PERMANENT INTERESTS - EPISODE 14

More rustling in those bushes…

INT. HALLWAY - CARLETON HOTEL - LATER

The elevator opens. Anne, fuming, marches ahead of David.

DAVID

Two different guys tell us to chase Phantoms. We're getting close. Isn't that what counts?

ANNE

Being treated like chattel counts too. That condescending asshole...

He slips the key in the door.

ANNE

We've got knowledge but no proof of anything. My editor would laugh me out of the office if I went with this... and then he'd fire me.

DAVID

(opens the door)

Who said anything about giving up? We keep chipping away the paint, eventually we'll get to the woodwork.

ANNE

What's that supposed to mean?

She precedes him into their suite.

INT. THEIR SUITE - CARLETON HOTEL

They find what looks like the aftermath of a tornado!

David goes to the desk, sorts through the contents of the drawer: cash, traveller's checks, tickets.

DAVID

It wasn't a burglary.

She runs into the bedroom. He follows.

INT. ANNE'S BEDROOM

She drops to her knees, reaches under the bed. Smiles as she removes the shoebox. Frowns after she opens it.

ANNE

When am I fucking going to learn?

(whacks her forehead)

Goddamnit!

David stands over her. She looks up.

ANNE

This is where I put that copy of the customs report.

David goes to the window and opens it.

DAVID

(leans out)

MESSAGE RECEIVED, ASSHOLES!

He turns back to see her pick up the phone. It's answered on the third ring.

ANNE

L'Inspector LeFevre, s'il vous plaît.

INTERCUT WITH LEFEVRE IN HIS OFFICE

LEFEVRE

Oui. LeFevre ici.

ANNE

This is Anne Hamilton. I think you should examine the customs records from Nice Airport for this last Sunday.

pauses)

Inspector?

LEFEVRE

I am listening, Mademoiselle Hamilton.

ANNE

Among other things, you'd find out William Martin arrived from Beirut at 1500 hours and was exempted from customs inspection on the orders of Chef Inspector LeFleur, at the request of Mr. Howard Lewis, of the United States Government.

LEFEVRE

How do you know this?

ANNE

I've seen the document.

LEFEVRE

Do you have it?

INT. ANNE'S BEDROOM

She hates to admit this...

ANNE

No. I don't have my copy anymore. Why don't you ask your friend Vic about it?

She hangs up and shoots the phone a "look."

ANNE

Thank you very much, Fuckhead.

EXT. TERMINAL - NICE AIRPORT - DUSK

George loads a suitcase into the trunk of the red Mercedes 500SL. He slams down the lid, then gets in the car.

INT. MERCEDES 500SL - MOVING

Anne drives away from the terminal. George lights a cigar, then turns to her.

GEORGE

This okay?

ANNE

I've kinda un-quit.

George nods but opens the window anyway.

GEORGE

So, line it out for ol' Papa Bear. Just like J-school: who, what, when, where, why.

ANNE

Okay. Charlie Sims and I go back to the old days in El Salvador, and...

GEORGE

Is he what happened between you and David?

(the answer's on her face)

I ought to be mad at you for giving him an excuse to quit.

ANNE

(ignores that)

It was pure coincidence I ran across him. Charlie.

EXT. ANNE'S MERCEDES - MOVING

The dark sedan accelerates behind them.

GEORGE (V.O.)

His reaction to seeing you?

ANNE (V.O.)

He didn't remember who I was.

INT. MERCEDES

George studies her expression.

GEORGE

Then he asked what you were doing here.

ANNE

Uh-huh. Then his assistant showed up and I found out he was here for a conference.

GEORGE

Baloney. Where does the business with the jets come in?

She flashes a smile.

EXT. INTERSECTION

The sedan follows the Mercedes through the left turn across traffic.

ANNE (V.O.)

Did you ever meet a guy named

Harry Long?

GEORGE (V.O.)

Haven't seen him in years.

INT. MERCEDES

The following car flashes its high beams to pass. Anne slows and pulls to the right.

ANNE

David figured if anybody knew, Harry would. It turns out Harry knew a guy named Pierre Fontaine, and --

GEORGE

Pierre Fontaine? I thought he was dead by now.

(laughs)

Always been a bit fixated on Hitler's werewolves.

ANNE

Harry seemed to think Fontaine had good information. I'm...

Anne glances in the mirror, sees the sedan speed up...

EXT. THE MERCEDES

The sedan comes alongside and something metallic glints out the back seat window...

INT. THE MERCEDES

George sees it...

GEORGE

There’s a gun!

Anne hits the gas just as - BANG! - a bullet shatters the left rear window...

THE MERCEDES SQUEALS - around a corner and fishtails out of the turn...

THE SEDAN - goes onto two wheels to keep up...

THE CHASE CONTINUES - around a truck...A quick left to the next street... the Mercedes swerves to avoid an oncoming car, then a quick right...

THE SEDAN - fishtails out of that turn and accelerates after the Mercedes...

ANNE - sees an alley ahead and turns into it...The buildings zip past as the car rockets down the alley...The sedan's headlights illuminate the Mercedes' interior...

THE MERCEDES SCREECHES - from the alley into a fast left...

ANNE - sees a truck pull out of a lot ahead...

THE MERCEDES - whips past the truck - inches to spare...

THE SEDAN - doesn't make it...It's brakes SCREECH in protest as it swerves onto the sidewalk...through a kiosk...tears out a wrought iron railing...

CROSS TRAFFIC - skids wildly to avoid the sedan as it careens out of control across the street and...

THE SEDAN - bursts through a boulangerie's front window!

INT. MERCEDES - NIGHT

Anne stops the car by a loading dock, spent. She rests her forehead on the steering wheel a moment.

GEORGE

Whew! I haven't had a ride like that since the guys who wanted to kill DeGaulle thought I knew who they were!

Anne catches her breath and looks over at him.

GEORGE

Let's get out of here.

INT. A BAR - LATER

Anne lights another cigarette. George finishes his drink and looks up from their booth to see David enter. He waves him over. David sits beside Anne. Frowns at her cigarette.

DAVID

Hi, George. How's Paris treating you these days?

GEORGE

It took you long enough.

DAVID

So, why couldn't we meet at the hotel?

(signals the BARMAID)

Jack Daniels.

ANNE

Someone tried to kill us.

DAVID

(grabs her)

Again? You're all right?

GEORGE

What do you mean "again"?

ANNE

After what they did to our room, I thought this would be safer.

GEORGE

Okay, stop right there.

Quiet as the Barmaid delivers David's drink and leaves.

DAVID

Anne stumbled across some sort of clandestine arms deal, but the pieces are a bad fit. None of it makes any sense.

ANNE

It's like hiking toward Pikes Peak: The closer we get, the farther away it seems.

GEORGE

(thoughtful)

What about Ed Wilson?

David laughs derisively.

DAVID

Ed Wilson? What about him? He hasn't spoken to the press since Carter shitcanned him.

ANNE

Why would he tell us anything?

GEORGE

You have your feminine instincts, right?

ANNE

So?

GEORGE

Call this male instinct. He's at his place in the hills. I never knew him to be anyplace longer than five minutes before he knew more about what's what than the locals.

DAVID

What about tonight?

GEORGE

You have a perfectly good suite, and I have a room waiting. If whoever's behind this wants to find us, it won't matter where we are.

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