Watchmen Page #6

(CONTINUED)

19.

CONTINUED:

RORSCHACH:

Sorry, Miss Jupiter. I thought I should

tell you the bad news--the Comedian has

been murdered.

DR. MANHATTAN

Yes, since he and I are the only two

extranormal operatives currently employed

by the government, I was informed. The

CIA suspects one of the radical Islamic

groups.

Dr. Manhattan shrinks from sixty to six feet in size. He

speaks in a cold, even, matter of fact manner.

RORSCHACH:

I have my own theories. But neither of

you seem too concerned.

DR. MANHATTAN

A live human body and a dead human body

have the same number of particles.

Structurally there's no difference.

LAURIE:

Well, I might not be able to count

molecules, but either way, Blake was a

bastard. You know he tried to rape my

mother?

RORSCHACH:

Sounds like you may have had a score to

settle. You or your mother.

LAURIE:

What? Are you accusing--

DR. MANHATTAN

Rorschach, please don't upset Laurie. I

DON'T--

He pauses as if he hears something.

DR. MANHATTAN (CONT'D)

Excuse me for a moment.

Suddenly he disappears.

EXT. PORT OF LONG BEACH - CONTINUOUS

A group of suspicious looking MIDDLE EASTERN MEN watch as a

CONTAINER is being loaded onto a TRUCK--

(CONTINUED)

20.

CONTINUED:

--when suddenly Dr. Manhattan materializes in a blue flash,

floating in mid-air. The Middle Eastern Men shield their eyes

from the light, then realize in awe and fear

MIDDLE EASTERN MAN

(in Arabic)

It's him He's, he's real. Allah

help us, he's real!

The men run for it but it's useless--Dr. Manhattan shoots

BEAMS OF ENERGY at them, freezing all the men in mid motion--

--when PORT SECURITY pulls up. They get out of their jeeps,

in awe of Dr. Manhattan, still floating in mid-air.

DR. MANHATTAN

These men were transporting a shipment of

enriched uranium--

With a gesture, the container floats off the truck and

separates into pieces . . revealing the URANIUM inside.

Suddenly the uranium changes--

DR. MANHATTAN (CONT'D)

I've safely transformed the uranium into

sand. I trust you can take things from

here.

And just like that he disappears--

INT. LABORATORY - CONTINUOUS

--and is back in the lab without missing a beat.

RORSCHACH:

--I'm not here to judge the moral

discrepancies of a man who died in

service of his country.

LAURIE:

You call rape a moral discrepancy?!

DR. MANHATTAN

Rorschach--you're upsetting Laurie. I

think you ought to go.

RORSCHACH:

I came here to warn you both, just like I

warned Adrian and Dan. I believe someone

may be targeting masked heroes--

DR. MANHATTAN

I said you ought to go.

(CONTINUED)

21.

CONTINUED:

RORSCHACH:

It took a lot of effort to get in here.

I'm not leaving before I've--

With a look, Dr. Manhattan makes Rorschach disappear.

EXT. ROCKEFELLER MILITARY BASE - CONTINUOUS

Rorschach materializes down the road from the base.

RORSCHACH:

--had my say

Rorschach realizes what just happened. Checks himself, his

surroundings. Reorients himself. With nothing else he can do,

he heads down the road.

INT. LABORATORY - SAME TIME

Dr. Manhattan resumes his work. He looks distracted.

DR. MANHATTAN

He's gone. Are you okay now?

LAURIE:

YEAH:

(studies Dr. Manhattan)

Are you okay, Jon?

Dr. Manhattan pauses for a moment, thoughtful.

DR. MANHATTAN

I'm having trouble with my vision. I

can't see clearly what lies ahead.

There's some static interference.

LAURIE:

Interference? Caused by what?

DR. MANHATTAN

I'm uncertain. A power surge of great

magnitude? Perhaps a nuclear detonation.

LAURIE:

More war talk. I can't deal with this. I

don't want to think about the future

right now.

DR. MANHATTAN

There's no such thing as the "future."

I've explained to you on many occasions--

(CONTINUED)

22.

CONTINUED:

LAURIE:

--that time is simultaneous. There's no

past to travel back to, no future to

travel forward to, everything happens all

at once, our actions affect the course of

time instantly, yes I know.

(BEAT)

I'm sorry, it's just a little

unnerving to be with someone who can see

the future, or whatever you call it.

DR. MANHATTAN

I understand your frustration, Laurie.

The human mind for some reason is only

capable of viewing time frame by frame.

Perhaps you'd find it more comforting if

you could perceive time as I do

Dr. Manhattan touches her head--

INT. JUPITER HOUSE - NIGHT (FLASHBACK - 25 YEARS AGO)

Laurie's childhood home. We're in Laurie's POV, as a little

girl. There's arguing downstairs. Laurie goes down to

investigate.

She comes upon the kitchen door, ajar. She can see her

PARENTS inside, arguing--

LAURIE (V.0.)

Jon, stop!

INT. LABORATORY - EVENING

Back in the present, Laurie pulls away from Dr. Manhattan's

touch. That memory seems to be painful for her.

DR. MANHATTAN

I didn't mean to upset you.

LAURIE:

I know. I think I've been cooped up on

this base for too long. Rorschach

mentioned Dan Dreiberg--we haven't seen

him in years. Maybe we can give him a

call, see if he's available for dinner

tonight.

DR. MANHATTAN

You go ahead, Laurie. I want to further

investigate this interference with my

vision. I find it troubling.

23.

Rate this script:4.0 / 2 votes