Wonderwoman Page #16

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Elated, Maru looks to Ludendorff. He nods with approval.

LUDENDORFF:

Congratulations, Doctor.

OFF the steaming, rotting gas mask...

61 INT. WAR OFFICE - WAR ROOM - LATER 61

Steve, Darnell, Sir Patrick, GENERAL DOUGLAS HAIG, and

the BRITISH WAR CABINET crowd in a room, walls full of

MAPS and PHOTOS of LUDENDORFF and DR. MARU (before her

metal implants) and the notebook. A TERRAIN MAP in the

center.

Diana stands near the door watching, LISTENING. She

walks to the wall of PHOTOGRAPHS.

COLONEL DARNELL:

Cryptographers had no luck. It

seems like a mixture of two

languages.

Diana hones in on the PHOTOS OF LUDENDORFF, even

examining the PINS holding them to the board, then looks

at THE NOTES.

DIANA:

Ottoman and Sumerian.

Everyone turns to look at her.

DIANA:

(sincere)

Surely someone else in this room

knew that.

GENERAL HAIG:

(incorrectly

offended)

Who is this woman?

Darnell glares at Steve. He'd like to know that, too.

STEVE:

She's my... secretary.

Having learned what a secretary is, Diana doesn't like

being called one.

(CONTINUED)

56.

61 CONTINUED:
61

GENERAL HAIG:

(skeptical)

And she speaks Ottoman and

Sumerian?

STEVE:

She's a very good secretary.

GENERAL HAIG:

See her out.

COLONEL DARNELL:

(reluctant, but

practical)

If this woman can read it, sir...

we should hear what she has to

say.

General Haig takes a beat, then nods.

DIANA:

(nods at Darnell)

Thank you.

(beat)

It's a formula... for a new kind

of mustard...

Haig scoffs:
mustard?

DIANA:

Mustard gas. Hydrogen-based,

instead of sulfur.

They react gravely to this...

DARNELL:

Gas masks would be useless against

hydrogen.

DIANA:

The book says they plan to release

this gas at... the front...

(unsure what it

means)

Front of what?

STEVE:

(alarmed; to

Generals)

General, you have to find out

where they're making this gas.

Burn it to the ground. Destroy

it.

(CONTINUED)

57.

61 CONTINUED:
(2) 61

COLONEL DARNELL:

Ludendorff was last seen in

Belgium --

GENERAL HAIG:

(dismissive)

We can't be seen sending troops

into German-occupied Belgium when

we're negotiating their surrender.

STEVE:

Sir, I saw this gas with my own

eyes. All the men on the front

line could die on both sides

unless you --

GENERAL HAIG:

That's what soldiers do, Captain.

Diana's shocked by the callousness. Sir Patrick looks at

her apologetically.

GENERAL HAIG:

What? Would you have us abandon

the front altogether?

STEVE:

Pull the troops out. Send me in.

With some strategic support, I

could take Ludendorff and his

operation out myself.

GENERAL HAIG:

Are you insane, Trevor? I can't

introduce rogue elements this late

into the game.

STEVE:

But, General --

Before Steve can argue further, Sir Patrick speaks up --

SIR PATRICK:

Now more than ever, the armistice

is of paramount importance, we

must get it negotiated and signed.

That is the surest way of stopping

the war.

GENERAL HAIG:

You will do nothing, Captain

Trevor. That's an order.

Diana expects Steve to defy the General like she defied

her mother, but --

(CONTINUED)

58.

61 CONTINUED:
(3) 61

STEVE:

Yes, sir. I understand, sir.

Diana blinks, confused, astonished, disappointed.

DIANA:

I don't.

STEVE:

(warning)

Diana. I know it's confusing --

DIANA:

It's not confusing. It's

unthinkable.

GENERAL HAIG:

I'm sorry, who did you say this

woman was?

STEVE:

She's with me. With us.

DIANA:

(appalled)

I am not with you. You would

knowingly sacrifice all those

lives? Do they mean less than

yours? Where I come from Generals

don't hide in their offices like

cowards. They fight alongside

their soldiers. They die with

them on the battlefield.

STEVE:

Diana. Enough.

(to Haig)

My apologies, sir.

Diana gapes at him, sickened, betrayed.

DIANA:

You should be ashamed!

(to the room)

All of you.

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