PERMANENT INTERESTS - EPISODE 15

Things get hairy early on a Saturday night…

INT. ANNE'S SUITE - CARLETON HOTEL - NEXT MORNING

ANNE LUXURIATES IN A STEAMY BATH. A crumpled Gauloise pack sits by the toothbrush on the sink.

DAVID, IN THE SITTING ROOM, stares pensively out the window while he drinks coffee.

There's a KNOCK. David opens the door on Howard Lewis.

HOWARD

Mr. Field. Howard Lewis. Is Miss Hamilton in?

(flashes a badge)

United States Government.

DAVID

(over his shoulder)

Anne, it's the Feds!

Howard makes himself comfortable on the sofa.

INT. SURVEILLANCE ROOM

Vic sets down his coffee and puts on the headphones.

INT. ANNE'S SUITE

Anne appears in her bathrobe, hair wrapped with a towel. She stops cold when she sees Howard.

ANNE

I thought there was something funny about you.

HOWARD

(ignores that)

We seem to be getting our lines crossed, Miss Hamilton.

(an ingratiating smile)

I've come to see if we can't untangle them. Stay out of the way for now, I'll guarantee you're there at the finish. Exclusive for CNS. It'd be a great way to start off as Bureau Chief in Paris, right?

ANNE

Tell me about Charlie Sims... Maybe you know something about Harry Long too.

For an instant, Howard's eyes betray surprise.

David notices.

DAVID

And Ed Wilson.

Howard stands. His tone is frigid.

HOWARD

It would be prudent to let the wheels of justice handle this.

(smiles)

A word to the wise...

He leaves. A moment.

Anne turns to David.

ANNE

Why did you bring up Ed Wilson?

DAVID

Usually, when you mention shitheads like Ed Wilson or Phil Agee, guys like ol' Howard there start bouncing off the walls. He didn't.

(looks at the door)

Get dressed before he reconsiders.

EXT. MOUNTAIN ROAD - LATER

The coastline falls away as the abused Mercedes climbs higher into the hills along the winding road.

INT. MERCEDES - MOVING - MORNING

David drives. Anne, pensive, watches the scenery.

DAVID

Get the briefcase from the back and open it.

She reaches back as told and finds the .32 Beretta. She looks at him, then takes it, slips out the clip, checks it.

ANNE

What every well-dressed journalist needs.

DAVID

We're in this for keeps. Guys like Howard Lewis don't get mad, they get even.

ANNE

(snaps the clip home)

Wilson was CIA Deputy Director, Operations, right?

DAVID

(nods)

The last of the Wild Bill Donovan wannabees.

EXT. MOUNTAIN ROAD - DAY

David takes the turns fast, driving like a pro.

DAVID (V.O.)(Cont)

He worked out how they could do business with Ahsan...

KA-POW! - The right front tire blows!

DAVID has his hands full, keeping the car from going over the side.

KA-POW! KA-POW! - The windshield shatters!

TIRES SCREECH... the car careens wildly... gravel and shredded rubber spray into space as the rim grinds along the drop...

DAVID barely manages to bring the car to a stop at a wide spot in the road...

EXT. MOUNTAIN ROAD

Anne and David leap out... KA-POW! KA-POW! Dust spurts behind them as they run, taking shelter behind a large rock at the foot of a hill.

KA-POW! - The Mercedes' gas tank EXPLODES! A mushroom cloud of oily black smoke roils into the sky.

ANNE peers from around the rock. KA-POW! - Splinters fly from the rock, and she ducks back. David checks his gun.

DAVID

Cover me.

ANNE

Cover you? When did you come down with John Wayne Syndrome?

DAVID

(looks up the hill)

If we stay here, we're dead. When was the last time you made a combat assault?

ANNE

When was the last time you did?

He crosses his fingers at her, then he's outta there.

THE BLACK SMOKE blows back in an updraft against the hill. It covers David as he scrambles into the rocks at the base of the hill...

THE SNIPER AND SPOTTER are on top of the hill: Spotter with binoculars, the Sniper armed with an SVD sniper rifle with scope.

The Spotter picks up his AK-47, makes his way down slope...

DAVID hides behind a rock and re-checks his weapon. He doesn't see the Spotter disappear into the rocks.

Ready, David looks around - the SNIPER is visible through the billowing smoke...

DAVID scrambles up the rocks, into a ravine, temporarily hidden as he makes his way up the hillside...

ANNE peers around the rock...smoke obscures the hillside...

THE SPOTTER makes his way down the hill, AK-47 in hand. He trips and dislodges stones that CLATTER down the hill...

ANNE hears that... looks around the rock, sees the Spotter.

DAVID crawls up the rocks, out of the ravine, just below the crest of the hill, but around to the rear. He raises up...

THE SNIPER crouches at the crest, facing away from David, who readies himself to rush Sniper...

THE SPOTTER gets to the bottom of the hill. The car now burned out and the smoke much thinner. He cautiously approaches the Mercedes and tries to look inside it...

ANNE, from her new position, hears the Spotter's FOOTSTEPS. They stop. She aims in the Spotter's direction...

ANNE'S POV - The Spotter approaches the rock Anne left. He turns to scan up the hill, his back to her a moment.

DAVID runs toward the Sniper, pistol at the ready...

ANNE steadies her pistol at the Spotter...

ANNE

Drop it.

THE SPOTTER turns, weapon in-hand.

ANNE

Drop it, before I drop you.

The Spotter takes her measure, swings around to fire...

THE SNIPER spins around at RUSTLING BRUSH, brings up his rifle and swings it at charging David...

David's momentum carries him against the guy and they go down! The rifle CLATTERS. The Sniper pulls a knife and stabs at David...

BLAM! - from downhill.

DAVID is confused - where did that come from? - The Sniper rushes him...

ANNE moves toward the Spotter's body, fallen atop his weapon. She holds her pistol two-handed, aimed down at the body as she approaches...

BLAM!

ANNE'S POV - A BODY falls through the air from the crest...

ANNE

DAVID!

Anne sees a silhouette on the hilltop - David.

DAVID makes his way down the hill. He finds the Sniper and drags the body down the hill...

David drops the body as he reaches Anne. They hold each other tight - they're alive.

You can support That’s Another Fine Mess with a paid subscription for only $7/month or $70/year, saving $14.

Comments are for paid subscribers.