OMURA
Tell me. Hurry.
PILOT
(with difficulty)
They raised their hand ...against us.
Nuclear device...on ship. Found.
Re...assigned.
OMURA
A bomb? Reassigned? What does that mean? Where's the Leader? The serum?
PILOT
They...took him. Took all. On the...big vehicle. And the device...we used its power to connect...our trophies...now...
(cough, cough)
He mumbles and falls silent. Omura shakes him.
OMURA
What about the device? The device!
There is no response. He lets the body fall.
DRU
Device, Sir? What device?
Omura is on his feet.
OMURA
The C.I.A. put a nuke on the alien ship.
DRU
WHAT?
OMURA
It was discovered. And I think it's on
the command centre. Schollander has the
Leader. And the serum.
DRU
(confused)
How can you make that assumption? Why
not plant it here, get more of us?
Omura shakes his head.
Pg. 94
OMURA
It was Schollander who ‘raised his hand’.
It’s on the rig.
Dru turns to a SOLDIER.
DRU
Get to Communications. Raise the rig.
Tell them...
PILOT
(O.S.)
No...
Omura and Dru turn. We SEE the Pilot raise his computer arm weakly.
PILOT
No...contact. They are...trophies.
His arm drops. He is DEAD.
OMURA
(to the soldier)
Try the call, anyway, soldier.
(to Dru)
I think the pilot scrambled our com-
munications. If he did, I'll need a
chopper and your best flyer.
Fanfarski takes a determined step forward, gets in Omura’s face.
JANICE
Well I'm the best damn pilot you'll
ever see.
A BEAT. Grim, Omura nods.
INT. THE COMMAND CENTRE TRAILER – MOMENTS LATER
We see the Leader securely bound within a special UPRIGHT HARNESS obviously constructed for this purpose. He has been stripped of all visible armament and clothing, which now lie on a nearby bench. He regains consciousness, and watches intently for a few moments as Schollander and the agents rummage frantically through his effects. They are obviously searching for the serum. It is not to be found.
Pg. 95
LEADER
A dangerous game...Vic...tor.
Schollander turns to face the alien. He is confident, in control.
SCHOLLANDER
Ah, Leader. By the way, do you have
a name?
The Leader is silent.
SCHOLLANDER
(con’t)
Hmm. That bad, is it? Yes, parents can
be so cruel. Anyway. You have the serum.
I want it. And I will find it. I think
you know that.
The Leader is silent.
SCHOLLANDER
(con’t)
Yes. Well.
He moves to a computer console. Places his hand on the shoulder of the AGENT there.
SCHOLLANDER
(con’t)
MR. CARLISLE. Before these bastards
decide to come down and start a full scale safari, do me a favour, will you, and get
ready to press that button we discussed
earlier. You know, the one that makes
alien ships go...
He turns to the Leader, flicks his clasped hands apart, and silently mouths "BOOM".
SCHOLLANDER
(con’t)
(to the Leader)
There's a nuclear weapon on your ship.
I want the serum.
LEADER
It...cannot save...you.
Pg. 96
SCHOLLANDER
What...?
Excuse me, Sir. There's a problem. I
can't establish a connection. It's as
if the package just isn't there any more.
LEADER
It just...isn't there...any more.
He begins to LAUGH.
EXT. THE EIGHTEEN-WHEELER
ESTABLISH a CONCERTINA CONNECTION between the cab and the trailer. CLOSE SHOT of the VACUUM BREAKING SYSTEM HOSES and COUPLINGS. Partially obscured within we SEE the NUKE.
ECU
Attached to it, a Predator TIMING DEVICE: five small screens show rapidly changing symbols. The FIRST SCREEN is already BLANK.
IN THE RIG - CONTINUOUS
SCHOLLANDER
(agitated)
Well, I suggest you establish a connection,
Mr. Carlisle. You're supposed to be the best.
Or would you prefer I call MacTavish.
(sarcasm)
That probably wouldn’t do any good, Sir.
This interface only understands English.
Schollander opens his mouth to retort, but ANOTHER AGENT, viewing a monitor at another station, interrupts him.
AGENT AT MONITOR
Mr. Schollander, Sir. We have company.
Schollander's head whips around.
EXT. THE RIG - AERIAL SHOT
From ABOVE we SEE the command centre being caught by an
Pg. 97
APACHE ATTACK HELICOPTER.
RESUME SCENE
Schollander flicks a switch on an adjacent panel. Talks into a mike.
SCHOLLANDER
MR. GRECO.
IN THE CAB
the DRIVER responds.
GRECO
Mr. Schollander, Sir. I was just going
to call. There's a...
SCHOLLANDER
(O.S.)
Yes, Agent, precisely. Ignore them. You
will not stop. Am I clear?
GRECO
Perfectly, Sir.
He glances in a mirror.
His POV of the Apache, gaining.
INT. THE APACHE - CONTIUOUS
Omura and Janice are both wearing HEADSETS with MIKES. Omura flicks a SWITCH repeatedly in frustration.
OMURA
(voice raised)
No go. Whatever the pilot did, it was
good. I can't get anything on the radio.
(looks about)
I need something to write on. Can you
get us lower, close to the cab as possible?
I can see the nuke. It’s in amongst the brake
hoses.
FANFARSKI
No problem. 'Course, these big, whirling,
metal propeller thingies could get in
the way.
(smiles)
Pg. 98
OMURA
Make me proud. I want to brag about you
at parties.
Janice begins to drop the Apache.
INT. THE TRAILER.
SCHOLLANDER
(ironic laugh)
I've only myself to blame. I should have
known better. One shot is never enough
with these bastards. The pilot survived.
He told Omura. That must be it.
(to Carlisle )
Now, Mr. Carlisle. Give me some good news.
(grim)
Sir, there is nothing wrong with my
system. But I’ve pinged a dozen addresses.
Nothing came back. We have been
seriously fucked with.
LEADER
Package seriously...fucked with.
(laughs)
And...moved.
SCHOLLANDER
Moved? What do you mean? Moved where?
AGENT AT MONITOR
Sir. The Apache is coming alongside.
Schollander turns away from the Leader, peers in at the screen.
ON THE LEADER
who tilts his head down and spits a TINY DROP OF GOO onto his wrist bonds. We SEE the material begin to FIZZ.
EXT. THE APACHE
Omura has scribbled the word BOMB on the back of an equipment manifest. He braces himself in the open hatch and holds the sign up.
IN THE CAB
Pg. 99
we SEE Greco turn to look. In the BG we SEE the wind rip the sign from Omura's grasp. The Apache pulls away.
IN THE TRAILER
Schollander punches the surface of a console. Hangs his head. All eyes are on him. He turns to the Leader.
SCHOLLANDER
All right. All right. I'm stubborn, but
I didn't get to where I am today by being
stupid. I'll release you. Just tell me
where the bomb is.
The Leader makes a dull throaty sound. Schollander moves closer to hear...and the Leader SPITS CAUSTIC BILE into his face. Schollander screams and falls away, thrashing. The agents erupt from their chairs, pull handguns, as the Leader rips himself from his weakened restraint. Gunplay ERUPTS, several shots hitting the alien. Hardly noticing, he mows through the humans, but he is punching rather than clawing, rendering senseless rather than killing.
IN THE CAB
Greco reacts to the SOUNDS of FIRING from the trailer. He moves to flick on his INTERCOM, but a THUMPING SOUND from above makes him look up.
IN THE TRAILER
the Leader throws an agent bodily against the flimsy partition between trailer and cab. As he hits, the agent's gun discharges. The SHOT travels through the passageway to the cab...
IN THE CAB
and takes Greco in the back. He slumps over. DEAD. The rig is a runaway on the long, straight desert road.
IN THE TRAILER
the Leader surveys his handiwork. He hears a GROAN.
Locating the NOISE, he delivers a stunning blow, sending the culprit back into deep unconsciousness. He moves to his belongings, retrieves his arm computer first. He punches commands.
Pg. 100
INT. THE PREDATOR SHIP - THE BRIDGE
A PREDATOR SUBORDINATE reacts to a SIGNAL on his console. He barks an order to a CREW MEMBER. That PREDATOR begins entering commands on his own console.
EXT. THE RIG'S CAB
Omura clings to the side of the cab. We SEE that he is wearing a TOOLBELT containing various tools. He tries the door. Locked. He peers in the small window, SEES the dead driver. He tries to break the glass. Cannot.
He clambers down the side until he can step onto the coupling, and crouches to within reach of the nuke. The rig BUCKS VIOLENTLY. Omura is flung forward, saves himself, and comes face to face with the alien timer.
INSERT OF TIMER
THREE of the FIVE small screens are BLANK. The symbols continue to RUN.
ON OMURA
OMURA
Shit! Shit! SHIT!
IN THE TRAILER
the Leader is dressed and armed again. He gives one last look around then ATTACKS the metal siding of the trailer with his exo-claw. He RIPS the panelling aside and clambers out.
EXT. THE TRAILER
Using his natural claws, the Leader claws his way up the side of the trailer and clambers over onto the top. Taking one second to find his balance, he stands erect, gives the shadowing Apache a glance...then looks UP.
ON OMURA
as he works at the timer with a screwdriver. It comes loose, but is still attached by a dozen wires. He pulls, but can't break them. The symbols in the last active screen keep RUNNING. Omura reaches for WIRE CUTTERS. The rig JOLTS again. Omura drops the wire cutters, which get lodged in the hoses below. He stretches down, and SEES under the rig.
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