Alex Cross Screenplay 6n6b

I, ALEX CROSS by Kerry Williamson Based on the novel by James Patterson Revisions by Marc Moss

DRAFT: 03-05-11 QED INTERNATIONAL 1800 N Highland Ave 5th Floor Los Angeles CA, 90028 (323) 785 7900

OPEN ON A MAN RUNNING. WE ARE 1

INT. PACKARD PLANT, A TWO BLOCK LONG ASSEMBLY FLOOR - DAY And TOMMY KANE is sprinting, the lanyard around his neck with the POLICE BADGE swinging. He's in his late 30s, physically imposing, his brown hair mopped with sweat. Right now he's in a bad mood -The man he’s chasing is IAN McGUIRE. His shirt is streaked in blood - not his own. A gun’s in his hand. He is blazing fast… Ahead looms a chain link fence. 10 feet high. Topped with coils of concertina wire. KANE CUTS RIGHT. And with this REVEAL, running behind Kane, another man: his partner and friend, ALEX CROSS. Cross is the physical opposite of McGuire. He’s got the intimidating momentum of a train; and because he is as well conditioned as he is huge, he qualifies as a Frigidaire-sized force of nature. Not missing a step, McGuire jams his pistol in his pants, vaults the chain link fence, then contorts over the concertina with an acrobatic flip. He lands running. Cross approaches the fence with a different M.O., lowering his shoulder and BLOWING THE HINGES off the gate.

2

EXT. PACKARD PLANT - CONTINUOUS Cross follows McGuire out the main entrance -- and slows, looking and listening for his prey. Meanwhile, we are absorbing what a MIND-BLOWINGLY MASSIVE COMPLEX this is – a 36 acre ruin, 3.5 million square feet of dead factory space. Cross reacquires McGuire, running, and then if by magic dropping out of sight. CROSS (on bluetoothed cell) He’s gone underground.

3

INT. ANOTHER PACKARD BUILDING - CONTINUOUS Kane is still running. He’s not surprised. KANE Right. See you at the chute.

2. 4

EXT. PACKARD PLANT - CONTINUOUS Cross reaches where McGuire disappeared – and we see an open manhole in the ground.

5

INT. TUNNEL - CONTINUOUS Cross drops down into the small brick-arched age and resumes the chase.

6

INT. PACKARD FACTORY - CONTINUOUS As McGuire emerges from an opening in the floor, races to one end of the block-long space, he finds Kane entering from outside and Cross emerging from the tunnel behind him. He changes course, the reunited cops in pursuit.

7

INT. PACKARD PLANT The chase continues through areas that border on the macabre: Some windows have old automobiles dangling half-way out. There are boats stacked all over the place, mountains of trashed TV sets, old RVs... Cross and Kane run, and by now we are getting the sense they’re not so much chasing McGuire as channeling him, maneuvering him into a corner.

8

INT. PACKARD PLANT ELEVATOR SHAFT McGuire skids to a stop. The shaft is three stories -- it appears he’s dead ended. But with the two cops closing in, he JUMPS, grabs iron pipes that run the length of the shaft, and SPRINGS UPWARDS from one pipe to another. Cross and Kane continue on to THE AUTO RAMP at the building’s end.

9

EXT. ROOF, PACKARD PLANT - DAY McGuire emerges only to find Cross and Kane blitzing towards him. The cops DIVE FOR COVER as McGuire whips out his pistol and FIRES 10 ROUNDS at them. Debris flies near their faces. McGuire then leaps off the roof, roll-landing 15 feet below on THE ROOF OF A CROSSWALK TO ANOTHER BUILDING. Making this leap isn’t Cross’s style. Instead he throws himself at a rusted ladder that descends to the crosswalk -the force tears the ladder loose from the wall, LEVERING

3. CROSS DOWN to the midpoint of the crosswalk as McGuire drops through a hole INTO THE CROSSWALK itself. Kane, meanwhile, dangle drops to the crosswalk. He runs, drops through the hole -10

INT. CROSSWALK - CONTINUOUS -- and is surprised to see Cross has stopped running. What gives?

KANE

CROSS Why are we chasing this knuckle dragger if he’s shooting at us? Cross draws out his pistol. It’s old school and bad-ass: a Ruger Super Redhawk .454 11

INT. PACKARD PLANT - CONTINUOUS McGuire senses he’s no longer being chased. He pauses -- his sight-line shows him Cross with pistol leveled, but not at him. He’s confused. Until he looks where Cross is aiming -and sees TWO MASSIVE STAINLESS STEEL TANKS a hundred yards away. They’re labeled: N02. Before he can shut his jaw --

12

INT. CROSSWALK - CONTINUOUS KANE Good question. Cross quick fires six rounds at the two tanks.

13

INT. PACKARD PLANT - CONTINUOUS Cross’ shots trigger an ENORMOUS EXPLOSION, its ear-bursting SHOCK WAVE blowing McGuire 20 feet back in the air, and smack landing him into a concrete pillar. McGuire comes to, and finds himself with a close up view of Cross’s Redhawk and Kane’s Glock. CROSS Ian McGuire, your days of hurting little girls are at an end. Would you care to argue the point? MCGUIRE How’d you keep up with me? KANE Because, piss-ant, my daddy worked here --

4. CROSS -- and every weekend this was our turf. Cross hoists McGuire up. Onto his tippy toes. CROSS Listen up. When you’re sitting in your 6 by 8 for the next fifty years, contemplate the irony: You got caught in our playground. 14

EXT. PACKARD PLANT - CONTINUOUS Police cars are on site. As McGuire is put into a squad car, Cross approaches a uniformed cop. CROSS Officer, I’m late for a date. Could you give me a lift? COP Sure, Detective. Where to? CROSS Ryan Correctional. CUT TO: Metal clanging, a door opening, and

15

--

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - DAY a prison guard ushers in POP POP JONES, a teen with war zone eyes and a wicked scar across his face. As his cuffs are unlocked and the guard leaves the room, Pop Pop sees who’s waiting for him — Cross. CROSS Have a seat, Pop Pop. Pop Pop sits. Checks out the scratches and torn threads Cross acquired during the chase. POP POP Man, you look like you gave your lady the wrong answer. Cross sets on the table a little magnetic chess set. It’s only got four pieces on it. POP POP What is this, you drag me in to play a board game? CROSS You know how?

5. Pop Pop answers with a disdainful chortle. CROSS That's what I figured. 140 IQ, you can't be a checkers boy. POP POP Damn straight. But what's the purpose? CROSS To show you how stupid you are. Here's the proposition. Me, I just get these three little pawns. You get this bad ass rook. You going to take me before I advance to queen? POP POP You got a trick. CROSS No. I already told you, Pop Pop, this is a stupid test. Cross advances a pawn. Play continues as — CROSS I know you didn't kill 14 people. POP POP She-it. Before you, there ain’t ever been a police who didn’t say “ok” when a gangsta say “yeah I done it.” CROSS Sometimes I'm not just police. POP POP Right, you the head shrinker. Well you ain't shrinking nothin' of mine. Check this out, Doctor Cross: I done em - I said I capped em - I named em an the judge bought it. An here I am. Feel me? Everybody’s happy, why ain't you? CROSS I am happy, Pop Pop. POP POP I ain't so sure bout that. (taking a pawn) An your ass is in jeopardy.

6. CROSS Well there's two things we can agree on. Lester Hastings. Raquel Waters. You killed them, that we both know. The other six, you’re taking the rap cause you know you’re already in for life. You figure you might as well be a righteous street soldier, take the fall for your “brothers.” You call that noble? POP POP You askin' hypothetical? (Cross nods) Yeah, that's noble. CROSS See, that’s the reason I’m giving you this stupid test. (moving pawn to F6) Which you are about to lose. POP POP (frustration bursting) Man, what is it you want? CROSS The truth. Cause let me tell you what that'll lead to. Not getting back on the street, cause you're down for two, in for life. Not everything else, a better facility, better food, more privileges, because you don’t give a damn. Indeed.

POP POP

CROSS Which leads me back. To just telling the truth. Talking to me about your game, what goes on, who calls what, why six other people ended up on the cement. Talking straight about that equals noble. When you get what I’m saying, you won't be stupid anymore. (making the winning move) Look, I just got myself my queen. Cross pockets the chess set. As he goes to the door. POP POP Well good for you. But you lose cause I ain't talkin.

7. CROSS Pop Pop, what do you think we've been doing? I'll see you down the road. The door slams shut. Pop Pop sits alone. 16

EXT. CROSS' HOUSE — NIGHT Old, but charming and well-kept.

17

INT. CROSS’ HOUSE — NIGHT The space is cramped but cozy. Alex’s mother, NANA MAMA, a take-no-prisoners force of nature, is clipping coupons at the family table. MARIA, Alex’s effervescently stunning wife, is tidying up her briefcase. Alex’s son, DAMON, 7, is fidgeting with a RC helicopter. Meanwhile, Alex is with his daughter, JANELLE, 9, at an old upright piano. Janelle is hitting the proper keys and chords as Alex hums a musical composition — ALEX No, wait, it’s more like this... He tries a variation of the tune he has in mind. Dad!

DAMON

(O.S.)

ALEX One sec, Damon. Janelle plays his variation; as Alex enthuses he is making his way to Damon. ALEX Yes, that’s it! You got it! Janelle, you bring out the musical genius in me! JANELLE I think you’ve got it backwards, daddy. NANA MAMA That’s right, honey. Don’t let that head of his swell any bigger.

8. ALEX Mama, give me some credit. Why, look at these fine specimens I made. Alex s Damon, who’s making adjustments to the little chopper. (All along, Janelle continues with Alex’s tune, improvising and improving on it.) ALEX What have we got? DAMON This puppy ain’t working. Isn’t! Say it.

ALEX / MARIA / NANA MAMA ALEX

DAMON Isn’t working. ALEX There too much lock-tite on the screws? No, sir.

DAMON

ALEX Let’s see. (he revs the motor) It’s shaking. First thing is — DAMON Check the blades and shafts. ALEX Correctamundo. Alex makes some adjustments to the blades. ALEX Let’s try it now. JANELLE Damon, you better not hit me. ALEX All this boy’s going to do is thread needles. The chopper rises. Damon manages to fly it wobbily across the room. Maria appears at the kitchen door.

9. ALEX Yes! Try landing on the table. MARIA Alex. Could you refill the Tide? He gives Damon a wink. ALEX I am on my way. 18

INT. CROSS KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS Alex meets up with Maria, snatching a kiss as she hands off the empty detergent bottle to him. ALEX You know, the only problem with you, the only problem, is you’re too short. As he steps into the LAUNDRY ROOM, reaches up high for the jumbo container, Maria steps to the threshold. She pretends to be IN TOTAL AWE of him -MARIA Oh, you’re so tall, and, and... She breaks into a giggle. ALEX Enough. I apologize. Your height is superior. She holds out a funnel. Here you go.

MARIA

As Alex pours detergent from the jumbo to the regular bottle, he finds Maria giving him a beguiling look. What?

ALEX

MARIA I think you’re way over-rated. ALEX What are you talking about? MARIA Just that you’re not as observant as you think.

10. Is that so?

ALEX

Maria draws closer to Alex. And damn, she’s got this ability to make a little laundry room sizzle. Yeah.

MARIA

ALEX Well first of all, it’s everyone else, aside from you apparently, who thinks I’m so observant. And second of all, I’m obviously more eagleeyed than you give me credit for. Oh? Do tell.

MARIA

ALEX What’s in it for me? Your pride.

MARIA

ALEX Okay. You fixed the hinge on the front door. Janelle bit her lip at recess and she’s proud she hasn’t complained to me about it. And you’re wearing a new lipstick. Gone from Red Wine to — MARIA Rouge Cancun ALEX which I do think is a winning choice. MARIA Not bad. But that’s all chump change. You obviously need a clue. It’s very, very close. Alex can’t believe it. He looks around...and finally gives up. Maria whispers a clue: MARIA Dr. Cross: You’re holding it. Alex looks at the little funnel in his hand. Only with a second look does he see the LITTLE PIECE OF PLASTIC taped to it. He pulls it off. It’s a litmus strip. A beat. As he contemplates it.

11. MARIA You need any help taking this over the finish line? ALEX We’re pregnant! MARIA Shhh! No, Alex, I’m pregnant. You were just the facilitator. He lifts her up. How long?

ALEX

MARIA Six weeks. Which means it’s our secret until I get to ten. Think you can keep quiet for that long? ALEX For you, anything. 19

INT. CROSS’ HOUSE — NIGHT Alex and Maria re their family. Maria gives Alex a kiss and returns to her briefcase. Alex sits beside his mom. Takes it all in: his wife, his two children. All the while, his mom is scrutinizing him. NANA MAMA Son, you look like you swallowed a canary. ALEX No, Nana Mama. I’m just feeling happy.

20

INT. CROSS’S BEDROOM - NIGHT Maria stands in a bathrobe. Alex comes up behind her, puts his hands on her belly. MARIA What do you think you’re doing? ALEX Just holding the center of the universe. Yes, he is.

MARIA

12. He?

ALEX

(off her smile) You sure? Alex sweeps her onto the bed, Maria giggling all the while. ALEX What else haven’t you told me? Plenty.

MARIA

ALEX Oh, is that so. Beat — Alex staring into her eyes. ALEX You’ve given him a name already. She gives him a Mona Lisa smile. What is it?

ALEX

MARIA You have a problem with Alexander? ALEX Alexander? I know an Alexander. And he happens to be a very, very, very bad boy. 21

INT. CROSS’S BEDROOM - NIGHT Alex and Maria are entwined, fast asleep. Cross’ cell phone rings. Maria wakes as instantly as Cross. Based on their comportment it's evident this happens a lot. CROSS (to Maria) Tommy. (answering) Hey...No, I wasn’t sleeping. (writing an address) I got it. I’ll meet you there. He hangs up. The look he gives Maria: it happens a lot.

22

EXT. RANCH HOUSE — MORNING Cross pulls over a few houses short. Because ahead, four squad cars are parked tactically, the cops poised behind them with guns drawn.

13. Kane's Camaro is just beyond the cordon. He jogs over to meet Cross. CROSS What do we have? KANE Man, I don’t know. The two detectives the cops. CROSS ‘Morning gentlemen. Can anyone tell me what’s going on? COP Yes, sir. This house belongs to a Chester Newman. 61. He lives alone. One of his neighbors hadn’t seen him in a few days, got concerned. Plus, he says his dogs have been acting funny. CROSS (re distant baying) You mean that? COP Yes sir. Anyway, the neighbor calls for a patrolman, the patrolman comes here...and he says he thinks he heard a shotgun racked from inside. Thinks, he wouldn’t swear. Anyhow, between that and the dogs and the smell CROSS What kind of smell? COP Get a little closer, you’ll see. 23

EXT. NEWMAN’S HOUSE — A FEW MINUTES LATER Cross and Kane strap on vests and with some of the cops behind they move in on the house. They bust inside --

24

INT. NEWMAN’S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS Flashlights mounted on weapons criss-cross, illuminating rooms cluttered and dusty. And yes, the place seeps a profoundly foul odor. POLICE.

CROSS

14. Cross signals that he wants to head up. 25

INT. NEWMAN’S HOUSE, 2ND STORY - CONTINUOUS The group rushes up the stairs...and finds it’s pretty much the same here as below. Except the stench is stronger. One cop fights a growing gag. Cross keys on AN ATTIC ACCESS DOOR. To the cop in charge. CROSS I think Chester’s alone.

26

EXT. NEWMAN’S ATTIC — MORNING As Cross’ head comes into the space, A MASSIVE THING swoops at him out of the dark with A JUNGLE HISS. Cross loses his footing but dodges being hit. He emerges into the attic, Kane behind him with Glock drawn to deal with whatever in the hell is waiting to pounce again -and REVEAL it is a MASSIVE COCKATOO. Now perched high up in the roofing, it continues its stream of threatening noises, intermittently screaming out: COCKATOO Loser. Youregonnaloose. Loser... Cross and Kane ignore the bird. They’re wholly fixed now on the remains of Chester. Who has, in a manner of speaking, been crucified. He’s been faced to look out a tiny window. Stripped naked, his torso against a beam, nails driven through his ankles into 2x4s. His arms have been nailed through the wrists to joists above his head, but one arm has been torn loose: spike still through it, it is attached to strings that hold it so that he unmistakably looks as if he’s waving. A few feet from the body is a lawn chair. Beside it is an empty bucket of chicken and jug of water. Cross can handle the smell. But his sense of disgust and moral outrage is palpable. As he circles the body: Good God.

CROSS

He studies the dangling hand, the six inch nail driven through its wrist. He fixes on the SEVERAL DOZEN LARGE PIECES OF PAPER scattered on the floor.

15. He picks up one. It’s A FINELY RENDERED SKETCH of Chester Newman in a state of agony and humiliation. In the bottom corner it is written: “DAY ONE, SEVEN HOURS.” Cross picks up another, finds a similar study where Chester is near death; it’s labeled DAY THREE, 52 HOURS. Cross has seen enough. He forces open the window. He and Kane take in some much needed fresh air. KANE Sick son of a bitch fancies himself a Picasso. CROSS Yeah. He sure has the arrogance down. Sat right there for over two days, without a worry. Just enjoying the suffering. (beat) You know, this property’s right on the city line. KANE What are you saying, cuz? Cross looks at the clear sky. The sun clearing the trees. CROSS It’s going to be a beautiful day. Kane eyes his partner. He can tell when Alex is thinking. When he needs to stay quiet and wait...Finally: CROSS Our guy pried Chester’s arm loose once he was dead. Just for us. Here we are, on the edge of town, and Chester’s positioned facing the city, giving us a wave. You know what our guy’s saying? “Hello. Just wanted to introduce myself. I’m the new guy in town.” KANE Well, I’m looking forward to personally giving him my opinion of his sense of humor. CROSS Let’s pray for luck. Cause I think before your day comes Picasso’s going to be making us miserable.

16. 27

EXT. RANCH HOUSE - MORNING Cross and Kane exit as a CSI team waits to move in. CSI INVESTIGATOR What's the score, detective? CROSS You’re not going to find anything.

28

INT. NONDESCRIPT CAR - NIGHT A MERCEDES Cl65 exits the freeway. It glides through barren streets.

29

EXT. DOWNTOWN - NIGHT The Mercedes pulls to a stop. Out steps MICHAEL SULLIVAN. He's in his early 30s, with intelligent eyes, and the assured bearing of someone accustomed to getting things done. He's perfectly dressed, in dark, minimal colors with maximum details. He scans his surroundings, He is not alone. There are a lot of other cars parked around him, and other well-heeled people heading inside A DILAPIDATED THEATER. As Sullivan heads to the theater he clocks a Bentley Mulsanne parked by the entrance. A BEEFY ASIAN MAN stands beside it; he stares imively at Sullivan.

30

INT. DECREPIT THEATER ENTRANCE - NIGHT A LOW RUMBLING grows louder from within as Sullivan makes his way towards the ARMED GUARDS and BOUNCERS with wands. He flashes his I.D., is frisked for weapons. Some high rollers, recognized as regulars, push past.

31

INT. DECREPIT THEATER - CONTINUOUS Sullivan enters the cleared-out waving cash. The focus of their center of the space, where a NO underway. A BOOKIE scrawls odds wagers.

space, packed with PUNTERS frenzy is a MMA ring in the HOLDS BARRED FIGHT is on a board and handles the

Sullivan scans the crowd. His gaze settles on a striking Canton beauty, FAN YAU, seated ring-side. The Mandarin beauty happens to glance in his direction. Fleetingly, she checks out Sullivan. And he her. He pulls out a money clip fat with cash and places a wager.

17. SULLIVAN Ten thousand...on The Belfast Bomber. BOOKIE No Bomber on list. SULLIVAN You're looking at him, Charlie. The bookie eyes Sullivan.. Then eyeballs the 10k. BOOKIE Only opening is heavyweight. SULLIVAN Do I look like I care? 32

INT. IN THE RING - LATER Sullivan emerges from the make-shift locker room, barefoot, hands taped. He makes his way through the noisy crowd, all poise and confidence. Already in the ring is his opponent. An early 30s brute with a roid-rage physique and prison tats. DOBRICA COSIC. The bookie chalks up the odds, heavily favoring Cosic. Sullivan studies his opponent, but takes a time out as the long-legged RING GIRL es. SULLIVAN If I win, you leave with me. RING GIRL What if I told you I'm only fifteen? SULLIVAN Then I’ll take you to school. The crowd simmers as Sullivan and Cosic meet in the middle. COSIC Ready to get your ass kicked? SULLIVAN I like your attitude. You hit me in the face, I'm going to kill you. The fight begins. Sullivan ducks a few punches and avoids kicks as he takes measure of Cosic. Recognizing a south paw, he circles to his right. Cosic reverses his stance. The brute is ambidextrous. He pops Sullivan with a fast left hook and a hard right to the body.

18. SULLIVAN Not bad big boy. Cosic strikes again. Sullivan is cat-quick, and every strike meant for his head is blocked or dodged. But THE BODY BLOWS are another story: when Cosic throws them, they land, again and again and again, loud, blood-pissing pops UNTHWARTED by Sullivan — as if he’s letting Cosic beat the shit out of him. The crowd, sensing a quick finish, grows even louder. Feeding off their blood lust, Cosic bends Sullivan over with a kick, followed by a guillotine head lock with which he takes him to the mat. With Sullivan’s head immobilized — COSIC Anything goes, asshole! — Cosic punches Sullivan in the face. With this it’s as if a switch is flipped. Sullivan breaks the hold, stuns Cosic with a knee to the thorax... Then comes an attack, mind-blowing in its ferocity. Sullivan knows every trick in the book, and uses plenty of them to reduce Cosic into a mass of quivering jello: he breaks Cosic's nose, hatchets him in the solar plexus, then — in a move that makes the frenzied crowd gasp — dislocates the big man's knee. The crowd erupts as Cosic goes down. He tries to tap out. REFEREE (pulling at Sullivan) We're done. But Sullivan isn’t done — he grabs Cosic’s hand — SULLIVAN Anything goes, right? — and in one move breaks all of Cosic’s fingers. SULLIVAN Now, we're done. As Cosic flails on the ground, Sullivan faces the crowd, the torn betting slips raining down like confetti. He makes eye with Fan Yau. Both imively regard the other. Then Sullivan exits the ring.

19. 33

INT. LOCKER ROOM - NIGHT Cosic writhes on a table as TWO BUDDIES attend to him. COSIC'S FRIEND He needs the ER! As this is going on, Sullivan steps through the partition. His demeanor entirely different from what we’ve seen. He stops besides Cosic’s cubby where his clothes hang. SULLIVAN Hey. He going to be okay? COSIC'S FRIEND #2 What do you think, man!? Just get out of here! SULLIVAN No problem. Tell him I’m sorry. It was nothing personal. Sullivan backs out. And we see he’s picked Cosic’s wallet. He glances at Cosic’s license, then frisbees the wallet back into his locker. AT SULLIVAN’S LOCKER He is unwrapping his hands when FAN YAU shows up, flanked by her BODYGUARDS. Sullivan for the first time takes her in fully. She is gorgeous. Elegant. She wears AN EMERALD NECKLACE that could buy a couple Bentley Mulsannes. She scans his body, the bruises. This combo turns her on. FAN YAU Did you learn to fight in prison? SULLIVAN I’ve been learning all my life. What? FAN YAU I think everything you say is a lie. SULLIVAN I’m not going to argue with that. FAN YAU You took a very big gamble tonight. SULLIVAN The house's prize-bull was a bit over-rated.

20. FAN YAU I'm talking about your bet. You hurt the house. Sullivan takes measure of the bodyguards around him. SULLIVAN I don’t think you give my bet. Or the bet you your guy tapped out. I think it was worth it. good show.

a damn about lost when think you You got a

She smiles. They speak the same language. He finishes unwrapping his hand, revealing a badly dislocated finger. She moves closer. She takes Sullivan's hand and snaps the finger back into place. He doesn't flinch. SULLIVAN Thank you. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to clean up, have a cold one and screw the lovely ring girl. FAN YAU They don't serve alcohol here. And maybe you should set your sights higher than a ring girl. SULLIVAN Maybe I should. 34

INT. FAN YAU’S TOWNHOUSE, BEDROOM SUITE - NIGHT Sullivan and Fan Yau enter, she snapping a command in Chinese to her bodyguards (o.s), who remain in front of the complex. No sooner does she shut the door than her cell phone rings. FAN YAU Excuse me one minute. As Fan Yau talks, again in Chinese, Sullivan takes in the multi-room suite: ridiculous square footage, post-modern minimalist: the expensively ed walls are bare, a glasstop desk holds only a laptop: the only piece of decor is on a side table -- a fierce STATUE of Guan Yu, the god of war. When she finishes her call, Sullivan asks about the statue: SULLIVAN What’s he doing in here? FAN YAU You don’t know me very well.

21. She removes her emerald necklace, sets it beside the statue. Then she lets her dress fall to the floor. She approaches Sullivan. Pulls off his shirt. Sighs as she finally lays hands on his body. SULLIVAN I think you are up to no good. Smiling, she tiptoes up to bite his neck. SULLIVAN Well, so am I. He picks her up, lays her on the bed. She slips her hands through silk cords attached to the bedposts. FAN YAU Make them tight. She moans as Sullivan complies, binding her ankles too. SULLIVAN Do you like, my little lotus eater? Before she can reply, Sullivan clamps her mouth. She panics when she sees in his hand a tiny metal device, A MINIATURE PNEUMATIC SYRINGE -- this is SULLIVAN'S WASP. Enjoying her mounting fear, he presses it against her arm and a needle shoots out. Within seconds Fan Yau goes limp - paralyzed but alert. Sullivan cracks the bedroom door. He clocks one bodyguard seated in the living room, his back to him, flipping through a magazine. The second is in the kitchen (separated from the living room by a partial wall) preparing a meal. The third is not in sight. 35

INT. LIVING ROOM — CONTINUOUS What we saw in the ring was but a warm-up for what Sullivan does now. In a few silent strides he is behind the seated guard. In a fluid motion he cradles the man’s head, breaks his neck, and pulls a pistol from his shoulder harness. The guard in the kitchen drops his cutlery to pull his gun. Meanwhile, Sullivan is chambering a round and taking aim.

22. At the moment the guard grabs his pistol Sullivan’s bullet drills into his forehead. Sullivan takes one step to his left. Eyes on the doorway across the room. Within seconds the third man appears (the beefy guy who was guarding the Bentley). He shows hardly more than his shadow before Sullivan fires a single shot that zips through his gut and blows out his spine. The guard falls to the floor. In agony. His legs paralyzed. Sullivan’s shadow falls over him. SULLIVAN I’ll be right back. He kicks the guard’s pistol across the room, then exits. The gut-shot guard starts dragging himself across the room. DESPERATE to get to his pistol. He’s almost to it when the DOOR SOUNDS again. Sullivan heads back towards the bedroom; in hand he has a 96 ounce jug of Clorox liquid bleach, and A STEEL PRUNER. As the gut-shot guard reaches his pistol, Sullivan walks by, casually putting a bullet in his head. He stops at the broke necked guard. Pops open the Clorox. Sprays bleach over the dead man’s neck and shoulder holster. 36

INT. FAN YAU’S BEDROOM SUITE — NIGHT Sullivan reenters. He sits beside the paralyzed Fan Yau. Her eyes are clear, and she is terrified. The drug makes it difficult for her to speak, her voice raspy. FAN YAU ...What are you... SULLIVAN Shhh. I’m sorry, Fanny, but we’re going to have to put off the kinky sex. I’m not in the mood. FAN YAU What do you want? Sullivan answers by placing her thumb in the pruner. Commingled with her scream we hear the digit snipped. Then he goes around the bed and cuts off her other thumb.

23. He walks away, proceeds to wipe down things he touched in the room earlier and splash clorox in his wake. All the while ignoring the weak cries of the woman: FAN YAU (O.S.) You bastard. You shit. You’re a dead man. He returns to her, her laptop tucked under one arm. Quiet.

SULLIVAN

His actions. His tone. It all adds to immediate obedience. Hyperventilating, she eyes Sullivan with desperate attention. She fights panic as he puts her index finger in the pruner — but he doesn’t squeeze. SULLIVAN Would you like to keep this one? Yes...yes.

FAN YAU

SULLIVAN That means it’s time for teamwork. I want to look at your computer. Would you please tell me the ? 37

INT. SULLIVAN'S MERCEDES - NIGHT As he drives over a bridge he dials 911 on a burner phone. SULLIVAN Hello. I’m calling to report a multiple homicide...2416 Tracy Avenue...How do I know? I'm the one who did them. Have a good night. He tosses the burner into the river, and speeds off.

38

INT. TINY BEDROOM, CROSS’S HOUSE - NIGHT Alex stands in the doorway watching Damon and Jannie praying by their beds. Damon clutches a toy dinosaur. JANNIE / DAMON God Bless Nana and Daddy and Mommy... DAMON ... and T-Rex! Alex tucks them in. Gives Jannie a kiss and Damon a gentle head butt.

24. ALEX Dream good dreams. I’ll see you in the morning. As he heads toward his bedroom and Maria, waiting with a sultry look, his cell phone rings. 39

INT. CROSS' ESCALADE - NIGHT He pulls over in front of an apartment building. Kane hops in. As they speed off -CROSS So it’s four down. What else do we know? KANE Three males. The female done in nasty, details yet to come. I haven’t heard the tape yet, but the perp called it in himself. CROSS Just one guy? So he says.

KANE

A few beats as Cross drives fast, does the math. Finally: CROSS I’m feeling too old for this. This gives Kane a good laugh. KANE Bitch on, rookie. Then he realizes Cross is getting at something. KANE What are you saying? CROSS There’s an opening at FBI. KANE Ohh! Alex Cross with a desk job! Living the life! At the very apex of law enforcement! CROSS My psyche degree means extra pay.

25. KANE Plus there’s extra time with the wife and kids. True.

CROSS

KANE Brother, the thing that’s on the top of your mind, that’s what you say to me first. CROSS You’re right. It’ll mean more time with Maria and my kids. KANE Well. Desk job at the FBI. It sounds great. Really. Too bad you can’t do it. That so?

CROSS

KANE Alex, where you are I’ve already been. I thinking I could get out of the game, find “true happiness.” But let me lay some news on you: you aren’t in the game. The game is in you. 40

EXT. FAN YAU’S HOUSE — NIGHT Patrol cars are on scene; cops have the perimeter secured. Cross and Kane make their way to the house. En route, one of the cops stops them. Detectives.

COP

They see the cop has TWO MEN, formidably built guys in nice suits, cooling their heels. He hands Cross their licenses. COP We pulled these two watching from that sedan at the corner. It just didn’t look right. CROSS (re: licenses) You run these?

26. COP Yeah. They’re clean. KANE I’m going to do a walk around. Kane vanishes in the side yard. CROSS (to the cop) Good job. I’ll take care of them. Cross goes over to the two men. CROSS Evening. I’m Detective Cross. So you gentlemen happened to be ing by. Yes, sir.

SUIT

CROSS You see anything unusual? No, sir.

SUIT

CROSS You’re police radio junkies. SUIT No, sir, we were just ing by. Cross knows they’re full of it. And they know he knows. He returns their licenses. CROSS I’m sorry for inconveniencing you. Cross watches the two suits head off. Kane comes around from the other side of the house. Cross meets him at the entryway. KANE That anything? CROSS Yeah, but what I don’t know. KANE The house is heavy. If someone wanted to force entry they’d need a jackhammer.

27. To illustrate, Kane taps on the window flanking the door. Bulletproof. 41

KANE

INT. FAN YAU’S LIVING ROOM — NIGHT Cross and Kane enter to find a crew of technicians and a photographer at work. KANE What you got? TECHNICIAN Nada. Everything’s been sanitized. Wiped and cloroxed. KANE Thanks. Could we have the scene for a few minutes? The CSI types thankfully exit. So now it’s just the Cross and Kane show. They make their way slowly across the place, taking it all in: the gut shot driver and his trail of blood, the guy in the kitchen with his three eyes, the dude with the broken neck. This is something they don't see everyday. CROSS Tommy, who calls the shots in the henhouse? KANE The motherfucking fox.

42

INT. FAN YAU’S BEDROOM — CONTINUOUS First thing they see when they walk in is Fan Yau, still tied to the posts. One wrist is cut, the mattress red. KANE looks away, and is the first to see: ALL TEN OF FAN YAU’S FINGERS lined in a neat row in front of the statue of Guan Yu. Seasoned as he is, he can’t help himself: KANE Oh snap! Alex, we’ve got ourselves a certified whack job. Cross s him. Is equally repulsed. But checks himself. CROSS Hey, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

28. Meanwhile, Kane is going through Fan Yau’s purse. Nothing stands out. Then, he pulls her license from her wallet. And a fancy SECURITY SWIPE CARD: blank, made of titanium. KANE Name’s Fan Yau. Only other item is one very elegant but blank swipe card. And eight hundred in cash. Cross has been looking through drawers. He's now studying the glass top desk. CROSS Laptop footprints on the glass. I say he made off with it. Beat. Cross gestures at the dress on the floor. CROSS Ok. Our guy. She already knows him, invites him in. He ties her down, maybe gags her. You’re not impressed yet, are you? KANE Not in the least. CROSS Then he makes it to the reader, breaks his neck and pulls his piece fast enough to tap the cook at 25 feet right between the eyes. KANE Now I’m impressed. CROSS Me too. This guy is a pro, no doubt. (beat) The fat man barrels in. But our pro -our pro doesn’t give him a head shot. He lames him, kicks his piece, lets him crawl across the room before firing point blank. (beat) So he doesn’t conform, he’s not imive. He’s figuring he’s got two down, now he can start enjoying himself. KANE And then it’s Fan Yau’s turn. He works her — to get the laptop . But come on — it doesn’t take ten fingers.

29. CROSS Yeah. You can say it now. KANE Alex: We’ve got ourselves a certified whack job. CROSS That may well be. KANE Anything else? CROSS Well, at the very least he was after information. And he’s around 6’1”, 6’2”. Kane gives Cross The Look. It’s a “how the hell did you deduce that” look that he’s shot him a thousand times. CROSS How tall is Fan Yau? KANE ...about 5’6”. CROSS Look at her desk - the indent in the carpet shows where she always sat. Except now the chair’s almost a half foot back, and the carpet’s pressed deep. Our guy was sitting there for a while. After she gave him her . (then) And one other thing. Cross indicates a heavy chair next to the bed. A waste basket is beside it. CROSS This is where he sat. To have a nice view. You want to guess what’s in the waste basket? Kane knows where this is going. Oh, man.

KANE

CROSS Yeah. Wood shavings from a sharpened pencil. He was sketching her.

30. KANE It’s Picasso. CROSS Our serial killer is also a professional assassin. Kane lets out a silent whistle. 43

INT. CROSS’ DINING ROOM — NIGHT Cross opens a sideboard drawer. Takes from a stack a brand new legal pad. Takes from a box a brand new ball point. He sits at the table. Stares at his laptop as the crime scene photos from Fan Yau’s run in a loop. He opens an mpeg, listens to Sullivan’s call: SULLIVAN RECORDING Hello. I’m calling to report a multiple homicide...2416 Tracy Avenue...How do I know? I'm the one who did them. Have a good night. CROSS You’re a funny guy. He goes into the kitchen, pours himself a cup of coffee. Stares out the window into the night...

44

EXT. DECREPIT BUNGALOW — NIGHT Sullivan eases his Merc to the curb. He takes out his WASP and removes from a box a TINY AMPULE that fits inside the device. He slips the WASP into the palm of his hand.

45

INT. DECREPIT BUNGALOW — NIGHT Dobrica Cosic is ed out in a barcalounger, the TV on, a near empty fifth of booze in his hand. The TV goes off. This only partially awakens Cosic. But the barcalounger rocking brings him to. As soon as he is awake, Sullivan, standing behind him, presses the WASP into the base of his neck. The whisky bottle drops to the floor as Cosic makes a primitive gasp. SULLIVAN Stop trying to move, you’re paralyzed dipshit. He comes around the chair to face the man.

31. me?

SULLIVAN

Cosic sure does, and he grows even more frightened. SULLIVAN I’m a man of my word. There’s not going to be a next time someone tells you not to hit them in the face. With this Sullivan unrolls a leather kit containing a dozen surgical scalpels, scissors, etc. He holds a scalpel up to Cosic, as if asking if this is what he'd like to start with. 46

INT. DINING ROOM — MORNING Cross has come up with some notes over the past few hours, all of them punctuated with heavily retraced question marks. IN THE KITCHEN Maria sees Damon and Janelle out to the school car pool. Bye daddy!

DAMON

JANELLE Have a good day daddy! Cross is so intensely focused that he’s a beat late responding his kids are out the door as he yells out: ALEX Bye! Be good! Maria takes a breath before turning to face her husband. She goes to the entrance of the dining room, no further. MARIA Alex Cross. Your children did that to you they’d be getting a talking to. ALEX You’re right. I’m sorry. MARIA Why are you apologizing to me? ALEX I’ll give them one. As soon as I see them tonight. Maria walks away, now more frustrated than angry.

32. Cross feels like a cad. Then an image on the laptop -- one he's seen hundreds of times over the course of the night -makes a synapse fire. He backs up to the photo -- it's of FAN YAU'S EMERALD NECKLACE. 47

INT. FAN YAU'S HOUSE - MORNING Cross ducks through the crime scene tape and enters the living room. The morning light keys the streaks and splatters of blood in the eerily silent house... Then Cross hears A NOISE emanating from the bedroom. He draws his pistol, draws the hammer, and slowly approaches. He pauses at the half-closed bedroom door, listening. Silence. He BURSTS THROUGH, ready to fire --

48

INT. FAN YAU'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS -- only to find a gun barrel aimed right at him. Fortunately, it's TOMMY KANE holding the pistol. CROSS Man, what are you doing here? KANE You're asking me?, I was here first! Christ, I almost fired. You gotta be more careful, brother. CROSS Tommy Kane, shot dead by his own partner. I'd probably never get over it. Both start laughing, burning up the adrenaline. CROSS You come with a hunch? KANE I just felt we missed something. Thought maybe I'd pounce on it if I came back and snooped. CROSS Find anything? Not yet.

KANE

CROSS Have any hunches?

33. Kane does not. CROSS How about the necklace? KANE The one worth more than I'll ever make? Cross goes to the wood ed wall. With each step he gives it a hard knock. CROSS I didn't see another piece of jewelry. Did you? Kane knuckles his head, pissed he didn't see the obvious. Meantime, Cross gets a different sound. Right above the statue of Guan Yu. He probes the ing, but to no avail. His gaze goes to the statue. He tries moving it -- it slides back, and the behind it opens. KANE Eureka. What do we have? Cross shines a flashlight in the space. CROSS A jewelry safe. A Glock 33. And -He reaches in, pulls out -KANE Fan Yau's got a backup drive. 49

INT. HOMICIDE AND MAJOR CRIMES DIVISION — LATE DAY Cross makes his way through the understaffed open-spaced division room with a thin file in hand. He arrives at a corner where TWO FOUR MAN CUBICLES are angled together; this belongs to Cross’s Unit, and the extra space is the best thing about HMCD: the equipment is antiquated, storage boxes are stacked everywhere, a number of fluorescent fixtures are dead. In addition to Kane there is VIKKI RYAN, mid-30s, and MONICA ASHE, late 20s, a recent transfer from the ranks. CROSS Score one for the good guys: the drive is a wireless clone. (MORE)

34. CROSS (CONT'D) Tech forensics cracked it and I've got info, with more on the way. Anyone here been as productive as me?

Us.

KANE (correcting Cross)

Monica Ashe holds up a sheet of paper. It's mostly white. ASHE I have a bio on Fan Yau. (reading) 28 years old. Taiwanese national, no known family there or here, she attends college on a scholarship, earns her M.B.A in just one year, wins a Rhodes scholarship. RYAN And that's all there is. It's like Poof -- she goes totally off the map, like a phantom. CROSS What's the coroner say? RYAN Cause of death is hemorrhagic shock. Only note aside from the amputations and slit wrist is a hypodermic needle mark in her right arm. But the blood work is all negative. CROSS I don't buy it. KANE If Doc Hoffman weren't retired he'd ferret something out. How about I take this to him? A phone rings. A second later the fax machine starts spitting. KANE (CONT'D) I guarantee you he'd love to step back in the lab. CROSS That's a plan. Carry it. Cross picks up the phone.

35. CROSS Yeah...it's coming in now. Good work. Waiting for the fax, Cross opens the folder he brought. CROSS Here's what we've got so far from the drive -- virtually all of Fan Yau's emails are to and from one Yves LeBescond. He runs some sort of under-the-radar financial venture out of the Aqua Building. The fax sheet is now out. Cross scans it. CROSS Vikki, we need to put a call in to LeBescond. As Ryan types in a query, Cross reads from the fax. CROSS Okay. The last activity on the laptop took place at 4:26 am, at which time we can assume Fan Yau was not typing. Picasso hit her address book, scanned her email... (Cross pauses) and the last thing he looked at was today's schedule for LeBescond. He has conference calls slated in Europe and China throughout the night. KANE Picasso's working his way up the ladder? RYAN There's no listed. Nothing. Cross is already on his way out. CROSS I think we better be the first to pay LeBescond a visit. 50

INT. THE AQUA BUILDING - NIGHT No ordinary office complex. It's brand new, a stunning piece of architecture, and outfitted with all sorts of Green technology. Beyond that, it's built like Fort Knox, and patrolled just as heavily.

36. GUARDS with bulges in their blazers are everywhere -OUTSIDE. IN THE MAIN LOBBY. ON THE ROOFTOP. And in the GUARD STATION, communication between them all is monitored, as is a stream of tech data: CCTVs are everywhere, as are motion detectors, sound detectors, etc. 51

INT. LEBESCOND'S HQ, TOP FLOOR - NIGHT A vast warren of executive offices, a huge trading area with ceiling-mounted monitors, and additional rooms with all the amenities offered by a top-notch organization -- weight room, kitchen, executive dining room, etc. WE TRAVEL through this all, see only minimal staff at work.

52

INT. CORNER OFFICE OF YVES LEBESCOND - NIGHT It's a huge, cold space, shimmering clean, and we get a sense of LeBescond when he stops his pacing - he is speaking on the phone to someone in French - to snap at A WOMAN who's laid a document under A GERM-KILLING UV LIGHT on his desk. LEBESCOND Your hands are not clean! I can tell! Clean them now, and do not have me ask you again. As he resumes his conversation, he watches the chastised assistant squirt some hand sanitizer on her hands.

53

EXT. AQUA, REAR OF BUILDING — NIGHT Two guards cross. And in the dark space between them Sullivan darts. He uses an oxy-acetylene torch to cut the lock on a manhole cover. He lifts the lid, drops in, pulling the cover back into place.

54

INT. AQUA SUB-BASEMENT — NIGHT The torch flares at three sides of a grate, and Sullivan pushes through. Here, among other things, are the guts of the building’s GEOTHERMAL HEATING/COOLING SYSTEM. Tanks and pumps garnished with "green energy labels" hum efficiently. Snaking from the core of tanks are a series of 4 FOOT DIAMETER PVC PIPES, some blue, others red.

37. Sullivan stops at a large tank labeled "SEDIMENT TRAP." He strips off his clothes: underneath is his wetsuit. He's been carrying a bag: he removes some of the stuff from it -- a mini-breathing apparatus, an oxyhydrogen torch. Done, he straps the bag to his ankle with a nylon rope. He closes two valves, looping a strand of micro-filament to one of them, then opens the hatch to the Sediment Trap. He climbs inside it -55

INT. SEDIMENT TRAP — CONTINUOUS -- With the valves shut it holds just a few inches of water. As Sullivan tightens the hatch with the suction grip, he also pulls the filament --

56

INT. AQUA SUB-BASEMENT — CONTINUOUS -- And the filament PULLS THE VALVE back to the open position.

57

INT. SEDIMENT TRAP — CONTINUOUS WATER STREAMS BACK INTO the Sediment Trap. Sullivan puts the breathing apparatus in his mouth.

58

INT. LEBESCOND HQ - NIGHT Most of the remaining staffers leave. LeBescond strategizes at a conference table with an aide. Aside from them, there are now only a HALF DOZEN GUARDS patrolling the area.

59

EXT. AQUA BUILDING - NIGHT Cross and his people pull up. They are met by A YOUNG GUARD as they make for the main door. YOUNG GUARD I'm sorry, sir, the building is closed. Cross holds out his badge. CROSS Let me inside, junior. I need to speak to your boss.

38. 60

INT. SEDIMENT TRAP — NIGHT The tank full, Sullivan uses his feet to push open the other valve. He somersaults so that he’s head first, and then –

61

INT. THE RED PIPE — CONTINUOUS Sullivan enters the PVC Pipe and rides the slow flow of water upwards. His equipment bag trailing behind him. Every so often he checks the altimeter on his watch. ing 25 feet. Then 100. 200 feet.

62

INT. AQUA BUILDING LOBBY - NIGHT Cross and his people are met by the chief guard, SACKS, backed by a handful of his men. CROSS We're here to see Mr. LeBescond. SACKS I'm sorry, detective. The building is closed, and unless you have a warrant this is as far as you're getting. CROSS You're saying you never let police on the premises. Because there's no need. SACKS If you want to put it that way. Vikki.

CROSS

She hands him some photos of Fan Yau. Post fingers. CROSS This is one of Mr. LeBescond's employees. We have reason to believe the person who did this is on his way to visit. He might already be here. The photo has Sacks a little unsettled.

39. SACKS He wouldn't be getting any further than you. CROSS You're probably right. When I come back with a warrant, and tell Mr. LeBescond about your indifference to his fingers, I'm sure he'll say the same thing. Now Sacks is starting to doubt himself. CROSS Escort us to his office. He has security up there? Play it safe for yourself, take us up to talk to them. 63

INT. ELEVATOR, AQUA BUILDING - NIGHT Cross and his people and Sacks get in. Above the elevator 's buttons is a CARD SWIPE. Cross runs Fan Yau's blank titanium through it -- he and Kane exchange an "Oh, yes" look as the elevator takes off.

64

INT. THE RED PIPE — NIGHT Sullivan is now ing 300 feet, and here the straight ascent ends: there is a 45 DEGREE OFFSET. Sullivan maneuvers through the turn. He immediately finds another 45 Degree Offset in the opposite direction. He maneuvers through this as well. The equipment bag trails behind him as he makes these turns. He jerks to a stop. He looks back: THE ROPE attached to his ankle is taut. WE SEE that his bag is JAMMED between the two offsets. Sullivan pushes himself back down to free the bag. As he contorts himself to get a hand on the rope he inadvertently RIPS AWAY THE TUBE connecting his mouthpiece to its air bladder. As the tube sinks he catches it with his knee, pressing it against the pipe.

40. 65

INT. ELEVATOR, AQUA BUILDING - NIGHT Cross and company exit, and

66

INT. LEBESCOND HQ FOYER - CONTINUOUS are met by LeBescond's personal detail. LeBescond's Chief of Security is ERICH MIELKE, an attitudinal 6'5" ex-Stasi. SACKS Mr Mielke, the police think there's a problem you need to be aware of. CROSS Actually, now that we're here, I'd like to speak with Mr. LeBescond. MIELKE Mr. LeBescond is not available.

67

INT. THE RED PIPE — NIGHT Sullivan works the air tube problem methodically -- despite the narrowness of the pipe he keeps force-extending his arm until he's able to snag the tube. Just as he's about to run out of air he reattaches it. He fills his lungs, then slackens and pulls on the rope, finally unwedging it. Sullivan kicks upward. With an eye on his altimeter he stops his ascent. He ignites his oxyhydrogen torch, and cuts a big hole in the pipe --

68

INT. OUTSIDE THE RED PIPE As WATER RAGES OUT, Sullivan pushes himself toward the inner wall. He uses the torch to make a tiny hole -- he inserts a fiber-optic cable through and switches on his monitor: SULLIVAN'S POV -- INT. BATHROOM, LE BESCOND'S HQ He sees an empty, all stainless steel bathroom.

69

INT. STAINLESS STEEL BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS Sullivan unbolts a and gains access. As a bathroom it's familiar enough, but its steel finishings hint at some sort of futuristic function.

70

INT. LEBESCOND'S FOYER - NIGHT Sacks gets a call from the foyer.

41. SACKS We've got sensors showing a malfunction. It's him.

CROSS

MIELKE Slow down, and explain yourself. CROSS Inside this minute your boss is going to be dead. SACKS (more incoming info) Coolant system pressure's dropped to zero. CROSS Wisen up, ubermensch. Get proactive or get out some body bags. Off Mielke's condescending skepticism, CUT TO: 71

INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT Sullivan pulls his new set of tools from his bag: an H&K submachine gun, a AWC MK II (with a built-in suppresser, it makes no noise), and a DOZEN HOCKEY-PUCK SIZED flashbang and concussion grenades. As he makes for the door:

72

INT. LEBESCOND'S OFFICE - NIGHT LeBescond and his assistants look up shocked as Mielke and a half dozen guards and four police officers enter. LEBESCOND What is this? CROSS As we speak there is a man here to kill you. (to Sacks) Get him behind that desk. LEBESCOND Touch nothing! In here you touch nothing! (then) You think I am an amateur?

42. LeBescond pushes a button, a slides open at the end of the office, and A PANIC ROOM appears. LeBescond heads into it, his assistants following. He turns to them as he enters. LEBESCOND No. The protocol is for me alone. With that he shuts himself in. The assistants look panicked. CROSS (to Sacks) Get them somewhere. (to Mielke) Where you keep your artillery? 73

INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT Sullivan slides the fiber optic out into LeBescond's HQ --

74

INT. LEBESCOND'S HQ - NIGHT He pans one way, then the other. He sees no one. In the far distance, he can see LeBescond's office.

75

INT. OUTSIDE LEBESCOND'S OFFICE - NIGHT Cross waits under cover. In his vicinity are Kane and Vikki. Cross throws off the safety on his Benelli M4 shotgun. BEYOND THE FOYER Kane and Mielke and his guards, similarly armed, also wait...but for what they do not know. Kane looks across the office space -- at the far side of which Cross is positioned under cover. Their eyes meet. Kane gives a "WTF?" gesture. Cross replies with a "hell if I know" shrug.

76

INT. LEBESCOND'S HQ - NIGHT Sullivan emerges into the seemingly empty office complex. He makes his way silently towards LeBescond's corner office. Just then, as if from nowhere, Cross steps from around a darkened corner, his 12 gauge shouldered. CROSS Police Freeze! Sullivan stops. Raises his arms. Cross locks eyes with the killer. And he with Cross.

43. CROSS You got a name, Picasso? Before an answer can come, Cross hears THE TINY SOUND of one of the hockey puck grenades rolling toward his feet. In the split second before the flashbang detonates, Cross throws himself back around the corner. Sullivan pivots and dives and rolls. The FLASHBANG BEHIND HIM illuminates the guards and cops coming from the foyer -- Sullivan sprays machine gun fire to drive them back. CROSS comes back around the corner, panning his shotgun. He sees Sullivan sprinting, into a CONFERENCE ROOM -- Cross advances, firing SHOT AFTER SHOT through the room's outer wall, hoping to tag Sullivan. IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM Sullivan crawls forward as buckshot and plaster rain from above. At the room's end is a HALLWAY. Sullivan darts for it, springs up, and spotting Kane and the Aqua guards sprays the H&K and lobs a grenade. KANE AND THE GUARDS are momentarily stunned and blinded by the flashbang. As Kane regains his senses, Cross s up with him. KANE He ed us. I think. CROSS Damn it. Spread out. Cross takes Monica; Kane, Vikki and the guards split into two groups -- they all move outward to the HQ's corners. 77

INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT Sullivan continues his retreat. He whips around a corner to find Mielke. Before the big Hun knows it Sullivan fires his silenced .22, hitting him in the forehead, mouth and chest. By the time Mielke falls, Sullivan is gone --

44. 78

INT. ADING HALLWAY - NIGHT Sullivan arrives at THE BATHROOM. As he opens its door, he hears KANE SHOUT FREEZE!

79

KANE

(O.S.)

INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT Sullivan slams the steel door and locks it just as buckshot loudly indents the thick metal.

80

INT. HALL OUTSIDE BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS Kane runs to the door. Sees a series of levers beside it. Since they are marked with WARNING LABELS he pulls them all.

81

INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT To Sullivan's astonishment, things begin to happen in the room: the toilet paper dispenser retracts; the towel rack revolves out of sight -- and HIGH PRESSURE STEAM starts spraying from multiple nozzles. One nozzle is just beside him: Sullivan staggers back, his arm and torso badly burned. He puts his breathing apparatus back on, heads through the access , and pulls it back in place.

82

INT. LEBESCOND HQ, HALLWAY - NIGHT Cross and everyone else are outside the bathroom door. CROSS How can we get in? SACKS The bathroom is sterilizing. There's no entry for five minutes. Cross smacks the door in frustration. CROSS (to Sacks) Circle the building.

83

INT. OUTSIDE THE RED PIPE It is still gushing water, thousands of gallons a minute. Sullivan, between the inner wall of the building and the hole, fights to pull himself past the torrent and back into the pipe.

45. 84

INT. INSIDE THE RED PIPE Sullivan slowly pulls himself in. Once he is below the hole, the current normalizes. He kicks downward.

85

INT. LEBESCOND HQ - LATER The bathroom door is open now. Cross and his people are in it, and the has been removed. Cross finishes clocking Sullivan's work. CROSS Where's this take him? SACKS The sub-basement. My men are waiting. Cross and Kane take another look at the cascading tube. CROSS This guy is a piece of work.

86

INT. SUB-BASEMENT - NIGHT Guards converge. Are at the ready. See nothing. Suddenly, the sediment trap bursts open. Sullivan sprays everyone down with his H&K before they can what's happening.

87

EXT. AQUA BUILDING - NIGHT Sullivan appears from the manhole access. He sees guards arrayed on either side. He pulls pins on four flashbangs, flings two in each direction, and ducks back in his hole. The four grenades explode with ENORMOUS SOUND AND BLINDING LIGHT. Sullivan pulls himself out of the hole and runs off as the guards around him flounder senselessly on the ground.

88

INT. LEBESCOND HQ - NIGHT Cross and Kane emerge from the bathroom. Sacks is encountering radio silence. SACKS (on radio) Squad One, status. Hello. Squad Two, over. Squad Two. (to Cross) Something's happening.

46. CROSS It already has. His attention turns to the hallway. KANE Look who's ing the party. LeBescond, surrounded by guards, is making his way to Cross. CROSS You're tonight's lucky man. LEBESCOND I've just gotten off the phone. My employer would like to speak with you. CROSS Your employer? And who might that be? LEBESCOND Anders Ångstrom. Cross throws Kane a look. Which is reciprocated. No doubt, this is a name they both know. 89

EXT. ÅNGSTROM ESTATE — DAY In front of Cross' car is A SEDAN: Cross is following the Two Suits we first saw outside the cordon of the Fan Yau murder scene. Cross follows them up a long driveway and through a formidable security gate. As he continues on the long winding drive up to the magnificent estate he sees everywhere indicators of world class security: cameras and sensors mounted on trees, armed guards not only at the gate but patrolling the grounds and watching from fortified boxes on the roof. Cross’ drive comes to a stop at a ring of bollards anchored into the ground some distance from the house. The Two Suits escort Cross to the entrance.

90

INT. ÅNGSTROM’S ESTATE, RECEPTION ROOM — DAY Cross is greeted by a young, polite man. STEPHAN. STEPHAN Good afternoon, Dr. Cross. I'm Stephan.

47. Hello.

CROSS

— This as he walks him to a security checkpoint surrounded by bullet-proof glass. Cross sees inside A SCREEN displaying a body scan taken of him taken when he ed through the front doors. The GUARD inside slides out a drawer. STEPHAN Would you please check your weapons with the security officer. Cross unholsters his Redhawk and lays it in the drawer. And the Glock 29 backup on his ankle. And the old ivory handled SWITCHBLADE from his pocket. He flashes Stephan a smile. CROSS That’s all I’ve got. STEPHAN This way, please. 91

INT. ÅNGSTROM’S ESTATE, CENTER HALL — CONTINUOUS Cross follows Stephan down the long hall. Conscious that the mirrors are two-way, that cameras are panning with him.

92

INT. ÅNGSTROM’S ESTATE, OPERATIONS CENTER — CONTINUOUS Cross and Stephan continue through this high-tech room, filled with well-dressed workers. Phone conversations in multiple languages. MIT graphics on computer screens. It all has the quiet hum of a well-honed machine. At the end of the room, Stephan opens a door — Please.

93

STEPHAN

INT. ÅNGSTROM’S ESTATE, OUTER OFFICE — CONTINUOUS Cross finds himself in a tiny room with PARAMITA. She is extraordinarily beautiful: poised and exotic. And she is ÅNGSTROM's GATEKEEPER. (nb: it’s obvious to Cross, if not to us, that she is, like him, a profiler.) Paramita keenly observes Cross as she asks somemind-probe questions. PARAMITA You took Neurocognitive Disorders at Johns Hopkins. Why was it canceled? CROSS My mentor, Gregory Kass, was an alcoholic.

48. PARAMITA Your wife wears what size dress? A four.

CROSS

PARAMITA What kind of cancer killed your grandmother? CROSS Adenocararcinoma. PARAMITA Thank you, Dr. Cross Paramita knocks on the room’s other door and opens it. PARAMITA Mr. Ångstrom will see you now. 94

INT. ÅNGSTROM’S ESTATE, ÅNGSTROM’S OFFICE — DAY Cross enters. It’s an enormous space, unique and impeccable. On his way to greet him is ANDERS ÅNGSTROM, late-60s, a man radiating confidence and intelligence. Ångstrom’s English is impeccable, his accent European. ÅNGSTROM Dr. Cross, Anders Ångstrom. Thank you for coming. CROSS Don’t mention it. The handshake is all about each man sizing up the other. Cross notices that Ångstrom is wearing A PRICELESS RING, a large emerald cut RED DIAMOND. ÅNGSTROM You noticed my ring. Red is the rarest of colored diamonds, you know. A dear friend gave it to me many years ago in South Africa, before the kaffirs got out of control. He smiles at Cross, trying to assess what buttons he’s just pushed. Cross gives him nothing to seize upon. ÅNGSTROM You are in time for my walk. Come. With this command, Ångstrom heads out some garden doors --

49. 95

EXT. ÅNGSTROM’S GROUNDS — CONTINUOUS The estate could well go to the horizon. As in the front, security, both technological and on two feet, is obvious (and in other places not so obvious). Cross finds that A MAN has appeared in Ångstrom's shadow. Not much younger than Ångstrom, he has a cryptic, grey quality; he is PIERCE, Ångstrom's guard of last resort. ÅNGSTROM This is Pierce. My Man Friday. Pierce doesn't acknowledge Cross; he looks as if he sees through him. ÅNGSTROM Take no offense, he hasn't had much to say for thirty years. As Cross follows Ångstrom they close by a woman reading on a bench under a tree. Well kept, but with the bloom off her rose: this is MRS ÅNGSTROM. MRS ÅNGSTROM Anders, will your guest be lunching with us? No, dear.

ÅNGSTROM

The two men walk into A FORMAL GARDEN from the pages of Versailles. As they walk its manicured paths: ÅNGSTROM You enjoy nature, of course. And human nature, that is your specialty. CROSS It’s more of an ongoing project. ÅNGSTROM A modest answer. Certainly, you have an opinion of me. CROSS You’re asking do I know what you are? ÅNGSTROM Don’t hold back. Cross eyes Ångstrom the same way Paramita was eyeing him --

50. CROSS Your enterprises have been accused of deforestation in Asia. Of selling tainted baby milk in developing countries. Of buying commodities from governments that permit child slavery. Would you like me to go on? If you wish.

ÅNGSTROM

CROSS In a nutshell, you’ve raised enough eyebrows to warrant a grand jury investigation, a deportation proceeding, and there’s talk of a senate committee hearingß. Cross’ final statement causes Ångstrom to repeat the words with A DISDAINFUL LAUGH that he can barely control: ÅNGSTROM A Senate committee! They walk a few steps — it takes that long for Ångstrom to recover from his bizarrely disdainful mirth. ÅNGSTROM Let me tell you what people fail to understand. I operate on a global scale. Therefore, I have no choice but to deal with global complexities. CROSS Which require destruction. ÅNGSTROM Dr. Cross, creation and destruction — each proceeds from the other, you of all people should know that. CROSS Then you should have no problem with a like-minded businessman out to hurt your share prices. ÅNGSTROM You're referring to my recent difficulties? (Cross doesn't answer) I’m afraid it’s more primal than that. (beat) The man you're alluding to has been hired to assassinate me.

51. CROSS Who put out the contract? ÅNGSTROM As you so thoroughly established, I have many enemies. I imagine that thousands would like to see me dead. I am certain that a hundred or so have the means to make a play. They walk a bit. Cross waiting for Ångstrom to clarify. ÅNGSTROM The killing of Fan Yau has given my killer access to information, about my tendencies, my obligations, my movements both real and virtual. Although thwarted by you last night from learning even more, he remains where he needs to be: inside my information loop. CROSS You seem to have adequate protection. ÅNGSTROM I know of the other things this animal has done. He kills both professionally and recreationally. CROSS That’s accurate enough. ÅNGSTROM Do you understand him yet? CROSS As of now I still consider him just an acquaintance. ÅNGSTROM Is he predictable? CROSS Aside from knowing now that he intends to kill you — no. ÅNGSTROM So you have nothing else. Cross answers with a noncommittal shrug. ÅNGSTROM You must find it unpalatable, being sworn to protect a man like me.

52. CROSS Let’s just say I’m after the bad guy. Ångstrom stops, looks at Cross and laughs. CROSS Why did you ask me here? ÅNGSTROM A man like me doesn’t get to where he is in life without being a superb judge of character. Of human nature. I asked you here to see if you were up to the task. (beat) I think you don't know yourself yet. Therefore, you are weak. (then) Good day, Dr. Cross. As Ångstrom continues on his walk, Cross finds Pierce has appeared out of nowhere. He will not have to see himself out alone. 96

EXT. CROSS’ HOME — NIGHT We can see Damon and Janelle playing downstairs. Upstairs, a bedroom light is on.

97

INT. CROSS’ HOME, BEDROOM — NIGHT Cross is changing into a sharp suit. He’s distracted, still wedded to the events of the day. Maria is in the bathroom. MARIA (O.S.) Alex, are you okay? What?

ALEX

MARIA (O.S.) I said, are you okay? Maria emerges from the bathroom: dressed for a night on the town, a vision of loveliness. Alex’s demeanor takes a 180. ALEX You look — wait, I don’t want to say beautiful. Let me think of something better. (searching) You look arresting.

53. MARIA Why, thank you, Detective Cross. You sure you want to go out? We don’t have to go out. ALEX No, I want to take you out. I want to ruin every other man’s evening. 98

INT. CROSS’ HOME, LIVING ROOM — NIGHT Janelle and then Damon whistle and whoop as their parents come down the stairs. NANA MAMA You all calm down. You’re acting like you’ve never seen your mama looking like a beauty before. Janelle hugs Maria. JANELLE Mama, you look like a princess! Maria takes a knee to be at Janelle’s level. MARIA You are my princess. You be a good girl. (to Damon) And you too, young man! Yes, ma’am.

DAMON

NANA MAMA Tell your mommy and daddy to get out of here! JANELLE Have a good time! DAMON Bring me some left overs! 99

EXT. CROSS’ HOME — NIGHT Alex and Maria head out. As Alex opens the car door for her: ALEX I’m actually fine being ignored. You know that, don’t you? Giggling, Maria pulls her door shut. Alex get behind the wheel, and they drive off.

54. 100

INT. RESTAURANT — NIGHT A swanky place. Doing business. Alex and Maria are just getting situated -HOSTESS Dr. Cross, your table will be ready in a few minutes. ALEX Thank you. We’ll wait at the bar. AT THE BAR MARIA Tonic water, please. ALEX A glass of Pinot Noir. The two enjoy the moment of not talking, just looking at each other. Maria bewitching. Alex happy. They get their drinks. Clink them as Alex toasts: ALEX Here’s to what I don’t like. MARIA What’s that supposed to mean? ALEX I don’t like this being special. I think we deserve to be doing this all the time. MARIA If we did this all the time it wouldn’t be special. ALEX Good point. Allow me to clarify. I mean once a month. Me getting to look at you looking like this. Once a month, for three hours. MARIA Ah, one for each kid. ALEX See, we’re thinking the same. MARIA Well, it sounds nice.

55. But...?

ALEX

MARIA Not realistic. Which is unlike you. We’re going from sneakers for two to sneakers for three. And between sneakers and college tuition there are a thousand other things. ALEX That’s true. (beat) But things change. MARIA What are you saying? ALEX Profiling and analysis at the FBI. Location t.b.d -- we can stay here, we can move to DC. Either which way, a 15% raise and a job on the clock — that means we can do this every now and then, and those few thousand other things. MARIA You’ve decided? Yes I have.

ALEX

MARIA Do you mind telling me when? ALEX About twenty seconds ago. Looking at you. A laugh escapes Maria. She’s surprised. MARIA I need a moment to let this sink in. Cross’ cell phone vibrates. He reluctantly checks it. ALEX It’s Monica. (walking away) A job on the clock. Think about that. I’ll be right back. (on cell phone) Monica, what’s up? (MORE)

56. ALEX (CONT'D) (silence) Hello? Cross is now where it’s quiet -AT THE FRONT OF THE RESTAURANT SULLIVAN (ON PHONE) This isn’t Monica, Dr. Cross. You know who this is, don’t you? Yes.

CROSS

SULLIVAN (ON PHONE) And you’re wondering where Officer Ashe might be. Well since I can’t hand you a sketch, I’ll send you a picture. Just a sec, it’s on its way. Cross receives the text. With foreboding, he opens it. MONICA ASHE LIES DEAD in a bathtub filled with bloody water. He struggles to contain his fury and revulsion as Sullivan continues on speaker. SULLIVAN (ON PHONE) It sounds like you got it. I cinched her tight and did her in her own bathtub. There are so many interesting things you can do with fire and water. It’s too bad we only had an hour. Cross can hardly contain himself. CROSS Your time is coming to an end. ON SULLIVAN: He is lying down, in the shadows, against a black backdrop. It’s impossible to place him. SULLIVAN You can do better than that. Can’t you? Come on, Dr. Cross, now’s your chance. Maybe your only chance to question me. CROSS (ON PHONE) Are you having fun? SULLIVAN You’d find my hobbies boring.

57. CROSS (ON PHONE) Your hobby is inflicting pain. SULLIVAN I take pain more seriously than that. It fascinates me. CROSS (ON PHONE) It always has. It was hard conquering the guilt, wasn't it? A long beat. Because Cross has struck a nerve. We can see it; Cross can sense it. In the meantime, Sullivan sits up — and WE SEE he’s on the 2ND STORY ROOF of a building opposite the restaurant. He has a clear view of Cross. And of MARIA. He looks beyond Cross as the hostess shows her to a table. His eyes now scan between the two of them. CROSS (ON PHONE) What feels better, a professional hit or a random kill? SULLIVAN Each keeps me sharp doing the other. With this he picks up an SV-99 Sniper Rifle. He gets Cross’ head centered in the scope — CUT TO CROSS: CROSS So we’re just alike, two professionals. SULLIVAN (ON PHONE) I don’t consider you a professional. CROSS What do you call our run-in last night? SULLIVAN (ON PHONE) Based on what Monica told me, no more than a lucky hunch. CROSS Those are going to be your dying words -SULLIVAN (ON PHONE) Dr. Cross, you’re taking this personally.

58. Cross jabs again: CROSS Yeah, that’s right — just as personal as you felt hauling ass from that building. CUT TO SULLIVAN: SULLIVAN That’s a job I can finish another day. CROSS (ON PHONE) That’s irrelevant. What do you do to yourself when you fail? Beat. Sullivan looks pissed. He puts his finger on the trigger. Ready to blow of Cross’ head. CROSS (ON PHONE) Hello? Are you listening? You punished yourself afterwards, didn’t you? How? Did you stick wire under your nails? Zap your nuts with a stun gun? SULLIVAN I’m not from some book, Cross. CUT TO CROSS: CROSS I know you. Pretend all you want, but you’re not even in control of your own impulses. It scares you, doesn’t it? Not having control? CUT TO SULLIVAN: Sullivan pans his rifle away from Cross. He puts Maria’s head in the cross-hairs. SULLIVAN You want to know about pain? You want to be an expert? CROSS (ON PHONE) You’re in a league of your own. SULLIVAN Well you can me. Cause as soon as your wife puts her menu down I’m gonna take her away.

59. IN THE RESTAURANT Sullivan’s words send a jolt of adrenaline through Cross. He turns, already moving -- sees Maria isn’t at the bar. Going faster, he veers into the dining area, scanning, focusing on Maria, scrambling towards her, knocking over tables, eliciting SCREAMS, and then Maria turns her head, locks eyes with him, curiosity going to fear and then terror as she hears Alex SHOUT NO! DON’T

ALEX

But already the menu is slipping from her hands -CUT TO SULLIVAN: -- and as it drops, Sullivan, snake-quick, drops the crosshairs from her head to her chest. He pulls the trigger. CUT TO CROSS: Throwing himself at Maria as the BULLET SPIDER WEBS THE WINDOW. Cross takes Maria to the ground, blanketing her. Amid the rising PANDEMONIUM in the restaurant — ALEX Are you all right? Alex, what?

MARIA

Only now does she realize. Something. She looks at Alex, confused. MARIA I’ve been...what...Alex? Alex, his eyes frantic, darting, runs his hands over her, ALEX You’re okay, you hear me! The baby.

MARIA

He finds it. A TINY HOLE at her shoulder. Only now starting to flow with blood.

60. He feels her back, finds his hand bloodied lower down — the path was from shoulder to lung to heart. Alex Cross SHOUTS OUT ALEX Call 911! Gunshot! He looks back to his wife. Her fading eyes. ALEX Maria. Hold on, hold on. MARIA The baby. The baby. And with this she dies. 101

INT. HOSPITAL CHAPEL - NIGHT Alex, shirt soaked in Maria’s blood, sits, bent over. Kane sits in the pew behind him. Cross senses he's there. A beat, Cross’ eyes remaining fixed on the floor... CROSS She's been gone two hours now. There’s nothing Kane can say. CROSS And Monica too. Yeah.

KANE

CROSS I was talking to him, Tommy. Cross checks the time. Stands. CROSS I’ve got to go home, and tell my children their mother is dead. KANE All our lives we've been the Oreo brothers. Us against the world. Wherever this goes, I am with you. 102

EXT. CEMETERY — MORNING Alex and his family. They numbly make their way through the crowd and take their seats in front of Maria’s casket.

61. 103

EXT. LONG SHOT, CEMETERY — MORNING As the casket is lowered, REVEAL it is SULLIVAN watching through binoculars from the far side of the lot. He alternates between Cross’ face and looking down. When he is done with his SKETCH OF ALEX CROSS, he drives off.

104

INT. CROSS’ HOUSE — DAY The place is packed with mourners come to pay respects: relatives, friends, colleagues of Alex’s, colleagues of Maria’s, some of whom Alex doesn’t even know. Alex can’t take a step without getting a hug or a hand on his shoulder. He’s partly numb, partly on the verge of a dam burst. He sees Damon, sitting with a bunch of his teenage cousins; the sight gives him a glimmer of hope. Through a window Cross notices Kane OUT ON THE FRONT PORCH, on the cell phone, taking notes. When Kane reenters the house Cross stops him in the corner of the foyer. In hushed, urgent tones: CROSS What you got? KANE Alex. I'll fill you in later. CROSS No, Tommy. Now. I need it now. KANE It was Hoffman. He I.D'd the drug Picasso's using. None of the newbies saw it because it metabolizes so fast. It's called Tetrodotoxin or TTX. It paralyzes but doesn't block pain. (then) But it's unavailable, hasn't been manufactured for decades. And get this: Picasso injected it into Fan Yau, Dobrica Cosic, and Monica. But not the first guy, not Chester Newman. CROSS Why not Chester?

62. KANE I don't know, maybe he got off watching the old man squirm on the cross. CROSS It's possible. But he likes this stuff. (beat) Someone had to make it for him. KANE That we know. CROSS What if he couldn't use it on Chester? Because he had it processed for himself after he came into town? As the ramifications of this sink in, Nana Mama interrupts. Excuse me.

NANA MAMA

Kane gives them space. NANA MAMA Alex, Janelle’s in her room. ALEX I need to go up to her. (then) I’m not sure what to say. NANA MAMA You just talk to her, son. The right words will come. 105

INT. JANELLE & DAMON’S ROOM — DAY Alex finds Janelle curled up on her bed. He sits beside her. ALEX Hey, baby...It’s pretty crowded down there, isn’t it? Janelle gives a noncommittal shrug. ALEX You want to be alone? JANELLE I want my mama back.

63. ALEX Can I tell you a story about mama? He takes down from a shelf a little TOY KEYBOARD. ALEX (CONT'D) One day mama and I were out — you were here with Nana Mama cause you were just a little girl — and your mama saw this. And she said, “We need to buy this for Janelle.” And I don’t know why, but I put up the biggest fight. I came up with every reason not to buy it: you were too little, maybe we should buy the beginner's violin, maybe we should wait, maybe you didn’t like music. But your mama would have none of it. She said “We are buying this for Janelle.” See, she knew you were born to play the piano. JANELLE I’m not a piano player anymore. CROSS Why do say that? JANELLE It’s not inside me. CROSS Do you trust me? Janelle nods. CROSS One day the music will come back. It won’t be mama, but it will be part of her. Just give it time. 106

INT. CROSS’ HOUSE, LATER — DAY The crowd has thinned out. Alex and Nana Mama and Damon are talking with some relatives. Janelle res them, bringing a drink for Damon. The long process of healing is beginning. MARIA'S FRIEND (entering from kitchen) Alex, you have a call. ALEX I'll be right back.

64. 107

INT. KITCHEN - DAY Cross enters, picks up the land line. Hello.

CROSS

SULLIVAN Hello Detective. Am I calling at a bad time? Cross, jaw clenched, steps into THE LAUNDRY ROOM. CROSS What do you think, you sonofabitch. SULLIVAN Ooh. That's good. I could feel that. At the funeral you looked so stunned, but now the pain's really starting to flow. It's going to get worse, you know. CROSS You couldn't be more right. SULLIVAN We're talking about you, bright boy. I mean, you do understand it's all your fault. 108

EXT. CABIN BY THE LAKE - CONTINUOUS Sullivan stands outside a rented crappy unwinterized cabin by the lake. There's no other place in sight. SULLIVAN (CONT'D) I had you in my sights, but you just had to be so bright. You think you're pushing my buttons? Explain to me then why your Maria is dead. It's because you made me kill her. You're guilty, not me, and because you're such a bright boy, you're going to take that knowledge to the grave.

109

INT. LAUNDRY ROOM - CONTINUOUS Cross listens, his fury mounting -SULLIVAN (CONT'D) The only thing I'm curious about is how are you going to punish yourself in the meantime? What, you don't have anything to say?

65. Oh, I do.

CROSS

SULLIVAN Speak up. I think I can handle it. CROSS When I'm done with you, you're not going to be feeling anything. Your calendar's got no more pages. Cross hangs up the phone. Trying to conceal his anger. He sees Kane, across the room. Off Cross' look, Kane gives a nod. He has a good idea of what's going down. 110

EXT. CABIN BY THE LAKE - CONTINUOUS Sullivan's too arrogant to worry about Cross' vow for a second. He tosses the burner into the lake.

111

INT. GARAGE - NIGHT Darkness intermittently sliced with shafts of light. Cross's GUN SAFE is open. He sets his Ruger Red Hawk Revolver in it, and takes out a .357 P226 Sig Sauer and an extra magazine. He holsters it. Then takes out his pump shotgun. Cross has HIS SHOTGUN fixed to his work table. As he picks up a hacksaw, he sees Nana Mama standing at the threshold. NANA MAMA I saw the way you and Tommy were looking at each other. (then) I know what you're up to. Mama --

ALEX

NANA MAMA You've appointed yourself judge, jury, and executioner. Cross starts sawing off the barrel. NANA MAMA And you're going to go after him, no matter what the cost to your family. ALEX I'm going to do what I do because of the cost to my family. She approaches him, ion in her voice rising.

66. NANA MAMA And you'll never be the same. Twelve inches of gun barrel fall to the floor. He starts filing smooth the inside of the remaining barrel. ALEX That's the outcome no matter what. NANA MAMA Stop playing with words! There's more to it than that, and you know it! (then) "Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but yield place to the wrath; for Vengeance is mine; I will repay." Alex finishes dressing the barrel with a few rubs of emory cloth. He loads in some shells, then turns to her. ALEX Romans 12:17. (then) This isn't about vengeance. It's about me doing my job. Mama, I love you. And you are the wisest person I know. But on this, you can't see what I see. Beat. Because what he's just said has triggered something. Alex -

NANA MAMA

Her voice falters. She takes a second to recover. NANA MAMA -- I knew about the baby. Maria didn't say anything - I could just see it, on both your faces. I know what's going with your heart. ALEX Then there's nothing else to talk about. I will promise you this: when I go to work, nothing's going to be any different. I'm still going to be just the cop looking for the bad guy. Nana Mama looks at him, knowing the promise he's just made was a lie.

67. ALEX I have a lead to follow. He es her, gets in his car. 112

INT. ESCALADE - NIGHT Cross collapses the stock of the shotgun and shoves the weapon down between his seat and the console.

113

EXT. CROSS HOUSE - NIGHT Worried sick, Nana Mama watches her son speed off.

114

INT. ESCALADE - NIGHT Cross hits the open road and jams down on the gas. You'd call the driving reckless were it not for Cross' intense look. He's not only fixed on the road. He's mind is whirring, thinking 5 moves ahead.

115

EXT. RYAN CORRECTIONAL FACILITY - DAWN The prison is so lit up it hurts the eyes. The Escalade pulls to a stop at the Main Gate.

116

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - DAWN A deja vu moment at first as the same prison guard ushers in POP POP JONES. Once his cuffs are unlocked and the guard leaves, Pop Pop sits across from Cross, rubs his weary eyes. POP POP Guards told me what went down with your woman. Cross doesn’t reply. POP POP I'm sorry, man. That was way cold. Yeah.

CROSS

POP POP So what you doing here? Why ain't you home with your kids? CROSS Something like this happen to you, you'd be at home right now?

68. POP POP Hell no, man. But that's a different world I'm from. CROSS We're in the same world, Pop Pop. Pop Pop eyes Cross. Seeing a new edge to the man. POP POP I know that look you got. I seen it in the mirror. CROSS Well, like you've always said, there's nothing you can do about it. Except. (then) I want to see Daramus Holiday. I want you to make the call. POP POP Talk to Daramus? You up to what I think? If so, call me stupid, but you're talkin' crazy. Doc C, I need you on the outside, man, bein' my rock, not showin' you the ropes inside of here. CROSS That's not going to happen. Call Daramus, tell him any place public. POP POP Why am I supposed to be doin' this? Cross rises to head out. CROSS Because you always do what's noble. 117

INT. EVIDENCE ROOM — MORNING Cross enters with A BRIEFCASE, finds the predictable lonely cop relegated behind the cage, KLEBANOFF, working on a puzzle. The cop obviously isn’t aware of what’s happened to Cross. Hey Kleb.

CROSS

KLEBANOFF Alex Cross, how ya doing? CROSS I’m doing fine, Kleb.

69. KLEBANOFF What do you need? CROSS I’m calling in that chit from 2000. Klebanoff turns serious, nods. As he opens the cage -KLEBANOFF I’m going buy myself a soda. Once Klebanoff exits, Cross enters the cage. 118

INT. SULLIVAN'S CABIN - DAY A small space. Everything simple and immaculately arranged: a cot, the long worktable replete with gunsmithing gear and other arcane tools of the trade. Sullivan stands shirtless in front of a mirror, wielding surgical scissors: He is in the midst of debriding THE BURNS on his arm and torso, cutting away dead and infected skin. It hurts like a bitch. Between snips, Sullivan turns to an easel and adds to the SKETCH OF HIS OWN SUFFERING FACE. All the while, in b.g, THE LOCAL NEWS plays on a TV. NEWS ANCHOR ...Police still refuse to officially comment on a possible connection between yesterday's home invasion murder of Monica Ashe and the shooting of Maria Cross. You'll that Officer Ashe, a member of the Homicide and Major Crimes Unit, was detailed to Maria Cross' husband, Detective Alex Cross. But sources within the department have confirmed there is a possibility the deaths are both attributable to the serial killer known as Picasso, who has claimed at least eight victims. SULLIVAN 93 you ignorant hack. He turns off the TV, then finishes bandaging his wounds. AT HIS WORK TABLE Sullivan sits down to a large AERIAL MAP OF DOWNTOWN. He busies himself making measurements, punching data into a calculator, and making notes of all his results.

70. Taped to the wall above him is THE SKETCH he did of Alex Cross at Maria's funeral. 119

INT. GM HERITAGE CENTER - DAY A vast showroom filled with hundreds of cars. It's not teeming with visitors -- but it suits Cross fine, who steps into view when he sees three men appear. He carries a briefcase. DARAMUS HOLIDAY is tall, commandingly built, well-dressed, and has an unmistakable air of intelligence. The two accompanying him look like only slightly older versions of Pop Pop. One is DREW-CAKES, the other L'LL JUICE. Cross and Daramus link up in stride. As they stroll along the gallery of cars, Daramus' muscle trailing: DARAMUS HOLIDAY Alex Cross. How's my man Pop doing? CROSS Just fine, all things considered. DARAMUS HOLIDAY Why you see him so much? CROSS I think he's interesting. As Holiday replies he is checking out a '66 Pontiac GTO. DARAMUS HOLIDAY So what you want, doctor? I've got long reach. You want to replace that old Escalade you drive? You want a flat screen for your two little ones? Whole bunch of kitchenware for your mama? CROSS You do your research. DARAMUS HOLIDAY I got my researchers doing my research. CROSS What have you got for my wife? Holiday resumes walking. DARAMUS HOLIDAY Hey man, I'm sorry about that. That was flat out cruel. I do hope you're not thinking my prints are on that.

71. CROSS What if they were? DARAMUS HOLIDAY I don't move that way. Unless. Truth is, I didn't do or know anything. Word. CROSS Maybe you know something but don't know it. DARAMUS HOLIDAY That's everybody's story, Dr. Cross. CROSS That's right. I'm looking for a chemist. A street work chemist. DARAMUS HOLIDAY A mixer killed your wife? CROSS The killer's been dealing with one. You deal with them all. You can tell me who's desperate for money, who has judgment issues, who's got the mojo to cook exotica. DARAMUS HOLIDAY I’m not omniscient. Cross gives Daramus an incredulous look: Yeah.

CROSS

Holiday gets into a 1939 Chevy Master DeLuxe. 120

INT. CHEVY MASTER DELUXE - CONTINUOUS DARAMUS HOLIDAY Have a seat. Come on, man, this is like my office, I powwow in here all the time. Cross gets in shotgun. Drew-Cakes and L'll Juice get in back. DARAMUS HOLIDAY Now we're sitting in a real gangsta car, let’s play "what you going to do for me." Cross opens his briefcase. Gives Daramus a pistol sealed in a thick plastic bag marked "EVIDENCE." Daramus is impressed.

72. CROSS This is the 9 Pop Pop used to shoot Toya Waters and Lester Hastings. You have your lawyers file any kind of appeal, the state's going to have an evidentiary problem. Charges dismissed. DARAMUS HOLIDAY That leaves Pop in on six counts. CROSS Oh, you want the other piece? (to Daramus' men) The .35 belonging to Drew-Cakes? Or was it yours, L'll Juice? (to Daramus) I've got it. You play it right, you earn it, and Pop Pop walks. DARAMUS HOLIDAY After I give you the chemist? CROSS The right chemist. DARAMUS HOLIDAY I got one problem. What if this chemist is one of my top dogs? If he belongs to me, maybe I won't want to give him up. CROSS Hey Drew-Cakes, is your boss saying he values his chemists more than his soldiers? The Street in Daramus emerges. He leans into Cross' space. DARAMUS HOLIDAY You crazy talking like that. CROSS No, I'm not. I'm just off the reservation. DARAMUS HOLIDAY Answer my question. What if I don't give you a name cause I don't have the answer? Cross gets out of the car.

73. CROSS You're Daramus Holiday. You're Street Google. You'll get me my name. (heading off) If you don't, then I might just come after you. 121

EXT. GAS STATION - DAY Sullivan has driven outside the city. As he fills up his car he eyes A TEEN AGE BOY topping off his pickup truck. They pay in cash one after another. SULLIVAN Hey buddy, want to make an easy 50? TEEN AGE BOY (suspiciously) Doing what? Sullivan holds out a crisp bill. SULLIVAN Target practice.

122

EXT. COUNTRYSIDE - DAY Both cars have pulled off a desolate country road. A LARGE FIELD lies fallow. A few hundred yards away are woods. In the other direction, a river. AT THE TREE LINE Sullivan stands beside a trap thrower and a bag of clay pigeons. He launches a pigeon - the little clay disc zips LOW AND FAST across the field. SULLIVAN You give it a try. The young man proves himself a proficient pigeon launcher. SULLIVAN Good. That watch work? Yes, sir.

TEEN AGE BOY

SULLIVAN I want one in the air every twenty seconds. TEEN AGE BOY Yes, sir. Every twenty seconds. Sullivan walks away.

74. BACK AT HIS MERC, Sullivan pulls out of the trunk a M110 sniper rifle, an iPod mounted to it running a BulletFlight external ballistics calculator. He taps data into the iPod: humidity, distance, wind speed, etc. He scans the computer's output. With a final command, the iPod starts emitting a BEEP every one second. Sullivan makes a LOUD WHISTLE. A moment later, the first pigeon flies. It's astonishingly small from this vantage. Sullivan just watches it. He adjusts his scope a few clicks. The next pigeon flies. Sullivan shoulders the rifle, fires, and clips the pigeon, sending in veering. He makes another scope adjustment. Taps the iPod, which now starts BEEPING EVERY HALF-SECOND. The third pigeon flies. Sullivan tracks it, pulls the trigger...and hits the target dead center, obliterating it. Another pigeon flies - and it too is shattered. Another, and Sullivan is toying now, he tracks it across the field and nails it just before it hits the ground. As THE TEEN AGE BOY launches pigeon after pigeon he becomes increasingly astonished by what he's seeing. He releases a pigeon, and this one is atomized when it's ONLY A FEW FEET out of the launcher - the boy is splattered by clay dust as the bullet blows into a tree a few feet away. TEEN AGE BOY Son of a bitch! SULLIVAN waits for the next target, his iPod timer now going off every eighth of a second. He sees the young man advancing to him. SULLIVAN What's wrong? TEEN AGE BOY I gotta get going. Yeah?

SULLIVAN

75. TEEN AGE BOY I'm sorry. I got to go. I forgot about this thing. (holding up the bag) You only got five left. I knew that.

SULLIVAN

TEEN AGE BOY What's that beeping for? SULLIVAN It gives me lead correction. So I can't miss. (then) Give me your keys. The young man eyes the rifle. With a trembling hands obeys. Sullivan backs the intimidated lad up against his truck. SULLIVAN You're a deer hunter, aren't you? TEEN AGE BOY Yes sir. Sometimes. SULLIVAN So you know how to field dress? Yes, sir.

TEEN AGE BOY

Sullivan jabs him with his WASP. As the young man goes limp Sullivan grabs the lapels of his jacket, and throws him in the back of his pick-up truck. He opens his knife. As the teen's eyes widen: SULLIVAN Well if I do anything wrong, you let me know. 123

EXT. RIVER - DAY The teen comes out of shock because of the cold water. Disoriented, his eyes fearfully darting, he re that he can't move as the gurgling truck submarines into the river. Tied to a truck bed cargo cleat, he is dragged underwater with it, his blood and viscera obscuring even more his distorted view of THE MAN looming at water's edge. SULLIVAN

76. watches the truck sink out of sight. He closes his sketch book and heads back to his car. 124

EXT. HMT TECHNOLOGIES - DAY A new Industrial Park. Cross and Kane exit the Escalade and arrive at an expensive security door. After they buzz: KANE You want me to do the talking? CROSS You can do all the talking you want. A SWARTHY HAITIAN IN HIS 30S, wearing protective goggles over gold wire rimmed glasses, appears at the door. DARDIS I am sorry, we are not -Kane presses his badge to the glass. Police.

125

KANE

INT. HMT TECHNOLOGIES - DAY Dardis buzzes them in. The place is a fully tricked out chemistry lab, and apparently a one man operation. DARDIS Can I help you gentlemen? KANE Vincent Dardis? Yes.

DARDIS

KANE You look like a Yertle. Take off those goggles, Yertle. DARDIS Yes, I am sorry. KANE This is a nice little set-up. What you cook here Yertle? DARDIS Officer, I'm afraid there's been a mistake.

77. KANE Answer the question! DARDIS Lubricants. Primarily advanced automotive lubricants. CROSS My ass. What kind of advanced drugs you make? Beat. The eyes of a guilty man. DARDIS I would like to call my attorney. The request triggers something in Cross. He turns volcanic. He HURLS Dardis into a shelf of glassware. And SHOUTS: CROSS YOU DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK TO AN ATTORNEY! Cross throws him onto a counter. Glass is smashed as Dardis rolls and falls to the floor. Cross picks him up. Kane wasn't expecting this kind of fury. KANE Alex, hold on. CROSS YOU DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT! TELL ME WHO'S PAYING FOR TTX! I don't...

DARDIS

Cross turns Dardis, grabbing his arm and pulling it behind his back and jerking it upwards. In concert with the POPPING SOUND of the shoulder being dislocated, Dardis CRIES OUT in agony. All along Cross is advising: CROSS ANYTHING YOU SAY CAN BE USED AGAINST YOU! KANE Alex! Enough! As Kane steps in from behind to intervene, Cross' elbow inadvertently whacks him in the jaw, sending him reeling.

78. Cross is oblivious to this as he slams the BUNDLE OF NERVES in front of Dardis' shoulder t. Dardis falls to his knees in agony, his arm dangling useless. CROSS Want me to make it go away? Pop it back? Yes!

DARDIS

CROSS Then give me answers! TTX. DARDIS Tetrodotoxin prevents action potentials in nerves by blocking -Cross bats Dardis' shoulder t again. CROSS Stop being a dictionary! Who's the buyer? Dardis, weeping, CRIES OUT: DARDIS I am afraid of him! He stares at Cross, broken, desperate to spill: CROSS Afraid of who? DARDIS I have no name. He came here twice. Manufacture is slow. He frightened me, I took precautions. CROSS What do you mean? DARDIS I wanted to know when he was coming back, so I could hide myself. CROSS You're not answering! DARDIS The last ampule box I gave to him will alert me when he heads back, it has a tracking device inside it.

79. What!?

CROSS

DARDIS It works off the cellular network. CROSS What's it ping to? DARDIS My cell phone. You can bluetooth it -CROSS Just cough it up. 126

INT. CROSS'S ESCALADE - DAY Cross turns at full speed out of the Industrial Park. Kane holds DARDIS' CELL-PHONE; the tracking app on it shows a DOT moving on a map. KANE He's heading downtown. CROSS (into radio mic) Vicki. You have anything fresh on Ångstrom? VICKI (on radio) Hold on. Cross looks at Kane, who's busy pressing buttons on the phone and the car's navigation pane. CROSS What are you doing? Kane finishes the bluetoothing process: the tracking app shows up on the car's navigation screen. KANE Giving us some redundancy. Hey, redundancy never hurt anyone.

127

INT. HMCU - CONTINUOUS Vicki swivels to a monitor. Keys her query. VICKI (into radio mic) There's an Ångstrom entry this morning. One sec.

80. 128

EXT. ÅNGSTROM’S ESTATE - CONTINUOUS A LONG LINE OF BLACK CARS -- a half-dozen tinted 4x4s and TWO ARMORED LIMOUSINES stand ready, along with Ångstrom's full detail of bodyguards. Ångstrom appears at the door. He's dressed for rain -- in a jacket, wearing a hat. He turns to his wife: ÅNGSTROM Don't worry, this is only a formality. I'll see you at dinner. Mrs. Ångstrom watches tight-lipped as the gorgeous Paramita s Ångstrom, along with Pierce, LeBescond, and the rest of his entourage. Ångstrom, Paramita, and Pierce get into one limo, LeBescond and the lawyers into the other. VICKI (V.O.) Ångstrom was ordered to appear at a deportation hearing this afternoon.

129

INT. CROSS'S ESCALADE - CONTINUOUS When?

CROSS

VICKI (into radio mic) It’s scheduled in 30 minutes. Cross guns the accelerator. KANE How's Sullivan supposed to know that? CROSS It's like Ångstrom said. "He's inside my information loop." (into radio mic) Vicki, you sound the horn. Loud. You tell our people, SWAT, US Marshals, all of them, they've got a public execution going down at the Federal Courthouse in less than 30 minutes. 130

INT. HMCU - CONTINUOUS VICKI (into radio mic) Alex, the brass is going to want some questions answered.

81. 131

INT. CROSS'S ESCALADE - CONTINUOUS CROSS (into radio mic) You tell them I've got first hand corroboration from a Triad informant. The Chinese are whacking him today. (then) And make it clear - the assassin is a Pro - he could be coming from a thousand different angles.

132

EXT. ELEVATED PARKING GARAGE - DAY Sullivan parks his car in an open air elevated lot. He's got a BACKPACK slung over one shoulder. He pulls a GOOD-SIZED BAG from the trunk. As he heads to the building entrance he sees ON THE STREET BELOW TWO SQUAD CARS scream by.

133

INT. OFFICE BUILDING - DAY Sullivan makes his way through the building.

134

EXT. CITY STREET, DOWNTOWN - DAY Sullivan exits the building. As he waits to cross the street, he clocks A POLICE CHOPPER flying overhead.

135

EXT. FEDERAL COURTHOUSE - DAY Squad Cars are screaming in and police are already shutting down streets, redirecting pedestrians, starting to put up barricades. A big POLICE COMMAND TRUCK pulls up across from the courthouse. Out from it comes the man in charge: CAPTAIN BROOKWELL, and his two lieutenants, MAX and THOMAS: BROOKWELL Max, I want you making sure everyone's working out of my tent. Thomas, anyone who's giving commands, find 'em and confirm they're working off our contingency scenario. Ours, not theirs. Where's the goddamned bomb squad? MAX They're pulling in.

82. BROOKWELL In 15 minutes I want this block sanitized. Brookwell eyes the circling helicopter. Talks into his mic. BROOKWELL That you, Crowly? CROWLY (over speaker) Yes, sir. BROOKWELL You keep my ass covered. CROWLY (over speaker) Roger that. 136

EXT. BUILDING - DAY Sullivan gets out of a cab, enters another building.

137

INT. CROSS’ ESCALADE - DAY Cross hits the downtown area. Driving hard. VIKKI (on radio) Command post is up. CROSS Keep me posted. Kane eyes the navigation . Something doesn't seem right. KANE He's still a few miles off target. CROSS Tommy, who calls the shots in the henhouse? KANE The motherfucking fox.

138

EXT. BUILDING - DAY Sullivan exits the building, emerges on some sort of elevated platform -- it's not exactly clear to us what it is. He finds himself waiting along with THREE BAD-ASSES. SOON-TO-BE DEAD MAN 1 Hey, what you selling, bro?

83. SOON-TO-BE DEAD MAN 2 He looks like a panty man. That true? You hitting the bricks selling pink panties? Everything clarifies as a SINGLE TRAIN CAR glides to a stop. As Sullivan boards the monorail, he activates his stopwatch. 139

INT. MONORAIL TRAIN - DAY The monorail is computer operated. Sullivan sets his bags down at the front. The three bad asses are the only other engers.

140

EXT. CITY STREETS - DAY Ångstrom's caravan drives through the city, ignoring speed limits and stop lights.

141

EXT. FEDERAL COURTHOUSE - DAY As BOMB SQUAD exit the court with their sniffer dogs. BOMB SQUAD MEMBER Building's clear. The HEAD OF BOMB SQUAD, ROB, who's with Brookwell, acknowledges, then gestures at the sea of parked cars in the lot opposite the building. ROB There's no way we're vetting all these vehicles in 10 minutes. Any one of them could do a city block. BROOKWELL Great. We're sitting in goddamn Baghdad. I'm walling off detonation signals. The two climb into --

142

INT. THE POLICE COMMAND TRUCK - CONTINUOUS VIDEO SCREENS show the copter's feed of POLICE SNIPERS ON ROOFTOPS, of the SURROUNDING BLOCKS where pedestrians are being shunted away and traffic re-routed. BROOKWELL Max, pull up the cell grid. Max turns on another screen. A GRAPHIC comes up that overlays a MAP OF THE AREA and TRIANGLES emanating overlapping concentric rings. Brookwell asks Rob:

84. BROOKWELL How many towers you want down? ROB Everything in these ten square blocks. Max flips switches. 143

INT. CROSS' ESCALADE - DAY The navigation goes blank. Same with the cell phone: KANE What the -- we lost our bead! CROSS Bomb squad shut down the cell towers. KANE He was at Cass and Selden. CROSS It's too far out. Some squad cars by at full speed. Cross improvisationally fishtails to up with them on the way to the Courthouse.

144

INT. MONORAIL TRAIN - DAY As the train pulls out, Sullivan plugs his laptop into the car's control unit. As he types in some hijacking commands: SOON-TO-BE DEAD MAN 1 What the hell you doing, man? The three of them are up and approaching but Sullivan is intent on finishing his command string. Just before they're on him, he turns and shoots the first two in the head with his silent KM II. The worst of the bunch Sullivan knee caps. The guy falls to the floor, writhing in agony. Sullivan checks his stopwatch as the car, increasing in speed, FLIES PAST the next station. He's got a few moments to burn. He pulls the ampule box from his backpack, loads the WASP, and goes to the miserable writhing bastard. SULLIVAN Tell me the truth --

85. SOON-TO-BE DEAD MAN 2 Please, man, please. SULLIVAN (CONT'D) -- What color panties you wearing? He jabs the guy in the neck. SULLIVAN Stay put. We'll finish later. He returns to his bags and blows out a window with a sidekick. 145

EXT. FEDERAL COURTHOUSE - DAY Cross skids to a stop outside the cordon. As Cross and Kane run towards the Command Truck, they see how well-locked down the area looks. They zero in on Brookwell. BROOKWELL Cross, if this is a fire drill your ass is cooked. CROSS Get the cell towers back up! BROOKWELL What are you talking about!? CROSS I was tracking the man's cell! BROOKWELL Well I'm shutting off car bomb triggers. (shouting to his aide) Thomas, take care of Dr Cross. (to Cross, moving on) I've got a lock-down to manage. Cross and Kane stride away from Thomas. Looking all around. Trying to divine how Picasso will penetrate. KANE You think this'll scare him off? CROSS He won't care. They've covered all of the front of the Courthouse when Ångstrom's caravan arrives.

86. KANE I'll take the front. As Cross heads for the rear of the caravan -146

INT. MONORAIL - DAY Sullivan takes from the bag his sniper rifle, assembles it. Punches data into the BulletFlight calculator. He sets the lead correction beeper to 1/10th of a second. Sully takes position at the open window. The knee-capped slob's cries fade away: Sullivan is in a "sniper's bubble."

147

EXT. FEDERAL COURTHOUSE - DAY Cross's intention is to link up with Ångstrom, but finds himself in a tussle with the linebacker-sized guards from the rear vehicle: CROSS I need to see Ångstrom. Get out of my way! As Cross tries bulling his way through, he sees LeBescond exiting one limo and making his way up the Courthouse steps. Ångstrom, hat pulled low, annoyed by the hubbub, surrounded BY A WALL of towering guards, emerges from the other limo.

148

INT. MONORAIL - DAY The train WHIPS onto a long straight stretch. It's moving at 55 mph. Sullivan stands statue-like....and then pulls the trigger at the nanosecond when LeBescond enters his crosshairs.

149

EXT. FEDERAL COURTHOUSE - DAY LeBescond's head is blown out -- and with this comes MAYHEM. Cops discombobulated. Looking everywhere, fingers on triggers. The SOUND OF THE GUNSHOT arrives, but distance and building echoes render it meaningless.

150

INT. MONORAIL - DAY As the train is about to curve out of the kill zone, Sullivan reaches into the bag -- and pulls out a Russian RPG-29. ie, a Rocket Propelled Grenade Launcher. The courthouse remains in his sight frame as he aims and fires.

87. 151

EXT. 3 BLOCKS FROM THE COURTHOUSE - DAY The THERMOBARIC ANTI-PERSONNEL ROUND flies at 600 m.p.h down the three blocks towards its target.

152

EXT. FEDERAL COURTHOUSE - DAY As the warhead makes with Ångstrom's human shield it disperses a cloud of gas. The growing cloud then detonates in a massive fireball, OBLITERATING Ångstrom and all his men -- and sending out A VICIOUS SHOCK WAVE. The BACK BLAST blows the Command Truck onto its two distant wheels for a second. While men, KANE AMONG THEM, are hurtled off their feet by the concussion wave. Cross is slammed into a patrol car. Cross snaps to, hones in on the RPG's SMOKE TRAIL leading from the train as IT ZOOMS OUT OF SIGHT. Cross is already at a run -CROSS Son of a bitch! -- while around him shock and mayhem still abound, the lucky cops with bloody noses and blown-out ears, the ones less so screaming with broken bones and internal injuries, the few of Ångstrom's people in a daze even as some of Ångstrom's vehicles pull away in a panic. Cross sees Kane, lying like a rag doll. Two cops are working on him. Despite Kane's dazed eyes, he instinctively barks to Cross in a hoarse voice: Go!

KANE

Cross dashes to his Escalade, and peels off toward the monorail tracks. 153

INT. ESCALADE - DAY Cross drives off with the single-minded intent of catching up with the train. He engages his four wheel drive, pops the curb, maneuvers through and around the police cordon and barricades.

88. He turns back onto the empty street, the RAISED MONORAIL TRACK three blocks ahead. He hits the gas. Reaching it, he turns hard, ignoring the oncoming traffic, and now has the train in his sights. He weaves past cars, then finds himself with an open stretch that allows him to take it to 90 and close in on the train. 154

INT. MONORAIL - DAY SULLIVAN remains ignorant of Cross' actions as he walks back to the Soon-To-Be-Dead Man 2 and looms over him. SULLIVAN So, how do we end this? SOON-TO-BE DEAD MAN 2 Burn in hell. Sullivan finds the directive amusing. Then something catches his eye -- he looks up TO SEE THE ESCALADE, maniacally chasing the train. Just a few blocks back and closing rapidly. He looks back down at Soon-To-Be-Dead Man 2. SULLIVAN I've got to switch to Plan B. I need to borrow your jacket. He draws his pistol and shoots Soon-To-Be-Dead Man 2 in the head. Then he pulls off the Now-Dead Man's HEAVY JACKET. Sullivan strides back to his laptop and types in a new set of commands. The enger doors open...the train slows to about 40.

155

INT. ESCALADE - DAY Cross remains at full speed, honking his horn, veering left and right to stay the course, closing on the train. Ahead, the track takes a gentle turn, which allows HIM TO SEE the open enger doors. He looks further ahead -- the monorail FEEDS INTO AND OUT OF a building. Cross' eyes dart to the train. He knows he's driving into uncertainty. Damnit!

CROSS

89. 156

INT. MONORAIL - DAY Sullivan wraps his weapons, ampule box, etc in the jacket, shoves it into the backpack, then pulls it on backwards, so it's cushioning his chest. He goes to the open door. As buildings whip by, he takes quick deep breaths, readying himself...

157

INT. ESCALADE - DAY Cross catches up with the train -- just as it's about to enter the building. He hits the breaks, cuts his speed in half.

158

INT. MONORAIL - DAY As soon as the train is moving past the platform Sullivan crosses his arms over his chest and BAILS OUT --

159

INT. MONORAIL PLATFORM - CONTINUOUS -- Sullivan is ALREADY ROLLING when he hits the concrete. It's as well-executed as can be, but that doesn't mean it's not brutal. After a long, punishing roll, Sullivan comes to a stop. He slowly rises. The outside of his hands torn and bloodied. He spits out a tooth. He then sees A GROUP OF ASTOUNDED ONLOOKERS on the platform staring at him. Watching them, he rearranges his backpack, and in the process pulls out his H&K submachine gun. The astounded onlookers transition to frightened onlookers. Sullivan gives them a "stay quiet" look as he walks away, into the building.

160

EXT. ESCALADE - DAY Cross moves even more slowly past the building. He's unsure which path to take: his eyes follow the train and flit to his mirrors -- he knows Sullivan might have pulled a move. AHEAD, the traffic grows heavy, a near-jam due to the streets closed by the police. He finds some cars are now behind him, hemming him in. The POLICE RADIO CHATTER (which has been ongoing), now gives way to an incoming comm:

90. VICKI (ON RADIO) Alex! Alex, do you read? I've got incoming from the courthouse. Please advise -CROSS (very abrupt) I'm in pursuit of Picasso, Tommy's hurt, make sure he's being taken care of. Out. With that, he angrily turns off the radio. 161

INT. MONO BUILDING - DAY Sullivan expertly holds his weapon to his side, so no one notices it. The more he walks the more he works out whatever damage he did to himself in the jump. His gait is almost normal. He is soon moving at a good clip through the building. Trotting DOWN THE ESCALATOR, he es a RENT-A-COP heading up. The Rent-A-Cop turns, keying on Sullivan's weapon.

162

INT. MONO BUILDING PARKING - DAY Sullivan quick-scans the lot. Immediately hones in on a man driving a CORVETTE ZR1 towards the exit. Sullivan runs, catches up with the Corvette as the man stops AT THE EXIT GATE to feed in his parking ticket. Sullivan sticks the H&K in THE DRIVER's face. SULLIVAN Back up, get out, leave the keys. Okay, okay!

CORVETTE DRIVER

The driver backs away from the exit gate so his door can open. Before he gets out -The rent-a-cop appears at the entrance to the building. His pistol already drawn as he shouts: STOP!

COP

Sullivan whips around, his H&K already firing. Sullivan guides the stream of bullets into the rent-a-cop's chest. The Cop's pistol discharges into the ceiling.

91. 163

EXT. ESCALADE - DAY Cross HEARS the multiple gun shots echoing from behind. He has a Screw It attitude to his jammed-in situation: he plows into the car in front of him, shoving it forward, then reverses hard into the car behind him, pushing it back a few feet. With horns going off like crazy, he bangs a U-ey, dodges a car, and sets off toward the Mono Building just as the Corvette pulls out and roars off.

164

INT. CORVETTE - DAY Sullivan turns in the opposite direction from the courthouse. He drives aggressively, weaving in traffic, but careful not to bust the speed limit so as to alert any cops. This all changes when he catches in his rear view mirror the Escalade. Now HE CAN SEE who is behind the wheel. Sullivan shifts gears and rockets off. He puts the Corvette to the test -- accelerating to 90, braking hard to switch lanes. He gains more and more distance from the Escalade.

165

INT. ESCALADE - DAY As Cross tries in vain to keep up. He gets cut off, finds his vision blocked by an 18-wheeler...

166

INT. CORVETTE - DAY Sullivan hits an open stretch of road and zips up to one hundred. He sees no sign of the Escalade in his mirror. He slams the brakes, takes a violent turn ONTO ANOTHER STREET. He continues on, free as a bird.

167

INT. ESCALADE - DAY A view of the road opens, and Cross sees he's lost Sullivan. He pounds the steering wheel. But isn't giving up. Come on...

CROSS

He keeps driving, urging his car to go faster.

92. And then, IT RESUMES: the tracking app on the navigation flashes back on. Now beyond the 10 block cell phone jamming perimeter, he can again see where Sullivan is. CROSS As I live and breath. Cross turns off ONTO THE STREET Sullivan had taken. He accelerates. The dot draws closer. 168

INT. CORVETTE - DAY Sullivan drives like a law-abiding citizen. He wears the self-satisfaction of having pulled it all off. Seemingly out of nowhere THE ESCALADE IS ON HIS ASS, veering into his lane, clipping his tail. Bastard!

SULLIVAN

Sullivan steadies his car, lowers the enger window. He veers right, SLAMS THE BRAKES, and as the Escalade flies past he fires full auto with his H&K. 169

INT. ESCALADE - CONTINUOUS flies past the Corvette, taking a dozen slugs, but all they do is break glass and rupture upholstery. Cross' window is already down. He draws his sawed off shotgun.

170

INT. CORVETTE - CONTINUOUS Sullivan sees Cross aiming the shotgun at him. He hits the gas, Cross' shot BLOWS OUT A SIDE WINDOW, spraying Sullivan with glass. Another shot takes out a chunk of car just above the rear tire.

171

INT. ESCALADE - CONTINUOUS As Cross pumps the shotgun, the Corvette increases its distance. Cross fires again at the car, aiming for the tires. Buckshot sparks on asphalt just behind the racing car.

172

INT. CORVETTE - CONTINUOUS Sullivan slows to Cross' speed, and maintaining the distance he's gained, he twists to fire his H&K at the Escalade.

93. 173

INT. ESCALADE - CONTINUOUS Cross sees the BULLETS KICKING UP the asphalt towards him. He jams on the brakes, swerves, and the trail of lead es. As he recovers control he sees the Corvette racing away.

174

INT. CORVETTE - DAY Sullivan drives dangerously fast. Totally confidant. All the while making turns, reversing direction, basically taking every possible evasive maneuver. And all the while, his eyes darting to the rear view mirror Cross' appearance out of nowhere has gotten into his brain.

175

INT. ESCALADE - DAY Cross wasn't surprised to see Sullivan rocket away. CROSS That's right. He keeps driving hard, pushing 90, focused on the navigation . On the rapidly moving dot. When the dot is clearly headed south -- the moment Cross has been waiting for arrives: HE SWERVES onto a street heading in the same direction. CROSS (CONT'D) Run into my 'hood. Then he goes OFF-ROAD. Cross blows through a chain-link fence. The Escalade barrels through A STAND OF TREES. The Escalade continues its off-road trek, moving through a VACANT LOT and bouncing violently OVER A HALF-DOZEN RAILROAD TRACKS. All the while, Cross keeps glancing at the navigation and we see he's already radically cut the distance between himself and Sullivan.

176

INT. CORVETTE - DAY Sullivan reaches a dead zone -- The Badlands, unending blocks of abandoned houses. He tops out the 'Vette at 155. Sullivan takes it through a slight turn, then blasts into AN OLD NARROW TUNNEL.

94. 177

INT. ESCALADE - DAY Cross blows through another fence and is now on a long, level concrete STRAIGHTAWAY. The speedometer is topped, the beast moving at 110. He's too busy driving to glance at the navigation . But we see it. According to it, he is ON TOP OF THE DOT.

178

INT. CORVETTE - DAY Sullivan emerges from the tunnel.

179

INT. ESCALADE - DAY Cross blows off the straightaway ONTO THE ROAD. He veers ever so slightly. Enough to T-BONE THE CORVETTE.

180

INT. BOTH CARS - CONTINUOUS It's an enormous impact. Especially inside the Corvette, with its direction suddenly changed 90º. AIRBAGS DEPLOY as metal and fiberglass crumble and crack.

181

EXT. DEAD FIELD - CONTINUOUS The Escalade plows the Corvette into a dead field. Both men are stunned by the airbag impact. SULLIVAN pushes himself out of his car. He fires a LONG BURST at the Escalade. CROSS dives onto the seats, pulls himself out the enger door as THE ESCALADE IS RIDDLED. He takes cover at the front of the Escalade and quickly BLASTS SHOTS at the Corvette until the shotgun is empty; he feeds into it his remaining six cartridges. SULLIVAN hunkers down as he pulls a new magazine from his backpack and feeds it into his H&K. The barrage of buckshot skewers him with glass and fiberglass.

95. Some PELLETS HIT HIS THIGH. CROSS Pumping and firing, Cross dashes to the cover of a tree, bringing him even closer to Sullivan. His shotgun empty, he DRAWS HIS .357 SIG and chambers it. SULLIVAN SPRAYS WITHERING FIRE in Cross' direction - and while Cross remains low, Sullivan makes for a SHED. He pulls himself UP ONTO THE ROOF of a shed. ON CROSS rising in time to see Sullivan hoisting himself to whatever is above the shed. Cross fires four shots as Sullivan disappears from sight. 182

EXT. RAIL BEDS, BACK OF CENTRAL STATION - DAY Sullivan finds himself at THE BACK of the ONCE GRAND RAILWAY STATION. It's a VAST AREA, empty except for the dozen tracks that come from nowhere and go nowhere. Despite his game leg he manages to run.

183

EXT. DEAD FIELD - DAY Cross cautiously follows, taking the shed roof, slowly raising his head -- TO SEE in the distance Sullivan running down the tracks.

184

EXT. RAIL BEDS, CENTRAL STATION - CONTINUOUS Cross hoists himself up. Cross takes careful aim with his Sig at Sullivan, well past the hundred yard mark. Cross fires three spaced shots, the big gun kicking. SULLIVAN can feel Cross' eyes boring into his back. He starts zig-zagging when the first bullet hits the dirt a few yards ahead of him.

96. The second bullet hits near his feet, convincing him that here, out in the open, will not do: he turns toward the OPEN MAW that used to be the ENTRANCE/EXIT OF THE OLD STATION. CROSS closes the distance. Ready to return fire should Sullivan pop out with his H&K. And altogether pleased as punch about where he's channeled Sullivan: into his turf. 185

INT. ATRIUM, RAILWAY STATION - DAY Once a gem, the station still shows graceful lines and a few ornamental embellishments. But it's essentially an enormous cadaver of brick and steel, heavily graffitied, its floors slick with water. Cross comes through A SIDE ENTRANCE, advances SLOWLY. Moving from one position of cover to another. Listening to the utter silence for a tell-tale sound. SULLIVAN stands in the shadows of a wall's inset. At the FAINT PATTER of footsteps, Sullivan steps out and FIRES ACROSS THE ATRIUM. CROSS hits the floor. He squeezes off 5 quick rounds -- UPWARD The ceiling is mostly nonexistent...but a decent number of ENORMOUS GLASS PANES have survived, only to now be shattered -SULLIVAN ceases firing as HUGE SHARDS OF GLASS start raining down. As he flees CROSS gets a bead on Sullivan and from across the long room fires ANOTHER HANDFUL OF SHOTS. SULLIVAN exits the room as .357 slugs BLAST AT CONCRETE around him.

97. 186

INT. CORRIDOR, RAILWAY STATION - DAY Sullivan runs down the corridor, constantly looking to see if Cross is showing behind him.

187

INT. A DIFFERENT CORRIDOR, RAILWAY STATION - DAY Cross runs full speed. Ejecting the Sig's mag, slamming in a second mag -- and putting the first magazine in his back pocket. Cross doesn't have to look over his shoulder. Because he knows exactly where Sullivan is headed...

188

INT. MAIN ROOM, RAILWAY STATION - DAY Cross halts in this MASSIVE ROOM, stripped bare, the floor covered with a QUARTER INCH OF WATER, its walls lined with enormous columns ing A VAULTED 50 FOOT CEILING. Cross takes aim at a spot 200 feet away...AND WAITS, as the sound of SULLIVAN RUNNING grows louder.

189

INT. CORRIDOR, RAILWAY STATION - DAY Sullivan runs, the entrance to the Main Room looming. Just before dashing into it, he stops, hugs the wall. H&K ready. Listening. All of his experience warning him: No.

190

INT. MAIN ROOM, RAILWAY STATION - DAY Cross stands as he was. Motionless. Finger on hair trigger. Suddenly, SULLIVAN SKIDS INTO THE ROOM, LYING ON HIS SIDE: HYDROPLANING across the floor, H&K firing wildly in Cross' direction. Cross acquires his target and empties his magazine --- all the while STEPPING BACK to take cover BEHIND A COLUMN as Sullivan's machine gun spray draws closer. Sullivan's H&K goes empty. Sullivan whips out his MK II. Behind the column, Cross holsters the empty Sig and pulls THE SUB-COMPACT GLOCK 29 from his ankle holster. Sullivan, totally exposed out on the floor, sees his closest option is a GRAND STAIRWAY between himself and Cross. He starts firing perfectly-aimed rounds at the column that Cross is behind, the pistol whisper silent but the bullets emphatic as they chip at the column.

98. Cross stays glued to the column as the bullets thud. As Sullivan reaches the stairway his MK II is empty. The echo of its CLICK carries. Cross steps out BLAZING, nearly tagging Sullivan as he bolts up the steps. Cross runs to the stairway, resuming fire as he turns the corner. He's in time to see Sullivan cut right. 191

INT. GRAND STAIRWAY - CONTINUOUS Cross steadily mounts the steps. He reaches the top. Listens. Swings around, ready to fire --

192

INT. UPPER CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS Every doorway is nailed closed with plywood sheets. Except one way down at the end -- where a REGULAR DOOR is shut.

193

INT. CORRIDOR - DAY Cross slowly makes his way, his feet sinking in the wet, rotted floor. He reaches it. Listens. Assesses. Finally, he kicks open the door, ready to unload --- but from where he stands he sees a room that's almost gone. Sun beams through the partial ceiling, and the floor and walls are scattered with small trees and vines, some dead, some half-dead. Toward the far side of the room, THE FLOOR warps down, and in some places has disintegrated entirely, leaving A HOLE. As for Sullivan, there's not a trace.

194

INT. THE RAILWAY FOREST - CONTINUOUS As Cross scopes the room from outside the doorway, WE SEE SULLIVAN ABOVE THE INSIDE OF THE DOORWAY, legs astride, feet planted on two steel beams that once ed the roof. He has A LONG IRON ROD cocked, ready for Cross.

99. 195

INT. CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS Cross continues scanning the foliage. He fixes on SOME BENT AND BROKEN BRANCHES -- Sullivan's trail.

196

INT. THE RAILWAY FOREST - CONTINUOUS Cross charges in, FIRING in what he thinks is Sullivan's position. Sullivan swings fast and hard. The PIPE NAILS Cross' forearm, sending THE PISTOL FLYING. Sullivan swings again from high up, but Cross sidesteps the bar. Sullivan jumps down -- a BEAM BENEATH THE FLOOR CRACKS, the floor collapses a bit, but Sullivan is already advancing toward Cross, jabbing with the bar. Sullivan throws another big swing -- but this time Cross is ready, he steps into the swing so that Sullivan's hand hits his abdomen; Cross RIPS THE BAR FREE, sends the smaller Sullivan off-balance. Cross attacks, his training blended with primal fury. And what goes down is Sullivan's cat-like speed vs. Cross' strength and fury. Sullivan's broad array of martial arts skill vs. Cross's street-fighting childhood and ten years of Krav Maga. Cross swings. Sullivan moves as Cross did, inward toward Cross to tie him up, but Cross' move was a feint, and he now DRIVES THE SHORT END of the pole into Sullivan's gut. As Sullivan reflexively bends, Cross swings behind him and takes Sullivan's legs out. Sullivan hits the deck, lungs empty, but before Cross succeeds in pile-driving the bar straight through him he rolls. Instead, the ROD DRIVES DEEP into the soggy floor. It hits a ing beam. There's a loud wooden snap, and A FISSURE snakes out from where the floor has disintegrated. Sullivan scrounges for the pistol but Cross dives and with his greater length is able to swat it... ...the Glock twirls across the floor and INTO THE HOLE. Both men on the ground. Cross grabs the back of Sullivan's head and with his other hand HAMMER-FISTS HIS NOSE, breaking it.

100. CROSS You don't like that do you?! Cross palm-heel strikes Sullivan's chin. All the while: CROSS Today's the day. When I do. The whole human race. A big favor. He follows this savage hit with a strike to the temple even as he repeatedly drives his knee into Sullivan's wounded thigh. Someone not used to beatings like this would be tapped, but Sullivan's body is reacting on instinct: as blood and saliva flow he wraps his legs around one of Cross', and TORQUES THE BIG MAN OVER. He drives an elbow in Cross' diaphragm, taking Cross' wind. Sullivan does it again. A third time. Both men try to get up. Sullivan is faster. And Cross, still rising, takes a glancing knee to the head. Cross tries to roll kick Sullivan from the ground, but Sullivan stays with him, his senses returning, and front kicks Cross' stomach, causing him to contract in pain. Sullivan staggers to THE PIPE and pulls it out of the floor. SULLIVAN You big boys always fuck up big. Sullivan tees up on Cross, the swing swooshing, and the iron rod hits Cross' biceps, FRACTURING HIS HUMERUS. Cross rolls in agony, the fissure below him spreading, the floor tilting, channeling him close to THE GROWING HOLE. SULLIVAN Ain't pain grand! Sullivan swings. A kill shot to Cross's head. Cross sees it, turns, takes the blow on the shoulder of his broken arm. Twirling the rod like a batter on deck, Sullivan gauges Cross, this vanquished man. SULLIVAN So Detective, where's backup? Oh, I think I understand. Cross tries rising. The floor shudders once more. Another floor beam cracks. Cross is SO close to taking a 50 foot plunge.

101. SULLIVAN (CONT'D) You make me laugh, bright boy. I knew you were going to punish yourself for killing Maria. But I didn't expect you were going to let me help. Sullivan backs away, pulls HIS BACKPACK from the wizened foliage. Cross focuses on Sullivan. Watches Sullivan as he slips The WASP (his pneumatic syringe) into the palm of his hand. As he takes an ampule from the box, slides it into the device. As he PUTS THE BOX into his shirt pocket. All the while Cross is amplifying his pain, trying to get the shaking hand of his broken arm INTO HIS PANTS POCKET. Sullivan approaches, his weight causing the floor to give even more. As he leans forward to inject Cross, Cross grabs Sullivan's wrist with his good arm. Cross' one arm -- it against all of Sullivan's body. The strong arm trembles. Starts to bend. The WASP closes in on Alex Cross' eye. SULLIVAN Stop fighting, Alex. You've been losing ever since you started. Cross makes his move. His only move. His only chance. His other hand is now out of his pocket. In his hand is his SWITCHBLADE. ROARING to drown out the agony, Cross wills his fractured arm to DRIVE HIS KNIFE THROUGH THE AMPULE BOX and to the hilt into Sullivan shoulder --- Cross rises as Sullivan falls back, twisting his fist to work THE FLOWING TTX into Sullivan bloodstream. CROSS Have a little of your own medicine! Sullivan emits AN UNGODLY GASP as -The FORCE OF THE TWO BODIES hitting the floor makes the hole grow wider. Part of Sullivan's rapidly paralyzing body falls into it.

102. Sullivan eyes Cross as he slowly sits himself up. Cross eyes Sullivan as he works out from his back pocket THE MAGAZINE from his Sig Sauer. There's ONE BULLET LEFT in it. Cross draws the big gun. Pins it between his knees. Shoves in the magazine. Chambers the single round. Cross raises the pistol. To shoot Sullivan. Point blank. In the face. A floor beam gives. It breaks through the masonry below, PLUMMETS 50 FEET down to the floor of the Main Room. Sullivan laughs. Victorious. His voice A STRAINED GASP: SULLIVAN Go on. But never forget: I made you! Cross squeezes the trigger. But as he is about to exceed 5 pounds of force, he takes his finger off. The Better Angels of His Nature have prevailed. No.

CROSS

Sullivan looks perplexed as Cross holsters his pistol. CROSS I'm going ruin your day. He pulls out his handcuffs. Slaps one of the cuffs over Sullivan's wrist. CROSS You're under arrest, you son of a bitch. Another floor beam collapses. The hole widens. Sullivan falls.

103. Cross has a hold of the other end of the cuff. Sullivan dangles, the steel bracelet digging into his flesh. It hurts Sullivan, and it shows, as Cross, inch by inch, backs away, pulling Sullivan with him. But as he attempts to extricate Sullivan, the rotten floor collapses away, more and more quickly. Cross tries to move faster as the hole spreads, threatening to swallow them both. Cross whips his legs around, spreads his weight flat. As the hole extends his grip on the handcuff bracelet slips an inch so that it's on the verge of being held by just his fingertips. Cross' spreading out his weight wasn't enough. More masonry falls from below, another beam falls, the hole opens faster than ever now, to swallow Cross --- the sound of wood and brick is so loud that CROSS DOES NOT HEAR THEM, he does not see the SEA OF BLUE, as HE IS SWALLOWED -Cross plummets -- but stops cold. The cuff is jolted from his hand. And Sullivan falls. In the one second plus that he has remaining, Sullivan's most basic instincts emerge. Before he splatters on the floor of the Main Room, Sullivan/Picasso CRIES OUT IN FEAR. As for Cross, he is hauled out of the hole by Tommy Kane, who in turn is being held by another cop, and he by another. KANE We got ya', buddy! Hold on. The line of cops pull Cross well clear of the hole -- now consuming half the room. They stop by the door. Cross looks at Kane. Kane slaps his back. FADE TO BLACK 197

INT. CROSS' OFFICE, HMCU - DAY BOXES are stacked in the office. They all bear the same label: ALEX CROSS, FBI, 1 Hoover Road, Quantico, VA

104. Cross sits at his bare desk. His arm in sling. From the look of his various scratches and bruises, a few weeks have ed. Cross is focused intently on his laptop. We see he is watching HELICOPTER VIDEO of the Ångstrom assassination. AGAIN AND AGAIN he watches it: Ångstrom, his bodyguards tightly packing around him as emerges from his limo and goes up the courthouse steps. He can't stop watching. Because he can't stop searching. For the thing that he's missing...but KNOWS is there. 198

INT. CORRIDORS, POLICE HQ - DAY Cross heads through the station corridors. HIS CELL PHONE RINGS. The number is blocked. Cross answers it. Dr. Cross.

A MAN (ON PHONE)

Cross stops in his tracks. Cross's voice is level: Ångstrom.

CROSS

ÅNGSTROM (ON PHONE) You don't sound surprised. CROSS I had a feeling there was more to that mess than met the eye. And then I realized: when we mopped everything up, there was no red diamond ring. Ångstrom giggles like a child who knows he's been caught. A cluster of talking policemen gets Cross on the move again. He exits the building. 199

EXT. POLICE HQ - CONTINUOUS Cross stops on the steps. CROSS (CONT'D) It was Pierce. He wasn't just your bodyguard -- he was your body double. CUT TO: Flying low over the ocean. A jungle looms, a volcano sits in the distance. Closer in, we can see a LAVISH, EXOTIC COMPOUND built just beyond the beach.

105. ÅNGSTROM (V.O.) Mr. Pierce served as a decoy many times. He was a loyal companion. I take comfort knowing he never felt a thing. The bottom line is I had no choice. Life as me was getting to be inconvenient. 200

INT. ÅNGSTROM'S COMPOUND - CONTINUOUS Ångstrom is relaxing on a sofa, gazing at the ocean. A large computer monitor beside him streams data. Cross' voice sounds from a HIGH-TECH TRACE-PROOF COMM DEVICE. CROSS (ON SPEAKER) So you took out a hit on yourself. And Fan Yau and LeBescond, they were too deep inside your "information loop," they had to go for real. ÅNGSTROM It was a necessary housecleaning. ON CROSS He swallows the bile rising in his mouth. CROSS And Sullivan never even knew he was being played the sucker. BACK ON ÅNGSTROM He has risen now, is walking -ÅNGSTROM (ON PHONE) "Sullivan", "Picasso"...identifying him has proved a bit of a problem, hasn't it? I would tell you his name, but I myself don't know. I simply contracted him on the open market. There are many such men in the world. -- and greets with a kiss Paramita, his beautiful Gatekeeper, as she enters wearing a sarong. ON CROSS CROSS You're not the type to call to gloat. ÅNGSTROM (ON PHONE) That is true. (MORE)

106. ÅNGSTROM (ON PHONE) (CONT'D) When we met I said you were not up to the task. That you were weak. I called to tell you that I was wrong. Good luck, Dr. Cross. You're going to need it. The line goes dead. Cross looks up, sees Kane is pulled over in his Camaro, has been waiting for Cross to finish. 201

INT. KANE'S CAMARO - DAY Cross looks out window as the city es by. Then, the streets in his neighborhood. Finally, Kane pulls to a stop outside Cross' house. KANE Hey, Alex: I know it's a step down from this place, but D.C., I could be persuaded. Keep it in mind. Cross smiles. They shake, the men's two hands flying through a series of moves evolved over decades of friendship.

202

EXT. CROSS' HOUSE - DAY Cross gets out, then pauses as -KANE Hey. Who was that you were you talking to, outside the station? CROSS Who calls the shots in the henhouse? Kane knows exactly what Cross is telling him. His jaw goes slack. KANE The motherfucking fox. Cross' look is a sober affirmation. Incredulous and disturbed, Tommy Kane drives off. Cross walks up to his front door. He stops here. In the distance he can hear A SIREN WAIL. He looks inside. The place is half-way packed up to move. He sees Janelle and Damon putting stuff in boxes.

107. He keys on Janelle: as she picks up HER TOY PIANO. The one Maria bought her. Janelle kisses it, then puts it gently into a box. Alex Cross is so moved. But he remains in the doorway, looking in, as behind him the sound of the siren grows louder.

THE END