Watchmen Page #21

FAT THUG:

Hey Boss, y'notice? None of that "small

world, tall order" crap, cuz he knows

once we slice open this lock, he's next

on the block.

RORSCHACH:

Fat chance.

The Fat Thug reddens. He DIVES forward, HANDS SWIPING for

Rorschach.

FAT THUG:

You're dead, Rorschach! We got a prison

full of killers out here! What've you

got?

Rorschach SPINS, WRAPPING A SHIRT-STRIP AROUND HIS WRISTS,

trapping the Fat Thug's hands inside the cell.

RORSCHACH:

Your hands. My pleasure.

Rorschach SNAPS Fat Thug's pinky fingers. Fat Thug SHRIEKS.

Rorschach roughly binds the fingers around the bars.

Dumb Thug tries to reach the welder around Fat Thug's body.

DUMB THUG:

I can't reach the lock. Should I cut the

bars?

(CONTINUED)

80

CONTINUED:

BIG FIGURE:

This riot won't last. And I've been

waiting twenty years for this

Big Figure nods to the Dumb Thug, who then grabs Fat Thug's

neck.

DUMB THUG:

Nothing personal, big guy.

FAT THUG:

Boss, you can't be serious! Wait--

Dumb Thug SNAPS Fat Thug's neck. He then CUTS OFF Fat Thug's

hands with the welder, pushes the corpse out of the way to

reach the lock. Big Figure grins at Rorschach.

BIG FIGURE:

Now you find out what the score is.

RORSCHACH:

One-nothing. Come and get me.

INT. OWL-SHIP (MOVING) - NIGHT

Dan and Laurie are back in costume.

LAURIE:

Look, Dan, I'm glad you were able to

rediscover your calling in life, but I

think you're getting carried away. You're

talking about springing a homicidal

psychopath from prison.

DAN:

Rorschach may be sick, but I think he's

on to something--four heroes attacked in

a week is not a coincidence. I mean, that

whole cancer thing with ion, does that

make sense to you? You didn't contract

cancer from him.

He says as Laurie's about to light a cigarette. She changes

her mind.

LAURIE:

Why would someone want to drive ion away?

Look what's happening now. With Jon gone

it looks like we're headed for another

World War. Who would want that?

(CONTINUED)

81.

CONTINUED:

OUTSIDE THE WINDOW: The Owl-Ship approaches a ROOFTOP with a

HELIPAD. On the helipad is a HELICOPTER with the Veidt

Enterprises LOGO.

DAN:

I don't know. But I know someone who

might be able to help.

Dan lands the Owl-Ship on the roof.

INT. ADRIAN'S MANSION - NIGHT

Surprisingly, Adrian is awake, packing his things, hustling

about his grand mansion as Dan and Laurie trail.

DAN:

You're leaving town? So you do believe

Rorschach's theory.

ADRIAN:

Please. Right now, I'm not concerned with

this so-called mask-killer, I'm concerned

with the mass killer called war, or have

you not heard.

(calling out)

On !

A WALL SIZED MIRROR turns into a TV:

CNN NEWSCASTER:

--US Aircraft Carriers have already moved

into the Persian Gulf and US Battleships

have left Japan en route to the Far East

THEATRE--

LAURIE:

It's happening

Dan breaks away from the terrible news, follows Adrian.

DAN:

All the more reason we need to get to the

bottom of this. Maybe we can get Jon to

come back in the process and stop all

this madness.

ADRIAN:

Nothing we do will bring Jon back!

(glances at Laurie)

But I think you know that already. And

breaking Rorschach out of prison

certainly isn't the answer.

(CONTINUED)

82

CONTINUED:

DAN:

Rorschach's been the only one

investigating this from the start.

Without him, we're starting at the

beginning and we don't have that kind of

time. We need your help, Adrian.

ADRIAN:

I'm leaving, Dan. And I suggest you both

do the same.

Adrian pulls on a thick WINTER COAT and heads upstairs.

EXT. HELICOPTER PAD - NIGHT

Adrian walks briskly to his idling COPTER, propellers loudly

cutting through the air. Dan gives one last effort, shouting.

DAN:

Where are you going to go?

ADRIAN:

Antarctica.

It takes Dan a moment to realize Adrian is serious. By then,

Adrian's halfway into the helicopter.

ADRIAN (CONT'D)

Good luck, Dan.

He says it sincerely. Dan watches the helicopter fly off.

INT. PRISON CELL - NIGHT

Dumb Thug WELDS, the lock GLOWS RED. Nearly through.

Rorschach backs away from the door as Big Figure trembles in

excitement.

BIG FIGURE:

Hurry Lloyd! I wanna smell this

sonofabitch cooking!

The lock MELTS AWAY. Rorschach climbs onto his bunk as Dumb

Thug enters, JABBING the electric welder at him menacingly.

Rorschach drives his HEEL into the porcelain TOILET BOWL,

SHATTERING IT. WATER SPILLS across the floor. Rorschach KICKS

Dumb Thug in the stomach; Dumb Thug buckles, then SLIPS in

the water--Dumb Thug falls, welder still in hand as he hits

the water

Dumb Thug's hand FUSES to the welder as ELECTRICITY SURGES

THROUGH HIM. He collapses, smoking. Dead.

(CONTINUED)

83

CONTINUED:

RORSCHACH:

Hmm. Never disposed of sewage with a

toilet before. Obvious, really.

Big Figure looks very small and alone now

RORSCHACH (CONT'D)

Two-nothing. Your move.

Panic stricken, Big Figure moves, or rather, runs. Rorschach

calmly follows him out of the cell.

INT. OWL-SHIP (MOVING) - NIGHT

The Owl-Ship tears through the sky, the prison ahead on the

horizon. Dan has his game face on; Laurie's still unsure.

Rate this script:4.0 / 2 votes