Tomorrow Never Dies Page #8

Bond moves through the crowd. He spots a bulkhead, with a door.

HARMSWAY:

And so, in the spirit of international

cooperation - thanking my good friend,

Valentin Zukofsky - the newly elected

President of the Ukraine for all his

assistance -

He motions to Zukofsky, who nods to the audience...

HARMSWAY:

I give this boat to mankind - selflessly

- in pure charity asking nothing for

myself... But the cable TV rights.

Big laugh from the assemblage. Harmsway turns to a BEAUTY QUEEN:

HARMSWAY:

Miss Venice? If you'll do the honors -

SMASH! She cracks a champagne bottle on the tip of the bow. CHEERS!

HARMSWAY:

Now I'll take some questions from the

press - even the few of you who

aren't on my payroll.

Laughter. Harmsway points to a reporter:

REPORTER #1

Mr. Harmsway:
Why did you name this

boat the Sea Dolphin II?

HARMSWAY:

Actually, my first choice was 'No

Comment.' So if someone asked where

I was, I could truthfully respond 'No

Comment.'

(laughter; he points)

Over there.

REPORTER #2

Sir Elliot:
Is it true you're in

negotiations to move your offices

from Hong Kong to Kuala Lumpur?

HARMSWAY:

(impishly)

No comment.

Amidst more laughter, Bond disappears into the bulkhead door.

INT. SEA DOLPHIN II - BELOW DECKS -

Bond moves cautiously down a STAIRCASE...

And peers along a CORRIDOR. He sees a GUARD, checking doors, making

sure they're locked. Bond withdraws for a moment, looks back: The

guard is at the far end of the hall. He lifts a WALKIE-TALKIE:

GUARD:

Level one, secure.

The guard exits, down another staircase. Bond moves stealthily down

the corridor, glancing at signs on various doors: FISH HATCHERY,

WEATHER STATION, CREW'S MESS, etc... Until he comes to:

METALLURGY LAB. There's a CARD READER by the door. Bond slips out

his Q-toy, swipes it. Click. He goes inside.

INT. METALLURGY LAB - SEA DOLPHIN II - CONTINUOUS

Bond clocks the lab: Power tools, test benches, a SECOND ENTRY

DOOR... And in the middle of the room -

THE RED BOX.

Quickly, (as the echoes of Harmsway's press conference can be heard

through the portholes,) Bond examines the edges of the box, looking

for tamper-proof seals. Finds none. Gingerly, he opens it:

URANIUM SLUGS. They look like black tennis ball canisters.

BOND presses a button on his watch: THE GEIGER COUNTER CLICKS WILDLY

Bond pauses. Wants to make sure. He spots ANOTHER GEIGER COUNTER on

a bench; he moves its probe over the uranium slugs: Same result.

Bond closes the box. He decides to check out the rest of the room -

examining gadgets, tools, chemicals. HE OPENS A SHALLOW DRAWER -

And finds a set of BLACK ROTARY CUTTING SAWS, WITH ELONGATED TEETH.

(They look almost like a series of sharks' jaws - one oval set inside

another )

Bond lifts one - surprised at its extreme weight. He wonders what it

is used for. Just then -

THERE'S A CLICK AT THE SECOND DOOR. Bond quickly replaces the

cutting saw, moves to the first door -

And as the SECOND DOOR OPENS, Bond slips out the first, into the

CORRIDOR, down the hall, heading for the stairs.

BACK IN THE METALLURGY LAB -

YUNG enters, his hairless head shining under the lights. He looks

around, sensing something is wrong. Glances: Not the red box. Not

the Geiger counter. But then he notices it:

THE DRAWER is sticking out, maybe a sixteenth of an inch.

Yung picks up a telephone.

SEA DOLPHIN II - TOPSIDE -

Bond emerges from the bulkhead door. The press conference wrapping

up. As Bond makes his way to the RAIL, looking out on the cafe -

HARMSWAY:

The maiden voyage begins tonight. I

have some business in London - but

the ship will sail down the Nile,

across the South China Sea, stopping

in Australia, winding up in San

Francisco.

Bond stands at the rail, AIMS HIS WATCH at the cafe -

HARMSWAY (cont'd)

But having said that - let's get to

the real business - the only thing

that attracts newsmen faster than a

breaking story the free food and

beverage.

INT. CAFE -

DiGiacomo sees the BLUE LASER. Motions his men to action.

RETURN ON THE SEA DOLPHIN II - TOPSIDE -

Bond has sauntered to one of the hospitality bars, trying to remain

ac inconspicuous as possible. A hand clasps his shoulder:

VALENTIN'S VOICE

Mr. James Bond!

Bond spins to see Valentin, surrounded by the usual assortment of

cheaply dressed goons.

BOND:

Valentin. What an unpleasant surprise.

VALENTIN:

What is it that brings you to

Venezia, Mr. Bond? Business -

(sly glance to the thugs)

Or somebody else's business?

The goons chortle. Bond isn't happy with this attention. He clocks

a VIDEO SURVEILLANCE CAMERA ON ONE OF THE MASTS, scanning the deck.

A WOMAN'S SHRILL WHINING VOICE - brings Bond back to Valentin. She

is very colorfully dressed - dripping in high-ticket logos.

SOFIA:

Dimitri!!! You promised I could go

shopping!!

VALENTIN:

(sotto, to Bond)

New mistress.

(to her, impatiently)

So? Go!

SOFIA:

I need money.

Valentin gives a beleaguered shrug, and pulls out a HUGE WAD OF CASH.

VALENTIN:

Here. Take an inch.

Shaking his head, Valentin turns back to Bond:

VALENTIN:

Come. Let me buy you a drink. It's

free.

With Bond keeping an eye on the surveillance camera, they move

several steps to the bar.

VALENTIN:

(to the bartender)

Two vodka martini's. Shaken. Not stirred.

(to Bond)

And you?

Bond would rather not drink - but knows that any change from his

regular behavior might arouse suspicion.

BOND:

One.

As the bartender pours:

BOND:

I must say, Valentin, capitalism

seems to be treating you well.

VALENTIN:

(belting one back)

I used to sell weapons; now I buy votes.

(then)

Off the record.

BOND:

Of course. If you can't beat the

government, you might as well own it.

Valentin spots someone off-camera.

VALENTIN:

Wait - I want you to meet a friend of

mine.

(calling out)

Elliot! Elliot! Come here.

Harmsway appears. Ebullient as ever.

VALENTIN:

Elliot Harmsway, I want to introduce

you to an old friend -

BOND:

(putting out a hand to shake)

The name is Bond. James Bond.

Harmsway greets Bond with a warm smile. Yet his words are ambiguous:

HARMSWAY:

Always nice to meet one of her

Majesty's fellow subjects...

(a nod to Valentin)

Especially one with such

distinguished friends.

BOND:

You might say I've always been one of

Mr. Valentin's biggest followers.

VALENTIN:

(chortling)

'Biggest followers?' He's

practically made a career' of it!!

He laughs. Bond decides to pull Harmsway's chain.

BOND:

It's a beautiful boat, Sir Elliot.

Practically glows in the dark.

HARMSWAY:

(smiles)

I can tell you're a man with an eye

for exquisite possessions, Mr. Bond.

(signaling off camera)

Darling! Come here.

(beat)

I want you to meet my wife.

A woman appears in frame, her face obscured by a large sun hat. As

she reveals her face to the camera - and Bond -

HARMSWAY:

Paris Harmsway, allow me to introduce

you to James Bond.

There is a terrified look on her face. Harmsway continues, beaming

his most insinuating smile:

HARMSWAY:

But then... I believe you two have

already met.

There is a beat - an uncomfortable moment when nobody speaks. Then -

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