Tomorrow Never Dies Page #5

MONEYPENNY (O.S.)

Right away.

BOND:

.... I hate to ask, but... Did you

ever think you'd miss Communism?

M:

We serve the interests of the British

people, 007. No matter who we may be

foolish enough to elect.

Bond is silent, chastised. M looks away, then looks back:

M:

But if Elliot Harmsway is involved

with that uranium, I want him

prosecuted to the ends of the earth.

BOND:

Hopefully, it won't get that far.

M looks up:
MALCOLM SAUNDERS, Q's successor, limps in, looking like a

mummy - plaster casts on his left leg, left arm; neck-brace, crutch.

M:

Come in, Saunders.

SAUNDERS:

M. 007.

BOND:

Okay, Saunders. What is it this

time? Rocket in the leg? Machine

pistol in the arm?

SAUNDERS:

Q's retirement party. I'd just put

the knife into the cake, and -

BOND:

Come on. I know better than that -

Bond thwacks the crutch against the leg. Saunders GRIMACES IN PAIN.

BOND:

It must do something.

SAUNDERS:

Well... If you insist.

Saunders flexes his broken arm; ARMORED SPIKES pop out of the it.

BOND:

The die is cast.

Saunders exchanges a beleaguered glance with M. He takes off the cast

and neck-brace, and places a BRIEFCASE on M's desk.

SAUNDERS:

Now pay attention, 007. We haven't much

time to demonstrate your new Q toys.

BOND:

How is old Q?

SAUNDERS:

Gone fishing.

BOND:

Fishing?

SAUNDERS:

Big game fishing.

(beat)

Sonar torpedoes. Retirement gift

from his friends at the CIA.

Saunders has opened the briefcase. Bond tries to look inside, but

Saunders repositions it. Saunders continues:

SAUNDERS:

In the meantime, perhaps this will

spark your interest.

(takes out a disposable lighter)

Cigarette lighter. Thumb here, press here -

A small flame appears. Bond, unimpressed, reaches for it -

BOND:

Saunders, I've lit cigarettes -

SAUNDERS:

Not from forty feet.

Saunders flips the lighter sideways and - WHOOSH! A burst of flame

shoots across the room.

SAUNDERS:

The disposable lighter also contains

a small self-detonation charge

(beat)

Depending on who - or what - you

wish to dispose of.

Bond takes the lighter, begins to play with it...

SAUNDERS:

Stop fidgeting, 007. Next -

He takes out a pair of SHOELACES.

BOND:

... Shoelaces?

SAUNDERS:

Plastique explosive shoelaces.

(holding them out at length)

Cut them to regulate the size of the

blast; totally harmless until you

attach the detonator hidden in the

heel of your shoe.

BOND:

(examining them curiously)

Perfect way to tie up a... 'Knotty'

problem?

SAUNDERS:

(frowns)

Moving along -

(he produces:
)

A typical plastic security card.

Name here, magnetic information

stripe here -

(pointing to)

And a code breaking microprocessor

here. Swipe it through any card

reader - anywhere - you're in.

BOND:

Does it work on cash machines?

Saunders is suddenly stricken. Flustered. He blurts out:

SAUNDERS:

It was an authorized test. I returned the money.

BOND:

(amused)

I see...

SAUNDERS:

(ignoring this)

Finally, your new watch: Blue laser

here for signaling or burning

through locks; press this button, the

sweep hand becomes a Geiger counter.

BOND:

(needling him)

If you can't do the time, don't do

the crime?

SAUNDERS:

(smirks at Bond, pauses, then)

Oh. I almost forgot. There is one last

thing:
Before Q retired, he asked that

I give you one other protective device.

He hands Bond a WEDDING BAND.

BOND:

A wedding band??? What am I supposed

to be able to do with this?

SAUNDERS:

I believe Q's exact words were:

(imitating Q, emphatically:)

"Hopefully, nothing."

Bond turns from Saunder's devious grin to an amused M. Smiles:

BOND:

...I'll give you a ring from Venice.

M:

Good luck on your mission, 007.

He snaps the ring down on her desk.

BOND:

Till death do us part.

CUT TO:

EXT. VENICE HARBOR/GRAND CANAL - NIGHT

A GLEAMING WHITE YACHT - with two on-board helicopters, and a huge

tarped hold - dominates the harbor. (Harmsway's SEA DOLPHIN II.)

Tonight, however, we find a GONDOLA, gliding through the water...

Arriving at a festively-lit dock, crowded with gaily costumed

partygoers and musicians in medieval garb.

Wearing the mask from M's office, (and a bright blue cape,) Bond

alights the gondola, and plunges into the crowd.

EXT. PIAZZA SAN MARCO - NIGHT

A swirl of colors, noise and music. Pushing his way into the chaotic

celebration, Bond scans the crowd, looking for a face:

NOTHING BUT A SEA OF MASKS. White. Yellow. Red. Blue.

Caught up in the tumult, he turns left, he strains to turn right,

anxiously looking for the contact. Who is it?

THREE MASKED WOMEN appear in front of Bond. They curtsy, and giggle.

WOMAN:

Buona sera, signore -

He's spun by a MASKED MAN with a bottle.

MAN:

Vino?

Bond waves him off - and is jostled in the other direction, by a

group of celebrants carrying a long banner.

Suddenly, the CROWD SURGES FORWARD: A PROCESSION, carrying the

EFFIGY OF CARNIVAL is making its way through the square.

Locked shoulder to shoulder in the crowd, Bond struggles to look

forward - left, right - when he FEELS A TUG at his cape from behind.

He can only crane his neck to see/hear -

MASKED WOMAN:

I may have been followed. Meet me at

the Church in five minutes!

With an effort, Bond turns to look at her - but sees nothing, save

the wisp of a satin costume, disappearing as the crowd closes ranks

behind him.

SAN GIACOMO SQUARE - NIGHT

Five minutes later. Almost deserted. A few stray couples. The

MASKED WOMAN appears, walking tentatively between the shadows and

the moonlight, looking for Bond. Suddenly -

Whomp! - an arm reaches out, and yanks her into an alcove.

BOND:

Looking for someone?

Recovering her breath (it was a violent yank,) the woman - PARIS

removes her mask. She shines a sexy, 1000-watt smile at 007:

PARIS:

Hello, James.

Bond reacts. He is not happy to see her.

BOND:

Paris?!? What are you doing here?

PARIS:

Is that any way to say hello?

BOND:

I thought your specialty was good-bye.

Paris smiles coyly. She LIFTS A HAND to tousle his hair -

PARIS:

Oh, James. I've missed you -

BOND:

(grabbing her by the wrist)

Is this another one of your games?

PARIS:

Stop it! You're hurting me! Can't

you just be nice?

BOND:

I've got half the British government

breathing down my neck. I don't have

time for your nonsense.

She's surprised - and hurt - by his coldness.

PARIS:

Don't you even miss me? Didn't I

mean anything to you?

BOND:

Nothing.

She turns away from him, fighting back tears. Bond doesn't care:

BOND:

What about Elliot Harmsway? Or is

this just another one of your stunts?

PARIS:

(anguished)

No! He's crazy - he's insane. He

hates everybody. He's got these

plans -

(facing Bond, becoming hysterical:)

You've got to help me, James. I'm

sorry. I'm sorry for everything. I

know I was wrong - but you've got to

protect me. I know you still love -

BOND SLAPS HER. She's stunned. He waits. She's angered:

PARIS:

Do you feel better now?

BOND:

(not giving an inch)

Do you?

She turns away. Bond feels remorse for hitting her. Softens:

BOND:

What about the uranium?

PARIS:

It's on the boat. He's holding a

press conference tomorrow.

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