"PROBE" "MOONROCK" written by Leslie Stevens A Leslie Stevens Production PROPERTY OF: WARNER BROS. TELEVISION FINAL DRAFT 4OOO Warner Boulevard JUNE 1, 1972 Burbank, California 1 LUNAR SURFACE (NASA STOCK) Actual footage from an Apollo moon landing shows two ASTRONAUTS working carefully at their scientific tasks. Clad in bulky spacesuits, the two men move in reduced gravity as though submerged in water. The essential feature of their work is the selection of mineral sam- ples. They use claw-sticks to pick up specimens of rock and place them in containers for shipment back to earth. During this, actual cross-talk between Houston Control and the Astronauts carries across the quarter-of-a- million miles with crystal clarity. 2 DEPARTURE PREPARATION (NASA STOCK) The Astronauts enter the lunar landing craft and pre- pare to blast off of the forbidding surface. 3 BLAST OFF (NASA STOCK) The lunar vehicle blasts off. 4 SPACE WALK (NASA STOCK) Authentic footage of an Astronaut floating weightless in deep space. The entire opening sequence is selected from the most spectacular space footage available. PULL BACK to REVEAL that the lunar mission coverage is part of a special Probe Control briefing. 5 PROBE CONTROL CAMERON and the team of telemetry experts observe the space shot. LOCKWOOD is intent upon the intricate technology. CAMERON Takes you back, eh? LOCKWOOD Nothing has changed... except the distances. But what does this moonshot have to do with us? CAMERON It's part of the briefing tapes. We're supposed to observe the mineral sample picked up by the number two man -- Keach, roll back to the marked key-numbers. KEACH Reverse to 617A Niner. 2. 6 MAIN SCREEN The tape blurs and screeches rapid gibberish as it re- verses to a particular moment: one of the Astronauts picks up a crystalline sample. CAMERON That's it. Freeze and punch in. The image freezes and then jumps in sharply on the mineral sample. 7 INSERT (GRAIN EFFECT) A crystal lump of lunar debris fills the screen. A print read-out snaps on as an electronic ALARM SOUNDS: CODE 10. 8 PROBE CONTROL Lockwood and Cameron react to the Code 10 alarm. CAMERON Code 10. Absolute Secrecy. Only those with Security Clearance Ten are permitted to remain. The members of the team file out. LOCKWOOD Goodbye, gang, I'll tell you how it comes out. (to Griffin) Soon as we're briefed, I'll come beat you at pool. GRIFFIN You? Beat me? At pool? Lockwood, you're spaced out worse than that dude with the garbage bag. LOCKWOOD Five bucks. GRIFFIN Pay now cause you're going to lose later. Mi lataccini fatabalini. LOCKWOOD All those languages really go to your mouth. Griffin grins as he exits. 3. 9 PROBE CONTROL Cameron and Lockwood are left alone. Cameron punches buttons. CAMERON Code Ten. Ready for I.D. clearance. He and Lockwood put their I.D. cards in the flash-slots. NARRATOR Two clearances. V.C.R. Cameron, Director of Probe Control and John Lockwood, Probe One. The I.D. slots flash. 10 PROBE SCREEN The read-out flashes: I.D. POSITIVE. NARRATOR Cleared for Code 10. CAMERON Proceed with the briefing. He punches buttons. Pulse tone. 11 PROBE SCREEN (INSERT) A series of stills of the crystal mineral chunk glints with odd lights as it is shown from various angles. Grids and numbers pop on. NARRATOR Lunar mineral sample number D-107. Cannister three. Crystal structure. The screen splits and a NASA official, DR. EWING, appears. His image reduces to an upper quadrant as he speaks. DR. EWING This is Dr. Forbes Ewing, special consultant, Space Administration Research Division. Sample D-107 classified top secret due to potential impact upon world economics. (MORE) (CONTINUED) 4. 11 CONTINUED: DR. EWING (CONT'D) Crystal structure identified as pure carbon produced by volcanic and/or meteoritic pressure. In short, what we have here is a cluster of raw diamonds. CAMERON (bewildered) Diamonds... on the moon?? LOCKWOOD Book me on the next Apollo. DR. EWING The Space Research Team recommended that no statement be made to the news media due to the sensational nature of the discovery. To protect industrial investments, national treasures and even the future of lunar exploration, the President's Commission ordered an emergency, top-secret analysis of the carbon substance. CAMERON I should hope so. If it's flawed, it's worthless. LOCKWOOD And if it's perfect, it's priceless. The console flashes and PULSE TONE SOUNDS. CAMERON Wait a second. We have an override cassette. Cut in, please, and run. 12 MAIN SCREEN A distinguished man appears. It is DR. RALPH WINTERS, Chairman of World Securities. CAMERON (murmurs in awe) ... the old man. LOCKWOOD Talk about top priorities... (CONTINUED) 5. 12 CONTINUED: DR. WINTERS For the tape record, this is Dr. Ralph Winters, Chairman of the Board of World Securities. (confides) Dr. Cameron, Lockwood, you have been briefed on Lunar Sample D-107. Due to its extraordinary value, U.S. government security ordered it separated from the other lunar samples and consigned to the Geo Science Labs at Palo Alto. For obvious reasons, the government did not wish to draw attention to the shipment so they played it down by hiring the world's finest private protection company. LOCKWOOD World Securities? DR. WINTERS (bows a little) That is correct. They entrusted delivery of Lunar Sample D-107 to us here at World Securities. (he lowers the boom) And we lost it! LOCKWOOD We lost a moonrock? CAMERON A diamond the size of a softball?? DR. WINTERS It's gone. That's all I can tell you. Lost, stolen, evaporated. LOCKWOOD You mean we're not infallible? How long ago did it happen? DR. WINTERS Three hours ago, we received a call from Dr. Norman Van Owen, Nobel Laureate in charge of the Geo Science Labs. The sealed cannister was empty. (CONTINUED) 6. 12 CONTINUED: (2) CAMERON Did he report it to the Space Administration? DR. WINTERS Not yet. Fortunately. I managed to stall him by saying it was a mistake -- that we guaranteed delivery. CAMERON Did you inform the President's Commission? DR. WINTERS We're holding off until we're sure of our ground. LOCKWOOD You haven't told NASA and you haven't told the government? DR. WINTERS No. But I am telling you. World Securities is in big trouble and we need help. Right now. This magnitude of emergency is precisely why we formed the Probe Division in the first place. Your job is recovery and retrieval. You're supposed to find what's missing. CAMERON But a missing moonrock DR. WINTERS It's got to be found and fast! As of this minute, Probe Unit One is under Executive Order, Priority double-A. Assignment: recover Lunar Sample D-107. And I want you to put your best Probe on the case. CAMERON Lockwood. DR. WINTERS Lockwood. LOCKWOOD So now I'm a rock-hound. OPTICAL TRANSITION FX: 7. 13 JET LINER (STOCK) A full set of 707 superjet engines blasts in like a compressed tornado. The heavy plane hangs for a moment against a saffron and cinnamon sunset, then veers away. 114 JET LINER - INT. Lockwood studies a mineral treatise, "crystalline Structures in Mineral Compounds." A pretty stewardess trundles the booze cart by. STEWARDESS Mr. Lockwood? Champagne? LOCKWOOD I will if you will. STEWARDESS I'm not allowed to. LOCKWOOD (kidding) Come on, let's sneak down in the luggage compartment and tie one on. STEWARDESS It's freezing down there. LOCKWOOD I'll buy you some warm chicken soup when we land. STEWARDESS A man who offers a girl chicken soup can't be all bad. LOCKWOOD I wish you'd put that in writing, in a self-addressed envelope with your phone number, in case of emergency. STEWARDESS (smiling) I'll be back. She trundles the cart on its way. LOCKWOOD (mutters) Probe One to Probe Control. Do you read me? 8. 15 PROBE CONTROL Cameron and the team monitor the flight. CAMERON This is Probe Control. Affirmative. INSERTS of Comsat antenna and Microwave Stations. CAMERON (V.0.) We know you're in the presence of people. Is it safe for you to use verbal? LOCKWOOD There's nobody sitting near enough to hear me mumbling into my cufflink. CAMERON You'll be sad to hear that Miss Harding won't be here to check up on you. She's out with a cold. However, her replacement will be monitoring your every move. LOCKWOOD Replacement? CAMERON Her cousin. Miss Anne Mulligan. (to Miss Mulligan) Miss Mulligan. Would you like to say hello to our Probe, Mr. Lockwood? MULLIGAN Which button do I push? CAMERON The channel's open, just speak into your microphone. MULLIGAN The microphone? CAMERON On your headset. MULLIGAN Sorry. It's different in the training module. They use lavalier mikes with a cutoff button. (CONTINUED) 9. 15 CONTINUED: CAMERON (patient) Just say hello. MULLIGAN Hello? Lockwood? LOCKWOOD Hi, Anne Mulligan. MULL I GA N Gloria told me to tell you not to worry; she'll replay every inch of the tape-record to keep up with your physical activities. She told me about your adrenalin. How it gets out of hand... so I'm to watch it like a hawk. LOCKWOOD I might have known she'd have everything under control. MULLIGAN (confides) By the way, was there something about that stewardess that upset you? LOCKWOOD She reminded me of my high school principal. MULLIGAN That accounts for the whammies. CAMERON "Whammies?" MULLIGAN (sincere) On my scope. The phosphor-trace kind of wriggled. His temperature got fizzy and his heart went "beweep beweep." CAMERON Miss Mulligan, telemetry specialists on Probe Unit One try to avoid imprecise terms such as "whammies" or... "fizzy"... (CONTINUED) 10. 15 CONTINUED: (2) LOCKWOOD It's my fault, Cam. I have an over-active beweep. Look, we're about to land, so I'll end verbal. All I need is the name of the last person who laid eyes on the moon diamond. CAMERON (presses key. Insert still of Dr. Van Owen) Lunar sample D-107 was last seen by Doctor Van Owen, Norman B.; Nobel Laureate. Senior Director, Geo Science Institute, Palo Alto. OPTICAL FX: 16 GEO SCIENCE LABS - (HARPMAN BUILDING) The exterior of the Geo Science Institute is impressive. Stainless-steel lettering conveys the sleek power of the science center. Lockwood hesitates at the entrance. LOCKWOOD Which building? CAMERON The central arcade. You'll be met by Dr. Trapnell and escorted to Dr. Van Owen's office. Lockwood enters. 17 RECEPTION AREA Lockwood enters the spare, silent reception area. He is greeted by a warm, feminine voice. DOCTOR TRAPNELL turns out to be a smashing young lady Ph.D. She wears a lab coat and glasses hanging from a chain. Her name is LAURA. LAURA Mr. Lockwood? I'm Doctor Trapnell. LOCKWOOD They say doctors come in all shapes and sizes. 11. 18 PROBE CONTROL Mulligan reacts to Lockwood's healthy readout on her physical systems console. She is now afraid of Cameron and halfway raises her hand to speak. CAMERON Yes? Miss Mulligan? Do you wish to report a readout in physical systems?.., or do you wish to leave the room? MULLIGAN I am observing a reaction. Two reactions. One each. His... and hers. CAMERON Please clarify. MULLIGAN (carefully) Probe One seems to be experiencing a generalized "galvanization" stimulated by Dr. Trapnell. CAMERON Go on. What about Dr. Trapnell? MULLIGAN (very carefully) According to her bips... she, too is quite pleasantly turned on. CAMERON (to Keach) Let's erase that from the tape record... (to Mulligan) Miss Mulligan, there is no need to report every nervous twitch. 19 CORRIDOR Lockwood and Dr. Trapnell approach Dr. Van Owen's office. LAURA Please forgive me for not being more hospitable. We've been under a considerable strain. LOCKWOOD You know how to bear up under pressure. You look great. (CONTINUED) 12. 19 CONTINUED: LAURA I'm worried about Dr. Van Owen. LOCKWOOD It's not everyday that you misplace a moonrock. LAURA (looks at him sharply) Dr. Van Owen did not misplace it. LOCKWOOD I'm not accusing him. LAURA Your company is responsible. LOCKWOOD One hundred percent. World Securities guarantees delivery. LAURA (calms down) I'm sorry. How was your flight? LOCKWOOD Kind of bumpy. But the stewardess gave me a prescription. LAURA They usually try to numb you with champagne. LOCKWOOD I prefer chicken soup. They arrive at the door. LAURA This is Doctor Van Owen's office. LOCKWOOD Before we go in. I'm a little in awe of Nobel Prize Winners. Is there anything that might help me with Doctor Van Owen? LAURA He's a genius, absent-minded. He's upset about D-107. He's a very nice man. (CONTINUED) 13. 19 CONTINUED: (2) LOCKWOOD Can you help me a little with you? LAURA Me? I'm a research assistant... B.A. in Mineralogy, Cal Tech. Ph.D. in Selenology. LOCKWOOD The study of the moon. LAURA (smiles) Yes. I'm a moon bug. LOCKWOOD What's a nice girl like you doing in a discipline like that? LAURA Just lucky, I guess. She opens the door. 20 DOCTOR VAN OWEN'S OFFICE The office is impressive. The walls are covered with Lunar maps. The quadrants are photo blow-ups of NASA charts. The effect is impressive. On a table to one side is a glass-enclosed, not-too-large examination case. It is air-tight with sleeves to permit handling of samples. Lockwood and Laura enter. DR. VAN OWEN is a likeable, abstract genius. He wears a tweed vest under his lab coat. A Phi Beta Kappa key glints from a gold chain. LAURA Dr. Van Owen, this is Mr. Lockwood from the Probe Division of World Securities. VAN OWEN It's only fair to tell you, Mr. Lockwood, I have a call in to the Space Administration. LOCKWOOD To report the loss of D-107? (CONTINUED) 14. 20 CONTINUED: VAN OWEN It has to be reported sooner or later... and let me make myself perfectly clear, the Lunar Sample was not delivered to me. LOCKWOOD Then how do you know it's missing? VAN OWEN Your man Hadley, from World Securities... LOCKWOOD Director of Armored Transport. VAN OWEN Mr. Hadley brought the cannister here, into my office. I instructed him to place it in the examination case so we could open it. He clicks light on in case. 21 EXAMINATION CASE The glass case glows with indirect light. Inside, a delivery cannister is labeled. MINERAL SAMPLE D-107 GEO-SCIENCE INST. The top is open. The cannister is empty. The score is other worldly for a moment. Van Owen peers into the case. Lockwood is at his shoulder with Laura nearby. The angle is odd. VAN OWEN After an object is placed inside, it's made air-tight and sterilized so there can't be any contamination. Dr. Trapnell was a witness. LAURA Mr. Hadley placed the cannister where you see it now. LOCKWOOD The top was closed. (CONTINUED) 15. 21 CONTINUED: VAN OWEN Yes. As soon as the cannister was safe in the case, we accepted the delivery papers. I had left my pen and my coffee on my desk. There in the inner office -- Mr. Hadley... all of us... went inside where I read over the receipt. LOCKWOOD But you didn't sign it. VAN OWEN Oh, yes. I signed it as a matter of routine.., in good faith. I may be liable in the strictest legal sense, but Dr. Trapnell can tell you what happened. LAURA We came out of the inner office and went over to the examination case. We put on the work sleeves and I noticed that the seal on the cannister was broken. It was not broken when we went into the inner office. VAN OWEN We opened the cannister and it was empty! LOCKWOOD How long were you out of this room? VAN OWEN Three minutes. LAURA If that. LOCKWOOD Then you didn't actually see D-107? VAN OWEN Not the actual sample. I signed for this cannister which is labeled D--107... so I accepted delivery, in a sense. (CONTINUED) 16. 21 CONTINUED: (2) LOCKWOOD We're not holding you to anything Dr. Van Owen. World Securities is a responsible, reliable company. VAN OWEN Your man, Mr. Hadley, was the last person to handle the actual, mineral sample which was supposed to be inside the cannister. LOCKWOOD I'm not here to pin the blame on anyone. Probe is a search and recovery organization. My job is just to find the hot rock. VAN OWEN We've searched high and low. LOCKWOOD But not high enough or low enough. (to Laura) Dr. Trapnell. Could anyone have come in here while you were in there signing the delivery receipt? LAURA Yes, there are research labs in this building. A lot of people go in and out. Lab technicians, lunar research teams. Science associates. But the delivery was known only to Dr. Van Owen and myself. LOCKWOOD Let's assume that the sample was in the cannister when it was first put in the examination case. And let's assume that someone found out about it, came in and... removed it. VAN OWEN Stole it. LOCKWOOD Took it. Carefully. They didn't smash the glass and grab it. (CONTINUED) 17. 21 CONTINUED: (3) LAURA Are you saying that one of our scientists might have.. dropped in and walked off with it? VAN OWEN A scientist would have used the sleeves.. to avoid contaminating the sample. LOCKWOOD But this was a top—secret sample. Carbon crystals, waiting for you to determine their purity. The pictures I saw looked like a cluster of raw diamonds. LAURA A scientist wouldn't have touched it. LOCKWOOD Whoever it was, knew how to open this case. Does anyone have access. Permission to open it. A key? VAN OWEN My assistant, Professor Ellender. LOCKWOOD Where is he? LAURA He goes to Mount Vernier Wednesday through Friday. He prefers to work there... on his papers. LOCKWOOD Could Professor Ellender have taken D-107 with him? LAURA He didn't know about it... and it doesn't sound like Professor Ellender. LOCKWOOD What if someone used Professor Ellender as a cat's paw? And... (CONTINUED) 18. 21 CONTINUED: (14) VAN OWEN Cat's paw? LOCKWOOD Told him he was expected to take a special sample for study... classification? LAURA I think we'd better talk to Professor Ellender. VAN OWEN There's no telephone up at the retreat. LAURA He stays in a cabin up at Mount Vernier. VAN OWEN It'll take a couple of hours to drive up... and I've got to be here in Palo Alto for the Vostok reception. I'm addressing the Russian Cosmonaut delegation on the International Exchange Program. LOCKWOOD I'm sure Dr. Trapnell can show me the way. LAURA Bring a thermos full of coffee. It's going to be a long drive. LOCKWOOD I get better mileage out of chicken soup. 22 PROBE CONTROL Mulligan is hesitant to bother Cameron. Cameron senses it. CAMERON Are you squirming, Miss Mulligan? MULLIGAN I'm not sure if I ought to report this... 'flutter.' CAMERON What does that mean? (CONTINUED) 19. 22 CONTINUED: MULLIGAN I'd have to call it a "chicken soup" reaction. CAMERON Dr. Van Owen? Dr. Trapnell? MULLIGAN Lockwood. According to his pulse and respiration, chicken soup drives him bananas. CAMERON (dry) Reaction noted. (his expression is resigned) Shall we press on with the rock hunt? One beep. Affirmative. OPTICAL TRANSITION FX: 23 DRIVE BY (STOCK OF IDYLWILD AREA) A magnificent panorama of mountain roads in the purple haze of evening. Vistas of crags, gorges and moody escarpments as the car wends its way towards Lake Vernier. The score blossoms with otherworldly, almost lunar, glamor. 214 FOLIAGE ROAD - PICNIC TABLE - DAY FOR EVENING Lockwood pulls over. Laura is in a dreamy state. Pine Tree WIND SOUNDS. ROMANTIC UNDERSCORE. LOCKWOOD The sign said, "Last Picnic Area Before Summit." LAURA Do you like carrot cake? LOCKWOOD Do I like what? LAURA Health food cake made with carrots. (CONTINUED) 20. 214 CONTINUED: LOCKWOOD I try to keep an open mind. LAURA (takes a deep breath) Pine needles, wind in the fir trees. LOCKWOOD Take twenty deep breaths in rapid succession. LAURA I'll black out. LOCKWOOD Right. Then I carry you off to my lair in the crags. LAURA (serves cake) I know your type. You're just after my carrot cake. LOCKWOOD Give me the one with the icing and I'll teach you to dance like a gypsy. LAURA Here, on the side of a mountain? LOCKWOOD Keep one knee bent and you stay level. They dance dreamily to the car radio. CAMERON Ah, Lockwood, we seem to be bogging down. Lockwood keeps dancing quietly. MULLIGAN (regards the pips on her scope) I guess it's the altitude. A little exertion goes a long way... Laura stops. (CONTINUED) 21. 214 CONTINUED: (2) LOCKWOOD Something stopped. LAURA I feel guilty having a good time. LOCKWOOD I know what you mean. If we don't find that moonrock somebody may discover it's a clump of diamonds and panic the world market. LAURA Goodbye space program. LOCKWOOD (comforting) Don't feel guilty. The car was heating up. Besides, we're entitled to an occasional carrot-cake break. She collects wrappings. LAURA I've been thinking about what you said back in Dr. Van Owen's office. LOCKWOOD You mean my heavy guesswork? LAURA What if someone did use Professor Ellender as a cat's paw? LOCKWOOD Why did that ring a bell? LAURA There's an exchange student. His name is Abbas Mirzah. He's Chaldean from Asia Minor. LOCKWOOD What about him? LAURA He worked on the Ur excavations in Mesopotamia. He knows rare minerals and he sticks to Professor Ellender like a leech. (CONTINUED) 22. 214 CONTINUED: (3) LOCKWOOD You don't sound too crazy about him. LAURA He's a super-snob; Oxford accent, Regent Street suits -- his uncle is a Colonel who got kicked out of the army. He's been trying for years to set up a military dictatorship. LOCKWOOD Is there any way he could have known D--107 was a moonrock? LAURA I can't say for sure but he was always "there by the door"... hanging around... slipping in and out of the room, like a shadow. LOCKWOOD We ought to check him out. 25 PROBE CONTROL Cameron gets the message. He stirs into action. CAMERON Received your request. (to Keach) Link up with inter-university computer banks. Palo Alto Geo Science Institute, registration files: Abbas Mirzah. Phonetic spelling MIRZAH. Exchange Student, Chaldean. Worked on the diggings at the Ur excavations in Mesopotamia. KEACH Search, please? Signal on retrieval. 26 MOUNTAIN DRIVE - (STOCK) Sunset-into-dusk is a moment of splendor as the scenery opens out into breath—taking vistas. Lockwood’s rented car wends its way upward toward Mount Vernier. BROODING SCORE. 23. 27 ELLENDER'S CABIN - DUSK The slanting, odd light provides mood as Lockwood’s car arrives. A battered jeep is parked near a picturesque lake. (Day-for-eve, blue-mood print.) Lockwood and Laura get out of the car and go to the cabin door. 28 ELLENDER CABIN - DOORWAY Lockwood knocks on the door. He turns to Laura. The SCORE BECOMES OMINOUS. LOCKWOOD You'd think he'd hear us coming. LAURA Something' s wrong. LOCKWOOD (for Cameron) Any reason not to go in? LAURA I know he's here. He drives that old jeep. CAMERON Mulligan? You have Lockwood's vital signs ... and Dr. Trapnell's vital signs. Do you have a reading, off-presence, inside the cabin, for Professor Ellender? MULLIGAN Yes, sir. I am reading a third set of vital signs, off-presence. Rapid pulse... rapid breathing... high adrenalin. CAMERON Lockwood, he seems to be waiting for you to go inside. Lockwood knocks again. LOCKWOOD Professor Ellender? LAURA It's Laura Trapnell. May we come in? 24. 29 INT. - ELLENDER CABIN Lockwood and Laura enter. The suspense is extreme as nobody meets them. The SCORE IS FOREBODING. Lockwood and Laura move cautiously. They approach the living area. Suddenly Laura SCREAMS. 30 ELLENDER CABIN ELLENDER is dead. He is sprawled in a tangle of fur rugs. Signs of a struggle surround the dead man. Lockwood holds Laura for a second, then kneels by the body. LOCKWOOD No vital signs. CAMERON We copy, Lockwood. I'm having problems with Mulligan's readouts. (to Carlos) Carlos, can you clarify? CARLOS (rapid fire) Affirmative. Brainwave pattern from Lockwood, second pattern from Dr. Trapnell, near hysteria, and I definitely read a third pattern, off presence. MULLIGAN (rapid) Confirm. Third set of vital signs, off-presence. CAMERON (rapid) Not close enough to Lockwood to be coming from the body on the floor? CARLOS (rapid) Negative. Body reads dead. MULLIGAN (rapid) Confirm that. Straight lines. CAMERON You heard it, Lockwood. There's someone there in the cabin with you! Hiding! Lockwood hesitates. (CONTINUED) 25. 30 CONTINUED: LOCKWOOD Can you give me a directional fix? LAURA I don't understand. LOCKWOOD I was thinking out loud.., about how to get to a doctor. 31 ELLENDER CABIN Suddenly, startling Laura out of her wits, a figure stands up from behind the sofa. It is a young, hawk- faced man with Byzantine features, ABBAS MIRZAH. He wears a dark snow-coat with military trim. As he stands up, he hurls a book at the lamp. Lockwood spins to meet him. Laura screams. 32 ELLENDER CABIN - FIGHT Lockwood and Abbas fight. The struggle is brief, but intense. Lockwood is slammed back by a series of Japanese foot kicks. Beyond Karate, Abbas fights with a style completely alien to Lockwood. As Lockwood falls back, Abbas escapes through the door. 33 ELLENDER CABIN - (POSS. SNOW DRESSING) Abbas comes out of the door and goes for the jeep. 34 ELLENDER CABIN Lockwood recovers. He goes out of the door after Abbas. Laura presses against the wall in terror. 35 JEEP AREA (ELLENDER CABIN) Lockwood comes after Abbas. As he closes, Abbas lets him have it with the Japanese footwork. This time Lockwood is knocked out. Abbas goes to him. He moves carefully. He listens to see if Lockwood is dead. He listens to see if Lockwood is dead. He sees the scanner on Lockwood's chest. 36 PROBE SCREEN As Abbas inspects the scanner, weird UP—ANGLES at him show an intense face. He breathes heavily from the fight. Cameron speaks in a hushed voice. (CONTINUED) 26. 36 CONTINUED: CAMERON He's looking at the scanner. Give me a medical readout on Lockwood. MULLIGAN Trauma reactions. Unconscious. CARLOS Tremor waves indicate mild concussion. KURODA Those mule kicks were Japanese. It's worse than Shotokan Karate. Abbas is intent upon the scanner. CAMERON He's examining the printed circuits. That kind of curiosity indicates a science orientation. Abbas draws a knife. CAMERON He's got a knife. Abbas tinkers a moment. CAMERON I thought for a second Lockwood had had it. Let's hope he can't pry off the protective case. Those miniaturized chips fuse out like a flashbulb. Abbas rips the scanner from Lockwood's neck. CAMERON He's ripped it off of Lockwood's chain. Abbas carries it in his hand as he goes. Scanner POV of sweeps and swirls, hand—held chaos. Jeep starts and drives away. CAMERON For the record, the assailant has the scanner with him. KEACH We have an I.D. coming in from Uni-bank. (CONTINUED) 27. 36 CONTINUED: (2) Pulse tones. CAMERON Abbas Mirzah! KURODA Nailed him! CAMERON Display please. KEACH Up and running. 37 MAIN SCREEN A still photo pops on of Abbas Mirzah in an Oxford blazer. NARRATOR and Print. NARRATOR Mirzah, Abbas Dowlatshahi, Chaldean National Exchange Student, Geo Science Institute. CAMERON Freeze it there. Replay the tape back where he's examining the scanner. Split screen for I.D. The two faces are the same. It is Abbas. OPTICAL SPLIT SCREEN POP-ON. CAMERON No question, it's Abbas Mirzah. Lockwood? Do you copy? Lockwood? MULLIGAN He's still groggy. CARLOS Tremors stabilizing. 38 ELLENDER'S CABIN Laura comes out of the cabin. She hurries to Lockwood and kneels by his side. She helps him recover. LAURA How do you feel? LOCKWOOD Like I was kicked by a black-belt Ostrich. He works his jaw. 28. 39 PROBE CONTROL A series of beeps alerts Cameron. CAMERON Lockwood! We copy signal from your dental contact. Are you transmitting? One beep. Affirmative. CAMERON Copy. One pulse. Affirmative. Are you injured? Two beeps. The Probe Team reacts. CAMERON That's a relief! It looked like you'd bought it. Now, for what it's worth, your assailant was definitely Abbas Mirzah. Moreover, he stole your scanner. Do you copy. One beep. CAMERON The picture indicates that he's carrying the scanner in his hand while he's driving the jeep. We catch glimpses of trees and roadway. He doesn't know it's a TV camera and that we're monitoring him. Series of beeps. Dot dash. - .-. .- -.-. -.- CAMERON Are you sending morse code? One beep. CAMERON Replay! Kuroda hits a button. The morse code repeats. - .-. .- -.-. -.- GRIFFIN T-R-A-C-K. "Track." CAMERON Track him! Of course! Kuroda, get a three-way fix on him. (CONTINUED) 29. 39 CONTINUED: KURODA Triangulation coming up. (pulse tones) We're locked in on the scanner. CAMERON Directions? KURODA Traveling south, south east. CAMERON He's headed toward San Francisco. Lockwood, you copy? One beep, yes. CAMERON We'll keep a running fix. Can you follow him? One beep, yes. CAMERON We're in business! The Probe Team reacts gleefully. 40 ELLENDER CABIN Lockwood and Laura get in the car. Lockwood fires up the engine and roars out in pursuit of Abbas. 41 CAR (HARPMAN N.D. ROAD) C.U. as Lockwood drives intently. Laura dabs at his cheek with a handkerchief. CAMERON As soon as we have a fix on your exact destination, we'll arrange for a Probe agent to meet you with a duplicate scanner. Copy? One beep. Yes. 42 MOUNTAIN ROADS - (STOCK) The SCORE opens up as the car comes down the mountain. The light is still good, but very moody. The oddly lit vistas are stunning. The SCORE IS DRAMATIC with strong forward drive. OPTICAL TRANSITION FX: 30. 43 PROBE SCREEN The scanner POV swirls as Abbas does things with it. He glances at it as he drives. Scenery pans and pitches, rolls and yaws. (Hand-held, N.D. road and jeep) CAMERON I wish he'd quit handling the scanner. I'm getting seasick. Darkness. CAMERON Thank heaven. He's put it in his pocket. 44 CAR (HARPMAN ROAD) Laura's head is on Lockwood's shoulder. He hears Cameron's commentary. 45 PROBE SCREEN The scanner POV swirls to life. Cameron perks up. CAMERON It's Abbas. He's stopped. Mulligan, readout! MULLIGAN Pulse increase. Respiration up. CARLOS Confirm. Muscular exertion... CAMERON He's running! Where? Why? 46 HARPMAN AIRPORT PARKING LOT Abbas parks the jeep, slings a canvas bag over his shoulder and runs toward the terminal. He takes the scanner out of his pocket. 47 PROBE SCREEN The screen affords a sudden glimpse of the airport. CAMERON That's an airport! KURODA Central International. (CONTINUED) 31. 47 CONTINUED: A ramp sways into view. The fuselage of a plane swirls on. There is printing on the side. It swirls off. CAMERON He's getting aboard a plane! 48 CAR - (HARPMAN BOULEVARD) Lockwood is intent as he hears Cameron's reports. He clenches his jaw. He sends morse. ._.. .. _ . . GRIFFIN L-I-N-E. CAMERON Airline! Yes, I think we can decipher it. Keach, replay and freeze on the fuselage of that plane. 49 PROBE SCREEN The screen flickers back to the side of the plane. It is an odd angle and the print looks like Hindustani. Griffin has to cock his head sideways. GRIFFIN Aramic? Coptic? Hindi? CAMERON Can you translate? GRIFFIN Please, some of my best friends are Hindi. It says "Asian Overseas Airservice" and don't you forget it. CAMERON Do you copy, Lockwood? One beep, yes. CAMERON That was a 707. Keach, patch in to airlines computers and find out what flight that is and where it's headed. Keach hits buttons. OPTICAL TRANSITION FX: 32. 50 AIRPORT ( STOCK) The airport is a blaze of lights proclaiming the various international carriers. SHOTS OF FLIGHTS departing. 51 HARPMAN AIRPORT PARKING LOT Lockwood drives into the parking lot like Pete Revson. He and Laura emerge. (Possible moving shot.) 52 PROBE CONTROL Cameron puts Keach on the line. CAMERON Lockwood, we've pinpointed the flight. He signals to Keach. KEACH Flight Two Niner First Stop Kirkee Arsenal Field at Karachi, fourteen, hours from right now. CAMERON (subdued) Flight two niner then makes about a dozen stops all over the subcontinent.., and, I'm sorry to report... it took off about ten minutes ago. 53 HARPMAN PARKING LOT Lockwood holds Laura as he signals by clenching his jaw. She does not know he is transmitting (in that manner). 54 PROBE CONTROL Griffin copies the morse code. GRIFFIN N-E-X-T. Next. CAMERON Next flight.., oh, no! It's a once-a-week special. Wait! There's another airline leaving in... oof... 48 hours. (slumps) We've lost him. 33. 55 HARPMAN PARKING LOT Lockwood kisses Laura's forehead. LOCKWOOD How do you feel about spending the weekend in Asia Minor? LAURA Are we following Abbas or going on another picnic? LOCKWOOD This trip is necessary. LAURA Promise I won't have a good time? LOCKWOOD I'll see to it personally. They hurry toward the terminal. 56 V.I.P. LOUNGE The lounge resembles a sleek living room with a snappy airline emblem on the walls. "ASIAN OVERSEAS AIRSERVICE" (Note: A.O.A. is fictional). An A.O.A. REPRESENTATIVE in a blue blazer and two flight officers in uniform, work out details with Lockwood. Laura observes, drinking coffee. AIR REP. I'm sorry, Mr. Lockwood, we can't alter the schedules. LOCKWOOD What about non-schedule? AIR REP. We have nothing that follows the course of flight Two Niner. LOCKWOOD Can we charter a flight? AIR REP. It's halfway around the world. LOCKWOOD Have you got a plane available? (CONTINUED) 34. 56 CONTINUED: AIR REP. I'm sorry, sir. Nothing with that range... LOCKWOOD Not even a 707? AIR REP. The only equipment operational is a 747. LOCKWOOD I'll take it. AIR REP. (glassy-eyed) You want to charter... a 747... for two? LOCKWOOD Crank it up and let's get airborn. AIR REP. (weak) How do you... want it billed? LOCKWOOD Put it on my credit card. AIR REP. It may take a little while to get it cleared. LOCKWOOD We haven't got a little while. Give me that phone. Don't worry we'll reverse the charges! 57 PROBE SCREEN Dr. Winters is at his desk. He holds the telephone as he speaks to Cameron at Probe Control. DR. WINTERS He wants to charter a 747? CAMERON All I can tell you is that he's hot on the trail of Lunar Sample D-107. DR. WINTERS Can't we supply a company plane? (CONTINUED) 35. 57 PROBE SCREEN CAMERON If you want to risk the delay. DR. WINTERS What's your assessment of his chances? CAMERON I'd bet my life on him. DR. WINTERS (to phone) The answer is yes. The rental is authorized. Go ahead. Tell the airline to bill our carrier account. He hangs up wondering if he's been a good executive. 58 AIRPORT - STOCK - SUNSET An immense 747 lifts up into the sky like a town taking wing. The score sweeps in. The MUSIC is tingling; the balloon soaring sounds of "Around the World." The giant jet ROAR blends with the orchestral grandeur. The effect is pure glamor. 59 747 INTERIOR - NIGHT Lockwood and Laura live it up all by themselves in the immense lounge. Two stewardesses serve hors d'oeuvres and champagne. A flight steward hovers attentively. The score is lush. 60 PROBE CONTROL Cameron and the Probe Team are haggard as they monitor the missing scanner. CAMERON Lockwood, we've arranged for a World Securities Branch Manager from Istanbul to meet you as soon as you land. You'll receive tourist entry permits and we're flying a duplicate scanner from a Probe in Rome. (he stops) Hold it! We're picking up intermittent flashes from the stolen scanner. 36. 61 PROBE SCREEN (707 - INT.) Confined UP-ANGLE at Abbas in a plane seat. He is tinkering with the scanner. He squints into it and holds it to his ear. CAMERON He's in flight. Kuroda's directional fix places the plane on the southern great circle route about two hours ahead of you. He's very intrigued by the scanner and keeps trying to figure out its function. I just hope he doesn't tinker it out of commission. Do you copy? (no answer) Lockwood? A beep responds. CAMERON There you are. I know you must be exhausted. This mission has forced you to keep up a grueling pace. He cuts the switch. 62 747 INTERIOR Lockwood and Laura are dancing dreamily in the passenger lounge. A sophisticated trio plays romantic music. Having the football-field size plane to themselves is a super-trip. 63 ASIAN MINOR AIRPORT (STOCK MONTAGE) A caravan of camels DISSOLVES into an exotic airport. Minarets shimmer in the heat haze. The airport DISSOLVES to a sign giving directions to flights. The lettering is varied: Coptic, Aramic, Hindi, Arabic, etc. Nothing is listed in European or English. The score becomes timbalas and sitars. 64 JET LANDING - STOCK - DAY In isolation, a ponderous jet settles in for a shimmering landing. 65 CUSTOMS SHED - (POSS. MEXICAN STREET AREA) Several uniformed officials inspect the luggage of white-suited tourists. The line of people is sheltered from a blazing sun. The bleached-wall background conveys the quality of Asia Minor. Troops with bayonet-rifles (CONTINUED) 37. 65 CONTINUED: stand in stark silhouette. (Six soldiers in combat berets. Two officers.) The photography is stark black-and-white silhouette of the entire scene. A single, crimson-crescent stencil scars the sunbaked wall. There is the smell of military dictatorship in the air. Scraggly peasants lead a half-dozen goats. Chain link fence. (JET PLANE SOUNDS AND P.A. SPEAKERS FOR TIE-IN SOUNDS). 66 CUSTOMS SHED Abbas makes his way along the chain link fence. A SWARTHY OFFICER in olive green with red tabs spots him. They exchange looks. The officer indicates a split between posts in the chain-link fence. He speaks in a guarded voice. OFFICER Abbas. Yegen baal izir. Supal dirni. ABBAS Izir. Quantal irimi ben ess. 67 PROBE SCREEN The screen is a flickering blur. Cameron reacts to the voices. CAMERON What language is it? GRIFFIN Coptic mixed with Aramic. CAMERON Can you handle it? GRIFFIN (chides) Come now, I write my shopping lists in Urdu mixed with Ibo. CAMERON What did they say? GRIFFIN "This way. You won't have to go through customs. These troops are against us." To which the reply was a nasty swearword. (CONTINUED) 38. 67 CONTINUED: CAMERON Is that all? GRIFFIN Two more sentences. Quote. "I'm carrying a top-secret package to be delivered by hand to my uncle." Reply: "Yes, Colonel Mirzah received your cable and is anxious to see you." CAMERON Lockwood, are you tuned in? One beep, yes. 68 747 INTERIOR Lockwood reclines in luxury. He sips his champagne. Laura is curled up on the six-across sofa. The flight stewardess hovers. STEWARDESS Had enough movies? LOCKWOOD A triple feature's plenty, thank you. LAURA What time are we due in? STEWARDESS We're beginning our descent. Please fasten your seatbelt. LOCKWOOD (smiles) After all those Macadamia nuts, I'm not sure it'll fit. 69 JET LANDING (MONTAGE) Lockwood's jet settles in. The timbala-sitar score comes in as the plane flares for a landing. Reversing the order of Abbas' landing-montage, the plane DISSOLVES to the camel drivers. The harsh silhouettes of the custom shed ends the transition. 39. 70 CUSTOMS SHED Lockwood and Laura are in line for entry. The customs officials sweat at their jobs. Lockwood and Laura arrive at the entry desk. 71 ENTRY DESK A pair of swarthy, waxen officials eye Lockwood and Laura. Sullen troopers lean against walls in the shade. A straggle of goats goes by. Lockwood confronts the officials. They are Customs and Immigration men in khaki and olive uniforms. The one in command is DIMAS. He regards Lockwood. LOCKWOOD Hi. DIMAS Your personal luggage, sir? LOCKWOOD Never use it. DIMAS (narrow-eyed) No handbags? LOCKWOOD Not even a briefcase. DIMAS Then may I see your passport? Tourist card?... Entry permit? LOCKWOOD Yes, well... does the name Lockwood do anything for you? DIMAS (changes completely as he reads his clip-board) "Lockwood"... Yes, of course, of World Securities. He beckons to a sleek, young woman dressed in a white safari suit. DIMAS Siva patal irinji deyvanon, Lockwood. (CONTINUED) 40. 71 CONTINUED: The young woman hurries over to produce tourist documents. She is the BRANCH MANAGER. MANAGER Mr. Lockwood, I am Deva Siri, Branch Manager of World Securities, Istanbul. LOCKWOOD This is Dr. Trapnell. MANAGER (to her) But you are not a man. LAURA No... I'm not. MANAGER Then your entry permit will not be accurate. (hands Lockwood his document) Mr. Lockwood's permit is accurate. LOCKWOOD Can't we make an adjustment? LAURA I'm not sure I'm ready to be adjusted. DIMAS Perhaps I can be of much assistance? These are people of importance. It is our duty to extend every courtesy to tourists who visit our country... in the hope of spending their currency. LOCKWOOD Did I hear the word, "currency"? DIMAS (smiles beautifully) My speech is quite clear, don't you expect so? LOCKWOOD (drops a bill, accidentally) You talk clear as a bell. (CONTINUED) 41. 71 CONTINUED: (2) DIMAS (pockets it smoothly) A small correction on the entry permit... (stamps official stamps) Wonderful privileges for three days. Tourist excitement only. The Customs Official is fish-eyed. He stops their entry. He indicates for Laura to open her shoulder-case. Lockwood smoothly slips him a bill. He snaps the shoulder-case shut and waves them through. The Branch Manager completes her business. MANAGER I was not expecting a... male and a... female. LAURA We believe you. MANAGER (slants a glance at her) There is one more item of business. This particle of jewelry was delivered from Rome. (she shows a duplicate scanner) Your signature is required on the receipt. LOCKWOOD Where is the receipt? MANAGER (rummages) Could I have left it up in my hotel room? LAURA No, you could not. MANAGER I believe you. Ah, here it is! Produces receipt. Lockwood signs. She hands over the scanner. He clicks it on his neck chain. 42. 72 PROBE CONTROL The Probe Team reacts to the new scanner. KURODA Green lights! He's activated the new scanner! KEACH Greens here! CARLOS All greens! MULLIGAN Me, too! CAMERON Lockwood, we have contact. Do you copy? LOCKWOOD Thanks, mother. 73 PROBE SCREEN The screen lights up with a scanner POV of Laura in the customs shed. She looks into the scanner. LAURA It's pretty. What is it? LOCKWOOD A gift from my mother. CAMERON Let's take a look at the other scanner. KEACH Switch to Channel A. KURODA Switching. The picture cuts to a blur. Voices come in. ABBAS Viru Sabetsu di mirva yavanandu. OFFICER Sibir dalagam lignanda sibetzir. Viru am alvendi sulan bel el Tattir. Qan siddi beiren. (CONTINUED) 43. 73 CONTINUED: GRIFFIN (running translation) "Isn't this the old road... to the archeological excavations?" "Yes, the Colonel uses the diggings as cover for guerilla operations. His soldiers pretend to be workers and they use the caves to conceal arms and ammunition." CAMERON Lockwood, do you copy? One beep. 74 PARKING AREA (ARAMIC SIGNS) Lockwood and Laura move through the parking area. Several rugs are spread to display flowers and brassware. A camel is moored in a parking place. LAURA The car-rental said space T-7. LOCKWOOD What does a T look like in Hindi. GRIFFIN Like an Aramic 7. LOCKWOOD Thanks a lot. LOCKWOOD I asked for a touring car. (checks keys) "Safari Cruiser?" LAURA (locates a heavy-duty Land Rover type truck with shovels and spares) I've always wanted to ride in a luxury tank. They climb in. 75 LAND ROVER Lockwood checks the gears. Laura gets settled. (CONTINUED) 44. 75 CONTINUED: LOCKWOOD See if there's a map in the glove compartment. LAURA By the way, where are we going? LOCKWOOD To the old road. LAURA What old road. LOCKWOOD To the archeological diggings. LAURA (finds maps) It's in Hindi. LOCKWOOD Let's take a look. He holds it up to the scanner. 76 PROBE SCREEN The map appears. Griffin scrutinizes it intently. GRIFFIN Head east. 77 PARKING AREA Lockwood puts the truck in gear and steps on the gas. The engine sounds like a jute mill. They ROAR OFF. 78 EXCAVATION APPROACH (HARPMAN LAND DEVELOPERS) DUSK. The shoulder of a road leads up to an immense scar scraped in the side of a hill. Actually, a land development, it resembles an approach to archeological diggings over the top. A couple of pieces of heavy earth-moving equipment bear signs stenciled in the exotic Hindi lettering. A marker with Hindi lettering flutters from a reed-pole. The light source is a single work-flood. The military vehicle with the Officer and Abbas pulls up in a backlit dust—devil. A shaggy worker comes forward from the earth-moving equipment. He confronts the Officer and salutes. (CONTINUED) 45. 78 CONTINUED: OFFICER Erim sudanta vizrim Mirzah Dowlatshaki. Eta ben vidi irumu Keizir. Fatall sid imazin vez. GRIFFIN "He is the nephew of Colonel Mirzah. He is permitted to enter the caves. Take him down into the ruins." 79 EXCAVATION APPROACH (FLOODLIT DUSK) Abbas follows the shaggy guerilla "worker" up the carved hillside. The Officer salutes and drives the military vehicle away in a billow of dust. 80 EXCAVATION ENTRANCE (FLOODLIT) Abbas follows the shaggy guerilla to a cavern entrance. 81 LAND ROVER - DARK C.U. on Lockwood as he drives. LOCKWOOD Can you pin-point the diggings on the map? LAURA I'm not even sure what country we're in. CAMERON We've got an exact triangulation on Abbas with the stolen scanner. He's due east of you, moving very slowly.., on foot. LOCKWOOD How close are we? LAURA I told you, we're lost. CAMERON Kuroda, can you calibrate? KURODA It's a micro-tuning but it looks like less than a mile between the two scanners. (CONTINUED) 46. 81 CONTINUED: CAMERON Home him in on it. KURODA I'll talk him in till the pips coincide. 82 ARCHEOLOGICAL DIGGINGS Abbas and his guide descend into the diggings. They are spectacular. The skeletons of ruins, steps, statuary sink into sifting desert sands. (Or Mesopotamian river- silt from the Chaldees runoffs.) Banks of floods illuminate the workers as they excavate unbelievable treasures. The scene resembles the lunar excavations in 2001. Down in the pit area, a group of six men are gathered around an austere personage. Clad in gray cloak, COLONEL MIRZAH could be related to Selassie, the "Lion of Judah." His bearing is imperious, autocratic. He is a fanatic obsessed with visions of power. His staff is a collection of hard-faced fighting men. They wear combat uniforms like El Fatah guerillas. Abbas approaches the group. He is stopped by the crack of carbine bolts. Colonel Mirzah sees who it is and beckons him to approach. 83 PIT AREA Abbas approaches the COLONEL. He gives a military salute which becomes a fascist heil. He unslings the carry- case from his shoulder. COLONEL Abbas. ABBAS Mirzah Dowlatshahi. COLONEL Speak to me in English. I want to hear how much you have learned in America. ABBAS You received my cable? COLONEL Yes. My staff is assembled to see what you think is so important. (CONTINUED) 47. 83 CONTINUED: ABBAS You won't be disappointed, sir. What I bring to you is not only valuable in itself, but it can be used as an instrument of political power to force the world market to support your regime. COLONEL (wry) My "regime"... we are still hiding in holes, Abbas. The military junta has not yet come to power. (he sits as though on a throne) Show us this "Instrument." Abbas opens the case. He takes out a leather carrying case. He unfolds the wrappings. With great care, he reveals the moonrock. 84 MOONROCK (INSERT) In the harsh floods, the cluster of raw crystal glints and glitters with sinister beauty. The score becomes other worldly. 85 EXCAVATION APPROACH - (FLOODLIT) The Land Rover pulls up near the heavy, earth-moving equipment. The dust swirls. Lockwood and Laura emerge. LAURA How do you know this is the place? LOCKWOOD I've got what you might call a sixth sense. They start upward. 86 PROBE CONTROL Cameron is monitoring the action. CAMERON Is he still approaching the other scanner? (CONTINUED) 48. 86 CONTINUED: KURODA He's homing in on it. We're within five-hundred yards of an overlap signal. CAMERON Warn us just before they converge. (to Lockwood) You're zeroing in, Lockwood. Bear slightly to your left and continue present course. LOCKWOOD This had better be the correct heading. CAMERON It looks to us like the excavations. LAURA If you've got any doubts, let's go back. LOCKWOOD There's a cave entrance on up ahead. They press on. 87 PIT AREA The Colonel examines the glittering moonrock. His staff officers are intent. The Colonel is hushed. COLONEL Let me understand you, Abbas. This is an actual sample brought back from the moon? ABBAS And the reason it was classified top secret is because it is a cluster of pure carbon. 90 RUINS CONCEALMENT AREA Lockwood presses back. He is still far away from the central pit area. He whispers to the scanner. (CONTINUED) 49. 90 CONTINUED: LOCKWOOD Cam, this is Lockwood. I've spotted the target. It's down below me, surrounded by a lot of big, hairy monsters with carbines and real live ammunition. CAMERON I read you, Lockwood. Scrub the mission and get out as fast as you can. LOCKWOOD No. I've got an idea. I'm close to a stack of cases marked with red stencils. It might be ammo; it might be blasting powder. CAMERON It's not worth it, Lockwood. LOCKWOOD I'm here. I might as well look. He crawls over. 91 STACK OF CASES The red stencils are in Hindi. Lockwood eases one open. It creaks. The suspense tightens. Lockwood forces it open. 92 CASE (INSERT) The case is full of blasting caps. There are several cartons of powder and bundles of waxen sticks. LOCKWOOD Looks like the 4th of July. CAMERON You can't blow it up. You'll cave the whole diggings down on you and bury yourself alive. LOCKWOOD Not if I separate these cartons of powder. There's a tank of machine oil next to the steps. If I mix it, it's got to retard and burn like cordite. (CONTINUED) 50. 92 CONTINUED: CAMERON What good will that do? LOCKWOOD If my chemistry is correct, it'll give me just enough cover to make one fast pass -- I won't be able to see, so tell Kuroda to home me all the way in on the scanner. CAMERON You're in command, Lockwood. You're wrong, you're crazy, you'll get killed -- but you're in command. 93 PIT AREA Abbas and the Colonel are intent upon the Lunar Sample. The staff officers press in to observe. ABBAS One last thing. (shows the scanner) I captured this from our enemies. These are printed circuits. CAMERON Switch channels! 94 PROBE SCREEN The intent faces of Abbas and the Colonel appear in an odd-angle, scanner POV. As they examine the scanner, a sudden chain of dampened explosions seizes their attention. ABBAS Something's on fire! COLONEL (snaps order) Rawalpindi! Vedu! Suru ilim! GRIFFIN "The blasting powder! Get water! Hurry!" 51. 95 ARCHEOLOGICAL DIGGINGS (VESUVIUS FIREWORKS) The powder smoulders and shoots off showers of magnesium sparks. It resembles phosphorous bombs. Dense clouds of white smoke roll into the floodlights like heavy fog. Shouts echo. Figures run, casting weird shadows in the confusion. 96 SMOKE SCREEN - (PORT CLEAR) Lockwood gets set like a sprinter and ploughs into the smoke-screen. He is swallowed up. ACTION SCORE. 97 SMOKE SCREEN - TOTAL The confusion is total. EXPLOSIONS. SHOTS. Figures. Shadows. The action is intense, weird and very theatrical. 98 PROBE SCREEN The screen is a chaos of smoke and excitement. CAMERON Kuroda! Guide him! Zero him into the scanner. KURODA Scanner's converging! Bear left! Left more! I can't read any difference! A powerful feedback heterodyne cuts in sharply. KURODA Convergence. CAMERON You're on top of it, Lockwood. The feedback's about to blow us apart! Kuroda, cut the circuit! Kuroda cuts the feedback. 99 MOONROCK - SMOKE SCREEN In the swirling smoke, Lockwood grabs the scanner out of Abbas' hand. He punches him over a retainer wall. He shoves the Colonel with a Ram's Quarterback stiff-arm. He picks up the moonrock, now in its leather bag, tucks it under his arm like a football, lowers his head and gets the hell out of there. ACTION SCORE. 52. 100 STEPS As he emerges from the smoke-pit chaos, Lockwood runs into a guard. He fumbles the moonrock. It falls. He shoves the guard head-over-heels, retrieves the leather case, and keeps going onward and upward. ACTION SCORE. 101 ENTRANCE AREA Lockwood appears. He grabs Laura. She is close to hysteria. The pace is pell mell. LAURA I thought you were dead! LOCKWOOD So did I! Let's get out of here before the smoke clears! They take off. 102 EXCAVATION APPROACH Lockwood and Laura come down the scarred hillside, slipping and sliding. They get to the Land Rover as SHOTS BEGIN TO SLAM from above. BULLETS DING AND RICCOCHETS SCREAM as the Land Rover ROARS AWAY. 103 CUSTOMS SHED (INTERIOR DOUBLE SET) - DAY The customs officials are half asleep. The phone rings. The officer, loyal to the Colonel and Abbas, answers. He snaps to. He pulls a pistol and checks the slide. He goes over to the customs desk and waits. A straggle of weary tourists come through. 104 PARKING LOT The Land Rover skids in. Lockwood and Laura emerge. He collects the leather container. LOCKWOOD Go on! I'll catch up to you at the customs desk. Laura hurries on. CAMERON How are you going to smuggle a million dollar diamond past customs? LOCKWOOD We bribed our way in, we'll bribe our way out. (CONTINUED) 53. 104 CONTINUED: Sirens approach. Foreign WAH-WAH SCREAMERS. LOCKWOOD Here come the screaming meemies! CAMERON What are you waiting for? LOCKWOOD There's one thing I want you to tell me. CAMERON Yes, we contacted the flight crew. Your plane is warmed up and ready to blast off. LOCKWOOD What a team! He runs. The sirens increase. 105 CUSTOMS SHED - DAY Laura is petrified. The officer and several soldiers are standing ready. They eye each tourist who comes in. The SCORE IS OMINOUS. Lockwood comes in. He carries the leather case. The SIRENS approach. LAURA We can't get through. LOCKWOOD We can if the price is right. LAURA Those soldiers are forcing the customs officials to inspect everything. LOCKWOOD Hear those sirens? CAMERON Lockwood, that officer, he's one of the Colonel's men. They arrive at the desk. 106 CUSTOMS DESK In a silent suspense heart-stopper, Lockwood gives Dimas entry permits. (CONTINUED) 54. 106 CONTINUED: Dimas collects them. Lockwood indicates The leather sack. He shows a bill. Dimas looks sad and shakes his head, "no chance." Lockwood shows more bills. Nothing doing. The customs official takes the leather bag. The officer is poised for the arrest and/or kill. The customs official opens the bag and empties the contents. It is glittery pulverized glass. DIMAS This substance, sir? What is its value? LOCKWOOD Zero. It's called pumice. It comes from volcanoes. In my country we use it for tooth- powder. If you'd like to try it, you're welcome. The officer turns to the next tourists. Lockwood grins affably as the customs man hands him the leather sack and waves them through. LAURA What happened to D-107? LOCKWOOD It got kicked around in the scrimmage... its flaws showed. CAMERON Two thousand karats worth of rotten glass. LOCKWOOD God bless it. They hurry on. 107 747 INTERIOR Lockwood and Laura are living it up on their jumbo jet. The trio is playing and romance is in the air. Cameron tries to get through. CAMERON Lockwood, something's wrong. Your plane is supposed to return home at once but it seems to be heading for Acapulco. Lockwood, did you tell the pilot to change course? Well, did you? I'm waiting for your answer. (CONTINUED) 55. 107 CONTINUED: LOCKWOOD Here's your answer. In both scanners; two-channel stereo. He holds up the two scanners and speaks one word into each of them. LOCKWOOD "Ta" ... "Ta." He pockets them both. 108 747 JETLINER The jet veers away as the SCORE SWEEPS IN FULL. As it heads for vacationland, Cameron's voice fades away. CAMERON Lockwood, you can't toot all over the globe in a jumbo-jet! The bill has got to be astronomical! Lockwood, do you copy? Turn around, right now! Lockwood... Lockwood... SCORE IN: FADE OUT. END RUN