussing how hard it is to

find a decent cup of coffee over

here.

(hands headset to

Frank)

I make out three voices. What do you

have on the infrared?

FRANK:

Three sounds right. If we had

microwave we'd know for sure. The

CIA's got microwave, how come we

don't have microwave.

Hub, meanwhile is question a Syrian Landlord.

LANDLORD:

-- three of them. All day long they

watch tv. And eat pizza. Nothing but

pizza, pizza, pizza...

Hub looks over at Frank. They've got a way in.

CUT TO:

Sequence omitted from original script.

Sequence omitted from original script.

DARK HALLWAY -- DAY

Mike Johannson, carrying two PIZZAS, knocks on a door.

IN THE SHADOWS BELOW

Hub, Frank, and a small army of AGENTS lock and load.

A YOUNG ARAB:

Opens the door to the length of a chain and hands Mike a

twenty-dollar bill.

MIKE:

You want change, right --?

YOUNG ARAB:

No.

MIKE:

You gonna open the door, or what --?

The Arab motions, leave them on the ground.

MIKE:

Jesus, didn't ya hear crime's down

seven-percent...

Muttering, he sets the pizza down and heads downstairs. After

a moment we HEAR the chain pulled and the door open.

IN THE APARTMENT

The Young Arab sets the pizza on an orange crate. Two other

YOUNG ARABS in the next room barely take their eyes off the

rerun of "Hunter." But as the young Arab opens the box:

A STUN GRENADE:

Hidden within, EXPLODES with a blinding FLASH, knocking him

to the ground.

THE APARTMENT DOOR

Is blown in as armed AGENTS rush in, Hub leading the way.

FBI AGENTS:

(English and Arabic)

FBI --! Lie down on the floor with

your hands behind your back --!

THE TWO OTHER YOUNG ARABS, HOWEVER --

Have not been affected. Not only were they in the next room,

but also their eyes were averted from the FLASH.

THEY COME UP FIRING

But only get off half a clip each before they are CUT DOWN

by a fusillade of FBI return-fire.

ON THE GROUND:

The Young Arab, momentarily disoriented, stumbles to his

feet, only to be confronted by six armed agents -- all aiming

at his chest.

FRANK:

Drop your weapon!

The terrorist puts his gun to his mouth and PULLS THE TRIGGER.

A STILLNESS:

As the CORDITE drifts lazily toward the ceiling, Hub calls

out from behind the table:

HUB:

What about the others? See if we can

get a pulse --

Other Agents scurry in to hover over the inert BODIES.

FRED:

Terminal.

MIKE:

Same here.

ELISE:

(softly)

Gone.

Hub picks himself up in time to see Elise, kneeling beside

the body of the Young Arab, her hand on his boyish chest.

MIKE:

We got semtex, we got detcord, same

stuff as the bus, the whole

enchilada...

A few WHOOPS and high-fives as the adrenaline rush of the

firefight abates. Frank opens the remaining box.

FRANK:

Anybody like anchovies --?

Then from across the room, Hub kneels beside an ominous-

looking DEVICE. A claymore mine.

HUB:

Goddamn it. GODDAMN IT.

FRANK:

What --?

HUB:

It didn't fire. They had it rigged

to the door and it didn't fire.

Frank stares at the lethal booby-trap. Hub shakes his head.

HUB:

We're too old to be lucky, Frank.

CUT TO:

A DOWNTOWN BAR -- LATER THAT NIGHT

Where Mike and Tina are dancing their asses off. Around them,

other AGENTS from the takedown laugh and drink.

AT A NEARBY TABLE

Hub and Elise sit, watch them cut loose.

ELISE:

(sips her drink)

My first boyfriend was Palestinian.

My father liked to say, they seduce

you with their suffering.

A WAITRESS brings her another drink.

ELISE:

You ever been over there --?

(he shakes his head,

no)

...The courtesy with which they

welcome you into their homes. And

the people, these incredibly... warm

people in this... austere land.

HUB:

But you work against them.

ELISE:

Only the crazies. I tend to be

suspicious of all true believers.

(looks at him)

Present company included.

HUB:

So I'm a fanatic.

ELISE:

Let's just say you don't seem the

ambivalent type.

HUB:

Is that right?

ELISE:

So why're are you a fed?

HUB:

That's what my nephew keeps asking

me. "Why you with The Man, Unc?"

ELISE:

...Well? What'd you tell him?

HUB:

You read my file. You tell me.

ELISE:

Let's see... Catholic school. Captain

of this, president of that. Hard

work, fair play, make a difference,

change the system from within. Rah.

Rah. Rah.

HUB:

That was in my file?

ELISE:

...Tell me I'm wrong.

He studies her for a moment.

ELISE:

...What --?

HUB:

You believe in anything, Elise --?

ELISE:

Like what, for instance?

HUB:

How about right and wrong?

ELISE:

It's easy to choose between right

and wrong. What's hard is choosing

the wrong that's more right. I just

want to make it all... a little...

better.

(finishes her drink)

Ignore me. I'm shitfaced.

Frank appears to lean over their table.

FRANK:

So am I --! Hey, Elise... tell us

about being a spook? Ever meet Aldrich

Ames? Weren't you at the Bay of Pigs?

ELISE:

You were in charge of Waco, right --

? Or was that Ruby Ridge?

FRANK:

The Shah of Iran, Noriega, I love

the way you guys predicted the

collapse of the Soviet Union.

ELISE:

Yeah, yeah, yeah... And J. Edgar

Hoover wore a dress.

She laughs and stands up to dance:

ELISE:

What do you say, Hub...? Peace?

But as he grudgingly stands up, a BALLAD comes on. They stand

there awkwardly. Finally, he takes her into his arms.

ELISE:

This feels like high school.

HUB:

-- only my prom date wasn't packing

a gun.

ELISE:

Mine's a 9 mm. How big is yours?

HUB:

Two inches. From the ground.

(laughing, they dance

closer)

So what's the latest from Samir. I

want a list of every visa he

sponsored.

ELISE:

Not sure he'll do it.

HUB:

I once knew this undercover guy,

started to care so much about his

source --

ELISE:

-- Samir's a source. Period.

HUB:

Have you considered that he might

also be in bed with the other side?

ELISE:

Samir in bed with them? That would

too much to wish for.

HUB:

You're so confident.

ELISE:

Only in bed.

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