Watchmen Page #17

AIMING THE GRAPPLING GUN AT HIS CHEST .

SWAT COP 3 (CONT'D)

SH*T

The HOOK BLOWS THE BODY-ARMORED COP OVER THE RAILING.

EXT. MOLOCH'S BROWNSTONE - NIGHT

Det. Gallagher and Fine watch from behind a LINE OF COP CARS.

The house is now BLAZING. Smoke and men's screams drift out.

DET. FINE

We've got him. There's no way out.

From the second floor, Rorschach SMASHES THROUGH THE WINDOW,

snarling like a rabid dog, landing hard on the concrete. His

ankle TWISTS, dropping him to the ground.

Rorschach struggles to get to his feet. When he looks up he

finds TWENTY COPS IN A SEMI-CIRCLE before him. A loaded,

pregnant pause. The COPS RUSH FORWARD.

(CONTINUED)

64.

CONTINUED:

But Rorschach holds up a gloved hand. And they all stop,

unsure what this lunatic will do next.

RORSCHACH:

Ten years. I've waited for this.

He beckons them forward. The cops PILE INTO HIM. Rorschach

brutally disables six cops before he is overwhelmed.

RORSCHACH (CONT'D)

No pain. Must get up. Find who framed me--

A Cop KICKS HIM in the throat. Rorschach drops again.

FINE:

Get that mask off him!

COP 1

I got it. Christ, he stinks!

RORSCHACH:

No no no NO NO NO!

The Cop peels back the shifting mask to reveal the Homeless

Man from the news stand. He screams at them wildly.

RORSCHACH (CONT'D)

My face! Give it back to me!

Rorschach is finally beaten, surrounded by cops, as Moloch's

house blazes in the background.

RORSCHACH (CONT'D)

GIVE ME BACK MY FACE!

INT. DAN'S HOUSE - DAY

Dan is at the front door, fixing the lock Rorschach busted

twice, when Laurie comes down the stairs, yawning.

LAURIE:

What time is it?

DAN:

Noon. Thought I'd let you sleep in.

Laurie smiles at him. Is Dan crazy or does he sense a spark?

She touches his shoulder as she turns into the living room,

then turns on the TV:

(CONTINUED)

65.

CONTINUED:

ANCHORWOMAN:

Today, police searched the apartment of

Walter Kovacs, better known as the masked

vigilante Rorschach. Kovacs was captured

last night and charged with the murder of

Edgar Jacobi, formerly known as the

supervillain Moloch. Moloch was found

shot in the head at point blank range.

Both Dan and Laurie stop what they're doing, eyes fixed on

the TV:
They see Rorschach, unmasked, IN SHACKLES.

ANCHORWOMAN (CONT'D)

Inside the decrepit apartment, police

discovered stacks of right-wing

literature, including several years of

back issues of the ultra-conservative

publication, "The New Frontiersman." We

asked "New Frontiersman" editor, Hector

Godfrey, for comment.

CUT TO:
A clip of the EDITOR being interviewed. We see

Seymour, who we met at the news stand, in the background.

EDITOR:

Rorschach is an American patriot and we

are proud that he reads this publication.

ANCHORWOMAN:

During his capture, Kovacs assaulted and

severely injured at least nine police

officers, shooting one officer with a

grappling gun. That officer is in serious

but stable condition.

ANCHORMAN:

Meanwhile, in Kashmir, fighting continues

to intensify. Both India and Pakistan

alluded that the use of nuclear weapons

is not out of the question--

Laurie shuts off the TV, not wanting to hear the war talk.

LAURIE:

That mask's eaten Rorschach's brains

away.

DAN:

He wasn't always like that. We were a

great team--tactically, he was brilliant.

But I don't know, something about this

murder charge I just can't see

Rorschach shooting Moloch.

(CONTINUED)

66

CONTINUED:
(2)

LAURIE:

He shot a cop with a grappling gun.

DAN:

Don't remind me, I made that thing for

him. But a regular gun just seems too

. ordinary

LAURIE:

And this war, god. Sometimes I wish I

could just leave the planet. Like Jon.

DAN:

Oh sure. The old Manhattan Transfer.

LAURIE:

Now, that's funny. That's what you call

Jon's teleportation?

DAN:

Well, not to his face.

Laurie laughs.

INT. PRISON HALLS - DAY

Rorschach walks, led by TWO CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS. From the

cells, PRISONERS shout insults, death threats. Rorschach

stares ahead. Silent. Calm.

INT. PRISON PSYCH ROOM - DAY

The PRISON PSYCHIATRIST, Black, amiable, a mite portly, sits

across the table from Rorschach sans mask: Cold and

frightening. The Psychiatrist reads his FILE.

PSYCHIATRIST:

Walter Kovacs. Is that your name?

Walter?

RORSCHACH:

No.

The Psychiatrist sits back, considering Rorschach carefully.

PSYCHIATRIST:

Let me explain your situation here,

Walter. If you cooperate with me, I may

be able to convince them that you should

to be treated medically, in a hospital,

which I believe is best for you. But the

authorities want to put you in General

Population.

(CONTINUED)

67

CONTINUED:

RORSCHACH:

A prison is a prison.

PSYCHIATRIST:

Yes, but the difference is, downstairs?

They'll eat you alive.

He holds up a RORSCHACH BLOT-CARD.

PSYCHIATRIST (CONT'D)

Now . . tell me what you see.

FLASH OF:
A DEAD DOG. Bloody, horrible.

RORSCHACH:

A pretty butterfly.

The Psychiatrist holds up another blot-card.

PSYCHIATRIST:

How about this one? What do you see here?

FLASH OF:
Rorschach, as a LITTLE BOY, watching his MOTHER,

HALF NAKED, EMBRACE A MAN AS HE HANDS HER SOME MONEY. When

she catches Rorschach interrupting, she SMACKS him in the

face. Shuts the door on him.

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